Body Heat was Lawrence Kasdan's directorial debut after some successful screenplays, and as with many of his films he was keen to show a love of the classic Hollywood movies of yesteryear, in this case Double Indemnity. Not that such elusive behaviour will put off Ned, but as Matty observes in their first meeting, he's not too smart - she likes that in a man, as we will find out. She warns him she is married, but he thinks she is playing hard to get and chats her up, though she walks away when he is distracted. That is before he meets Matty Walker ( Kathleen Turner) when watching a band play an outdoor concert, and follows her to the beach where he strikes up a conversation with her. Ned Racine ( William Hurt) is a Florida lawyer who in the summer heat, one of the hottest on record, spends his spare time picking up women for one night stands, never thinking anything about actually falling in love. Preston, Mickey Rourke, Kim Zimmer, Jane Hallaren, Lanna Saunders, Carola McGuinness, Michael Ryan, Larry Marko, Deborah Lucchesi, Lynn Hallowell, Thom Sharp, Ruth Thom, Diane Lewis William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Richard Crenna, Ted Danson, J.A. Poetry and Motion: Great Noises That Fill the Air on DVD 1 on Blu-rayħ0s Sitcom Dads: Bless This House and Father Dear Father on Blu-rayĬhild's Play: Children's Film Foundation Bumper Box Vol. Intercourse Between Two Worlds: Twin Peaks Fire Walk with Me/The Missing Pieces on Blu-rayĮnjoy the Silents: Early Universal Vol. The Guns of Nutty Joan: Johnny Guitar on Blu-ray On the Right Track: Best of British Transport Films Vol. The ParaPod: A Very British Ghost Hunt - Interview with Director/Star Ian Boldsworth Night of the Animated Dead: Director Jason Axinn Interview Gunsight Eyes: The Sabata Trilogy on Blu-rayīloody Bastard Baby: The Monster/I Don't Want to Be Born on Blu-ray 2 on Blu-rayįable Fear: The Singing Ringing Tree on Blu-ray You Can't Tame What's Meant to Be Wild: The Howling on Blu-rayĬommendably Brief: Short Sharp Shocks Vol. You Have No Choice: Invasion of the Body Snatchers on Blu-ray Hungary for Cartoons: Hungarian Animations on MUBI Kung Fu Craft: Cinematic Vengeance! on Blu-rayĩ99 Letsbe Avenue: Gideon's Way on Blu-ray Vestron Double Bill: Dementia 13 and The Wraithįarewell Dean Stockwell: His Years of Weirdness Yeah, Too Quiet: The Great Silence on Blu-ray
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings I’d watch it again.Accidental Luxuriance of the Translucent Watery Rebus Could use a little tightening up in the first act, perhaps, but it’s a fun time. Kasdan’s script is solid, with some nice snappy dialogue and pleasing character interactions. But, the scenes in Body Heat aren’t too bad, though perhaps a bit gratuitous. Sex onscreen rarely works anyway, unless it’s supposed to be bad sex. Not that anyone should choose to work under outdated, repressive standards, nor do I mean to sound prudish, but it’s one of the things that makes old noir special. The sex you have to imagine is better than the sex you see, so it always bugs me a little bit in neo-noir when there’s a lot of nudity and sex scenes. One of the charms of classic “true” film noir is how they had to suggest lurid subject matter rather than show it. Turner comes off better than Hurt, but of course the femme fatale is the juicier role.
I’m not especially fond of William Hurt or Kathleen Turner (and the less said about Ted Danson, the better) and to be honest I would preferred some different casting, but they do okay.
The cool jazz score works with the sweltering setting to create a swampy atmosphere where bad things can and will happen, where those who think they’re ahead of the game make crucial errors in judgment. Here he makes his directorial debut, and does a mighty fine job of it (far better than anything else I’ve seen by him). Lawrence Kasdan had previously worked on the screenplays for two of the greatest (and most successful) blockbusters to come out of Hollywood: The Empires Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark. I guess you could say a lot of the plot points are pretty predictable, but it’s still enjoyable to watch it play out. Neo-noir in the vein of Double Indemnity and The Postman Always Rings Twice, in which a Florida small-time lawyer hooks up with a steamy blonde and the two plan to kill her husband.