Body Heat | | Cast : | William Hurt, Kathleen Turner | | Director : | Lawrence Kasdan | | Studio : | Warner Studios | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | August 28, 1981 | | DVD Released Date : | November 18, 1997 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | July 06, 2005 | | Summary | Steamy story | Content
 | Wow, this movie goes way back to 1981!? I suppose it's old enough to be some kind of classic - a classic in the sexual thriller genre. It's almost impossible to talk about this film without giving anything away and spoiling it for those who haven't yet seen it. So what can I say in a review to help a reader decide to watch it? Well, if you like thrillers, you'll probably like Body Heat. But if you're a bit conservative or prudish, you probably wouldn't like it. The acting, the dialogue, the mood, the music, the setting - they are all very good. Some parts stretch credibility, but that's part and parcel of a thriller. After watching this film, it has just occurred to me that sexual thrillers always feature a clever femme fatale, but I'm giving too much away even by saying that. And, as some other reviewers have noted, I too have heard women say that this movie is "romantic," while men are more likely to say it is "hot and steamy." That may be reason enough for couples to watch this film together and then talk about their reactions. |
| Rating | | | Date | February 08, 2005 | | Summary | The Video Breakthrough | Content
| Body Heat made a lot of money on the bases of THAT poster and the fact that people could buy VCRs and rent films for the first time. This and The Evil Dead where big tape sellers making them advents in the rental movie industry.
Selling a steamy film without that much steam is not such a bad thing. Instead of getting under the sheet shots, we end up with an intelligent drama that keeps you tuned to the detective work rather than Turner's body. A lawyer meets a gal who has a rich husband that stays away from the home for long periods, eventually becoming embroidered in an death insurance scam with some twists.
The character development works out with lots of depth for what should have been a B-movie skin flick. The key is the legal aspect that dominates the direction of the movie and most of the dialogue. Double-crossing, deceit and deception become more evident as the film progresses leaving you second-guessing what could become of it. Above all, Turner has probably her best role next to Serial Mom and when sharing the screen with Hurt combines to produce a memorable screen couple that has lasted longer than most critics would care to admit.
In many ways, this is damn near perfect packaging. A poster that gets everybody's attention, Oscar-worthy acting and a story that is actually very good when all is said and done. Although somewhat tamed by other beasts, this little screw job can still claim to have set off the new wave romantic-crime dramas that still hold true today... although many of them are not half as good.
As a note, you may be confused with the poster that Brian De Palma ripped off for his terrible "Body Vision" leaving many people thinking that Body Heat was a load of garbage. Try watching Body Heat next time. |
| Rating | | | Date | February 06, 2005 | | Summary | A Return to Film Noir... A Very Fun Little Film | Content
| A great, super sensuous retro-noir film that reminded me a lot of Billy Wilder's ultra classic Double Indemnity. This film must have pushed very close to an NC-17 rating, with Kathleen Turner showing a lot of herself in some very racy and memorable scenes. Written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan, who already had the screenplays of Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark to his credit. The script is loaded with witty dialogue and classic lines. And I loved the setting: a po-dunk Florida town in the early 1980s, still a fairly noirish era to my childhood memory. The main protagonists are baby-boomers, and the story makes for a good metaphor as to what that generation contributed to the institution of the family in their heyday. Finally, the supporting cast, featuring J.A. Preston, Richard Crenna, Ted Danson, and Mickey Rourke, were routinely superb.
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| Rating | | | Date | May 24, 2004 | | Summary | Stylish mystery; with excellent acting, and a hot Turner. | Content
| This movie, which follows the relationship between a lawyer (William Hurt) and a sultry woman (Kathleen Turner) provides a stylish mix, of sex, mystery, and relationships. With excellent performances throughout; and a very hot (at that time) Ms. Turner, it's a fairly good movie. Nice "jazzy" soundtrack, with the exception of one Bob Seger song (also cool). Kathleen Turner is one cool lady, as she seeks to knock off her husband (Richard Crenna), and later; when she gets greedy, her lover (Mr. Hurt). The sex was fairly steamy, given that it was an "R" movie, and she can convey more eroticism; with her facial expressions than some women could with their entire (nude) bodies. And speaking of bodies, while Ms. Turner isn't the most (physically) endowed woman, she does manage to use what she has to advantage. Sex aside, some interesting supporting performance by Ted Danson and Mickey Rourke too. Worth a look. |
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