"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" The Body (2001)

User Rating:

9.4/10   

Director:

Joss Whedon

Writers:

Joss Whedon (creator)
Joss Whedon (written by)

TV Series:

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997)

Original Air Date:

27 February 2001 (Season 5, Episode 16)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

Buffy sees Joyce lying on the couch, calls 911 and unsuccessfully follows emergency procedures. When the paramedics arrive...

Plot Keywords:

Heroine | Sister Sister Relationship | Lesbian Kiss | Female Protagonist | Lesbian

Cast

Sarah Michelle Gellar	...	Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon	...	Xander Harris
Alyson Hannigan	...	Willow Rosenberg
Emma Caulfield	...	Anya
Michelle Trachtenberg	...	Dawn Summers
James Marsters	...	Spike (credit only)
Anthony Head	...	Rupert Giles (as Anthony Stewart Head)
Randy Thompson	...	Dr. Kriegel
Amber Benson	...	Tara Maclay
Kristine Sutherland	...	Joyce Summers
Kevin Cristaldi	...	First Paramedic
Stefan Umstead	...	Second Paramedic
Loanne Bishop	...	911 Operator (voice)
J. Evan Bonifant	...	Kevin
Kelli Garner	...	Kirstie
Rae'Ven Larrymore Kelly	...	Lisa
Tia Matza	...	Teacher
John Michael Herndon	...	Vampire

Directed by
Joss Whedon

Writing credits
Joss Whedon		(creator)
Joss Whedon		(written by)

Produced by
Marc D. Alpert	....	co-producer (as Marc David Alpert)
Gail Berman	....	executive producer
Gareth Davies	....	producer
Jane Espenson	....	producer
David Fury	....	supervising producer
Sandy Gallin	....	executive producer
David Greenwalt	....	consulting producer
Fran Rubel Kuzui	....	executive producer
Kaz Kuzui	....	executive producer
Marti Noxon	....	co-executive producer
John F. Perry	....	co-producer
Douglas Petrie	....	co-producer
David Solomon	....	producer
Joss Whedon	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Thomas Wanker

Cinematography by
Raymond Stella		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Peter Basinski

Casting by
Anya Colloff
Jennifer Fishman
Amy McIntyre Britt

Production Design by
Carey Meyer

Set Decoration by
David A. Koneff		(as David Koneff)

Costume Design by
Cynthia Bergstrom

Makeup Department
Robin Beauchesne	....	makeup artist
Gloria Pasqua Casny	....	hair stylist
Gray Creasy	....	special effects makeup crew: Optic Nerve
Steve Fink	....	special makeup effects coordinator
Todd McIntosh	....	makeup supervisor
Michael Moore	....	key hair stylist
Brigette A. Myre	....	makeup artist (as Brigette Myre-Ellis)
Lisa Marie Rosenberg	....	hair stylist
John Vulich	....	special makeup effects supervisor

Production Management
John F. Perry	....	unit production manager
Brian Wankum	....	post production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Athena Alexander	....	second assistant director
Alan Steinman	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Keith A. Cuba	....	leadman (as Keith Cuba)
Randy Eriksen	....	property master
Steven Fidler	....	construction coordinator (as Steve Fidler)
Lisa Gamel	....	paint foreman
Sandy Adams	....	on-set dresser (uncredited)
Dylan J. Hay Chapman	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Damon Hight	....	general foreman (uncredited)
David Ronan	....	assistant propmaster (uncredited)

