I have had this movie on DVD for years and thought the movie itself was quite good and had a decent storyline.Melanie Griffith looked good being this was 1984. She went on to do WORKING GIRL and then PACIFIC HEIGHTS with Michael Keaton. She was fab in those as well. Craig Wasson stars as the temporary out of work actor in Hollywood who seems to get another chance at life. He meets a so called friend through an acting class and then ends up in a prestigious house in the hills. One night while house sitting, he becomes obsessed with the woman down the hill. After a few nights, he is witness to what seems to be a murder.He rushes over to try and help, but it is too late and gets ensnarled in the mystery of it all.Melanie Griffith plays a porn star that unfortunately nearly gets herself killed in the process becoming a part in the mystery.It's a who done it murder mystery, 1984 style, with Melanie Griffith and Craig Wasson (HART TO HART).The video and sound are nothing short of superb this time around and INDICATOR has done a fabulous job.I played this back on the UHD 4K equipment and it was beautiful.** SPECIAL FEATURES ARE:~ 4K Restoration~ Original Stereo Audio~ Alternate 5.1 Surround Sound Track~ Craig Wasson Interview (1984, 8 Min.)~ PURE CINEMA (2015, 38 Min.) Extensive Interview with First Assistant Director Joe Napolitano.~ THE SEDUCTION (2002, 17 Min.) De Palma discusses the first treatment of the script.~ THE SETUP (2002, 17 Min.) An examination of the plot.~ THE MYSTERY (2002, 12 Min.) Melanie Griffith discusses her nude scenes and De Palma's shyness.~ THE CONTROVERSY (2002, 6 Min.) Cast and Crew discuss the film's critical reception~ Isolated Score: Experience the original soundtrack music~ Image Gallery: On Set and promotional photography~ Original Theatrical Trailer~ New and Improved English Subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearingDisregard the critics. This is an awesome movie. I just saw it for the first time last week Sept 10, Friday 2021. Until I bought this blu ray from Amazon, I had not heard of this movie but I am a huge Brian DePalma fan so I gave it a chance (I read the reviews on Google). This is brilliant suspense movie, it kinds of brings together the concept of Rear Window and Vertigo in a brilliant screenplay. Obviously, Brian De Palma is influenced by Alfred Hitchcock but there is nothing wrong with that. Brian De Palma has his own artistic style and knows how to craft a movie. Despite the similarities to Alfred Hitchcock, I think this movie (and Dressed to Kill) are great movies showcasing De Palma's brilliance as a director. Blu-ray is a really good transfer with almost no damages to the print, some scenes may appear grainy but overall I think this is a superb transfer. It has 2 audio tracks: 2.0 and 5.1, both are great. There are also bunch of bonus features. I wish there was a feature commentary. Overall I give this product a 5 star. Certainly a movie I will watch again and again in the future. Love the Relax sequence by Frankie Goes to Hollywood.As cinemaphiles know, Brian De Palma has a thing for paying homage to Hitchcock in his films. Here he tries to channel Hitchcock's affinity for themes of sexual dysfunction, shocking plot twists and character "sudden death", which make the masters films extremely watchable until this day. But De Palma also has a taste for the "low-life" that Hitchcock could not truly explore back when, and really exercises the id here with this wild allegory on Hollywood, psycho-babble and the world of porno. Body Double is one of the seminal (no pun intended) 80's erotic thrillers (right up there with Fatal Attraction, Sea of Love and De Palma's Dressed to Kill), and a fun, trashy view.The plot revolves around a failing actor (who could use some serious couch time, if you know what I mean), who becomes obsessed with "the girl next door" - a sexy neighbor whose `jones' for late-night dancing in the "all-together" and abhorrence for window blinds makes house-sitting worth the lousy pay. And as we've seen in dozens of erotic thrillers, someone dies, someone is accused, and our hero must save the girl and get the bad guy. Nice twists along the way keep this one very intriguing (though some "haters" will surely say they figured this one out long before the credits roll). What makes this film unique and a great view are:A spectacularly hot, 28 year old Melanie Griffith, who about steals the movie and registers a "'10' on the peter meter" whenever she's on-screen.The beautiful mystery brunette (Deborah Shelton) with unbelievable bedroom eyes.Tons of sexy skin, stripping and erotic situations that'll get your blood going.Great inside-the-movie-biz references, including a plunge into LA's adult film under-world.Fine performances by the actors, with a story that reels you in and sound direction by De Palma.An appearance by 80s group Frankie Goes to Hollywood, performing "Relax" (that song never gets old to me, at least).Sure, there are elements of real, American "cheese" here; leaps in logic (the plot tenuously hinges on a couple "convenient" things happening at just the right time) and an overall "over-the-top" feel will turn some viewers off and have them scrambling for the remote. But Body Double is truly one of those late night cable classics that many have duplicated, but few have surpassed. It has just enough art, just enough schlock and just enough brains to keep your attention - and did I mention Melanie Griffith?Great classic. Cool 80’s music.Not for everyone but for fans of DePalma, cinema and film technique in general, a true treat. Given an excellent treatment on Blu-Ray by the fine folks at Indicator and Powerhouse films who really could give the Criterion Collection a run for their money on the highest-echelons- of-Cineaste-Physical-Media front. From the fantastic 4K film restoration to the original negative supervised by the films Cinematographer Stephen Burum, to a killer 5.1 Surround Audio mix (stereo is great too) to a bevy of extras that are a film geeks dream (ie I don’t know of many (if any at all) making-of featurettes that are made by and told entirely by the 1st Assistant Director as Joe Napolitano (does here on “Pure Cinema” but I wish it was required after watching) can’t reco this fine addition to anyone’s collection enough. Bravo.