Body Heat

When most people think sexy thrillers they think of one of two movies: Basic Instinct or Body Heat.  Body Heat is going to be the oldest film that I’ll be talking about and it goes back to 1981.  This movie is the archetypical sexy thriller.  It’s got tons of sex and of course, people plotting some sort of scam.

What this movie boils down to is that it’s a loose remake of Double Indemnity.  But since it’s been a while since I’ve seen that film I won’t be making comparisons.  A lawyer, Ned Racine (William Hurt (A History of Violence, Dark City)), falls in love with Matty Walker (Kathleen Turner (The War of the Roses)) and they plot to kill her husband so they can get his money.  And I don’t think I’m spoiling anything by telling you that Matty is plotting against Ned as well.  So a simple murder gets complicated real quick as is what happens in most of these pictures.

The first thing you’ll probably notice is that this film is goddamn hot.  It takes place in Florida during a heat wave and everyone on screen is a bit lethargic and sweating profusely.  No one can seem to find an air conditioner or any place indoors to cool off.  There are fans and breezes blowing but it doesn’t do any good.  If you like your movies moist and dripping with sweat than you’ll love this.

The second thing you’ll notice is that there’s this fucking sultry sax music playing.  This has got to be one of the funniest ways that a saxophone is used.  I mean it can sound beautiful like in other non-sexy-thriller oriented jazz music but it seems like most of the time it’s used in a way that will give it the least amount of respect possible like “Yakety Sax” or some shit.  Remember the sax soundtrack from Lethal Weapon?  Well this is like its super smooth but at the same time down and dirty cousin.

William Hurt is a good choice for Ned even though I don’t care for him in general.  That awkward blank expression that he wears throughout the movie (and in every other picture he’s in) makes him seem like kind of an asshole.  The mustache puts it over the top though so you definitely know what kind of sleaze you’re dealing with.  You see the main characters aren’t likeable in this thing and that’s a sexy thriller staple but for some reason I always find myself invested in them.  Ned’s a slimy guy because he represents scumbag clients.  He also continues to try and pick up Matty even after she tells him that she’s married.  Oh and Ned hatches a plot to kill a dude.  I guess that’s kinda assholic.  But you know that Ned’s in over his head so I feel sorry for the guy to a certain extent.  Hurt manages to play this role pretty naturally I think.  That kind of acting can get confused with him just not giving much of a shit about this movie and in most cases you would be right but here it works to his advantage.  You get the sense that he’s hiding something by the way he constantly squints and smirks and that’s because he really is.  By the way is it just me or did he even seem a little scummy in Michael?  

This movie was Kathleen Turner’s film debut and she’s kind of a weird choice I think.  I never found her very attractive and in this picture she’s supposed to be irresistible.  Then again William Hurt is supposed to be some hot shot stud which I don’t get either.  Another reason why I think she’s not the best choice is that she doesn’t do a very good acting job in this (and to be honest the only thing I thought she was really good in was Serial Mom).  I can see an argument for her stiff delivery and forced emotions because she’s supposed to be putting on an act for Ned the whole time but I don’t buy it because we never see her any other way.  I think there are only two quick scenes of Matty without Ned and she only says one word in each.  Again, I’m not really sure if a distant performance is what the filmmakers were going for because it’s not the greatest thing to watch but at the same time Matty is a cold character.  She only wants sex and money and the sex is just a way to get to the money.  I dunno guys.

Lawrence Kasdan wrote and directed this thing.  He’s more of a writer though and will forever be known for penning The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi and Raiders of the Lost Ark.  Those are some serious credits man.  When he decided to try his hand at directing this is what he came up with first.  I thought this film was shot pretty well and I like the nods that Kasdan makes to the 40’s with everyone smoking all the time, the fedora that Matty gives to Ned, the jazz music and just the general lack of technology.  But overall I’m weary of Kasdan as a director because I remember Dreamcatcher being fucking terrible.  Still gonna check out Wyatt Earp though.

So this is sexy thriller 101 really.  It’s got rich Caucasian leads, the sexy sax music, a plot to murder a husband, sex, steamy dialogue and it takes itself very seriously.  If you’re new to the genre this is a great place to start.

Sex Scenes: Two and a half.  The half is a blowjob scene that gets started but is then interrupted by Matty’s eight year old niece.

After Sex Scenes: A whopping eight.  There’s a lot of Ned and Matty lying naked somewhere all sweaty after the fact.  There’s also a couple of Ned with other chicks and one with Matty and her husband.

Strange Cameos: Ted Danson (Becker) plays a lawyer friend of Ned’s.  I think Danson is supposed to be the comic relief but he isn’t funny at all.  They have him crack some unfunny jokes which is normal but they throw in some other shit like giving him a wacky habit of dancing by himself to no music and ordering two big glasses of iced tea several times.  Yeah I don’t get it either.

The late Richard Crenna plays Matty’s husband, Edmund, who action fans should definitely recognize as Rambo’s colonel.  He’s great and I love that they threw in some stuff to try and make you feel less sorry for his death because they have him be a ruthless businessman that doesn’t tolerate mistakes or people that don’t do “what’s necessary” to get the job done.  He also might be involved in some illegal shit but it’s left very ambiguous.  There’s one scene though that’s classic and it’s where Edmund and Ned are having dinner together and he tells Ned that if he found out that Matty was cheating on him then he would kill that guy with his bare hands.  Fucking badass man.

Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler, Nine ½ Weeks) is in this too and he plays an ex-con that knows all about bombs.  When he enters the picture it’s so refreshing because he brings so much life to an otherwise languid film.  The first time we see him he’s lip syncing to Bob Seger’s “Feel Like a Number” and all of a sudden it’s like we transported to a totally different movie.  Seeing Hurt and Rourke act together in a scene is like night and day.  It reminds you of how lazy Hurt plays it because you don’t notice with the just as laid back Turner.  It’s always a pleasure to see Mickey Rourke in anything.