1. Mickey Rourke trying to convince William Hurt not to commit the crime, using some of the lines that Hurt has used on him. But Hurt is immovable at this point.
2. Ted Danson explaining the case against Hurt to him, both aware that Danson now knows Hurt is the murderer (but he's his friend first and the D.A. second)
3. The "tightening noose" scenes in which it becomes slowly (too slowly - he's dumb!) clear to Hurt just how much she's sprung a trap and he waded right into it
I finally got around to watching Body Heat only a few years ago, and my main takeaway is that I'm shocked how many people find it sexy, because all of that Florida heat and sweating was the opposite of sexy to me. it made me uncomfortable just watching them! the SCTV parody had it just right.
also: Danson and Rourke are standouts here. I'm not sure a bit arsonist *should* stand out, but he really steals his scenes
This only tangentially related to Body Heat, but me wonder if there was so much sex in movies in 80s and so little of it now because of how fashions have changed. When me was young monster in 80s, young women wore high-necked blouses with shoulder pads, long skirts, big hair; or women embraced counterculture and wore flannel shirts, leather jackets, big chunky boots. Either way,
you had to squint googly eyes very hard to see anything approaching feminine shape.
Whereas now sleveless top is perfectly normal work attire, and if you take stroll through park, women jog by wearing sports bra that mostly just network of thin straps. It no mystery what female body look like in 2023 if you live anywhere outside of Utah. (And that absolutely good thing, for reasons that have nothing to do with me ogling joggers — we live in much better world with less Vitorian-style shame about human body. Monster body completely different story — me have been running around naked on children's television since 1969 and no one have issue with it.)
So in 80s, seeing some skin in movie was exciting, because we not see that much skin (male or female) in our everyday lives. And not it really not that big of deal.
Although, now that me think about it, easy widespread availability of porn probably much bigger factor. But me not would know anything about that! Me only get excited about COOKIES!!!!
Great point. Spandex was big in the 80s, but it was limited to aerobics (Jazzercise!) and TV/movies. And rock stars, too, those heavy metal bands.
I begrudgingly acknowledge that Kim Kardashian is the one who normalized the shameless public exposure of the derriere, for better or for worse. The butt has become the boob in our modern age...
As someone who grew up in the '80s, I've been tempted to make a Letterboxd list (I won't really actually write an article) of all the movies I saw because I wanted to see boobs. And sex, but for adolescent me in the '80s, it was mostly boobs.
Body Heat would be one of the rare truly good movies in there.
Keith mentioned Karina Longworth's podcast episode on this movie- it's part of a longer series she's doing on sex in the movies, starting with porno chic in the late 70s, currently midway through the 90s. It's a really excellent look at how shifts in culture (religion, politics, feminism + backlashes to feminism, trends in media) are reflected in how sex is presented in mainstream cinema. It's fantastic! I can't recommend it highly enough. The name of the podcast is You Must Remember This. It has a deep (and excellent!) back catalog, but this is the most recent season.
" In short: Jameson treats Body Heat as Exhibit A for an exhausted film culture (and by extension, culture at large) that’s been colonized by nostalgia and “increasingly incapable of fashioning representations of our own current experience.” "
I find this such an interesting idea. We as a species are very much into not being where (or when) we are, aren't we. So many movies are either set in the past or set in the future! I guess it's the grass is greener syndrome, or maybe Miniver Cheevy syndrome. I read this poem years ago in school, and as I get older, I see how right Robinson was:
Check out the list of Oscar best pics from the last decade. Moonlight, Birdman, and Parasite are the only ones set in present time, and you could make the case for Moonlight's exclusion since the majority of its runtime is about the past...
Just saw this for the first time after the You Must Remember This episode. A great reminder that you can use the tropes and hallmarks of well-explored genres to make both a sterling example of that genre AND a relevant modern film. Lawrence Kasdan was particularly good at this since his Silverado does the same thing. I believe that one was written off as a nostalgia/homage piece by some as well.
Silverado is way undersung. Watched it again after Dennehy passed and it holds up beautifully. (And my wife remarked, "This is pretty subtle for a Kevin Kline performance.") The drop-off between heightened expectations of what Kasdan would do at the top of the 80s to the realization of what we were going to get after Grand Canyon is one of the sharpest in moviedom.
Loving the Erotic 80s/Erotic 90s seasons of You Must Remember This. It's handy that Criterion has an Erotic Thrillers collection with many of the movies she discusses.
I got to see this on film at IFC Center two years ago, presented by Matt Zoller Seitz and Imogen Sara Smith. The film broke with about a half hour to go (it was fixed quickly) but I can't imagine watching this any other way--the grain really adds to the murkiness and heat of the movie.
Excellent job, Keith! I teach screenwriting and often use Body Heat as an example of a well-structured (Billy Wilder proof) (screenplay. I'm planning to talk about the film from a screenwriter's point of view in my own newsletter, and will definitely refer to this piece.
Good piece. I liked this when I saw it and also: has to be the sweatiest movie I've ever seen. More than earns its title.
I've been noticing for a while which eras of film people have been allowed to be sweaty in. Some other good ones: Miami Blues and White Lightning.
I love Body Heat. Some highlights:
1. Mickey Rourke trying to convince William Hurt not to commit the crime, using some of the lines that Hurt has used on him. But Hurt is immovable at this point.
