Customer Reviews

Heavenly Bodies [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I can't say enough how much I LOVE this movie! You will easily fall in love with the enjoyable Cynthia Dale as the lead who was already a trained dancer when she made this film. And the soundtrack is awesome! So many 80's dance films that seem cheesy and cliche' have gone stale now but this one is still as great as it was back then! I can watch it over and over and it always manages to entertain. It can be best described as a fun, feel-good flick. Don't expect anything too serious. It's about three women who quit their office jobs and open their own business, a workout club called Heavenly Bodies. When a jealous rival tries to shut them down, they hold a televised workout marathon to determine the fate of their business. There is also a subtle love story for Cynthia Dale's character thrown in for good measure. Laura Henry and Walter George Alton do a good job playing the "bad guys." Richard Rebiere is a perfect match as Dale's love interest. Patricia Idlette I really liked as Dale's concerned best friend. There are so many great scenes in the film for example when Dale dances alone in her club after a fight with her beau. You see the mixed emotions of how she's feeling expressed only through her body language. It's really a nice moment. And of course the grand finale when it's just one on one at the end of the workout marathon. The ending was romantic when she was holding the balloons. You will have to watch it to see what I mean. This lost, forgotten treasure should be on DVD!! In the meantime, track down a VHS copy. It is definitely worth it.

Been looking for this movie for ages only prob its a video so now to find someone to put it onto DVD love it great dance flick

This cheesy but somewhat enjoyable Canadian Flashdance rip-off is Cynthia Dale at her best, physically speaking. She embodies a popular aerobic dance instructor who challenges a competitor in a marathon of the fittest for a chance of owning the loft where stands her health club. Unsurprisingly, the 1984 movie follows every cliché-ridden ingredients to a T, which leaves only the performances of its actors that goes from good (Dale) to bad (everyone else). Cynthia Dale may work her hardest to bring any semblance of humanity to her paper thin character but its her innumerable well-choreographed moves that are really the star of the film. For lovers of bad cinema only.-----Martin Boucher

This is a great movie about perservience. Three young ladiec start their own exerceise business and have to fight many odds to keep it and WIN.

1984's "Heavenly bodies" was Canada's answer to 1983's "Flashdance." Not that it's a rip-off, because the stories are totally different. In "Heavenly Bodies" three women decide to start a fitness club that specializes in aerobics with intentions of eventually purchasing the building they lease. When the building is bought out from under them by a competing fitness center, the main protagonist, Samantha Blair (Cynthia Dale), issues a challenge -- an aerobics competition -- with the building as the prize.

Some have lambasted "Heavenly Bodies" as the "worst film ever made," "bad cinema" and "heavily campy," but actually none of these criticisms are true. Films should be evaluated according to what they aspire to be and, consequently, no genre is beyond redemption or beneath contempt. "Heavenly Bodies" never aspired to be "Ghandi" or "Out of Africa." It's a sports film focusing on aerobics for cryin' out loud. The question is: Does it deliver on that level? Yes, in spades.

What's required in an aerobics sports flick from 1984? Quality characters, heavenly bodies (sorry), energetic music, kinetic direction, a story that keeps your attention and a film that generally gets your blood pumping, right? "Heavenly Bodies" scores well in all these areas. For instance, Cynthia Dale is a great protagonist for this type of flick; she's cute, winsome, sprightly and insanely curvaceous. Although Jennifer Beals was fine in "Flashdance," Cynthia easily surpasses her. And Cynthia is only one of the numerous shapely women featured throughout. There are guys too, of course, for those who care.

The criticisms that "Heavenly Bodies" is "bad cinema" and "heavily campy" are based solely on the fact that the film is from 1984 and involves dance-aerobics. Aerobics was a fad that goes by different names today and the attire & hairstyles are naturally dated, which make the film an easy target for contempt. But these facts don't make the movie bad filmmaking or campy in the least. As far as "heavily campy" goes, there's nothing artlessly mannered or self-consciously artificial in the story or performances; and there's nothing remotely campy in the sense of, say, 60's "Batman" tv series. The story and actors play it straight throughout. Do these critics even know what 'camp' is?

The film runs a short-and-sweet 90 minutes and was shot in Toronto.

FINAL WORD: Don't listen to those who rip on "Heavenly Bodies" as a bad, campy film. It's at least as good as "Flashdance" and IMHO far better. Cynthia Dale is a great protagonist with a charming presence, a well-rounded perfect figure and excellent dance/gymnastic skills, not to mention the myriad of other 'heavenly bodies' throughout. It also has energetic (albeit dated) music, solid characters, limited dialogue, flashy directing and an entertaining story. What more could you ask for in a film of this ilk?

Unfortunately the film is only available on VHS as of this writing.

GRADE: B+ or A-

I just got done watching the movie. I am 21 and I bet its surprising for a girl who wants to watch this instead of south park or scary movie. I am in love with this movie. I love samantha's drive (cynthia dale) and motivation to keep her dreams alive. despite with others think... a bad remake of flashdance. Flashdance is good i love that movie as well but it doesnt seem as special as this movie. if your into 80's and you love dancing and working out.. see this movie you might be surprised :)

i am a huge 80's movie fan. this is one of my absolute faves. the music is great. the energy that cynthia dale gives is awesome. it makes u want to get up and dance. i seen this title when it first came out and i have looked for it for so many years. i wish so badly for this to come back out on dvd. i just bought the vhs but vcr's are fading away into history. i want the movie to live on. i would definately be a buyer [for the second time] if they put this on dvd. it would be a wish come true. it was one of the best dance/aerobics movies i have ever seen.

If you are a fan of 80s upbeat dance music like in Flashdance then you will really enjoy the music. Also the storyline is memorable and fun to watch. Would be great if this came out on DVD.

First off all, let me start off by saying that this isn't a terrible movie like said by some. I will say that it does have a fairly weak storyline and that some of the lines don't help much either. But fine performances (most notably from Cynthia Dale) and some good moments of humour, romance and feel-good fun help this to become a pretty good movie. Dale plays Samantha Blair, a woman who is tired of office work, and decides to open up an exercise gym where aerobics is the thing they practice most often. When they are threatened to be closed down and sold, the staff and members of the gym decide to face the club buying them out and compete in a dancing marathon. Some interesting camera work, sexy 80s costumes and a nice little rock music score also add to the overall cool feel of this little-known "Flashdance" similarity.

i am a music collector and i came across a movie title so i went to the video store and checked it out i liked it a lot besides im an big 80s fan cynthia dale is very good actress very very great soundtrack my favorite song breaking out of prison dont worry all the movies i throught would never be put out made new life