Body of Evidence (Unrated)

Starring:Madonna, Michael Forest, Joe Mantegna, Charles Hallahan, Mark Rolston, Richard Riehle, D. Scot Douglas, Mario DePriest, John DeLay, Ross Huffman-Kerr, Anne Archer, Willem Dafoe, Mark C. Vincent, Frank Roberts, Julianne Moore, Aaron Corcoran, Timi Prulhiere, Corey Brunish, Stan Shaw, Jeff Perry
Director: Uli Edel
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Madonna isn't merely the prime suspect in the scandalous murder of a millionaire with kinky appetites; she's the murder weapon itself in this erotic thriller in the Basic Instinct mode. The art gallery owner by day and icy-blond dominatrix by night is accused of, shall we say, "loving" her victim to death, and Willem Dafoe is the happily married lawyer she lures into the dark thrills of pleasure and pain. The actual mystery is perfunctory at best and the absurd courtroom theatrics a mere formality in a film far more fascinated with sweaty sex, hot wax, and broken glass. Madonna isn't shy about her body and seems to enjoy the games her character plays, but she's no Sharon Stone; there's no danger smoldering behind her seduction. Like her notorious book Sex, this is a handsomely shot work of pure exhibitionism. --Sean Axmaker

Description

Grammy® and Golden Globe® winner Madonna stars with Oscar® nominees* Willem Dafoe, Anne Archer and Julianne Moore in this "bold, shocking and titillating" ("Entertainment Tonight Radio") erotic thriller. Rebecca Carlson (Madonna) is a powerful woman. Intelligent, successful and breathtakingly beautiful, she can bring almost any man to his knees. And that's exactly where she wants them. But when a night of sexual abandon ends in the death of a prominent businessman, Rebecca finds herself on trial for murder. Now it's up to her attorney (Dafoe) to proveher innocence...but when he becomes entangled in her web of erotic game-playing, his body of evidence begins to contain as many curves as his client. *Dafoe: Supporting Actor, Shadow of the Vampire (2000); Platoon (1986); Archer: Supporting Actress, Fatal Attraction (1987); Moore: Actress, The End of the Affair (1999); Supporting Actress, Boogie Nights (1997); Supporting Actress, The Hours (2002); Actress, Far From Heaven (2002)

Customer Reviews:

GREAT!!!.......2007-02-19

This movie is really good, and Madonna is fantastic in it! I highly recommend it!!

Madonna Dearest's Girlie-Showgirls.......2007-01-06

When "Body of Evidence" was released hot on the heels of the Madonna media backlash that was started with the lukewarm critical response to Erotica and the accompanying SEX book, it seemed like the film was to be the final nail in the coffin of Madge's bid for legitimate Hollywood stardom. I think at this point we can all agree that the poor gal has unfortunately all the warmth and range of a cold stick BUT I think the time may be near when under general consensus we can all agree that she can't act and (given her unarguable cutural significance) start reapraising her films in relation to their awful-ness or camp value. "Body of Evidence" is my favorite bad Madonna movie. It's ludicrous bid for erotic intensity, Madonna's flat dialogue delivery, Madonna's Granny Panties, it's ridiculous plot involving humping people to death while partying on drugs...all the Material Girl flesh on parade. Georgeous Madonna rolling around with ugly (gay) Willem DeFoe dumping candle wax on each other like an episode of Zalman King's Red Shoe Diaries. Time will age this monstrosity into THE midnight movie Madonna offering. Evita's too long, Who's That Girl..too annoying...Shanghai Suprise...close but not bad enough...Next Best Thing..nah! and then there are the "Good" Madonna movies...Desperately Seeking Susan, Truth or Dare and that kinda good Abel Ferrara one. I think Madonna should star in a remake of Pinnochio...y'know...the story of a wooden pop-star who wanted to be a real actress. I love her.

This should've been the end.......2006-03-14

This should've been the end of Madonna's movie career and the fact that it wasn't proves that the folks in Hollywood are no smarter than the rest of us. Body of Evidence is one of the most unintenionally funny wastes of film I've ever seen. The sex scenes are not sexy. Madonna spends a lot of time semi naked but her body is not particularly attractive. William DaFoe looked like he was ashamed throughout the movie and the script stinks too. That's about all I can say.

