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Body of Evidence

Body of Evidence

List Price: $14.95
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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: A Sham-Erotic Puppet-Show.
Review: Wow, they released this on DVD? Who'd have thought. Objectively speaking, "Body of Evidence" HAS to be among the top five worst movies ever made. The only sort of person who could ever tolerate sitting through it is the rabid Madonna fan. I mean, I've seen it and yeah, I'm a fan of sorts, I'll admit it - but I can only take so much. This flick is simply inexplicable as anything other than a bizarre mistake on the part of most everybody involved.*

(*Then again, while Madonna as a rule is not a huge box-office draw, I'm sure anything with her name attached winds up selling big on video and DVD eventually, no matter how awful.)

Poor Madonna. It's not that we don't want her to do well. It's not that we can't see how hard she's trying - it's that we CAN. The girl never had an un-self-conscious moment in front of the camera in her life. By the way, that's exactly why she is so magnetic in her proper medium, music video - that instant rapport is what made her a star. "Evita" worked for her because it's basically a 2-hour highbrow music video. But "Body of Evidence," which is obviously Madonna's attempt at "Basic Instinct," just makes her look foolish. AGAIN. At that point she was already a veteran of looking foolish on the silver screen. And you know, good for her, she does what she wants, she takes risks, but her choices are so consistently, amazingly terrible that it's impossible to take her seriously as an actress.

Who wrote this script? I'm not hitting the back button to see if it says, I don't really care, but I mean, good night! - it's bad. She kills the rich old guy by having-relations-with-him to death. She's like a much leaner and supposedly much more savvy version of Anna-Nicole Smith. Deviant S&M behavior may have been involved, as well as cocaine - "Basic Instinct" motifs; except in this case the killer blond can't quite pull it off. The dialogue's a mess; e.g. at one point somebody actually has Madonna tell her lawyer "There's nothing wrong with admitting that you want me." Groan. Nor does the ending make any sense, but by then who really gives a damn. The kicker is that Madonna read the script and thought "This sounds like a real gem."

But we can't blame it all on the script or her choice of it either. If Madonna were a "real actress" - and it is more than evident that she is not - she would be able to breathe some sort of creative life into even such an abject piece of trash as this. Sharon Stone did it for the otherwise ridiculous "Basic Instinct;" Linda Fiorentino for the otherwise laughable "Last Seduction." "Body of Evidence" attempts to fit into this same neo-Noir spider-woman genre, but it fails quite miserably. Not only that, but you have to watch Willem DaFoe having sex.

SPOILER: She doesn't even get away with it in the end. The good guys burn the witch. What kind of Film Noir is that?

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Madonna hots up the screen....
Review: After achieving reluctant critical acclaim as a supporting actress in such commercially successfully films as 'League Of Their Own' and 'Dick Tracy', Madonna once again stepped into the leading lady role for this erotic thriller. Released in 1993, Body Of Evidence capped off the Erotica CD/Sex book era of Madonna's career.

Madonna portrays Rebecca Carson, gallery owner and s&m/bondage fetishist. Her latest lover, a wealthy older man, dies suddenly of a heart attack and the prime suspect is Rebecca who is touted as being the 'murder weapon' herself.

Body Of Evidence certainly contains many erotic moments - we have never seen Madonna so explicit as we do in this movie. Whilst her sexual prowess is above reproach, her acting here is also noteworthy. Madonna underplays the role here for character subtly. Only in the final few scenes do we see the true Rebecca. Madonna becomes better with every movie she makes and with Body Of Evidence we see a developing actress - her characterisation is believable and holds ones' interest.

Is it a good movie??? That depends on personal opinion, but I believe it is. Definitely in the 'b-grade' category, but I found it to be enjoyable, thrilling, and interesting from the viewpoint of seeing Madonna once again develop her on-screen prowess.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Madonna at her most gorgeous. What more could you want?
Review: The script:ridiculous, but so bad it's entertaining.
The acting: ditto.
Madonna: stunning, gorgeous, beautiful, magnificent, exquisite and divine.
Quite simply, Madonna is one of the most beautiful celebrities ever and she has rarely looked as beautiful as she does here. The movie is worth watching simply to admire how physically perfect one woman can be. To top that off, Madonna sheds her clothes and exposes the perfection of her naked body. If you have only seen Madonna with her clothes on, then you need to see this movie. She looks even better with her clothes off.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Body of Evidence
Review: It wasn't much of a story but of course that wasn't why I watched the movie. There was enough plot and nudity to keep me interested to finish the movie. Its worth seing once.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Nicely Filmed ...fest
Review: Well, it won't take 1,000 words to sum up this movie: junk. It's hard to view "Body of Evidence" even as a guilty pleasure--there's just way too much guilt. Madonna plays a scheming, Betty Davis-esque golddigger (surprise) who destroys men by oversexing them with her body! Willem Dafoe, the lawyer hired to defend her against charges of murdering her elderly, rich husband, may be her next target. The story is so purile it makes "The Days of Our Lives" look like Shakespeare, and the film wastes just about every likable performer in it (including Joe Mantegna, Ann Archer and Dafoe). Perhaps the biggest mistake is letting Madonna do more than be filmed without clothes--she delivers her lines about a beat too slow and often looks uncomfortable in her own skin. (It doesn't help that Madonna often is made up to appear ten years older than she is--she looks hotter now in her music videos). Pick anything at random starring Amazonian Shannon Tweed from the bargain basement video bin, and you'll probably be more entertained than you will from watching this waste of celluloid.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Madonna really loves contreversy, doesn't she?
Review: This movie is pretty good. I love Madonna so it's kind of shameful for me to see her naked, but this movie is above decent. Not only does she prove she can act, and that she is sexy, but this looks like a high point in her career (with Dangerous Game) because she looks so young and new to the acting scene. These types of erotic thrillers usually are pretty bad (1994's Mother's Boys) but I guess Madonna fans will enjoy it more then for what it's worth. I found it entertaining, more freeky and odd then romantic/erotic and the sex scenes were kind of funny (there isn't as much sex in this movie as people say) This is overall not a film that makes Madonna fans very proud, but it's bold, shameless and entertaining, well worth a view or DVD purchase.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: good
Review: "Madonna isn't merely the prime suspect in the scandalous murder of a millionaire with kinky appetites; she's the murder weapon itself in this erotic thriller in the Basic Instinct mode. The art gallery owner by day and icy-blond dominatrix by night is accused of, shall we say, "loving" her victim to death." This movie was great, good acting, some sex scenes during the movie and Madonna bares it all...this movie has good actors. This film is like MOTHER'S BOYS meets UNFAITHFUL...Although Unfaithful was a little nastier to me, this movie was entertaining and somewhat suspensful. Madonna is beautiful.She was great in this movie and the acting was superb. Not that much sex, well, there is quite a bit, but not as nasty as one might think.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Bad, but not THAT bad!
Review: First of all I am going to disagree with many that Madonna actually gives a surprisingly good performance as the seductress on trial. What gave me the heebie-jeebies about seeing this movie isn't so much to controversial sex scenes, but the fact that it was released shortly after BASIC INSTINCT, and the script worked seemlessly as a companion piece for it. What made it work though, was the courtroom scenes, as corny as they were.

