Brian De Palma directs this 1984 neo-noir erotic thriller about struggling actor Jake Scully (Craig Wasson), who becomes ensnared in a murder plot. With themes like obsession, voyeurism, illusion, and panic attacks, the film is an homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s 1950s films Rear Window, Vertigo, and Dial M for Murder.
BODY DOUBLE
What’s it rated? R
When? 1984
Where’s it showing? The Palm Theatre of San Luis Obispo, Friday, June 26, at 7:15 p.m.
It stars Melanie Griffith as porn actress Holly Body, who Jake falls for; Gregg Henry as Sam Bouchard, a fellow actor who meets Jake in an acting class; and Deborah Shelton as Gloria Revelle, a beautiful neighbor who Jake watches through a telescope from the posh home he’s housesitting.
Upon its release, it was a commercial failure and got mixed reviews, but over time, the film has become a cult classic; its aesthetic indulgences are an apt reflection of ’80s excess. It’s also got a thumping new wave soundtrack, and Frankie Goes to Hollywood performs their hit “Relax.”
It was included in a college class I took examining the films of Hitchcock and De Palma, and it’s reached into popular culture. Bret Easton Ellis’ 1991 novel, American Psycho, about serial killer, references the film as the killer’s favorite because of a ghastly but iconic murder-by-power-drill scene. (114 min.) ∆
This article appears in June 25 – July 2, 2026.
