Death Becomes Her
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Movie Reviews of Death Becomes Her
Movie Review: The Beautiful And The Damned: Black Comedy At Its Best
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the most enjoyable dark comedies ever made. It has witty dialogue, eye-popping special effects and computer graphics and a superb cast - Meryl Streep, Bruce Willis, Goldie Hahn and Isabella Rosselini. On DVD, it looks better than ever. It contains the Spanish-dubbed version of the film as well as the French-dubbed edition. It also features a featurette on the making of the movie and discussions among the lead actors.
obert Zemecki's 1992 dark comedy, Death Becomes Her, is a satirical surreal story that uses computer graphics, special effects and a superb script to tell the story of a mortician Earnest (Bruce Willis)who is caught in the middle of a bitter feud between two vain, catty women who have always stolen each other's boyfriend and contested their beauty. When Madelyn(Streep) discovers the secret to eternal youth - an expensive potion owned by a witch - Isabella Rossalini- she gets more than she bargained for when she is killed and now is an undead woman. As luck would have it, her rival Helen also took the potion and is also killed. The two must now set aside their enmity and rely on the mortiican to constantly beautify them. The movie is a classic but not very fondly remembered for some reason. I have always enjoyed it and have watched it several times on cable. I think this is Bruce Willi's greatest foray into comedy as is Goldie Hahns and Meryl Streep. A must have for fans of the leading actors who find themselves in a sticky situation. The story, funny and outrageous though it may be, is a satirical take on America's fatal obscession with beauty and undying youth. Women today get boob jobs, botox, and age-reducing products to maintain a semblance of youth. We all want to cheat death in our own way but it amounts to nothing because, naturally, you lose your soul and lose track of the more important things- just living a full happy life, like Ernest was able to do. He remarried and had kids. His life was complete while Helen and Madelyn must spend the rest of eternity with each other and making sure their bodies don't deteriorate. And that ending is hilarious.
Movie Review: Devilish, Wicked Black Comedy
Summary: 5 Stars
Directed by the amazing Robert Zemeckis, "Death Becomes Her" features a clever script, an awesome cast, and mind-blowing special effects that most Hollywood films lack nowadays. The film centers on the eternal quest for beauty and youth by an aging Hollywood starlet, Madeline Ashton, (played by the brillant Meryl Streep). Her high school rival, Helen, (Goldie Hawn), brings her latest beau to meet Ashton after a campy performance in a musical based on "Sweet Bird of Youth" (get the theme already?).When Madeline runs off with Helen's fiance (Bruce Willis) Helen falls into a demented state and becomes obese and determined to get even with Madeline. After discovering a secret potion sold by a Hollywood witch (Isabella Rosellini) both Helen, and later Madeline regain their youth, vitality, and beauty. However, all this comes with strings involving immortality.
The wonderful script pokes fun at many stereotypes, rumors, and realities Hollywood is well-known for. From plastic surgery to the fact that no one has never met a neighbor in Los Angeles, the script is intelligent scriptwriting at its' best. The special effects by Industrial Light and Magic which has Helen walking with a hole through her midsection, and Madeline walking with a twisted neck are incredible to watch. One thing I adored about this film was the wicked, dark, and diabolical score by Alan Silvestri that incorporates harps and vengeful theme throughout the film.
The film's ending featuring a legion of Hollywood's undead (including Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, and James Dean)is hysterical and even the names of the two main characters, Madeline ("Mad" as in crazy) and Helen ("Hell" as in hellish) is genius. Personally along with "She-Devil," "Heathers," and "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills," this film ranks as one of the best black comedies to come out in recent years. A must-see for everyone!
Movie Review: A Contemporary Comedy Classic
Summary: 5 Stars
Goldie, who plays Helen Sharp, a plain Jane, introduces her fiance' ( A nerdy Bruce Willis) to her lifelong "friend" Madeline Ashton ( A has been movie star played by Meryl Streep) and the fun begins!
Earnest promptly dumps Helen, and marries Madeline.
This drives Helen over the edge and she has a nervous breakdown, and also gains about 100 lbs.
Years pass, and suddenly Madeline and Earnest get invited to a promotional book party for Helens book "Forever Young"-
At the party Madeline expects to see a fat Helen, and instead there is a beautiful, slim, and youthful Helen there.