Sound Department
Kurt Kassulke	....	re-recording mixer
Tom Perry	....	re-recording mixer
Cindy Rabideau	....	supervising sound editor
Adam Sawelson	....	re-recording mixer
David Yaffe	....	production sound mixer (as David Barr Yaffe)
Mike Marchain	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Tami Treadwell	....	adr recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Bruce Minkus	....	special effects coordinator
Steve Fink	....	special effects makeup (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Loni Peristere	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
John Medlen	....	stunt coordinator
Chris Daniels	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Steve Tartalia	....	stunt double: Spike (uncredited)
Scott Workman	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ron Cooney	....	key grip (as Ronn Cooney)
Allen D. Easton	....	camera operator
Christopher C. Strong	....	chief lighting technician (as Chris Strong)
Bill Brummond	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Tim Speed	....	rigging gaffer (uncredited)
Daniel Taylor	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Marshall Valentine	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Lonnie Hamerman	....	casting associate
Marcia Shulman	....	original casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Nickolaus Brown	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Robert Hudson	....	assistant editor
Tamara Becher	....	post production assistant (uncredited)
Aaron Miller	....	post production coordinator (uncredited)

Music Department
Fernand Bos	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Bob Ellis	....	transportation coordinator (as Robert Ellis)

Other crew
Cathy Carr	....	production coordinator
David Herschel Goodman	....	script coordinator (as David Goodman)
Diego Gutierrez	....	assistant: Joss Whedon
Suzanne McRobert	....	script supervisor
J.D. Peralta	....	assistant: Marti Noxon (as JD Peralta)
Edwin L. Perez	....	production auditor
Peter M. Robarts	....	location manager
Kelly Wheeler	....	assistant: Gareth Davies
Jessica Aichs	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jim Hill	....	set medic (uncredited)
Stacey Levin	....	head publicist (uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Joss Whedon		creator

Produced by
James A. Contner	....	co-producer: only episodes he directed since 1999

Original Music by
Bob Thiele Jr.

Casting by
Chadwick Cohn
Anya Colloff		(1998-2003)
Jennifer Fishman		(1998-2003)
Amy McIntyre Britt		(1998-2003) (as Amy Britt)

Production Design by
Carey Meyer		(1997-2003)

Set Decoration by
Kelly Donovan

Costume Design by
Eileen A. Dunn

Makeup Department
Suzan Bagdadi	....	hair stylist
Christopher Burdett	....	creature effects designer
Barney Burman	....	special makeup effects artist
Michael Burnett	....	special makeup effects artist: zombie bodies
Susan Carol Schwary	....	hair stylist
Jason Collins	....	supervisor: Almost Human, Inc.
Ken Culver	....	prosthetic technician
Roxy D'Alonzo	....	special makeup effects artist
Glenn Hetrick	....	special makeup effects artist
Matthew Jorgensen	....	sculptor/painter: Tech Optic Nerve
Dugg Kirkpatrick	....	hair stylist
Mark Landon	....	additional makeup artist
Jeff Lewis	....	special makeup effects artist
Veronica Lorenz	....	makeup artist
Rodd Matsui	....	special makeup effects artist
Robert Maverick	....	special makeup effects artist
Debbie Mezera	....	office manager: Almost Human Inc. (seasons 6-7)
Myke Michaels	....	special makeup effects artist
Anthony Miner	....	key hair stylist
Larry Odien	....	special makeup effects artist
James Ojala	....	special makeup effects technician
Michael Peterson	....	lab makeup effects
Steve Prouty	....	special makeup effects artist
Brad Scott	....	hair stylist
Brian Wade	....	special makeup effects artist
Steven E. Anderson	....	makeup artist (seasons 6-7) (uncredited)
Rick Bongiovanni	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Gabriel De Cunto	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Jake Garber	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Tom Irvin	....	special makeup effects artist: Optic Nerve Studios (uncredited)
Michael Marino	....	sculptor: optic nerve (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John P. Aguirre	....	second assistant director
Velvet Andrews-Smith	....	dga trainee (1999)
Ted Arlauskas	....	dga trainee
Algric Leo Chaplin	....	second second assistant director
Mindee Clem	....	dga trainee (2002-2003)
Bryan Cox	....	dga trainee
Joe Lotito	....	first assistant director: second unit
Stephen Messer	....	second assistant director
Carla R. Ponzio	....	second assistant director: second unit (seasons 3-5)
Jeff Pruitt	....	second unit director
Krista Reymann	....	dga trainee
Brendalyn Richard	....	dga trainee (2003)
Ellen Rosentreter	....	dga trainee
Kevin Roy	....	second second assistant director: second unit
Melissa Rudman	....	dga trainee
Paul Schneider	....	dga trainee (1998)

