Body Double
Body Double

Body Double

1984Movie114 minEnglish

After losing an acting role and his girlfriend, Jake Scully finally catches a break: he gets offered a gig house-sitting in the Hollywood Hills. While peering through the beautiful home's telescope one night, he spies a gorgeous woman dancing in her window. But when he witnesses the girl's murder, it leads Scully through the netherworld of the adult entertainment industry on a search for answers—with porn actress Holly Body as his guide.

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Insights

IMDb6.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes59%
Google Users75%
Director: Brian De PalmaGenres: Thriller, Mystery, Crime

Plot Summary

A struggling actor named Jack, plagued by claustrophobia and a recent breakup, takes on a job as a house sitter for a wealthy, eccentric couple in the Hollywood Hills. His mundane existence takes a thrilling turn when he witnesses a mysterious woman across the street being attacked by a masked assailant. As Jack becomes increasingly obsessed with the woman and the unfolding mystery, he inadvertently steps into a dangerous world of voyeurism, mistaken identity, and escalating peril, blurring the lines between observer and participant.

Critical Reception

Brian De Palma's 'Body Double' is a stylish and suspenseful neo-noir thriller that earned mixed reviews upon its release. Critics often praised its Alfred Hitchcock-esque atmosphere, sleek visuals, and inventive use of suspense, particularly in its early stages. However, many found the plot convoluted and the later descent into graphic violence and explicit sexuality to be gratuitous and excessive. Audiences were divided, with some appreciating its erotic thrills and intricate plotting, while others were put off by its dark themes and graphic content. It has since garnered a cult following.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its stylish direction and suspenseful Hitchcockian elements.
  • Criticized for its convoluted plot and excessive violence/sexuality.
  • Noted for its visual flair and erotic undertones.

Google audience: Google users generally appreciate the film's suspenseful atmosphere, stylish visuals, and erotic tension, often highlighting its thriller aspects and engaging plot twists. Some viewers find the blend of voyeurism and danger compelling, though a minority express reservations about its explicit content.

Fun Fact

The film's elaborate chase scene through the Los Angeles Convention Center, involving a giant model of the earth, was inspired by a similar sequence in Alfred Hitchcock's 'Vertigo'.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

2 reviews
The Movie Diorama

The Movie Dioram...

Body Double infiltrates the vehemence of adult entertainment through inspired Hitchcockian thrills. De Palma was at the height of his success during the eighties. Implementing his technical flourishes within sub-genres that we’re not necess...
John Chard

John Chard

De Palma Double Bubble, Toil and Trouble. Body Double is directed by Brian De Palma, he also co-writes the screenplay with Robert J. Avrech. It stars Craig Wasson, Melanie Griffith, Gregg Henry, Deborah Shelton, Guy Boyd and Dennis Franz...