In Body Double, director Brian DePalma pays homage to the
Alfred Hitchcock movies
Vertigo and
Rear Window, adding a few grotesque touches all his own.
Craig Wasson plays Jake, a struggling actor who keeps losing jobs because of his claustrophobia. To make matters worse, his girlfriend has walked out on him, so he has no place to sleep. His pal offers him the use of his apartment for the evening. The apartment happens to be equipped with a huge picture window and telescope, enabling him to spy on his beautiful neighbor Gloria (
Deborah Shelton) while she undresses. He also bears witness to her brutal murder. And then he meets a porn star (
Melanie Griffith), who has just taken a job posing as the late Gloria. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide