by Frank Calvillo
For a period of time in the late 80s/early 90s, two of Hollywood’s top actresses, Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn, were looking for a project to do together. At one point the two were even linked to star in the future feminist classic Thelma & Louise. Instead, they settled on this now staple of dark demented comedy with its mix of over-the-top farce, innovative special effects and comment on the quest for eternal youth.
Directed by Robert Zemeckis, Death Becomes Her’s Baby Jane-esque plot tells the story of two lifelong frenemies, actress Madeline Ashton (Streep) and author Helen Sharp (Hawn), who have spent most of their lives competing with one another, most recently in Madeline’s marriage to Helen’s fiance Ernest (Bruce Willis), a successful Los Angeles plastic surgeon. Many years pass without any contact between the two women as their lives take dramatically different turns. When the two finally do meet, Madeline is horrified to discover that Helen looks better than ever. Desperate to look just as good, Madeline makes a bargain with a beautiful woman (Isabella Rossellini) who provides a magical potion which promises eternal youth. However, as Madeline, Helen and Ernest soon find out, there is always a catch.
There are two aspects have made Death Becomes Her the fondly-remembered classic it remains today. The first is the dazzling array of special effects which were considered cutting edge for its time and remain impressive to this day. An early mix of CGI and old fashioned practical effects resulted in some of the most memorable sequences ever put to film. Instances such as Madeline walking around with a backwards head, which she is also able to vertically stretch and Helen surviving a shotgun blast to the stomach resulting in a large gaping hole, have become iconic. It was said that Streep grew tired and unhappy with having to perform the various effects necessary for the film and has since refused any role requiring such work from her. However, no one who has seen the film can argue that the end result wasn’t worth it.
The second aspect working hugely in the film’s favor is its pitch perfect use of black humor, which has plenty to go around. In the still-conservative time of the early 90s, a topic such as death was far from being considered material for a mainstream Hollywood comedy. Yet Death Becomes Her threw away convention by showing a hilarious take on the subject. “That was totally uncalled for,” Helen exclaims after emerging from a pool with a gigantic hole in her stomach after being shot by Madeline in one of the film’s darkly hilarious moments. Meanwhile the scene where a dead, but still walking and talking Madeline is being examined by a doctor who can’t discern why her heart is still beating is made all the more fun when Madeline proclaims: “Well, it could be worse.” No laugh in Death Becomes Her is more rightfully earned however than in the film’s final scene, which sees Helen and Madeline fall down a flight of steps, causing their bodies to crumble to pieces upon hitting the ground. Once their detached heads stop spinning, Helen annoyingly asks Madeline: “Do you remember where you parked the car?” making for a delightfully dark ending to the film.
While the movie’s comment on youth and just how far women (and men) will go in an effort to freeze time where their looks are concerned, is front and center, it’s amazing to see how in 2016, the film’s core theme is more relevant than ever. In the era of Real Housewives, sayings such as “40 is the new 30” and countless articles which praise older women for looking youthful, rather than for any real achievement, watching the world depicted within Death Becomes Her can now be seen as a eerie prediction of the warped image-hungry society we currently live in.
Its obvious when actors are having a field day with the material in front of them and the acting in Death Becomes Her is a textbook example of that. Hawn and Streep are so committed to their animated performances, basking in a type of on-screen chemistry found in very few movie star pairings. Not to be outdone by his leading ladies, Willis holds his own and garners his own share of laughs as the film’s only redeemable character. If there’s one character who is able to steal the spotlight away from the three leads however, its Rossellini who positively stops the show with her seductive and mysterious enchantress.
Watching the film’s original trailer, and reading up on Death Becomes Her’s trivia, many will know about a longer, uncut version featuring more characters (including Tracey Ullman in a supporting role) and plenty of additional dark sight gags. Unfortunately the film fell victim to studio cuts, resulting in the current product. I had always hoped that if Death Becomes Her ever did come to Blu Ray, the original material would be restored. It hardly matters in the end however since the film, as it stands today, remains the hilariously macabre adventure ride it’s always proven itself to be.
The Package
The Making of Death Becomes Her is a fascinating retrospective documentary featuring Zemeckis, writer David Koepp and cinematographer Dean Cundey, which explores more of the film’s ideology, the creation of the impressive effects and imaginative production design.
The vintage making-of featurette is fun as well and it’s interesting to hear the actors’ take on the film and their characters. Even more interesting is seeing some of the effects being done on set as well as some of the footage which didn’t make the final cut.
The Lowdown
One of the 90s most beloved dark comedies is still the gloriously demented marvel people remember it being.
Death Becomes Her is now available on Blu-Ray from Scream Factory.
Get it at Amazon:
Death Becomes Her — [Blu-ray]
