Body Heat

Rating:
Summary: It's getting hot in here.
Review: Ned (William Hurt) is a second rate lawyer and a fisrt rate womanizer. One night he runs into Mattie Walker (Katheen Turner) and they begin a red hot affair. Eventually the kill Mattie's husban to collect the insurence, and then it seems she's set him up for the crime. This is a throw back to the old '40's film noir where the men are bad and the women are worse. Turner and Hurt have a chimistry most couples could only dream of, that part comes off right. It's some of the plot twists I thought was silly. The husband is suppose to be some kind of real shark, but he dosen't seem that bad. Also the ending twist seems a little out there (the cops should have thought of that too). Ted Danson and Mickey Rourke do pretty good, Danson being the better of the two because he had more screen time. They are both tring to keep Hurt out of trouble, but he dson't listen. This movie was pretty good, though it bares too much of a resembelence to "Double Indemdey", which was the same basic thing. Not to bad, but I wish it could have been better.

Rating:
Summary: Greatest of All Film Noirs
Review: The "total package" in "Body Heat" makes it the best film noir ever made. No other movie, even the great film noirs like "Double Indemnity" or "Out of the Past" (an overlooked gem starring Robert Mitchum and the wonderful Jane Greer), fall short of this movie's combination of great characters, a sly script with a terrific twist, real sexual heat that makes the murder plot not only plausible, but inevitable, and a haunting score by John Barry. Yes, the script owes something to "Double Indemnity," but the enforced chasity of Hollywood movies in the Forties diminished the power of Barbara Stanwyck as that femme fatale. Greed seemed an equal motive with lust because we never got to see the lust working on screen. In "Body Heat," you know that Matty Ross can and will manipulate Ned Racine in and out of the bedroom. She is smarter, tougher, and way ahead of him every step of the way. He is so distracted by sex that he cannot see beyond her thighs, and she is smart enough to always let him think that he is in control. What a great movie!

Rating:
Summary: Original uncensored version is much better.
Review: I saw the original release in a theater in 1981, and I am dissapointed in the current "R" release. It has been censored to make it sellable in family video stores like Blockbuster. The original love scene was the hottest I have ever witnessed in any film, mainstream or X-rated. It had a long slow pan showing William Hurt's arm around her thigh and holding her breast, so you could guess exactly where his face was. Her breathing was so realistic, you could almost feel what she was feeling. As she comes, all you see is her hand gripping the carpet. The filming, and Kathleen Turner's acting is pure genius to capture that much passion, and all done with the power of suggestion, no explicit shots. It's really a shame that original scene has been replace with a fairly conventional, missionary position love scene. I was hoping there was a separate "director's cut" edition somewhere, but I have not been able to find it.
Other than the toned-down sex scenes, it's a pretty good mystery-thriller, so I'll give it a three.

Rating:
Summary: More than sparks fly in this classic 80s film noir
Review: Ned Racine (William Hurt) is an attorney who meets unhappily married sex siren Matty Walker (Kathleen Turner) in a bar (as happens in all good film noirs). As you'd guess from the title, sparks fly and soon Matty is trying to talk Ned into killing her wealthy husband played by Richard Crenna so Matty can inherit his money and the pair can elope. But their perfect crime (carried out during a summer heatwave, which gives the title its double meaning) turns out to have one foolish flaw....
BODY HEAT marked the directorial debut of Lawrence Kasdan who of course is famed for writing the screenplays for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Also written by Kasdan, BODY HEAT remains one of the most effective American film noirs ever lensed and one of the classic movies of the 1980s.
Kathleen Turner has what is possibly her best role and she has never been sexier or more alluring. Her nude scenes... WOW! After watching this the first thing male viewers will do is reach down to pick their lower jaws off the floor.
Also making appearances are my idol Mickey Rourke and Ted Danson, barely recognisable at first behind those thick nerdy glasses, which must have been hand-me-downs from Woody Allen's wardrobe department. That said, Danson does a fine job and Hurt is especially good here.
Slickly photographed, well acted and intelligently written, BODY HEAT at first seems derivative; but it unexpectedly changes direction and achieves the dramatic, emotional and suspenseful levels that make it a modern classic. If you haven't seen it yet, you owe it to yourself to get acquainted with BODY HEAT.