Art Department
Will Batts	....	set designer
Juliette Blasor	....	props
Win Craft	....	set dresser
Skip Crank	....	assistant property master
Doug Devine	....	set dresser
Scott Duthie	....	storyboard artist: action unit
Katie Gonzalez	....	assistant property master (season 7) (as Katie Sanner)
Courtney Jackson	....	assistant property master
Happy Nakamura	....	property assistant
Eric Rood	....	set dresser (2001-2003)
Stella Starlight	....	graphic designer (1996-2002)
Stella Starlight	....	shopper (1996-2000)
Danny L. Turk	....	carpenter
Val Wilt	....	foreman
Dennis Winters	....	on-set dresser (2002-2003)

Sound Department
David Barbee	....	sound effects editor (multiple episodes)
Jessy Bender	....	sound utility
David Beres	....	utility sound
Gary Boatner	....	boom operator: second unit (2001)
Susan Cahill	....	assistant sound editor (final season)
Tom Caton	....	boom operator
Juan Cisneros	....	boom operator: second unit (season 3)
Juan Cisneros	....	utility sound technician: second unit
David Diamond	....	boom operator
Michael Florimbi	....	sound mixer
Marilyn Graf	....	foley mixer
Kevin Hyde	....	boom operator
Andrew I. King	....	sound effects editor
Brian D. Lucas	....	sound recordist
Paul Vik Marshall	....	production sound mixer
Paul Vik Marshall	....	sound mixer: second unit
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer
Steven Morrow	....	production sound mixer: second unit
Timothy Pearson	....	foley artist
Chris Quilty	....	boom operator: second unit
John Rotondi	....	sound engineer: Y4
Raymond E. Spiess III	....	sound editor
David Yaffe	....	sound mixer (1997-2002)

Special Effects by
Mark Alfrey	....	special effects makeup
Evan Campbell	....	special effects makeup
Dan Crawley	....	special effects technician
Nathan Franson	....	special effects technician
Scott Hastings	....	special effects technician
Jeff Jingle	....	animatronic creature design/puppeteer
Matthew Jorgensen	....	special effects makeup
Rodd Matsui	....	special effects technician
Dean Mercil	....	special effects supervisor
Michael O'Brien	....	mold/seaming departments: Optic Nerve
Gary Yee	....	special effects coordinator (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Douglas Aiken	....	digital compositor: morphing
Kelly Bechtle-Woods	....	digital artist: 3D animator
Miles Bellas	....	digital artist
Raoul Bolognini	....	visual effects coordinator
Christian Boudman	....	digital compositor
Stephen Brand	....	visual effects supervisor
Brent Burpee	....	systems engineer
David Carlson	....	visual effects animator
Daniel Carrington	....	Flame artist
Rick Cortes	....	digital compositor
John Decker	....	digital artist
Leif Einarsson	....	computer graphics lead animator: Digital Magic
Eyal Erez	....	senior effects animator
Fish Essenfeld	....	senior compositor
Randy Goux	....	visual effects
Seth Tyler Hall	....	digital effects artist
Paul Hill	....	visual effects compositor
Sherry Hitch	....	digital artist
Simon Holden	....	digital compositor: pilot episode
Wensen Ho	....	digital compositor: Zoic Studios
Raji Kodja	....	3D artist: Kinetic FX
Craig Kuehne	....	visual effects
Mark Lipsmeyer	....	digital artist: Zoic Studios
Steven Meyer	....	digital compositor
Bill Millar	....	special visual effects
Andrew Orloff	....	CG supervisor
Jose Perez	....	visual effects
Deb Santosa	....	visual effects artist
Rick Shick	....	digital compositor
Emile Edwin Smith	....	digital artist
Michael Vaglienty	....	Flame artist
Jeff West	....	lead effects artist
Bryan Whitaker	....	digital effects artist
Bob Williamson	....	digital compositor
Kristen Branan	....	head of production: Zoic studios (uncredited)
Scott Ramsey	....	visual effects producer (uncredited)

