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‘Body Double’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey

November 5, 2024 · Body Double (1984) · Crime · Drama · Mystery · 1:53:25

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Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 14:16The movie is pretty tame compared to what the potential of it was
Chris Ryan▶ 14:23The movie pretends to be incredibly horny and titillating but is actually more about how funny and weird the sex industry can be - it's not titillating because it treats it like a day job

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 17:01Kurt Russell — Suggested Kurt Russell as alternative lead, considered Richard Dreyfuss and David Caruso as possibilities, noted the lead casting as 'really weird' choice
Chris Ryan▶ 18:41Craig Wasson — Described the actual lead as perfect for first act but wanting 'more of a blue chip arm' for the climax; dismissed David Caruso option
Sean Fennessey▶ 17:06Kurt Russell — Kurt Russell would give a better lead performance but make it a worse movie overall; Tom Hanks would have been perfect for the part

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 35:41Jake walking in on his girlfriend cheating (with Barbara Crampton) and Jake's first time at the house-sitting place seeing the neighbor's nightly show
Chris Ryan▶ 36:28Supported the cheating scene discussion and emphasized the method acting class scene as important
Sean Fennessey▶ 37:00Contributed to discussion of the cheating scene and method acting class scene but didn't give definitive picks

Great Shot Gordo Award

Chris Ryan▶ 46:33The diopter shot of the two of them at the payphone from the valet over the weird tunnel where it pans back

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 59:33Young Melanie Griffith; Craig Wasson looking like Bill Maher; Barney's Beanery still existing; Linda Shaw getting recognition; movies with walking in on girlfriend scenes; vampire movie influences; Dakota Johnson connection; the movie's overall cultural influence
Chris Ryan▶ 1:01:20Sober people falling off the wagon scenes with horrified bartenders, and the Peter meter routine
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:03:49The movie becoming one of the most influential films of the 1980s on filmmakers and audiences; the Melanie Griffith/Tippi Hedren/Dakota Johnson family lineage; various cultural references and ripple effects

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:05:35The reservoir ending being ridiculous, the acting class teacher calling the killer 'the Indian' throughout the movie, not enough cocaine depicted, and Jake not having sex with Holly while spilling the beans
Chris Ryan▶ 1:05:43The reservoir ending making no sense, Craig Wasson's annoying performance and character making the film difficult to spend two hours with, Sam's overly complicated plan to kill his wife, and Jake's coffee drinking at the farmer's market
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:05:55Cinema being prioritized ahead of story with the reservoir location, the surreal satirical tone being hard to wrap your head around, and the movie's bad timing being released the same day as The Terminator

Is There a Better Title?

Bill Simmons▶ 1:10:44No way - there is no better title

Movies Referenced (34)

Boogie Nights (1997)

5 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 33:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dressed to Kill (1980)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 3:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Scarface (1983)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 3:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Something Wild (1986)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 12:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gladiator (2000)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 35:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Miami Vice (2006)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 52:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Terminator (1984)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:09:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Vampire's Kiss (1988)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 36:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Working Girl (1988)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 12:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

A Quiet Place (2018)

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 35:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

American Gigolo (1980)

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 11:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

American Psycho (2000)

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:03:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (10)

Linda Shaw

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Body Double▶ 1:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brian De Palma

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Body Double, Dressed to Kill, The Bonfire of the Vanities▶ 2:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jack Daniels

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 37:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Warren Beatty

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Heaven Can Wait▶ 34:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Abel Ferrara

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Bad Lieutenant, King of New York▶ 12:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Arthur Penn

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Bonnie and Clyde▶ 19:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Lynch

1 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 4:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Nina Hartley

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Boogie Nights▶ 37:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Thomas Anderson

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood▶ 37:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Xavier Lafarge

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Black Panther▶ 55:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (50)

Melanie Griffith

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Working Girl, Body Double, The Bonfire of the Vanities▶ 3:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Craig Wasson

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Body Double▶ 14:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Caruso

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for First Blood, Proof of Life▶ 19:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Travolta

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Pulp Fiction, Get Shorty, Saturday Night Fever▶ 16:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Giamatti

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Sideways, Cinderella Man, American Splendor▶ 20:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Game

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Street Kings, The A-Team, Coach Carter▶ 21:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Al Pacino

2 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather▶ 16:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Angie Dickinson

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Rio Bravo, Dressed to Kill, Point Blank▶ 7:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Barbara Crampton

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for From Beyond, You're Next▶ 35:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bill Maher

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 16:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cameron Diaz

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Charlie's Angels, Vanilla Sky, There's Something About Mary▶ 23:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Deborah Shelton

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Body Double▶ 20:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (1)

Roger Ebert

6 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 33:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