2. Ted Danson explaining the case against Hurt to him, both aware that Danson now knows Hurt is the murderer (but he's his friend first and the D.A. second)
3. The "tightening noose" scenes in which it becomes slowly (too slowly - he's dumb!) clear to Hurt just how much she's sprung a trap and he waded right into it
Danson was so good in this.
William Hurt's character in this movie may be the sexiest person ever to be named "Ned".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKTXq2VQ09s
If that was anything other than that clip, me was going to demand refund from Substack.
I'm not in a situation where I can click on a YouTube link but this can only be Flanders in a ski outfit
I finally got around to watching Body Heat only a few years ago, and my main takeaway is that I'm shocked how many people find it sexy, because all of that Florida heat and sweating was the opposite of sexy to me. it made me uncomfortable just watching them! the SCTV parody had it just right.
also: Danson and Rourke are standouts here. I'm not sure a bit arsonist *should* stand out, but he really steals his scenes
Kasdan gives Rourke quite the character introduction: https://youtu.be/eLAbh_LceNw?t=14
Between this moment, RISKY BUSINESS and AMERICAN POP there's probably a study to be made of how films used Seger songs.
This only tangentially related to Body Heat, but me wonder if there was so much sex in movies in 80s and so little of it now because of how fashions have changed. When me was young monster in 80s, young women wore high-necked blouses with shoulder pads, long skirts, big hair; or women embraced counterculture and wore flannel shirts, leather jackets, big chunky boots. Either way,
you had to squint googly eyes very hard to see anything approaching feminine shape.
Whereas now sleveless top is perfectly normal work attire, and if you take stroll through park, women jog by wearing sports bra that mostly just network of thin straps. It no mystery what female body look like in 2023 if you live anywhere outside of Utah. (And that absolutely good thing, for reasons that have nothing to do with me ogling joggers — we live in much better world with less Vitorian-style shame about human body. Monster body completely different story — me have been running around naked on children's television since 1969 and no one have issue with it.)
So in 80s, seeing some skin in movie was exciting, because we not see that much skin (male or female) in our everyday lives. And not it really not that big of deal.
Although, now that me think about it, easy widespread availability of porn probably much bigger factor. But me not would know anything about that! Me only get excited about COOKIES!!!!
Great point. Spandex was big in the 80s, but it was limited to aerobics (Jazzercise!) and TV/movies. And rock stars, too, those heavy metal bands.
I begrudgingly acknowledge that Kim Kardashian is the one who normalized the shameless public exposure of the derriere, for better or for worse. The butt has become the boob in our modern age...
As someone who grew up in the '80s, I've been tempted to make a Letterboxd list (I won't really actually write an article) of all the movies I saw because I wanted to see boobs. And sex, but for adolescent me in the '80s, it was mostly boobs.
Body Heat would be one of the rare truly good movies in there.
Keith mentioned Karina Longworth's podcast episode on this movie- it's part of a longer series she's doing on sex in the movies, starting with porno chic in the late 70s, currently midway through the 90s. It's a really excellent look at how shifts in culture (religion, politics, feminism + backlashes to feminism, trends in media) are reflected in how sex is presented in mainstream cinema. It's fantastic! I can't recommend it highly enough. The name of the podcast is You Must Remember This. It has a deep (and excellent!) back catalog, but this is the most recent season.
" In short: Jameson treats Body Heat as Exhibit A for an exhausted film culture (and by extension, culture at large) that’s been colonized by nostalgia and “increasingly incapable of fashioning representations of our own current experience.” "
I find this such an interesting idea. We as a species are very much into not being where (or when) we are, aren't we. So many movies are either set in the past or set in the future! I guess it's the grass is greener syndrome, or maybe Miniver Cheevy syndrome. I read this poem years ago in school, and as I get older, I see how right Robinson was:
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44978/miniver-cheevy
Check out the list of Oscar best pics from the last decade. Moonlight, Birdman, and Parasite are the only ones set in present time, and you could make the case for Moonlight's exclusion since the majority of its runtime is about the past...
Just saw this for the first time after the You Must Remember This episode. A great reminder that you can use the tropes and hallmarks of well-explored genres to make both a sterling example of that genre AND a relevant modern film. Lawrence Kasdan was particularly good at this since his Silverado does the same thing. I believe that one was written off as a nostalgia/homage piece by some as well.
Silverado is way undersung. Watched it again after Dennehy passed and it holds up beautifully. (And my wife remarked, "This is pretty subtle for a Kevin Kline performance.") The drop-off between heightened expectations of what Kasdan would do at the top of the 80s to the realization of what we were going to get after Grand Canyon is one of the sharpest in moviedom.
Loving the Erotic 80s/Erotic 90s seasons of You Must Remember This. It's handy that Criterion has an Erotic Thrillers collection with many of the movies she discusses.
I got to see this on film at IFC Center two years ago, presented by Matt Zoller Seitz and Imogen Sara Smith. The film broke with about a half hour to go (it was fixed quickly) but I can't imagine watching this any other way--the grain really adds to the murkiness and heat of the movie.
Excellent job, Keith! I teach screenwriting and often use Body Heat as an example of a well-structured (Billy Wilder proof) (screenplay. I'm planning to talk about the film from a screenwriter's point of view in my own newsletter, and will definitely refer to this piece.