Stunts
Robert Alonzo	....	stunts (multiple episodes)
Greg Anderson	....	stunt double
Matthew R. Anderson	....	stunts
Noby Arden	....	stunt double: Buffy #2
John Ashker	....	stunts
Brian Avery	....	stunts (multiple episodes)
Ron Balicki	....	stunts
Melissa Barker	....	assistant stunt coordinator (multiple episodes)
Melissa Barker	....	stunt double: Eliza Dushku (four episodes)
Melissa Barker	....	stunt double: Sarah Michelle Gellar/Buffy (1999-2003)
Melissa Barker	....	stunts (multiple episodes)
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunts
Nicole Basanda	....	stunts
Paul Beahm	....	stunts
Cheryl Bermeo	....	stunt double: Buffy's Sister
Erik Betts	....	stunts (3 seasons)
Chuck Borden	....	stunts
Tamara Bossett	....	stunt double
Tamara Bossett	....	stunts
Jon Braver	....	stunts: multiple episodes
Joe Bucaro III	....	stunts
Jay Caputo	....	stunts
Damon Caro	....	stunt performer
Marla Casey	....	stunt double
Richard Cetrone	....	stunts
Mark Chadwick	....	stunts
Lauro Chartrand	....	stunts
Ken Clark	....	stunt performer
Marijane Cole	....	stunt double
Bruce Comtois	....	stunt driver
Laura Lee Connery	....	stunts
Tim Connolly	....	stunts
Brycen Counts	....	utility stunts
Sophia Crawford	....	stunt double: Buffy (1996-2000)
Alex Daniels	....	stunts
Alex Daniels	....	utility stunts
Danial Donai	....	stunts
Kelly Donovan	....	stunt double: Xander
Danny Downey	....	stunts
Christopher Doyle	....	stunts (various episodes)
Scott Duthie	....	stunts
Casey Easlick	....	utility stunts
Nathan Engelman	....	stunts
James Ent	....	utility stunts (1 episode)
Debbie Evans	....	stunts
Roel Failma	....	stunt performer
Jeri Habberstad	....	stunt double: Alyson Hannigan
Anita Hart	....	stunts
Nicola C. Hindshaw	....	stunt double: Clara Bryant
Squeen Holzen	....	stunts
Lisa Hoyle	....	stunts
Cinda-Lin James	....	stunt double
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunts
Hannah Kozak	....	stunts
Don Lee	....	stunts (multiple episodes)
David Leitch	....	martial arts stunts
Scott Leva	....	stunts
Michael Li	....	stunts
Anna Lauren Long	....	assistant to stunt coordinator
Kurt D. Lott	....	utility stunts
Diana R. Lupo	....	stunts
Kent W. Luttrell	....	stunts
Brian Machleit	....	stunt double
Alex Madison	....	stunts (as Gail Monian)
Dina L. Margolin	....	stunts
Rob Mars	....	stunts
Brad Martin	....	stunt double: Angel
Brad Martin	....	stunts
Ron McCord	....	stunts
David Morizot	....	stunts (seasons 5-7)
Caryn Mower	....	utility stunts
