Crimes of Passion [Blu-ray/DVD] [2 Discs]

Overview

Joanna Crane (Kathleen Turner) is a cold, workaholic sportswear designer, divorced and dedicated only to her job. Once strapped into that role, Joanna looks for an "out" and finds it by donning a wig and hitting the pavement as a $50/trick hooker named China Blue. Explicit scenes show her at work on her night job, including a long S and M segment with a policeman. While making money as China Blue, Joanna runs into a menacing, fanatic preacher (Anthony Perkins) who is out to save her from this life of sin, but in the meantime, he is also busy watching nude girly shows. As China Blue and the sexually ambivalent Reverend heat up their relationship, he becomes difficult to read: is this psycho reverend a killer? While China Blue is plying her trade, Bobby Grady (John Laughlin) has finally realized after 12 years of marriage that his wife Amy (Annie Potts) is frigid and just as he has this remarkably delayed insight, he is assigned by Joanna's boss to find out if she is stealing designs or not. By tracking Joanna, Bobby sees her transformation as China Blue and as might be expected, sex is not far behind.

Product Details

Release Date:	07/26/2016
UPC:	0760137874294
Original Release:	1984
Rating:	NR
Source:	Arrow Video
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono, Dolby Digital Stereo]
Language:	English
Time:	1:52:00

Special Features

Audio commentary with director Ken Russell and producer-screenwriter Barry Sandler; Seven deleted/extended scenes with optional commentary by Sandler; Brand-new interview with Sandler recorded especially for this release; Brand-new interview with composer Rick Wakeman recorded especially for this release; It's a Lovely Life music video; Theatrical trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Kathleen Turner	Joanna Crane / China Blue
Anthony Perkins	Rev. Peter Shayne
John Laughlin	Bobby Grady
Annie Potts	Amy Grady
Bruce Davison	Donny Hopper
Norman Burton	Bateman
James Crittenden	Tom
Peggy Feury	Adrian
Dan Gerrity	Man
Vince McKewin	Man
Lisa Hayslip	Hooker
Terri Hoyos	Woman
Deanna Oliver	Woman
Patricia Stevens	Woman
Donald Westerdale	Airline Trick
Gordon Hunt	Group Leader
Janice Kent	Patty
Christina Lange	Lisa
Stephen Lee	Jerry
Pamela Anderson	Hooker
Roxanne Mayweather	Hooker
Yvonne McCord	Sheila
Pat McNamara	Frank
Thomas Murphy	Chambers
Gerald S. O'Loughlin	Ben
Randall Brady	Cop
Ian Petrella	Jimmy's Friend
Janice Renny	Stripper
John Rose	Arthur
Molly Russell	Little Girl in Music Video,Bride in Music Video
John Scanlon	Carl
Louise Sorel	Claudia
Seth Wagerman	Jimmy
Joseph Chapman	Walt Pierson

Technical Credits

Donald P. Borchers	Producer
Ken Russell	Director
Barry Sandler	Producer
Larry Thompson	Executive Producer

Editorial Reviews

The prime example of Ken Russell's proclivity for examining bizarre sexual underworlds, Crimes of Passion fails to generate resonance from its sensationalist subject matter, more concerned with taboo than insight. Anthony Perkins' porno priest, who quotes Bible passages moments after emerging from a peep show (and that's his least ripe offense), is the epitome of Russell's cartoonish, overstated approach. Kathleen Turner provides some balance to Perkins' scenery chewing, enough for the Los Angeles Film Critics' Association to have honored her as Best Actress, but she fights a losing battle with Russell's aggressive desire to shock. The film is so grisly and fixed in its perverted milieu that the daytime scenes feel like they might have been spliced from another movie. As a result, the B-story about the unraveling marriage doesn't work. Still, Russell has earned kudos for his unwillingness to soften his agenda, and Crimes of Passion wins some respect solely on the basis of this audacity. Ever eager to remove any glamour from the world of prostitution, Russell again explored the underbelly of the world's oldest trade in Whore (1991), which left viewers and critics cold for similar reasons.