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 necessarily accessible for the average audience member. Erotic thrillers, whilst some may describe as distasteful and misogynistic, accentuated sexualisation to further enhance the lust of man. Body Double is no different. Much like the pornographic industry that is portrayed, it certainly has a sub-par screenplay that persuades you to fast-forward to the “act” in question, yet manages to lure you into the sleazy allurement of De Palma’s technically adept direction.After waltzing in on his partner cheating on him, a novice actor is recruited by a friend to house-sit a luxury abode, conveniently positioned adjacently to another property hosting a sumptuous succubus of temptation. Naturally, downbeat and fuelled by anger, he resorts to peeping and spying as she provocatively dances in front of the window before proceeding to creepily follow her the next day.As the main man himself stated, this is inspired by Hitchcock’s two greatest thrillers: ‘Rear Window’ and ‘Vertigo’. The added eroticism granting De Palma’s feature a differing (if unpleasantly salty...) flavour that uniquely defines its narrative qualities. Initially, the first act kicked off with a mundane imitation of Hitchcock’s aforementioned ‘Rear Window’, opening itself up to comparative criticisms. The introductory setup, outlining Wasson’s Jake Scully as a claustrophobic unconfident mess, sent the plot down a one-way route that, upon first thought, had minimal opportunities for a U-turn. The convenience of the telescope as Scully unashamedly invades the privacy of his new temporary neighbour and his dreadful tailing techniques complementing his mediocre onscreen acting portrayals, sent my own thoughts down the predictable avenue. Was Scully a perverted mess, or was he being set up? I thought I knew. But then De Palma trapped me.Through ornate neo-noir aesthetics and a vapid insight into the world of adult entertainment, he precariously planted a sufficient amount of false breadcrumbs to force me to second guess myself. And that I did. The mystery slowly unraveling, accompanied by a smooth monosyllabic score and Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s legendary gay anthem “Relax”, unlocking the intentions of all characters involved. Heightening the glossy lifestyle of adult performers, De Palma‘s directorial flair, mostly consisting of extended takes and distant shots, invited audiences into a tainted environment plagued by primitive regression. Tantalising voyeurism and dangerous obsession. Even hints of Argento’s influence of the giallo sub-genre.Various techniques, especially the continuous panoramic 360 revolving as Wasson and Shelton questionably embraced each other, resembled dated homages that failed to match the noir aesthetics that De Palma meticulously crafted. The conclusive ten minutes unfortunately unwrapped certain revelations in an underwhelming manner, by having the story abruptly cut with no substantial resolution. This left myself viewing the proceeding credits montage with an overbearing feeling of unsatisfactory bewilderment.Undoubtedly, Body Double is rough around the edges. Occasionally bypassing substantial development for evocative voyeuristic tendencies. But that does not deter from De Palma’s intrinsic cinematic approach, where the night life of Hollywood truly becomes illuminated.Depending on mood, this 1984 genre blender from director Brian DePalma either tops my list of his movies or finds itself tying with 'Dressed to Kill', 'Carlito's Way' and 'Blow Out' - but whatever its ranking, the film is certainly another wonderfully helmed slice of hokum that even to this day, retains the power to shock and amaze in equal measure.Jake (Craig Wasson) is having a helluva day. Failing dramatically at his acting job, only to pop back home to find his girlfriend Carol (Barbara Crampton) 'energetically' involved in a spot of infidelity with an actorly stud - it seems 'ol Jake needs a serious break - and fast. Queue an impromptu meeting with Sam (Gregg Henry) at an acting class who offers the down on his luck Jake a place to stay if he agrees to house-sit a luxury ultra-modern home in the Hollywood Hills. With his stock on the rise, Jake moves in but as the nights' pass his curiosity into alluring neighbour Gloria (Deborah Shelton) increases as he soon becomes obsessed with her odd nightly dance shows. Within no time at all, Jake is involved in a murder, bumping uglies with a hardcore adult actress and a whole heap of trouble with not only the police hot on his trail but a disfigured murderer with an exceptionally sharp power tool...Hitchkockian for sure, yet DePalma also throws in a heady slice of Argento for good measure making 'Body Double' one mean ride indeed. Beautifully lensed by cinematographer Stephen H. Burum with inventive direction from DePalma, the movie is a dream-soaked Hollywood horror story that although pretty on the surface, is thoroughly rotten to the core with creepy co-workers, seedy producers and a thinly veiled facade from which real darkness silently hides behind - 'Body Double' may be advertised as a standard erotic thriller, yet its so much more. Besides the sterling technical achievements of DePalma's crew, the cast too are exceptionally good: Lead Wasson essays the role