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| Marj |
 Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 9:57 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 10497
Location: Manhattan
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Quote: They had accepted the illusion (that the actress had a better body than she actually had), which they had helped to create, as reality. Or, more acurately, they had accepted that others would accept it as reality, so that made it real in a way to them. It's a theme De Palma seems to enjoy exploring. "What you see isn't really what you're seeing. Or maybe it is."
And discovering just this, Earl, is what made me like this film. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 10:34 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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| Thanks, Earl, for making me understand Griffith's line, which I suspected was clever. And it was, only I couldn't get what it was about. Duh. Griffith was really attractive in the role, btw. She was nominated for the Golden Globe for the performance, and I can understand that, too. |
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| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 10:39 pm |
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Location: Houston
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Earl wrote: I loved the first hour or so of Body Double, but ended up merely liking the rest. So, overall I was happy with it. Of the movies we've screened so far on this thread, Body Double certainly contains some of the best looking locations and De Palma (as has been noted by others here) makes excellent use of them. It wasn't just that the locations looked great on their own, but De Palma utilized them in a way that fit in with the voyeurism theme.
Now I'm going to have to track it down. One reason for not pursuing this picture is that I remember the visuals being entirely mundane and only adequately shot. A bad VHS copy or something? Anyway, I must give it another shot. Visuals have almost as much to do with my love for De Palma as his wit. |
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| Befade |
| Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:22 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: AZ
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I have watched more than half of Body Double and my library dvd started freezing and my player said it was dirty......I washed it and will attempt the second half........(I hate this aspect of dvd watching.)
Even though I've seen BD at least 3 times I forget alot. It started out like Blow Out with a hokey horror film. And I had forgotten that Craig Wasson dominated the first half and Melanie came later. I thought it moved slowly......but I liked the music and I liked the basic plot. I reallly think De Palma for all the Hitchcock lifting he does has a refreshing sense of humor. Wasson is such a dopey guy and so ineffectual......his claustrophobia and then his knight in no armor approach. I think De Palma likes to cast at least one non-charismatic actor in each film for comic relief (Nancy Allen filled that role.) There was even an elevator scene like Dressed to Kill.
The drill was goofy/over-the-top........There again De Palma likes over-the-top. I like Melanie Griffith......I think she's got a babydoll sexuality you don't see often. She does something with her tongue and she uses big words. I'm enjoying this film. |
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Lost in my own private I dunno. |
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| Marj |
| Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:38 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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Location: Manhattan
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I think Betsy makes some good points. DePalma does appear to like 'over the top' and his humor when it works is indeed refreshing.
I still don't know why he cast Craig Wasson. I've read some articles in which the authors said, casting a bit of a nebbish was purposeful. I'm not so sure. But casting Melanie Griffith was genius! I also thought the casting of Gregg Henry was brilliant. That is, if like me, you weren't tipped off at the beginning of the movie.
Gary -- You can tell me if I spelled 'nebbish' correctly. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:46 pm |
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| Marj |
| Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:53 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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| Marc |
| Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 3:22 pm |
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Joined: 19 May 2004
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| I just rented BODY DOUBLE. Will watch it tonight. Also, I have a dvd copy of DRESSED TO KILL. I can make copies. Betsy will host the DTK discussion starting July 30. PM me for a copy of DRESSED TO KILL. |
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| Marj |
| Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 3:30 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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Location: Manhattan
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| Thank you, Marc. I think by now, you must have my address memorized. LOL. But I'll PM you, just in case. |
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| ehle64 |
| Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 7:30 pm |
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Location: NYC; US&A
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| Befade |
| Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 12:24 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: AZ
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Oh good! Please try Body Double......it really is alot of fun.
I don't think the ending was "satisfying" or as "warm and fuzzy" as it could have been. I love the part where Craig Wassan is filming the porn flic with Melanie.......and when he slicks back his hair and pretends to be a producer. I appreciated his nerdiness more this viewing than before. I just wish he and Melanie could have ended up in a clinch instead of her treating him like a nerd.......
But then.......does De Palma do warm and fuzzy?
It made me want to watch Boogie Nights again. |
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| Befade |
| Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 12:36 am |
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Quote: One interesting aspect is how BDP makes the film almost entirely about the peripheral characters (taking a cue from Hitch in Vertigo and Rear Window), that we never learn anything about why the murder was committed, or why a husband would have such rage as to kill his wife in such an angry psychotic fashion. In fact we learn next to nothing about the murderer/victim pair.
The motive in BD was.....the wife was cheating and she was rich.
The motive in Rear Window was the husband was cheating and sick of taking care of his wife. |
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| Marc |
| Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 1:15 am |
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Joined: 19 May 2004
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| Just got thru watching BODY DOUBLE. I hadn't seen it since it's theatrical release back in 1984. What a terrific movie! I am going to elaborate. I took notes. But, right now I'm just relishing this fun demented flick. |
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| Marc |
| Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 1:52 am |
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Joined: 19 May 2004
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Body Double.
I think it was a brilliant move on De Palma's part to cast the daughter of Tippi Hedren (one of Hitchcock's icy blondes) Melanie Griffith in another of his Hitchcock homages. Body Double definitely is a mashup of Vertigo and Rear Window with a wickedly slutty attitude. And there's a bit of Michael Powell's Peeping Tom in the mix.
Body Double is a wonderful parody of Hollywood, the porn industry, low rent horror movies and the films of Brian De Palma. He throws an homage to himself in the extended slo-mo love scene where the camera woozily does a 360 pan around two characters.
The drill descending between the murderer's legs is another example of De Palma depicting cock as weapon. He seems to have a thing for deadly dicks.
Loved the nightclub porn scene with Frankie Goes To Hollywood doing "Relax".
Body Double is a kickass comedy thriller with a healthy dose of sleazy sex. Whats not to like? |
Last edited by Marc on Tue Jul 14, 2009 2:01 am; edited 1 time in total |
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| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 1:59 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: Houston
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Marc,
I'm holding off on asking for a copy of Dressed to Kill, thinking Earl and I can share one, and figuring he'll want to see it. |
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-Topher |
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