Category Archives: 1990s

Virginia Madsen in The Rainmaker

The Rainmaker

1997’s The Rainmaker is quite an important film in the career of Virginia Madsen, it’s the one that most would and will remember as bringing her back into the acting limelight properly. It’s only a small role to be fair, but a damn good one.

The Rainmaker is an adaption of John Grishams novel of the same name from 1995, it’s directed by Francis Ford Coppola and features some proper Hollywood heavyweights such as Matt Damon, Jon Voight, Micky Rourke and Roy Scheider among others.

The Rainmaker however, might not have been another solid hit Hollywood was hoping for. There isn’t anything wrong with the film as such, it’s just not the most exciting film out there with its focus on the courtroom more than anything else.

The story follows Rudy (Matt Damon) as he battles for justice for a young man whose Insurance Company denied him the money for a life saving bone marrow transplant which could have saved his life in a battle against leukaemia.

The Insurance Company in question, Great Benefit, tries to defend its practices and policies against Rudy but the deeper he digs, the more shady practices come to light.

No great surprise there then.
Virginia Madsen as Jackie Lemancyzk in The Rainmaker, sitting on a motel bed wearing a dark coat, holding a cigarette, appearing anxious or distressed.As I mentioned earlier, Virginia Madsen has a small role in this film, well, small in size, perhaps not in consequence to the overall story.

She plays Jackie Lemanczyk, a woman who used to work for Great Benefit who turns on her former employer and takes on the role of a whistleblower. Her arrival in the film comes at a pivotal moment and her testimony in the case is crucial to the outcome.

Obviously I’ll avoid spoilers here, but the outcome of it all won’t come as any great surprise to anyone.
Virginia Madsen as Jackie Lemancyzk in The Rainmaker, seated on a courtroom witness stand, looking tense and uncomfortable while giving testimony.It’s only a small role for our heroine, but, an important one in her career I think. Her performance here is spot on. At the time of this movie she wasn’t exactly in the limelight and she was amongst some fine actors. Not that she couldn’t hold her own, at all – BUT – What she didn’t do was over perform. She brings a reality to the character of Jackie. A weary woman who has battled her own morals and fought her own demons, not said things she she should have said, and has reached down into her soul to finally say what needs saying.

Which. Seems kind of dramatic when I put it like that, but… It is what it is.

The Rainmaker came at an odd time in Virginia Madsen’s career. At this point, Virginia Madsen had already experienced the highs and lows of Hollywood. She’d reached a high in her career in the early 90’s with films like The Hot Spot and Candyman, but the years following some would consider challenging, with fewer roles coming her way.
Virginia Madsen as Jackie Lemancyzk in The Rainmaker, seated in a courtroom witness box giving emotional testimony, with the judge watching closely in the background.By the mid-’90s, she was a new mother and had stepped back from acting to focus on her family. It wasn’t until her son was a little older that she began exploring roles again. On hearing this she was asked by Francis Ford Coppola himself to audition for The Rainmaker and has often spoke fondly of her experience, and gratitude for the film. Speaking with outclique.com she has this to say;

“I learned an incredible amount about acting from Francis Ford Coppola. Because I didn’t go in to the audition nervous, they gave me the role. He trusted that I would be tough enough to go through it and not be destroyed. I think a lot of these directors see a strength in me; they know I can go the distance.“

The Rainmaker might not have done as well as it could have or should have, but as fans of Virginia Madsen we should all be thankful for it, and maybe for that reason alone it belongs in all of our collections.

Availabilty:

Good. Another one you won’t have any trouble finding. In most countries it’s easier to get hold of the DVD over the Blu-Ray, but it’s one of those films that will probably end up getting a boutique release at some point or another.

Gallery:

Trailer:

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virginia madsen in law and order SVU

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, not my kind of thing at all. Like CSI: Miami before it, I’ve zero interest in this kind of Police Procedural show. Only one thing would get me to voluntarily watch it, Virginia Madsen.

Thankfully, it’s not as though I’ve never seen this one as it’s one my better halves favourite shows. And, there’s a LOT of it. Law and Order: Special Victims Unit has been around for years, in fact at the time of writing it’s the fourth longest running US show, ever.

