‘Body Double’ 4K UHD Blu-Ray SteelBook Review – Brian De Palma’s Erotic Tale Of Obsession & Murder

Brian De Palma invites you to witness a seduction… a mystery… a murder. It’s BODY DOUBLE — a spine-tingling look at voyeurism and sexuality from the modern master of suspense. Jake Scully (Craig Wasson), an unemployed actor, is asked to house-sit at a luxurious hillside apartment. As a bonus, the home offers Jake a telescopic peek into the bedroom of Gloria Revelle (Deborah Shelton), who performs an arousing striptease. When Jake discovers another man is also spying on Gloria, he begins an obsessive surveillance of her. Soon a grisly murder leads him into the world of X-rated film where he meets adult film star Holly Body (Melanie Griffith), who is a key to the crime. De Palma has created a gripping adult thriller of eroticism and horror!

For thoughts on Body Double, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required: 

Video Quality

The new 4K UHD Blu-Ray debut of Body Double offers a smashing uptick in quality over the accompanying Blu-Ray, which is sourced from the same 4K master. This release is derived from a 4K master presented with Dolby Vision/HDR, which offers various improvements that allow the film to look the best it ever has. The expansion of the color spectrum gives more depth and nuance to the hues than previously imagined. Colors within the costumes and numerous elements of the production design are revitalized with this technology. Much of the voyeuristic activity takes place at night, so it is important to have robust black levels. The shadows primarily stay deep with terrific line detail and only fleeting instances of crush. The highlights in the film are in good shape with the whites compact and balanced with no signs of blooming to be found. 

The vital film grain is retained in this transfer as it resolves consistently without being clumpy or unnatural. We did not spot any loose grain or banding, always leaving a great impression. Skin tones appear natural with a favorable showcase of fine detail apparent on faces such as the textured skin of the intruder. Costumes and other textural output of the production design are a treat to behold with everything rendered without any issues. You will spot a vast array of details that are visible thanks to the 4K resolution. There is a touch of softness that can be spotted in some shots, and one moment at the 1:01:24 marker doesn’t look equally as amazing as the rest of the film to our eyes, but it is not a monumental issue. Sony has thankfully not had any digital tinkering applied to this transfer, so this disc is free of DNR, compression artifacts, and other encoding issues. This may not be the standard 5-star home run from Sony, but it is so close you can taste it. 

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray provides a brand new Dolby Atmos track that brings a welcome sense of personality to this world. The 4K UHD Blu-Ray also provides two additional English options including a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track and the original soundtrack in lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio. After at least heavily sampling all of them, we can say they are all pretty strong in their own ways. Those who choose to embark with the original 2.0 track will be delighted to hear the audio as originally intended with a full-bodied soundscape that gets the most out of its stereo roots. 

With the Atmos track, every sound appears to be tastefully expanded to represent the film. There is a natural emphasis on the front channels for dialogue and other primary sounds, but you will be pleased with how the activity extends to the surrounds, rear, and overhead speakers to make the world feel more three-dimensional in a way that resonates. Dialogue is crisp and clear without ever getting smothered by the music or sound effects. Atmospheric sound effects are presented with care within the mix so that directionality is never a problem. There are panning moments between speakers that play well with the action on screen. The sounds up above are used to complement the action in effective ways. The low end effects from the subwoofer give thrilling moments extra weight to enrich the experience. The classic soundtrack beams throughout the room with force. Sony has delivered some great tracks for fans. 

Special Features

Sony has provided Body Double with a sleek new SteelBook featuring artwork that is truly lovely in person. The front artwork is the classic poster art of the voyeur peeping through the blinds at a woman in a state of undress, and the rear features Holly Body smoking a cigarette. The interior sports a still photo of Holly Body against a leopard print background. Video of the SteelBook can be found at the top of this review.

• Featurettes: A four-part archival retrospective piece totaling 52 minutes that explores the development of the script, the casting of the characters, the narrative complexities, the critical bashing of the film, the legacy of the feature, and more. There are some great insights from Brian De Palma, Gregg Henry, Melanie Griffith, Dennis Franz, Deborah Shelton, and more. 

• • The Seduction (16:56)

• • The Setup (17:05)

• • The Mystery (12:25)

• • The Controversy (5:30) 

• EPK Interviews: A brief selection of interviews with the director and stars who discuss the film in broad terms. 

• • Brian De Palma (3:56) 

• • Craig Wasson (3:25) 

• • Melanie Griffith (2:48) 

• Frankie Goes To Hollywood “Relax” Music Video: The four-minute Body Double-inspired music video of the iconic song is provided. 

• Still Gallery (2:17)

• Theatrical Trailer: The minute-and-a-half-long trailer is provided. 

Final Thoughts

Body Double finds Brian De Palma reveling in all his sleazy glory while taking society and Hollywood to task for its voyeuristic tendencies and the normalization of exploitation. Sure, you can easily enjoy the film on the surface for its tale of obsession and twisty, murderous intrigue, but there is more beneath the surface if you want more from it. The main character is very frustrating as a cipher, but his actions make sense with the ineffectiveness of the common bystander. The women in the film are terrific even if we wish they were given a bit more to do. As a newcomer to the film, we have some issues with it, but it leaves you wanting to engage with it more and more. Sony Pictures has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and some worthwhile special features in a fetching SteelBook packaging. If you are a fan of this film, this is a no-brainer to pick up and proudly display in your collection. Recommended 

Body Double is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Digital. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.