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On "Seeing A Modern Classic: Body Heat."

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This entry was posted on 6/3/2008 2:22 PM and is filed under Pop Culture.

You know, when I was in Vermont, one of my friends fessed up to not seeing the utterly brilliant film, Body Heat. From a theatre person, this is just simply unacceptable. And for the rest of the intelligent, literate movie-going audience (the three of us left, anyway,) Body Heat should be required viewing. Pure and simple.

In fact, before you read any more of this...go right out and rent or buy this puppy, because I'm going to spoil the whole thing below.

Watched it? Good. You probably noted that much of the film has been copied (poorly, mostly) in many other neo-noir sex thrillers that appeared in its wake, no? Here's why: Body Heat works. Hollywood sees a formula and relentlessly works it to death. And yet, the original print is very much alive, aware and amazing. That "aliveness" may be what keeps the film so fresh and vibrant, some twenty-eight years later.

If this was your first time experiencing Body Heat, you probably looked through the eyes of William Hurt's character, Ned Racine. That's intentional. After all, the movie opens with him, and sets up his sleazy, small-town Florida life for the audience to identify with. Mind you, you're not supposed to like Ned Racine; he's a womanizing cad, a reasonably smart person mired in laziness and hornyness. So, while we, the people, may perhaps see ourselves (or people we know) in Racine...he's not admirable. Hurt does wonderful work in the role, giving Ned enough intelligence to not be a rube, enough sexuality to not be a cad, and enough amorality to not be a hero. You get the sense that Ned would be happy to practice his dirty law in his little, sandy town whilst plugging the local populace forever.

Enter Matty Walker.

As played by Kathleen Turner, Matty is Racine's desires personified. She's witty, rich, beautiful and a monster in the sack, apparently. It's a testament to Turner's chops as an actress that she's entirely believable as the woman that men would do anything for. In order for Body Heat to work, you have to feel this chemistry, this lust that Ned feels. We, the people, have to accept that Racine would o anything to have Matty. And we do. (This doesn't end Turner's brilliance in the role...but more on that later.)

Now that you've seen the film, you know that Ned devises a plot to kill Matty's husband so they can get his money...but then things go horribly wrong. The noose tightens around Ned's neck as he realizes that Matty may have more in store for him then he bargained for. The script is brilliant here: everything that occurs is believable. There are no contrived plot twists. It all makes sense.

Of course, you now know that Matty Walker had been playing Ned Racine from the start, that she'd researched him prior to their meeting...that it was her childhood friend in the boathouse, that she ends up rich and alone on some island and the end of the movie. And that she's not Matty Walker at all.

Now go back and watch the movie from the point of view of Kathleen Turner's character. Keep in mind what you know: that she's researched Ned, that she knows his hangouts, his desires, his weaknesses. And watch the movie.

It's almost like viewing a different movie entirely.

Matty appears in Ned's life, almost on cue...but watch Turner's knowing performance: she's set the cue, she's setting the stage. Watch her when lust overcomes Ned, and he breaks the window and ravishes her. On the first viewing, we, the people, see Matty's desire, her passion waiting to be unbridled. But the second time? We see the manipulation, the energy of a plan coming to life.

Turner is so good at playing both sides of the story, when she admits love for Ned...you're not sure if she's lying or telling the truth (I personally think the coda at the end gives it away: she does love him, but she loves money most of all.) Like Matty herself, this movie launched both sides of Turner's career: the sex bomb (unmatched until Sharon Stone came along,) and the brilliant actress who'd do anything for a role.

I'm going to keep this blog entry short, but when you watch Body Heat for a third time (you will: it's that damn good,) note the amazing direction. I'm just going to point out one, brilliant set up. The detective has arrived at the Walker manse to arrest Ned. He's up on the hill, looking down at Ned and Matty by the gazebo. In the distance is the boat house. Matty goes off into complete darkness, towards the boat house.

She vanishes from the frame.

The camera turns back, and we have a perfect line shot: Ned in the front, the gazebo behind him, and the detective behind them all...and we can almost see on the other side of the camera, not filmed but implied, the perfect line to the boat house.

And then...boom.

Just go see it.



 

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