Love Madonna, hated the movie.......2005-12-18

Body of Evidence is a classic example of a good cast, but bad script and directng. The premise is a stretch; no one can stand trial for murder if it was consensual sex and drug use. The acting is not really that bad, it's just that the actors look fatigued and not entirely thrilled with their lines or direction. It's easy to make Madonna the scapegoat because she's a controversial public figure. However, it takes an entire cast and crew to ruin a movie. This failure was truly a TEAM effort. Poor Willem Defoe and Anne Archer...they valiantly tried to save this turkey, but to no avail. Madonna has the potential to be a good actress if she has a better script and perhaps some classes wouldn't hurt. Nevertheless, she has a presence and charisma that's hard to ignore. Overall, the movie was tiring, not thrilling enough and a mess of bad lines and a muddled plot. This movie is only for die-hard Madonna fans only. Madonna shines much more in Evita, Desperately Seeking Susan and A League of Their Own.

Madonna can't act!!!!.......2005-11-10

Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

After the surprise success of 1992's controversial erotic thriller Basic Instinct, studios starting snatching up every similar script floating around in an attempt to cash in on that film's success. One of the most infamous attempts at ripping off Basic Instinct was the 1993 Madonna vehicle entitled Body of Evidence. Before the movie's initial theatrical release, there was a considerable buzz surrounding the movie's numerous explicit sex scenes between Madonna and a slumming Willem Dafoe. People were talking about how in-your-face these scenes were. There also were some rumors that some of the sex scenes weren't completely faked.

But the movie ran into huge problems with the MPAA and almost all of the sex got cut out of the R-rated theatrical version. Regardless, the movie was pretty awful regardless and died a quick death at the box office. It also really hurt Madonna's credibility at that time and was viewed as severely damaging to her overall career. When it was released on video, MGM released it in both its R-rated version as well as an unrated cut that restored all of the explicit sex that had to be removed from the R version. (The unrated cut is the version that I'm basing my review on BTW). It's also been rumored that the European cut is still even more explicit than even the unrated American cut but I haven't seen it to compare and sitting through this movie more than once might cause me irreperable brain damage.

The plot involves Rebecca Carlson (Madonna) who has been accused of murdering her much older lover by deliberately having kinky sex with him despite his severe heart condition. Frank Dulaney (Willem Dafoe) is a defense attorney who gets assigned to her case. He is married to Sharon (Julianne Moore) and has a son. Robert Garrett (Joe Mantegna) is the prosecutor. During the trial the highly flirtatious and kinky Rebecca begins to weave a spell over Frank and pretty soon he's having a torrid affair with her while the trial is still going on. He does a decent job keeping it from his wife for awhile , but naturally, she eventually finds out. There's also the deceased man's secretary Joanne (Anne Archer) who is convinced that Madonna killed him to get his riches but it turns out that Joanne may have been much closer to her employer than just working for him.

The plot chugs along to a thoroughly predictable climax and mainly serves as a canvas for some surprisingly explicit and energetic (though about as far from erotic as you can get) simulated sex scenes. I'll admit that some of these scenes went quite a bit farther than I was expecting them to go (the scene in the parking garage where they do it on the hood of a car for instance). I'm really not sure how the director thought much of the sex footage would get past the MPAA relatively intact when he had a scene of a nude-from-the-waste-down Madonna literally sitting on Willem Dafoe's face (in fairly graphic detail) on the hood of his car while he performs oral sex on her. There is also the infamous scene of Madonna pouring hot candle wax all over Willem that in another movie with a much more convincing (and better) actress and director, it could have been very kinky and erotic. Here it just plays out as silly and unintentionally funny.

The reason that this turkey is still worth checking out is that it is very clear that everyone involved wasn't taking this movie that seriously. A lot of the performances are extremely tongue in cheek. Not that it makes it any better mind you. But it's one of the most unintentionally funny movies that I've watched in quite some time. Madonna can't act to save her life, but a lot of her scenes had me laughing until I was in tears. Even though she displays an apparent willingness to let it all hang out, so to speak, she literally keeps just one expression on her face throughout practically the whole movie. Willem Dafoe fares a little better, as does the always lovely Julianne Moore (who also has a prettty explicit, but quick, sex scene with Willem Dafoe), but there's only so much you can do acting wise with characters and a plot as silly as this. The rest of the cast serves more or less as just filler and plays their characters just like the stereotypes that they are that normally populate erotic thrillers such as this.
The film does boast some considerably better cinmatography and direction than the material required. Director Uli Edel apparently has a good eye for detail and mood, but all of his efforts are wasted in the nonstop parade of stupidity.

I guess if you're a big fan of Madonna, the thought of seeing her nude and in some explicit sexual situations is reason enough to check this movie out. But I really haven't been able to stand her throughout most of her career and have always found her to be somewhat of a joke (singing or acting wise).

While this movie strives way too hard to be Basic Instinct 2, what it forgot is that the reason that Basic Instinct worked was that it actually had a good script in addition to a lead actress in Sharon Stone who was unbelievably hot as well as being a great actress. Madonna doesn't look bad nude, in fact she has a pretty happening body. She does an ample amount of full frontal nudity throughout the film so fans take not. But at this point in her career she had made her living at flaunting herself at any and every opputunity and I had just gotten to the point where she doesn't do a thing for me, nude or otherwise. I've been extremely desensitized to her routine.

This movie came close to being a career killer for all involved, but with the slew of similar erotic thrillers that were being dumped into thrillers around that point (Sliver, Jade) people just ended up forgetting about this movie. While I think that there's some entertainment value to be found in this movie (though it's all unintentional), a lot of people will find this movie thoroughly derivative and poorly made. But, I still recommend it to people since it is so silly and goofy. It's really good for a few laughs. (BTW if you are a fan of the now defunct show Mystery Science Theater 3000, this is an incredibly easy (and fun) movie to rip apart).

The recent DVD released by MGM has both the unrated and rated versions of the film on either side of the disc. Most curiousity seekers will probably just stick with the unrated version for the extra nudity/sex. The movie is present in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen but the only extra is the theatrical trailer and an awful 8 minute featurette on the making of this awful but unintentionally hilarious film.

Body of Evidence is unrated and contains explicit sexual content & nudity, graphic language and violence.

The edited R rated version contains strong sexual content, nudity, strong language and violence.

Average customer rating:

A Fine Interpretation
A 12th century detective yarn
"We deal with what is"
A Must see for all mystery and history lovers
One of the best of the series.

Cadfael - One Corpse Too Many
Starring: Derek Jacobi , Sean Pertwee , Peter Copley , Michael Culver , and Julian Firth
Manufacturer: Acorn Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Detectives | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Customer Reviews:

A Fine Interpretation.......2007-04-16

If you've read the books, then this series will definitely appeal. It's a great interpretation of the Cadfael stories and there is plenty of attention to detail.

In particular, Abbot Radulfus, Prior Robert and Cadfael himself all have perfect castings.

The only downsides are that the relationship between Cadfael and Hugh doesn't really take on a life in this series - they tend to find themselves more at odds with each other than they do in the books and there are some very strange name and plot changes that deviate from the genius of the books.

If you can just ignore those details (or if you haven't read the books) then you'll love watching this.

A 12th century detective yarn.......2007-01-28

The esteemed classically trained Derek Jacobi once again demonstrates the depth of his talent in his splendid portrayal of Benedictine monk Brother Cadfael in the drama "One Corpse Too Many". In the year 1183, the town of Shrewsbury is resisting the advances of the army of King Stephen played by Michael Grandage during a civil war. The castle is ultimately overrun and its 94 inhabitants are condemned to death.

When Cadfael, who had once fought in the Crusades, is entrusted by the abbot of his order to command the burial detail he discovers 95 bodies. A murder had been committed and covered up by the executions. Jacobi at the same time was hiding the daughter of a escaping Shrewsbury nobleman, Godith disguised as a monk. If that wasn't enough he was trying to detect the whereabouts of the treasury of the nobleman Adeney, spirited out of town under the guard of two squires, to be used to raise an army against King Stephen.

