Double Threat

My review was written in December 1992 after watching the movie on AIP video cassette.

Ingenious scripting and clever casting lift "Double Threat" above the commonplace in the erotic thriller genre. Film opened on a regional basis in the South last month and heads soon for video.

Sally Kirkland is the tongue-in-cheek choice for film's central role: a Hollywood star making her comeback in a melodrama whose producer, her ex-husband (Tony Franciosa), demands that the film must be sexy. Kirkland amusingly takes a stand with her director (Chick Vennera): she's never had to do a nude scene and she's not starting now.

Solution is to hire a body double, lovely Sherrie Rose. Rub is that Kirkland's leading man and off-screen boyfriend, younger Andrew Stevens, falls in love with Rose after making love to her before the cameras.

Filmmaker David A. Prior plants knowing in-jokes into his script but has the cast play everything straight, making for an entertaining package. Following up on the similar "In the Heat of Passion", Kirkland is hot indeed, especially in an uninhibited masturbation sequence. Rose is well-matched as her double and subject of a final revelation that is a very satisfying plot twist.

Filmed on location in Mobile, Alabama, this low-budget entry adequately conveys the atmosphere of Tinseltwons and its behind-the-scenes antics.

One of the most intricate plots ever, and also one of the least believable ever. "Double Threat" piles on the plot twists and contrivances higher than a corned beef special. It just becomes more and more nonsensical minute by minute. In the end the viewer is left feeling bewildered and cheated. Not only does the film throw in a "movie within a movie" twist, but the ending requires a verbal explanation in order to justify all that has preceded it. The only graphic nudity happens early on with both Sally Kirkland and Sherrie Rose undressing, but the story that is wrapped around the nude scenes is so contrived that the audience will feel foolish for being deceived so badly. Richard Lynch is a welcome presence, but he is more or less wasted as a detective kept in the background, observing the nonsense. - MERK

Back in the early 90s, there was a whole genre of erotic thrillers that has disappeared now. This is a solid entry, featuring Andrew Stevens, who would go on to direct a number of this type of picture, as a Hollywood ne'er do well, living with ageing movie star, Sally Kirkland, about to make a comeback in a movie featuring Stevens. Rose is brought in as a body double as Kirkland's character would never strip for a film. Luckily, Kirkland herself has no such restriction, and gives us a lurid masturbation scene that is a highlight. The plot involves shady dealings, suspicious characters and gunplay, further complicated by a clever conceit of slipping in scenes from the movie within the movie, which appears to have a similar plot to the actual movie. The cast give it their all, to an incessant synth score and brightly colored costumes and sets. All in all, it's a fun ride.

Sally kirkland is the only reason to watch this film... andrew stevens does his usual mug up as a psycho and loser .... somebody must like him because he makes a living at it ... the woman stalking part is quite believable ... its almost his trade mark... i won't mention the other pervs in the film because they are well known too

This is yet another David Z Priory film with a pervy bent (not unwelcome) involving a film within a film, an aging actress who don't want to do nude scenes (in the film within the film, but luckily not the film we're watching as we're treated to invisible banjo playing), her body double (also gets naked) and the possibly scheming lying fanny rat who may be fending off a killer or may be just full of roid rage.

Oh, Richard Lynch is in this one as well as the cop who doesn't believe a word the fanny rat says. And that guy out of Tenebrae is in it too, so that's good.

Many, many twists and turns in this one, loads of flesh, surprise reveals - once again I'm wondering why Prior's labelled as a 'bad' director. This costs about 4 pence now. I honestly picked up a load of Prior films for about 30 pence.

Di-di-di-di (pats arse like Asda advert)