As a hard-headed lawyer Willem Dafoe's Frank Dulaney is the character who gets more personal taking your case than if you were the witness. It is demonstrated very effectively in the moments where Anne Archer is in the witness stand. Critique: Madonna's on trial for the murder of her wealthy older lover. After an evening's entertainment, he is found dead apparently had a bad heart. Seeing Madonna naked probably did the trick.....LOL! Dafoe inevitably falls for her, and the case twists and turns. Thus the screenplay ties the film together as a kaleidoscope with very little brilliant colors. Who's the blame? Director Uli Edel? Or the cameraman? There is one scene during Dafoe's opening deliberation where we notice a very attractive young girl in the jury. Are we supposed to believe, this gal will turn into a hero of the juries to help turn Madonna loose? Nope, she's just another citizen just trying to earn the extra dough.

For Madonna fans this is a sure winner. Her character is the perfect vamp. Anybody would feel right at home in Portland. I know because I have been there myself and it is a beautiful city. As Madonna memorably points out while being interrogated by Joe Mantegna as the opposing attorney, "Portland is a small city. I even dated a man who dated a woman you dated." Clearly Dafoe has feelings for her when watching her pose naked beneath the balustrade. It probably made the fishermen in the area a little eerie as well. Her character and all the other characters have seemingly no morals or values. What does she dedicate her life to? She answers that in one of the funniest lines in the entire movie, which unfortunately cannot be printed here.

True, Madonna is a very beautiful, very talented woman. So much so, she must have been offered a heck of a salary to take the part. Had she been any wiser, she would have refused it, and Sharon Stone or Meryl Streep may have gotten the role. Who knows. Maybe they refused it too. Think about it. The entire movie looks like it was filmed in a very short amount of time, on a very low budget, and written by a High School play director. It's been a while since I've seen Uli Edel direct anything else after this, or his crew. They are probably bagging groceries at Trader Joe's right now as I speak.

Buy if you're a Madonna fan. Anyone else....you've been warned!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Lay Off The Queen
Review: I just want to start out by saying i don't know why this movie gets so much flack...well actually i do.....in response to claims that Madonna can't act...i will admit that while none of her performances with the exception of "Evita" have been Oscar worthy...they really haven't been that bad.
As for this movie i thought it was one of her best as far as acting goes...and the other complaint about it that i hear alot is theres too much sex..well you hypocrits need to stop acting like assuming thats what it was mainly about isn't the reason you picked it up in the first place...get over yourselves and just admit the "shameful" truth that you WANTED to see alot of sex!!
And one more thing you all need to get off Madonna's back cause in no interview has she ever claimed to be a good actress anyway...Madonna in movies is just another example of her doing something she wants and loves to do without caring if anyone else likes it cause she knows that when all is said and done you'll feel better if you do what you want rather than playing it safe...plus whos got the balls to get back up and do it again like she does.
And the last reason people dog not only this one but almost all of her movies is because they're not actually giving her a chance cause once they pop in that movie they're still seeing Madonna the singer not Madonna the actress and as long as thats happening you will never truly be able to appreciate her acting talent.
So watch the damn movie with an open mind and a non-critical manner and see how much you like it then.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: RIDICULOUS POTBOILER....
Review: This is a really bad movie. It might've been upped to an OK movie had it not been for the biggest problem: Madonna. The woman just cannot act. This is basically a rip-off of "Basic Instinct" without the benefit of anything that movie had to offer. The supporting actors here are wasted--- particularly Anne Archer who just re-hashes her role in "Instinct". Pity, because she CAN act. One gets the feeling that Madonna relishes the opportunities to exploit herself in the trashiest ways possible. Here, she plays a woman who literally kills her elderly husband with sex as a weapon. When asked what she does for a living on the witness stand, she tells them and it cannot be repeated here. That's probably the most convincing line she utters in the whole film. The sex scenes are played up with lighting and ambience but Madonna doesn't even do THEM very well and William Dafoe is just plain unattractive. There's not a convincing shred of "Evidence" in this exploitation vehicle that even remotely resembles a good movie. And if you need more proof of Madonnas' lack of acting ability look at what happened to "Swept Away". As for "Body", getting naked does not mean you can act.


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