Well, I say thankfully – Law and Order SVU deals with the worst of the worst sex based cases it can possibly get away with on TV, I’m sure. I mean, don’t get me wrong – I’m no prude and can fully enjoy and appreciate the worst of the horror films out there. But, something about the subject matter of this TV show doesn’t sit right with me and I’d rather not spend an hour or so a week watching it and calling it ‘entertainment’.
Virginia Madsen as Beth Anne Rollins in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, seated at a restaurant table in an elegant setting. She wears a pink off-the-shoulder dress and a pearl necklace, smiling warmly while engaged in conversation with another woman. The softly lit background features other diners and a refined ambiance.But. Having said that, it does do its storytelling with a great deal of tact and empathy, it deals with some harsh subjects sometimes and like it or not, this is the world we live in. And, if my Wife likes it then it must be doing something right as she’s as tough an audience as it gets.

It’s a long running show, I’m not even going to try and explain the stories and threads that do run though the thing as I’d most likely spend a lot (a LOT) of time talking about the things you don’t care about. And I’d do it badly as I’m not a fan of the show.

So, onto the main event.
Virginia Madsen as Beth Anne Rollins in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, standing in a warmly lit room while talking on a pink phone. She wears a floral blouse with sheer sleeves and a delicate necklace. Behind her, wooden shutters with star-shaped cutouts and white blinds add to the rustic decor. She has a calm and pleasant expression.Virginia Madsen appears in the 6th Episode of the 17th Season in an episode called “Maternal Instincts”. She plays the role of Beth Anne Rollins, the mother of one of the series regular characters, Amanda Rollins. The role would only be filled once for the screen but receive off screen mentions in later episodes, which is a bit of a rip off if you ask me.

In the episode, we see Beth arrive to throw a baby shower for Amanda – BUT – By sheer coincidence and bad luck, it’s also the time when one of the suspects of the case the team are working on turns out to be Amanda’s sister, Kim who has been MIA for a while from Amanda’s life.

Amanda sees her sister on CCTV footage but hides it from everyone else. She soon realises that it’s awfully funny that her sister and her Mother are back in town, and well… You can do the math from there.

Virginia Madsen’s role here isn’t going to knock anyone off their socks. She’s always impressive but this is a role we’ve seen her play many times before and no doubt she could do it in her sleep. I guess there is only so much you can do with a guest role in a long running established thing like this.
Virginia Madsen as Beth Anne Rollins in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, engaged in an intense conversation with another character in a courthouse. She wears a professional tweed jacket with a black trim, her expression serious and determined. The background features a large window with a grid pattern, allowing natural light to illuminate the space, while a man in a suit sits behind them, adding to the legal settingBy the 17th Season of the show I guess you should already know if you’re a fan or not. It’s hard for me to recommend this other than “if you like this kind of thing then this is one of the best you can hope for”.

Availability:

The 17th Season is easy to find on DVD and for a relatively cheap price.

Gallery:

Trailer:

Well, not for the actual episode but…

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virginia madsen in bitter vengeance

Bitter Vengeance

Bitter Vengeance is a TV Movie from 1994, it’s a Thriller and, for fans of Virginia Madsen it’s actually got a bit of a twist, sort of.

Jack (Bruce Greenwood) works as a Security Guard for a bank and part of Jack’s job is to dispose of old money at the bank. But, unhappy with this lot in life he comes up with a plan to steal it instead so that he can run off with the Bank Teller he’s been having an affair with, Isabelle (Kristen Dalton (credited as Kristen Hocking)) and fake his own death to help get away with the crime.

And the twist?

Well, for once Virginia Madsen’s character, Annie, is the victim. (OK, not exactly a twist but for this kind of movie at this point in her career, it kind of is.)
In Bitter Vengeance, Virginia Madsen stars as Annie Westford, a woman caught in a deadly game of deception and revenge. As the stakes rise, she must outmaneuver those who seek to control her fate.Jack plans on framing Annie for the theft, and his death while he runs off into the sunset and a new life.

And, for a while at least it looks like his plan might just work.

Of course, we know Annie is innocent but she has to prove it to the rest of the characters in the film.

