Product Details

• Actors: William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Richard Crenna, Ted Danson, J.A. Preston
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Subtitles: Spanish
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: July 28, 1998
• Run Time: 113 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (131 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305012806
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #679,055 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential video

While scoring high-profile credits as a screenwriter (including The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and Raiders of the Lost Ark), Lawrence Kasdan made his directorial debut with this steamy, contemporary film noir in the tradition of Double Indemnity and other classics from the 1940s. In one of his most memorable roles, William Hurt plays a Florida lawyer unwittingly drawn into a web of deceit spun by Kathleen Turner (in her screen debut) as a married socialite who plots to kill off her husband with Hurt's assistance. Kasdan's dialogue is a hoot (sometimes it borders on satire), and the sultry atmosphere is a perfect complement to the perspiration-soaked chemistry between Hurt and Turner, whose love scenes caused quite a stir when the film was released in 1981. John Barry's score sets the provocative mood, and both Ted Danson and Mickey Rourke are splendid in memorable supporting roles. --Jeff Shannon

Amazon.com

While scoring high-profile credits as a screenwriter (including The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and Raiders of the Lost Ark), Lawrence Kasdan made his directorial debut with this steamy, contemporary film noir in the tradition of Double Indemnity and other classics from the 1940s. In one of his most memorable roles, William Hurt plays a Florida lawyer unwittingly drawn into a web of deceit spun by Kathleen Turner (in her screen debut) as a married socialite who plots to kill off her husband with Hurt's assistance. Kasdan's dialogue is a hoot (sometimes it borders on satire), and the sultry atmosphere is a perfect complement to the perspiration-soaked chemistry between Hurt and Turner, whose love scenes caused quite a stir when the film was released in 1981. John Barry's score sets the provocative mood, and both Ted Danson and Mickey Rourke are splendid in memorable supporting roles. --Jeff Shannon

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AFI's Great Love Stories: #94 Body Heat, June 15, 2002

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Body Heat (DVD)

The most important thing you need to know is that most of the women I know consider "Body Heat" to be the sexiest movie they have ever seen. Now, I do not feel that way, but I am pretty sure I can explain the difference in judgment. Then again, writer-director Lawrence Kasdan created sexual tension between Princess Leia and Han Solo, so we should not be surprised at what he can accomplish in a galaxy closer to home.

Attorney Ned Racine (William Hurt) is one of those lawyers whose life is in cruise control, the sort that usually find redemption in those John Grisham novels. Instead he meets Matty Walker (Kathleen Turner), a sexual siren with a well-to-do husband who leads him willingly down the path of damnation. Kasdan gets credit for taking 1940s film noir in which love goes terribly wrong and bringing it into the sexually provocative 1980s, but it is Turner who breaths the fire and passion into this film: Think Lauren Bacall's throaty voice put into the sculptured body of a sex goddess and covered in the sweat of a hot and humid Southern summer night. The plot takes some delicious twists and turns as well. "Body Heat" paved the way for every every other sick and twisted tale of bad love to come down the road since, from "Fatal Attraction" to "Basic Instinct" and beyond.

Most Romantic Lines: "You're not very bright, are you? I like that in a man." That pretty much sums up this film's idea of "romance."

If you like "Body Heat," then check out these other films on AFI's list: #49 "The Postman Always Rings Twice" and #84 "Double Indemnity." Why? Because they are also movies where a guy meets the sort of gal he would kill to be with--and he does.

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review of new edition of "Body Heat" is it worth it? Yep., October 30, 2006

By 

WTDK "If at first the idea is not absurd, the... (My Little Blue Window, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Body Heat (Deluxe Edition) (DVD)

Matty: "You're not too smart. I like that in a man"
Ned: What else to you like? Lazy? Ugly? Horny? I got'em all.
Matty: You don't look lazy.


Finally upgraded on DVD this top notch film noir looks better better than the previous edition on DVD. It isn't perfect (image appears a bit soft at times but part of that was intentionally due to the soft diffuse photography by Richard Kline the other part of that could be due to the interpostive negative aging)We can practically see the heat and humidity sweat through the TV screen. It also has some very nice extras for fans of the film. John Barry's sultry score sounds rich and creamy in the 5.1 remix on this disc.

William Hurt plays criminal lawyer Ned Racine who gets pulled into an affair with married woman Matty (Kathleen Turner). She has a solution to all of their woes when she suggests they murder her wealthy husband (Richard Crenna). Featuring strong performances from a top notch supporting cast including Mickey Rourke and Ted Danson "Body Heat" recalls films like "The Postman Always Rings Twice" with its noir plot but has its own unique twists and turns.

The previous edition had very little in the way of extras. This re-release includes three featurettes on the production of the film covering everything from pre-production to post -production. We find out for example that George Lucas personally agreed to underwrite any budget overruns but did so quietly without telling Kasdan and did it on his own accord. Also Alan Ladd Jr. insisted that Hurt shave his mustache as he felt it made him look too sleazy (precisely the point). Kasdan just went ahead and shot it his way. After they saw the dalies they never complained about it again. Other interviews include new comments from Hurt, Turner, Danson, Editor Carol Littleton, cinematographer Richard Kline and director Kasdan discussing various aspects of the production. Hurt has always marched to a different drum and that's evident in both the new and original 1981 interviews included with this set. He's certainly off-beat.We also get five deleted scenes and the original theatrical trailer. While it might have been nice to integrate some of the deleted scenes back into the film they wouldn't have benefited this already tightly coiled film.


This along with "The Big Chill" and Kasdan's revival of the epic western "Silverado" continues to be the highlight of his career as a hyphenate. Although he would go on to writer/direct other challenging and memorable films such as "The Accidental Tourist", "Grand Canyon" and "Wyatt Earp" (not to mention the underrated "I Love You To Death") "Body Heat" established his mastery of both the written word and fleeting image of cinema.

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is Great Noir with the gloves off!, July 27, 2000

By 

Michael B. (CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Body Heat (DVD)

Lawrence Kasdan has done a lot of great stuff as a writer (a small, indie film called Raiders of the Lost Ark comes to mind) but in Body Heat he demonstrates a great touch with the 40's noir style as a director.

Kathleen Turner sizzles, and I mean sizzles, as a smart, ruthless, greedy, and incredibly hot married women who's can't hide her lying eyes. William Hurt is naive, innocent, and believably dumb as her intrepid lover/lawyer/sap.

I dont' want to spoil too much of the plot, but it's dark, atmospheric, and well directed with great lighting that only the dvd shows well. The vhs version is terrible. Pan and scan ruins films like this one, and shadows used this effectively need dvd.

You'll like this film if you like noir, or if you just like exciting murder/romance stories, or even if you just like steamy love scenes. It's got it all.