of Jake with the right level of naivety and annoyance, ensuring his character isn't just a standard patsy - he actually goes on a journey and I dug his performance. A young Melanie Griffith portrays XXX actress Holly Body and again, she's really good. Apparently, DePalma wanted to hire a real adult actress (Annette Haven) to ensure ‘truth’ but Griffith does a sterling job and you believe her character, no question. Finally, both Gregg Henry and Dennis Franz support admirably ensuring 'Body Double' is a worthy addition within DePalma's canon of work.Indicator/Powerhouse Films have released the movie with a sterling transfer alongside exceptional audio. However, that's not all they've got up their sleeve as the disc comes fully loaded with a number of extra special features such as an archival Craig Wasson interview, recent interview with first AD Joe Napolitano alongside the great documentary from 2002 which is broken into four parts: The Seduction, The Setup, The Mystery and The Controversy. Rounding out the package is Pino Donaggio's isolated score, image gallery and original theatrical trailer which really ensures this blu-ray is seriously worth your time. Highly recommended movie from a director who, although seemed to court controversy as a matter of course - delivers a tension filled ride that on the surface is simply blood and boobs, yet knuckled deep down is a perverse examination of what it takes to ride the wild Hollywood dream. Excellent.The BLURAY is excellent quality. 16.9 ratio (fills my screen) good clear picture colour, sound (more later) and subtitles. Plenty of extras listed here on the Amazon site. The film?...I am quite a fan of de Palma - "SISTERS" "OBSESSION" "THE FURY" "DRESSED TO KILL" "BLOW OUT" perhaps not perfect films but each in their own way enjoyable and fun (not quite the right word). This one? Not seen for more years tha I can remember....and it won't be seen again for a very long time. What went wrong? A lot of it is unpleasant, even nasty. The plot/script is all over the place and full of unlikely twists and turns (many listed in the ONE star reviews, and I agree with them, particularly the incredible scene with the rather lovely Deborah Shelton who for no reason/logic I can see allows herselt be groped and fondled with unbridled lust by our hero.)). The casting is poor. Craig Wasson just can't make the so called hero likeable or believable and he lacks charisma. Although others don't agree I thought the film sprang into life on the hour when Melanie Griffith appeared, spending most of her screen time in the very appealing semi nude. I just found the whole film almost boring, filled with poor performences and poor writing (that trench?? see the film!!!) Highlight, apart from Ms Griffith? "FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD" - the walls shook! Terrific sound!! de Palma completists will have to get this, and of course my opinion is outweighed by the many, rather puzzling sometimes, 5 star reviews, but each to their own opinions.Brian De Palma's Body Double is possibly one of the stupidest movies the director has made, riffing off even his own previous work (Dressed to Kill's gallery stalking and shower scenes are merrily 'referenced' here). And yet, between Stephen Burum's super-glossy cinematography, Pino Donaggio's eclectic score and the director's patented "this is all a movie" winks (love those bits with the backdrops and cheesily melodramatic music), is created a little bit of magic that partially offsets, even if it cannot entirely overcome, the stupidity.Powerhouse's blu-ray has fantastic image quality and the color scheme looks consistent with an 80's film. Played with the original stereo track (LPCM 2.0, there's also a 5.1 DTS-HD track) and the audio was strong, especially the music cues (the Frankie Goes to Hollywood music video sequence was a stunner). A huge stack of extras is provided, including a multi-part documentary with inputs from De Palma and most of the cast, as well as what looks to be a newly shot long interview with the 1st AD, who supplies a great insight into the challenges involved in making the film as well as in elucidating the role of the AD in executing the director's vision (it's a massive endeavor). The hefty accompanying booklet includes an essay on the film, a De Palma interview in which the interviewer seems determined to nail him with accusations of getting off on violence and misogyny, a list of films De Palma finds remarkable, and a not-very-complimentary review of Body Double that came out during its release.I have always been a fan of Brian De Palma's work and found this curiosity both entertaining and absorbing. De Palma takes you through the murky world of the soft porn industry with a carefully crafted thriller. The film opens with a fantasy/horror film production our hero is appearing in which sets up the mainstream of the film. Our hero the leading actor suffers from claustrophobia in a really bad way that he cannot continue filming as he is shut in a tight space and is unable to perform his role. This leads to him being fired and then a series events lead him to be a resident of a high rise but secluded plush apartment.He starts watching a neighbour who every night performs a erotic dance act with all the curtains open so anyone with a good vantage point can have a good ogle. This takes place for a couple of nights and gradually our leading man becomes more and more obsessed with her, to the point he starts following her. This film has a similarities with Hitchcock's Vertigo, (no bad thing). And you are drawn very cleverly in to the story as it unfolds. The film also has humour and also a strange cameo apperance from Holly Johnson and co. I would recommend it, but then I am biased as I think Mr De Palma is a very talented film maker.