Unknown to Madeline, Helen has taken a potion that reverses the aging process, and makes makes you young and beautiful again.
Madeline happens upon this same potion later on, and also drinks it.
From bickering and fighting, both women end up dead, but are still walking and talking and very much alive!
(At the time this film was made, there were some ground breaking special effects , such as: Goldie walking around with a huge hole through her mid section, and Meryl's head twisted all the way around, and facing backwards)
Anyway, they go on to try and make Earnest drink the potion, because after all, they are BLUE by this time, and need Earnest to PAINT them (He IS a mortician afterall)
Things get more and more hilarious as the movie rolls along, and there is one wild chase as they try to get Earnest to drink the potion,too.
The main thing I will say for this film is: It was back then, and still is the most ORIGINAL I have seen ever!
Also it is nice to see these 3 talented people and especially Meryl here, play a character so OUT of character. She normally is in such SERIOUS roles that it is refreshing to see them play in such a fun, crazy romp as this.
I guarantee if you see this movie, you will love it, and laugh nonstop.
Movie Review: My absolute favorite black comedy
Summary: 5 Stars
While this can be viewed as a simple black comedy (and a brilliant one at that), it's message also shines and makes Death Becomes Her deserving of some sort of medal.
The fairly simple plot begins with a broadway performance by "wrinkled, wrinkled little star" Madeline Ashton, performing a stage version of 'Sweet Bird of Youth'. As people leave the theater in droves, Earnest Melville watches with wide open eyes at her sensational performance, as his fiance, Helen Sharp, watches with nervous eyes. Melville and Sharp go to see Ashton after the show, and Ashton is out to impress. Helen watches helplessly as Ashton overtly flirts wtih her man. After the show, Sharp explains to Melville that Ashton has stolen men from her before, and that she just wanted to see if he could pass the "Madeline Ashton test". He fails, soon marrying her and driving Helen into a life of misery and obesity in a small apartment full of cats. As Helen tries to forget all about her past, Madeline drives her new husband, once a brilliant plastic surgeon, down to the pont where he is a despairing, depressed mortician. When Ashton is insulted by her partner in an affair for being so much older than he is, she becomes horribly depressed, and desperate for some solution to the problem of old age. She drives to the home of Lisle Van Rhuman, a temptress who is slmost symbolic of satan, who promises her eternal youth in a bottle. From here, things begin going down hill, as Ashton, now undead, and Sharp fight over the man they no longer love.
Isabella Rosalini plays Lisle brilliantly, strangely enough giving me the creeps more than just about any other villain. Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn play the competing zombies perfectly, and Bruce Willis plays his part brilliantly. If you're into dark comedy with a moral, this movie is great to pick up and watch anytime.
Movie Review: A delicious homage to film noir meets farce and black comedy.
Summary: 5 Stars
This is such a fun movie, and one of my favorite low-profile movies ever. People below a certain age will enjoy it for what it is on its face; even 14 years after its release, the special effects are holding up pretty well, especially of two women who can't die trying to kill one another. People above a certain age will be tickled by not only the story itself, but the many ways in which it borrows shamelessly (and delightfully) from the movies of the mid-1900s.
For instance, pay attention to the score, especially in the scenes of high drama. Listen for the shrill violins, the pounding cellos, and other hallmarks of what my family used to call "uh-oh music" when I was a kid, as well as the general "film noir" sound of it. Also, notice that lightning and thunder crash and flash at all the appropriate moments but effects like that, and the music, are so well integrated that they're not obvious. Even the direction and acting and a lot of the camera angles are often reminiscent of that same era. These nods to that time are liberal, but not tedious - just fun.
For me, though, the absolute best part of the film is watching Meryl Streep. She's hysterical! Obviously she has acted in some highly significant films that will live forever (sorry - pun intended), but this movie shows that she's perfectly capable of camping it up and going just far enough over the top.
Bruce Willis plays the quintessential nebbish. I understand Kevin Kline was originally thought of, or perhaps cast, and he'd have been great too, but Willis really makes Ernest Menville his own. Goldie Hawn is a more-than-worthy foil for both Streep and Willis.
Other reviews have already given you the plot line. Now all you have to do is buy it, or rent it, or wait for it to come around on cable. However you do it, see this movie. It's a hoot!