Crimes of Passion (1984)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Ken Russell

Writer:

Barry Sandler (writer)

Release Date:

19 October 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Her name is China Blue. She is watched. She is worshipped. And, she must remain a mystery.

Plot:

A sportswear designer leads a double life as a hooker named China Blue. One of her clients, a divorced man...

Plot Keywords:

Love | Double Life | Preacher | Sodomy | Group Therapy

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Kathleen Turner	...	Joanna Crane / China Blue
Bruce Davison	...	Donny Hopper
Gordon Hunt	...	Group Leader
Dan Gerrity	...	Group Member #1
Anthony Perkins	...	Rev. Peter Shayne
Terry Hoyos	...	Group Member #2
Annie Potts	...	Amy Grady
Vince McKewin	...	Group Member #3
Deanna Oliver	...	Group Member #4
Patricia Stevens	...	Group Member $5
John Laughlin	...	Bobby Grady
John G. Scanlon	...	Carl
Janice Renney	...	Stripper
Stephen Lee	...	Jerry
Pat McNamara	...	Frank
Christina Lange	...	Lisa Grady
Seth Wagerman	...	Jimmy Grady
Joseph Chapman	...	Walt Pierson
Norman Burton	...	Lou Bateman
Thomas Murphy	...	Phil Chambers
Roxanne Mayweather	...	Hooker #1
Donald J. Westerdale	...	Airline Trick
John Rose	...	Arthur
Louise Sorel	...	Claudia
Lisa Hayslip	...	Hooker
Pamela Anderson	...	Hooker
Janice Kent	...	Patty Marshall
Yvonne McCord	...	Sheila
James Crittenden	...	Tom Marshall
Ian Petrella	...	Jimmy's Friend
Randall Brady	...	Cop
Peggy Feury	...	Adrian
Gerald S. O'Loughlin	...	Ben
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Gocha	...	Limousine Driver (uncredited)
Helen Kelly	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Molly Russell	...	Little Girl in Music Video (uncredited)
Victoria Russell	...	Bride in Music Video (uncredited)
Rick Wakeman	...	Wedding Photographer (uncredited)

Directed by
Ken Russell

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Barry Sandler		writer

Produced by
Donald P. Borchers	....	co-producer
Barry Sandler	....	producer
Larry A. Thompson	....	executive producer (as Larry Thompson)

Cinematography by
Dick Bush		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Brian Tagg

Casting by
Linda Francis

Art Direction by
Stephen Marsh		(as Steve Marsh)

Set Decoration by
Christopher Amy
Gregory Melton

Makeup Department
Darri Gocha	....	assistant hair stylist (as Darri Roseborough)
Medusah	....	hair department head
Christy Ann Newquist	....	makeup artist
Kathy Shorkey	....	assistant makeup artist (as Kathy Shorkey-Doak)
Roger Thompson	....	hair designer

Production Management
Bob Manning	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Pat Kehoe	....	first assistant director
Robert M. Rolsky	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Kurt Benjamin	....	art department assistant
Peter Borck	....	property assistant
Frank Darabont	....	set dresser
Kelly Deco	....	stand-by painter
Bob Fox	....	scenic painter
Robin L. Miller	....	property master
Charles Rich	....	additional set constructor
John Roberts	....	art department assistant
Diana Allen Williams	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Peter Austen-Hunt	....	supervising sound editor
James Russell Carew	....	assistant sound editor
Craig Felburg	....	sound mixer
Chris Godden	....	sound re-recording mixer
Chris Leong	....	sound editor (as Christopher Ross-Leong)
James Mulhorn	....	boom operator
Andy Nelson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Elaine 'Chucks' Thomas	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
John C. Hartigan	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Bolner	....	electrician
François Duhamel	....	still photographer
Paul Elliott	....	first assistant camera
Steven Finestone	....	second assistant camera
Frieder Hocheim	....	gaffer
David Howes	....	electrician
David W. Nims	....	grip
Christopher Porter	....	best boy
Joe-Joe Presson	....	best boy grip (as Joseph Presson)
John Savka	....	dolly grip
John Savka	....	key grip
Adam Swica	....	rigging gaffer
Jesse Mather	....	lighting technician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Jeff Greenberg	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Giovanna Ottobre-Melton	....	wardrobe assistant
Barbara Scott	....	key wardrobe