Using Holmesian deductive reasoning Jacobi puts his clues together to solve the multitude of conundrums placed under his jurisdiction.

"We deal with what is".......2004-12-25

As complex as any of the Cadfael series, this one tells the story of how Master Hugh Beringar becomes sheriff. Also as Cadfael states, "By my reckoning there is one corps too many."

During the time of the civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Maud, the abbey tales a neutral stance. However Brother Cadfael is given a new assistant. The young lad is anything but; as he is a she. Naturally Cadfael being a man of the world detects this and must find out why she is hiding.

Meanwhile back to the war Shrewsbury Castle is under siege by Stephens's men for being a Maud holdout. When Stephen finally gets the castle he orders the rebel soldiers executed. Cadfael is preparing them for a Christian burial when he counts 95. It is trivial to the king but Cadfael presses that it would not bode well for a king to dismiss a murder under his very nose. Looks like it may have been the work of Hugh Beringar, a man who has appeared to have conveniently changed sides in the war. King Stephen is not unaware of this.

This time will Cadfaels tuition, forensics, and logic. Prove the case?
Is Hue a villain or will he turn out to be a friend?

A Must see for all mystery and history lovers.......2003-04-01

Even though this movie takes place several thousands of years ago, it had my attention the whole way though. You thought Nany Drew and the Hardy Boys were great classic adventures, but wait untill you see this. From begging to end One Too Many Corpses is filled with many twists, and seemingly dead ends, but then a chance for light. If you don't see this movie One Too Many Corpses, than you will not missing out on a great mytery but a fabulous adventure.

One of the best of the series........2002-07-20

I enjoy a good murder mystery of the classical type, and the Brother Cadfael series is particularly good. The author Ellis Peters (Edith Pargiter, 1913-1995), like Agatha Christie, Nagio Marsh and Dorothy Sayers, was popular during the mid-20th Century and wrote prolifically during that time. There are some 20 Cadfael books. The film One Corpse Too Many, based upon the book of the same name, was the first one I saw on Public TV. It hooked me irrevocably. The setting is incredibly authentic and colorful. The different orders of society: nobleman, servant, military man, tradesman, artisan, abbott, monk, and priest are carefully wrought to produce a period piece with more detail and clearer dialogue than a Shakespearean play. It would be a wonderful way of introducing young people to history.

The setting of the story is 12th Century England, a period of particular turmoil. Henry I had died without a legitimate male heir, and he had designated his daughter Matilda as his successor, binding his nobles by oath to support her. Although many of them did, including her very able half brother, an illegitimate son of Henry made an Earl by his father, many of them threw their support behind her cousin, Steven. Matilda, or Maud as she is referred to, was a granddaughter of William the Conqueror and no push over herself. She fought her cousin from a base in coastal France, where the family held land in fief of the King of France and where marriage alliances had placed her as wife of Geoffery, the Duke of Anjou. With her Norman support in France and her loyal factions in England, she made enough of a threat to Steven's rule to ultimately obtain a guarantee of succession to the English throne for her son Henry, ultimately Henry II. Until that time, warfare turned most of England into a battle ground and life for everyone a matter of ceaseless uncertainty. Added to this was the rancour still apparent in the social divisions between the largely Saxon population and their Norman rulers. The fall of the Saxon monarchy was only a hundred years previous and hostility still existed.

Cadfael, the central character of the series, is a Dominican monk and herbalist, and Dereck Jacobi is the perfect personification of him. He has a presence which suggests strength, wisdom, and compassion. Unlike most of the other brothers, Cadfael had spent most of his life in the secular world where he participated in the crusades, had adventures, fell in and out of love, and took his order after finding the ways of the world wanting. He comes from a different culture, that of Wales, and sees that of England through an outsider's more objective eyes. His experience with life and the motives of men and his keen awareness of detail makes him the perfect sleuth, and when murder is committed, the civil authorities are more than willing to have him clear things up for them.

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

GREAT!!!.......2007-02-19

This movie is really good, and Madonna is fantastic in it! I highly recommend it!!