Joe Murphy	....	stunts
Gloria O'Brien	....	stunt double: Sunday
Gloria O'Brien	....	stunt double: Tara
Gloria O'Brien	....	stunts
Chris O'Hara	....	stunts (3 seasons, multiple episodes)
Carrick O'Quinn	....	stunts
Chris Palermo	....	stunts
Gábor Piroch	....	stunt rider
Nicole Randall	....	stunt performer
Rex Reddick	....	stunts
Tanoai Reed	....	stunts
Scott Rhodes	....	stunt double
Scott Rhodes	....	stunts
Justin Riemer	....	stunts
Tim Rigby	....	stunts
Allen Robinson	....	stunts
Joe Russell	....	stunt performer
Marcus Salgado	....	stunt performer
Gregg Sargeant	....	stunts
Michael J. Sarna	....	stunts
Felipe Savahge	....	stunts (multiple episodes)
Michelle Sebek	....	stunt double: Willow
Joanna Shelmidine	....	stunts
Tim Sitarz	....	stunts
Mike Smith	....	stunts
Gary Ray Stearns	....	stunts
Justin Sundquist	....	stunts
Ronn Surels	....	stunts
Mary Torres	....	stunts
Clark Tucker	....	stunts
Jon Valera	....	stunts
Lee Waddell	....	stunts (multiple episodes)
Michele Waitman	....	stunt double: Sarah Michelle Gellar
Ryan Watson	....	stunts
Gary J. Wayton	....	stunt performer
Alex Wen	....	stunts (3 seasons)
Lee Whittaker	....	stunts (multiple episodes)
Darlene Ava Williams	....	utility stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
John Chickanis	....	electrician
Jeffrey De La Rosa	....	assistant chief lighting technician (seasons 2-3)
Jeffrey De La Rosa	....	rigging gaffer (seasons 2-3)
Joseph L. Gonzalez	....	electrician
Gretchen Hatz	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Matt Jackson	....	grip
Dan Kneece	....	Steadicam operator
Justin M. Lubin	....	still photographer (2002)
Gary Molyneux	....	dolly grip: second unit
Bob Myers	....	grip
Evan A. Nesbitt	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Bill Olofsson	....	assistant camera
Charles Papert	....	Steadicam operator
Charles Papert	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Shayna Ritenour	....	camera loader (season 7)
Shayna Ritenour	....	camera loader: second unit (season 5)
George Santo Pietro	....	dolly grip
David Scott	....	best boy: second unit
David Scott	....	electrician
David Neal Stewart	....	electrician (1997-1998)
R. Michael Stringer	....	grip
Wayne Stroud	....	dolly grip
Jaimie Trueblood	....	still photographer
Joseph D. Urbanczyk	....	camera operator
Chuck Whelan	....	additional assistant camera
David Yellin	....	electrician (1997)
Jason Zakrzewski	....	second assistant camera: second unit (seasons 4, 5)

