Plot: What’s it about?
Ned Racine (William Hurt) is a small time lawyer in the small time town of Miranda Beach. He isn’t just small time, he is also not that good and isn’t above bending the law to suit his needs. But he doesn’t need to be honest or skilled to make ends meet and since his profession pays well, he has no qualms about his ethics. Beyond that, his income allows him to be a success with the ladies and more often than not, he beds a different woman each night. Not high class women, mind you, but to Ned, a woman is a woman and since he isn’t looking to settle down, he doesn’t keep high standards. He also don’t hesitate to take a married woman into his bed, as happens when he meets Matty Walker (Kathleen Turner). She is the wife of a wealthy businessman and as soon as she meets Ned, the sparks fly and in large doses. She leads him on a little, but soon gives in and from that point on, the two rarely bother to put their clothes back on. But even as they indulge their every sexual desire, the issue of the husband remains pertinent. After a while, Matty confesses that she hates her husband and wouldn’t mind if he was dead, especially since then she and Ned could be together without a care in the world. But when Ned decides to make that happen, has he made a decision he will live to regret?
If you’re a fan of film noir, then you are bound to have seen Body Heat, Lawrence Kasdan’s 1981 tribute to 1940s style noir. If you think the movie is similar to Double Indemnity, then you’d be right, but of course, it isn’t up to that level. Body Heat has the elements we want in a good film noir, like mystery, tension, doomed romance, and plenty of surprises, but spins it all into an updated concoction. You’d never see this kind of sexual content in the 40s films, so the sex side of the coin is more immediate. What used to be done off screen and rarely even referenced now takes place right in front of our eyes. I’m not sure if that helps or hinders the noir aspect, but I won’t complain about naked female flesh, you can be sure of that. The sex does add a thick atmosphere of lust, which in turn impacts the rest of the movie. Kasdan is able to pay tribute to the classic noirs without coming off as parody, which isn’t an easy task. He is a little over the top at times with his noir elements, but all in all, he balances things well enough. Body Heat has a good throwback style storyline, impressive performances, and some hot sex, what else could we want? I don’t consider it a classic or even a great motion picture, but Body Heat is a good movie and is recommended on all fronts.
Video: How does it look?
Body Heat is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. I had some reservations about how this transfer would turn out, but this looks terrific. The print is clean and while there is some grain, it is inherent and should be present. The detail level is great, though the film sometimes has a soft, hazy presence, as intended. But even so, the image has good depth and subtle detail is much better than I anticipated. I found color to be natural, while contrast is spot on and never disappoints. In short, a great looking treatment that surpassed all of my expectations.
Audio: How does it sound?
This Dolby TrueHD 5.1 option is solid, but unremarkable. The audio remains anchored in the front channels throughout, with small touches of presence in the surrounds. That works well however, given the film’s basic, dialogue driven sound design. The music sounds fine and sound effects do as well, they just don’t pack much of a punch. The vocals come through crisp and clear, with no volume issues or harshness. So while this track might not turn heads, it handles the material well. This disc also includes a Dolby Digital 5.1 option, French, Spanish, and German language tracks, and subtitles in English, French, Spanish, and German.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The main attraction here is a trio of new featurettes, which cover all three stages of production, though not in great detail. Even so, these brief pieces do give us some insight into how Body Heat was brought to the screen, so fans should be pleased. This disc also includes some deleted scenes, vintage interviews, and of course, the film’s theatrical trailer.