Madonna Dearest's Girlie-Showgirls.......2007-01-06

This should've been the end.......2006-03-14

Love Madonna, hated the movie.......2005-12-18

Madonna can't act!!!!.......2005-11-10

Average customer rating:

If you like true crime you should check this out
One big issue with the show
One of My Favorite Shows

The Best of Court TV: Body of Evidence
Starring: Dayle Hinman
Manufacturer: Goldhil Home Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0007GP7UU
Release Date: 2005-03-15

Description

This riveting new series gets inside the mind, life and career of Dayle Hinman, one of the country's leading forensic profilers. Using intensive examination of forensic evidence and skillful psychological insight, Dayle aids the police in isolating suspects and solving numerous murders. This special DVD collection, featuring the most fascinating cases from the highly acclaimed Court TV series, takes you on an investigative journey unlike anything you have ever seen. Despite being faced with absolutely baffling mysteries, nothing stops Dayle Hinman from navigating the criminal mind and winning justice for victims.

This special 2-DVD collection features 12 of the best episodes from Body of Evidence:

Disk 1 - Halloween Mystery - Road to Nowhere - Bullseye - Bradford County Abduction - Mystery on Highway 98 - The Congress Avenue Case

Disk 2 - Poetic Justice - The Watcher - Spotless - Czuba Case - The Tamiami Trail - Mystery in Tavernier Key

Exclusive DVD Extras: Original Pilot Episode -Catherine Crier Live Interview - Dayle Hinman Resume - Criminal Profiling Weblinks - Profiling Bibliography

Customer Reviews:

If you like true crime you should check this out.......2007-04-05

This show is not for the faint of heart. However, I think it's one of the best crime shows ever. Criminal profiler Dayle Hinman talks about cases she has helped solve. The shows have good re-inactments, good crime scene and evidence footage and the show has good pace and doesn't lag. This show is very engrossing and I admit being addicted to it.

It is true that Dayle comes off a little stiff (she reminds me of an anchorwoman) however, I think she has a certain intensity behind the outer phoniness. She is playing the phony Hollywood game where looks are important and this is not her thing and it shows. Her thing is solving crimes and it's easy to see that she loves what she does and is good at it. Not everyone is photogenic or great at speaking on camera but when she speaks of crime it's obvious she is one tough woman!

Dayle has said in the show that she was always facinated by puzzles as a child and she sees a crime as a puzzle. I think there is something to be said about a person who dedicates their life to studying the most horrible of human behaviors to bring closure to the families of victims. If you are into crime shows and you like puzzles and mysteries you might enjoy this show! If you have already seen the show, the DVD quality is great.

One big issue with the show.......2006-08-09

The show itself is well done, but Dayle herself comes off as stiff and very uncomfortable. She's clearly a very bright woman and a great cop, but speaking on camera is not her strong point, and detracts from my enjoyment of the show. My girlfriend made me turn the show off last night for the same reason. Sorry to be negative, but honesty is the best policy...

One of My Favorite Shows.......2005-08-22

Body of Evidence is a show on Court TV where various real-life crimes are shown & discussed from beginning to end.

The particular crimes explored on this program are from the files of profiler Dayle Hinman. Dayle is a very likable person who takes her job quite seriously - you can tell it means a lot to her to get these criminals off the street. She is responsible for helping the police to determine the "type" of person who would commit such crimes - including their ethnicity, age, educational level & personlity.

This is one of those shows that I watch each & every week, as it never ceases to amaze me how the art of profiling works. It's great to know that police now have this tool available for catching the "bad guys".

Overall, I would highly recommend this DVD set to anyone who enjoys learning about the man or woman behind the crime, and the process law enforcement uses to get the criminals behind bars.

Average customer rating:

Dead Reckoning - Body Clues

Manufacturer: A & E
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

There is no such thing as the perfect crime, and DEAD RECKONING shows why.
DEAD RECKONING offers an up-close look at every facet of forensics, using actual crimes as case studies.
From fingerprinting to ballistics, fiber analysis to autopsies, critical clues are always left somewhere, and it is left to investigators to find them.
With each passing year, the arsenal of tools at their disposal grows, making it even less likely that damning evidence will go undiscovered.

ASIN: B000H84YFC

Product Description

Body Clues highlights the ways that physical evidence left on victims can point to the perpetrator.

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