Anyone wanting to be sold on the visual and sound quality of dvd should look at "BODY SHOTS" for an example of the format's potential.  No, it's not filled with nearly the amount of extras found on many other studio dvd releases.  But, the image is nearly as flawless, as its compositions are complex.  It's sound mix is also extremely gratifying, both in terms of atmosphere and directional effects.

The film itself, is nothing to rave about.  It tries to be a "Rashomon"-like tale from the outset!  We're not quite sure why a girl is racing in her car, falling down, etc, or if the rape she soon describes "really" happened at all.  We meet various associates of hers as the story progresses, and most of them are unappealing or simply "low-lifes".  It's hard to care about any of them at all, and the girls are just as disgusting and lacking in ethics as the boys. 

While it's obvious that the director and writer are trying hard to be realistic, the characters they've chosen us to visit with, are so unsympathetic, that it's impossible to take much of an interest in "what" really happened.  In spots, we get the idea that maybe the film won't take the simple way out, but soon enough, it does!  It ends up being purely exploitative in the worst sense, claiming to be taking a hard look at the subject, but only as an excuse to promote sex even more!  It's a real shame because screenwriter David McKenna did such an innovative job with his "American History X", it's sad to see him drudge up garbage like this!  Even more surprising, Director Michael Cristofer, is extremely competent(Gia), so it's a mystery why he chose to allow the characters to speak directly into the camera in such a silly manner!  It doesn't work!

Even at the film's end, we're not sure "what" happened, and by then we don't care!!!  That's the worse crime of all!

The transfer, from NEW LINE, is another matter!  The image is FLAWLESS!  The nightlife of LA is paramount to the atmosphere of the film.  With that theme, there are plenty of complex compositions, all of which are rendered flawlessly here!!!  The colors are perfect and there are no artifacts anywhere.  There is no grain either, a major accomplishment given the lighting in many scenes.  Even in the darkest settings, there is terrific resolution!