Rumor has it that Brian De Palma’s motivation for directing 1984’s Body Double was that he was angry with the MPAA. After being forced to (unfairly, in his opinion) recut almost all of his previous films to avoid an X-rating, De Palma decided to make a film that was actually worthy of an X. It would feature the bloodiest and most sexually suggestive murder that he had filmed up to that point. Because a good deal of the film would deal with the adult film industry and would co-star Melanie Griffith as an actress named Holly Body, the film would be full of nudity. The film would even feature Frankie Goes to Hollywood performing their then-controversial hit song, “Relax.” De Palma said that the film would be a “real X,” and, indeed, it was rated X when it was first submitted. De Palma later said that he actually only had to cut a few seconds of nudity to get an R-rating, which was quite a contrast to what he went through with his previous films. The nudity was cut. The scene of Deborah Shelton getting murdered by a killer with a very phallic drill was untouched, just in case you were wondering about the MPAA’s priorities.
Body Double stars one of my favorite underrated actors, Craig Wasson. Wasson plays Jake Scully, a struggling actor with extreme claustrophobia. When he freezes up while lying in a coffin, Jake is fired from the vampire film in which he’s appearing. Jake’s friend, Sam Bouchard (Gregg Henry), takes some pity on him and arranges for Jake to housesit a luxurious apartment. Sam points out that, every night, Jake’s neighbor appears to dance naked in her apartment. Jake becomes obsessed with Gloria Revelle (Deborah Shelton) and starts to follow her across Los Angeles. (That Jake remains likable even after he watches her shop for underwear is a testament to Wasson’s amiable screen presence.) Jake realizes that he’s not the only one following Gloria. After a man who appears to be extremely scarred snatches Gloria’s purse, Jake chases after him. Jake doesn’t catch the man because his claustrophobia acts up when he has to run through a tunnel. But Gloria shares an impulsive kiss with him before leaving. Later that night, Jake looks into Gloria’s apartment and witnesses her being murdered by the man who earlier stole her purse….
Jake’s investigation into Gloria’s death leads him into the world of adult films and body doubles. In a typical De Palma twist, it also leads to Jake becoming a better actor as he’s forced to take on different identities and lie about his intentions. He meets Holly Body, an actress he’s shocked to discover he’s seen before.
Body Double is one of those De Palma films that seem to divide people. Viewers either love the twisty plot, the elaborate set pieces, and the deliberate homages to Hitchcock or else they find it all to be terribly self-indulgent. This film is De Palma at his most stylish. When Gloria and Jake kiss, De Palma doesn’t just show us the kiss. Instead, the camera spins around them and, for a few moments, De Palma’s thriller becomes a grand romance. There’s a dark sense of humor running through Body Double and, again, how one reacts to it will depend on how much one is already on De Palma’s wavelength. Just as Blow Out ended with Travolta finding the perfect scream, Body Double ends with Jake learning how to stay in the coffin until the director yells “Cut!” Big tragedies lead to small victories.
I have to admit that the first time I saw Body Double, I was a little bit annoyed with it. Every time that I started to get invested in the story, De Palma would launch into another lengthy set piece that ultimately seemed to be designed to remind me that it was just a movie. On repeat viewings, though, I’ve come to appreciate the film’s dark humor and the performances of Wasson, Griffith, and Gregg Henry. Now, I can appreciate the film for what it is, an exercise in glorious style and excess. Body Double is De Palma paying tribute to the masters (like Hitchcock) while also telling an unapologetically sordid story. De Palma’s real X holds up well.
