Crimes of Passion (1984)
TOMATOMETER
AUDIENCE SCORE
Critic Consensus: Ken Russell and his cast are definitely committed to Crimes of Passion, but whether this sexually charged thriller is worthy of the audience's convictions is altogether more uncertain.
Movie Info
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Cast
as Joanna Crane / China Blue
as Rev. Peter Shayne
as Bobby Grady
as Amy Grady
as Donny Hopper
as Bateman
as Tom
as Adrian
as Man
as Man
as Hooker
as Walt Pierson
as Woman
as Woman
as Woman
as Airline Trick
as Group Leader
as Patty
as Lisa
as Jerry
as Hooker
as Hooker
as Sheila
as Frank
as Chambers
as Cop
as Ben
as Jimmy's Friend
as Stripper
as Little Girl in Music Video
as Arthur
as Carl
as Bride in Music Video
as Claudia
as Jimmy
Critic Reviews for Crimes of Passion
All Critics (25) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (12) | Rotten (13) | DVD (2)
Ken Russell fancies himself an artiste, and his odious pretentions take all the fun out of it.
Turner's performance is intriguing - now we know that she can play not only a sexpot (Body Heat) but a sexpot hiding in a career woman's suit-and-tie and posing as a fleshpot. This is pretty interesting.
Turner acts if she's auditioning for some loopy Mae West impersonation contest. Eyes wide and nostrils flaring, she looks like a doe caught in the glare of a hunter's headlights. Perkins is her perfect body double.
It remains steamy, sordid, grim and utterly fascinating, but it is not a movie to be taken lightly.
Turner's choice of parts and the depth of her submersion into them indicates that she means business and is willing to do what she thinks it will take to fill the bill for whatever role.
"Crimes of Passion" was obviously trimmed to avoid an X rating. Too bad the entire movie wasn't left on the cutting room floor.
Audience Reviews for Crimes of Passion
This seemed like it would be a good movie at first, it's got an interesting plot, good actors, and it starts out good, but it disappoints in the end. Overall, it's just okay.
Super Reviewer
Ken Russell's masterpiece has cult movie written all over it. A lurid, extreme sex-and-violence fantasy porno-movie, it is also a brilliant satire on the American way of sex. Kathleen Turner really goes the limit as an actress in her role as China Blue. She looks great and gives more to the film than it really deserves. This is getting more hotter than Turner's latest film, 1981's Body Heat. Much of the dialogue is clever, witty, and bitingly effective. The performances are top notch - particularly Anthony Perkins as the maniacal priest whom is captivated by the street-smart, fashion-designer-cum-hooker Turner. The sexual scenes are bold, but not sexually explicit.
Super Reviewer
Crimes of Passion is Ken Russell's 1984 erotic thriller about a fashion designer (Kathleen Turner) who moonlights as hooker China Blue by night. Along the way she is followed and lusted for by a man (John Loughlin) keeping tabs on her and a crazy street preacher (Anthony Perkins) hellbent on "saving" her. Ken Russell's films are all over the top sights for the eyes and the redlight district that China Blue frequents is a great set piece. Kathleen Turner is great as the super erotic China Blue, playing whatever game her john wants to play. The main problem with the film is John Loughlin's character. I don't know if it's the writing or his acting but the entire plot point dealing with him is so mind numbingly dull and stupid he ruins the picture. An ugly performance from Loughlin. It's Anthony Perkins that salvages the film. His over the top portrayal of the porno obsessed street preacher is a testament to his acting ability. Psycho may have been his greatest role but Crimes of Passion has to be second. He plays the role with such force and drive that it gets to you. He is that damn good in the role. Anthony Perkins made up for Loughlin's terrible performance. Crime of Passion is another one of those '80's erotic thrillers ala Body Double and Fatal Attraction, though this film is very explicit in its sex scenes. A product of it's time, the acting of two out of the three leads makes this a film worth give a view.
Super Reviewer
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