Rating:
Summary: MURDER MY SWEAT...
Review: Extremely well written, BODY HEAT is the first movie of Lawrence Kasdan who also wrote the screenplay of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK in the early eighties.

Homage to the "films noirs" of the 40-50's, BODY HEAT could have been shot by an Howard Hawks or a Raoul Walsh except for a few sexy scenes involving Kathleen Turner and William Hurt. Dialogs are very suggestive and erotic but not crude.

In fact, what's interesting in BODY HEAT is not what the characters have to say but the atmosphere of each scene. Since the beginning of the movie there is a perpetual fight between water and fire around these characters as if the elements symbolically duplicate the tragedy of the two lovers.

Kathleen Turner is a creature of the night surrounded by fog, whose teenage desire was to live by the sea, William Hurt, on the contrary, is always associated with fire, explosions, cigarettes and sunshine. Great work from Kasdan !

If only Hurt had known that, he would have understood that wet people do not burn.

An ice and fire DVD.

Rating:
Summary: Let's give Mr. Barry a nod
Review: You can get the plot summary from the other reviews and I agree with them. I just wanted to point out how much John Barry's score adds to this film. If you appreciate how much a good score can enhance your enjoyment of a film, you will get an extra kick from this one.

By the way, when watching the film keep your eye out for the scene where Matty hands an envelope to her girl friend. You might not notice it if you don't and it will help you understand what happens at the end.

Rating:
Summary: Hook Line and Sinker
Review: If you want to watch the self-caused destruction of a genuine chump, this is the film for you. Ned Racine (GREAT name for a fall guy!) is a not-too-bright, but good-looking small-time shyster lawyer whose lust and greed lure him into the trap set by a similarly greedy (but smart) co-conspirator who is willing to do what is necessary. Watching Mr. Racine incrementally understand, as the plot unfolds, how much trouble he has gotten himself into is absolutely delightful. I know I dated this woman at some point in my past, but she saw how nice and honest I was and immediately realized I would never help her bump off her rich old man. Unlike Ned, I was very lucky to elude her tentacles.

Rating:
Summary: Sizzling
Review: "Body Heat" has it all - sex, murder and suspense. Kathleen Turner sizzles in her acting debut, and William Hurt , although timid, pulls off the role as an attorney with a big distraction. Hard to believe it was over 20 years ago when this film was made. A very entertaining movie that I am sure you will enjoy.

DVD SUMMARY:
"Body Heat" was one of those early DVD releases, coming out in 1998. Nevertheless, the transfer is very pleasing except for the occasional 'not so sharp' scenes. The soundtrack is denoted on the cover as 5.1 mix but this must be an error by Warners. Let me say the soundtrack is more front focussed because the rear speakers did not get a boo at all. In fact, I think my subwoofer also got the night off!
There are limited special features on this disc, such as the trailer, talent profiles and 'behind the scenes' (which is actually screen based text).

Rating:
Summary: Great Early 80's Film - Before PG 13!
Review: This film as you can see from the reviews here is a bit of a gem.
Its a great period piece in more ways than one. Its from an era when an R Rating meant something. If you want how times have changes and what that hybrid "PG-13" rating has done to de-sex and water down grown-up movies just watch this movie. Back then flims were G, PG, R, or X - the 14-17 year old demo was not driving the studios.
Its a steamy movie, Kathleen Turner is really great, and if you look close yon can catch a bit of her natural "shrub" at one point - its a little bonus.

Rating:
Summary: Ah, murder and probate law
Review: This movie is one of my all time favorites. A nice tight plot with well drawn characters all based on a little known fact of probate law. What a great movie!!!! Everything about this film is perfect.