Review of Body Double (1984) by Jake P — 05 Apr 2012

First "Body Heat" and now in "Body Double", director Brian DePalma pays homage to the Alfred Hitchcock movies (Vertigo). Craig Wasson plays Jake, a struggling actor who keeps losing jobs because of his claustrophobia. To make matters worse, his girlfriend has walked out on him, so he has no place to sleep. His pal offers him the use of his apartment for the evening. The apartment happens to be equipped with a huge picture window and telescope, enabling him to spy on his beautiful neighbor Gloria (Deborah Shelton) while she undresses. He also bears witness to her brutal murder. And then he meets a porn star (Melanie Griffith), who has just taken a job posing as the late Gloria.

Brian DePalma "Body Double" is his love of making movies about movies. He uses Hitchcockian tones, pornographic homages, strong LA locations, 1980's decour and even 1940's film noir. I wouldn't say this is DePalma's best's but the movie picks up once the facts came altogether. I felt all the clues came a little to early in the middle of the picture. The best performance is from Melanie Griffith as adult film star Holly Body. Griffith doesn't make her character as a stupid blonde. She is seen as someone who is tough, has high standards, sensual and a swarmy sense of humour. Craig Wesson (who was great in Four Friends) plays the flawed main character Jack Scully who audiences will always remembers as the guy who picked up the panties from the garbage bin and puts it into his pocket. "Body Double" sure has it's strange moments of akward humour.