Brian De Palma has long been accused of "ripping off" Alfred Hitchcock and Body Double will not do much to appease the doubters. The film's plot is essentially a mix between Rear Window and Vertigo. But there is a lot more to Body Double than homages to 'The Master of Suspense'. Like most of De Palma's films it is visually ambitious and genuinely suspenseful. It also has a wonderful score by Pino Donaggio and a breakout performance from Melanie Griffith as porn star Holly Body. The film was pilloried upon release and De Palma faced yet more questions about misogyny but the film does have a small cult following among De Palma fans. When watching this, one of the most quintessentially 80's films, look out for the iconic L.A locations and the scene where Frankie Goes To Hollywood pops up with a rendition of Relax. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jqdPWADeEE