Casting Department
Michael V. Nicolo	....	casting assistant (2000-)
Dana Olson	....	extras casting
Robyn Owen	....	casting assistant
Christine Yammine	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elaine Down	....	set costume
Jessica Pazdernik	....	costumer
Kelli Stallings	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Mark Hornish	....	editor: main titles

Music Department
Percy Faith	....	conductor: "Theme From 'a Summer Place'"
Steven Gizicki	....	music consultant
Parry Gripp	....	composer: main title theme (as Nerf Herder)
Wataru Hokoyama	....	orchestrator (2002)
Alex Kharlamov	....	composer: additional music
Kevin Kliesch	....	orchestrator
David Klotz	....	music editor (final season)
Dana Niu	....	composer: additional music
Steve Sherlock	....	composer: main title theme (as Nerf Herder)
Brandon Walker	....	assistant music editor

Transportation Department
James G. Brill	....	driver
John Magoo McGivern	....	driver
Beau Reed	....	driver
Gaston Wurth	....	transportation

Other crew
Debra Leilani Bakeman	....	set medic
Kendal Brenneman	....	stand-in
Ericka Bryce	....	production medic
David M. Burns	....	production assistant (1998-1999)
A. Brent Carlson	....	production assistant
Rupert Cole	....	production assistant
Cheryl Diamond	....	studio teacher (2001-2003)
Lee Ebersole	....	production assistant
Jaroslava Fernandez	....	special effects contact lens technician
Jessica A. Gihon	....	assistant accountant: UK (2002)
Chip Hall	....	production assistant
Paul Harrison	....	key assistant location manager
Elisabeth James	....	assistant production office coordinator
Mitch Kelleher	....	production assistant
Margery Kimbrough	....	script supervisor: second unit (2002-2003)
Misty D. Lahti	....	set production assistant
Anna Lauren Long	....	assistant to second unit director
Matthew J. Lynch	....	production assistant
Doug Meyer	....	additional production assistant (seasons 5 and 6)
Jose Molina	....	assistant: Howard Gordon
Cobb Montgomery	....	title designer
Tracy L. Moody	....	script supervisor: second unit (season 3)
Raul Moreno	....	production assistant (1997)
Emre Sonmez	....	assistant location manager
Tony Swatton	....	weapons
Licia Wolf	....	additional script supervisor
Lisa Womble	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Mutant Enemy

Special Effects

• Radium (visual effects)
• Burman Studio, The (vampire design concepts) (as The Burman Studios)

Other Companies

• Todd-AO Studios (West)  post production sound by (as Todd AO Studios West)
• Digital Magic Company  post production services by (as Digital Magic)
• Montgomery/Cobb  main title design
• DeLuxe Laboratories  processing (as DeLuxe)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-PG

Company:

Mutant Enemy

Trivia:

This marks the first episode that Tara and Willow kiss on screen.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: At 32:55 after they sit down, the mike is visible on the wide screen on the left.

Quotes:

Dawn: Um, guys, hello, puberty? Sort of figured out the whole no-Santa thing.
Anya: That's a myth.
Dawn: Yeah.
Anya: No, I mean, it's a myth *that* it's a myth. There is a Santa Claus.
Xander: The advantage of having a thousand-year-old girlfriend. Inside scoop.
Tara: There's a Santa Claus?
Anya: Mm-hmm. Been around since, like, the 1500s. But he wasn't always called Santa. But with, you know, Christmas night, flying reindeer, coming down the chimney, all true.
Dawn: All true?
Anya: Well, he doesn't traditionally bring presents so much as, you know, disembowel children. But otherwise...
[...]

Movie Connections:

References "The Powerpuff Girls" (1998)

Buffy at its best

This episode ranks among my favorites of Buffy(Even without Spike) alongside School Hard,Becoming(Parts one and two),Amends,Hush,Restless,Tabula Rasa,Grave, and Conversations With Dead People.The simplicity is amazing.The Acting,especially from Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alyson Hannigan,is very impressive.There is no music and events unfold in real time.Whedon doesn't pull any punches.Its all here,The failed CPR,The realization which is like a dream and a punch in the gut at the same time,The uncomfortable silences,The comedown and the aftermath.Buffy,although known for supernatural themes,is dealing with everyday events.Which is the whole idea and what makes it especially devastating.You can save the world all you want but you can't save one person who meant the world to you.Losing a parent is always horrible.They're the ones who know everything about you but love you anyway.They'll stand by you and protect you,even when you've grown up.When we lose that,we can feel like children,unsafe and unprotected.As Tara said "its always sudden".

This issue is especially devastating for the Scooby Gang.Joyce was a maternal figure to all of them.Unlike Willow's neglectful family,Tara's abusive family,Buffy's deadbeat dad and Xander's bitter parents,Joyce actually cared about them.Each character reacts in their own way.Buffy keeps an almost eerie level head before being shocked,Dawn breaks down in agony,Willow and Tara turn to each other for support,Giles tries to keep his reserved attitude but is only just managing,Xander just wants someone to blame, and Anya just can't fathom why Joyce isn't coming back.And no one can answer her.

This is a major part of this episodes unique tone.When someone dies,e.g Angel,it can be justified or they can return.But it isn't going to happen this time.Joyce is gone and nothing can make things right again.Dawn asks "Where did She go?".Nobody knows.