Editorial Department
Holly Austin	....	negative cutter
Giorgio De Vincenzo	....	assistant editor
Armen Minasian	....	apprentice editor
Ivanhoe Noronha	....	post-production runner
Giorgio Venturoli	....	apprentice editor
Joe Woo Jr.	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Bimbo Acock	....	musician: saxophones
Chas Cronk	....	musician: bass guitar
Rick Fenn	....	musician: guitar
Tony Fernandez	....	musician: drums and percussion
Rick Wakeman	....	composer: song "It's a Lovely Life"
Rick Wakeman	....	music producer
Rick Wakeman	....	musician: keybords

Transportation Department
Ken Day	....	driver
Al Harrendon	....	driver: honeywagon
Dennis Hollis	....	driver
James 'Obee' Oberman	....	driver
Guy Pohlman	....	driver
Ben Reade	....	driver
John Reade	....	transportation coordinator
Larry Shephard	....	driver
James R. White	....	transportation captain
Ron White	....	driver

Other crew
Roger Armstrong	....	unit publicist
Jerry Browne	....	caterer
Frank Capra III	....	designated production assistant
Robin Citrin	....	location assistant
Donna Corwin	....	studio teacher
Richard Davis Jr.	....	location manager
David DeCoteau	....	craft service
Joan Gagrelcik	....	studio teacher
Martha Galvin	....	assistant: Mr. Russell
Shelley Garofalo	....	assistant: Mr. Thompson
Susan Gelb	....	production auditor
Jason Hoffs	....	production assistant
Robert Jellen	....	insurance
Charles N. Johnson	....	caterer
Kerry Johnson	....	production assistant
Roxane Kingsley	....	production secretary
Jan Lewis	....	assistant: Mr. Borchers
Betty McGillivray	....	studio teacher
Kerry Lyn McKissick	....	script supervisor
Robert Mintz	....	completion bond representative
Richard Morrison	....	title designer
Nita Nickerson	....	assistant production auditor
Frankie Nixon	....	script supervisor
Tony Payne	....	title designer
John Schouweiler	....	production assistant
Tandi Slater	....	production coordinator
Duane Spears	....	officer in charge of production
Ray Zimmerman	....	assistant production accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• New World Pictures
• China Blue Productions

Distributors

• New World Pictures (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (1985) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Starmaker Entertainment (1995) (USA) (video)
• Lumivision (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Starmaker Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Eagle Pictures (2005) (Italy) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2009) (Spain) (DVD)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• New World Home Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• New World Home Video (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• PolyGram Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Roadshow Home Video (198?) (Australia) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Ken Russell's Crimes of Passion (Australia)

Runtime:

107 min | USA:112 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 (1992) | Finland:K-18 (1985) | UK:18 | New Zealand:R18 | Australia:R | France:-16 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Australia:M (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Hollywood Center Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

New World Pictures

Trivia:

Cher was considered for the role of Joanna Crane.

Quotes:

Bobby Grady: Sorry, I'm not too good at this. It's my first time.
China: Are you that desperate or that horny?
Bobby Grady: Uh... no. Married.
China: Oh, *that* desperate and *that* horny!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

GET HAPPY

Crimes of Passion (1984): ***+ (out of four)

Funny, campy, disgusting, and sexy; Crimes of Passion is one of Ken Russell's best, albeit campiest, films. Kathleen Turner gives the best performance of her career as China Blue, a clothes designer by day, and hooker by night. The movie also benefits from the scene-stealing and hilarious Anthony Perkins, who plays a perverted street-preacher who is obsessed with China Blue. And John Laughlin does a fairly good job in his film debut as the square husband who falls in love with a prostitute. The conversations between Turner and Perkins are the best part of the film; some of Perkins' lines must be heard to be believed. And the garish nightlife of China Blue is portrayed well by Russell. He uses neon colors to accent the sleazy atmosphere that surrounds her. There is also a sub-theme about art that is interestingly intercut with many of the sex scenes. The sub-plot involving the Laughlin character and his marriage is less successful, but both he and Annie Potts play their parts rather well. The acting between them in one scene, in particular, is very impressive: The two of them are in bed together talking about their sex life, and the scene continues unbroken for 5 minutes.

This movie is, essentially, very silly. But that is its charm. And the ending will leave you scratching your head. Though there is an unnecessary epilogue that is slightly awkward, it does not take anything away from the film. (It is interesting that the last words spoken in the film are indeed very similar to the last words spoken in another film about sex, Stanley Kubrick's 'Eyes Wide Shut'.) I liked Ken Russell's approach to the film, which, obviously, was to have a good time. And as a result, what we have is a camp masterpiece that will leave you laughing, and maybe even feeling a bit disturbed. (Avoid VHS versions at all costs. The Anchor Bay uncut DVD is the only definitive version.)