Now. If all of this seems just a little familiar, then you’re right. But you can be excused, Bruce Greenwood did also star in Double Jeopardy, a film where his character (Nick) commits a crime so he pulls a disappearing act leaving his wife Libby (Ashley Judd) to get the blame for his murder while he goes off into a new life.

But, Bitter Vengeance did it first with Double Jeopardy coming out in 1999.

Which did it better? Well, in all honesty I’d argue Bitter Vengeance, even though it’s a lower budget TV movie without Tommy Lee Jones. And, if you do want to see Virginia Madsen and Tommy Lee Jones together on screen then you can always check out the rather excellent Gotham.
Virginia Madsen as Annie Westford in Bitter Vengeance, wearing a dark coat over a blue shirt, standing in a dimly lit room and speaking to a man partially visible in the foreground.Bitter Vengeance is a competent enough film, it’s obviously made for TV, it just has that vibe to it. But it throws its punches well enough and the casting of all the roles is spot on.

Virginia plays the victim well, she must have learnt well from the other actor’s on the receiving end of her normal roles. It’s actually quite fun to see, especially as I rewatched this in the middle of all her other 90’s roles.

Bitter Vengeance also reunites Virginia Madsen with Tim Russ who she starred with in the 80’s classic (?) Fire with Fire, and would also work with again in Star Trek: Voyager further down the line.

Availability:

Nope. You can find a copy on YouTube but it’s low quality (See the captures). Other than that you’re out of luck.

Gallery:

Trailer:

Nope.

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virginia madsen in caroline at midnight

Caroline at Midnight

It’s 1993, peak Virginia Madsen time, and she’d take a role in Caroline at Midnight, another “erotic thriller”, or it’s supposed to be at least. It wasn’t received that well and it went straight to video. There are six reviews of the film on iMDB.com and three of them mention the nudity content of the film. So, it’s that kind of film.

Not Virginia Madsen nudity, no – Caroline at Midnight also stars Mia Sara, it’s her nude scenes causing the kerfuffle there. Oh, those little internet scamps and them reviewing a movie based on the level of flesh on show.

Caroline at Midnight sees reporter Jack Lynch (Clayton Rohner) summoned to the new home of his ex, the titular Caroline (Caroline Barclay) via a phone call. Only one problem, Caroline is dead and when he arrives he finds himself at a Cemetary. And, instead of his ex he finds Victoria (Mia Sara) there instead. Victoria spins him a tale of the grisly end of Caroline at the hands of her husband, Ray (Tim Daly).

And, yeah – It doesn’t take a genius to work out the rest of the plot and it’s all lies, deception, mystery and intrigue from this point on. With a sprinkling of eroticism. Ish.
Virginia Madsen as Susan Prince in Caroline at Midnight, wearing a red silk blouse and a black wig. She holds a cigarette in one hand and a bandag in the other, with a sultry expression.I said at the start that “it’s that kind of film”, that wasn’t a knock at this kind of film. No, I think some of the “erotic thrillers” of the 90’s are worth a watch. I mean, they are few and far between but there are some definite good ones out there. Virginia herself has been in a few before this that were of much better quality.

And of course, fans of the 80’s heavy Modern Girls might also take some delight in reuniting Clayton Rohner and Virginia Madsen some years later. Though it could be said that Caroline at Midnight is as much a product of the 90’s as Modern Girls was of the 80’s.
Virginia Madsen as Susan Prince in Caroline at Midnight, sitting in a dimly lit car. She wears a black wig and rests her chin on her hand, gazing to the side with a mysterious expression.It’s hard to recommend this one, it’s not a great film by any standards, even less so thirty years later. Virginia Madsen is barely in it. When she is in it, she’s in top form though – Looking gorgeous as ever and playing her role with the level you’d expect.

Sadly, another role in which she’s wasted though. It’s unfortunately another part that could have pretty much been played by anyone else.

Availability:

Nope. This one is hard to find. It’s never had a DVD release. There only seems to be NTSC VHS versions floating around, and for some reason most of those are screeners.

You won’t find it anywhere to stream, officially, but there are copies to be had if you go looking.

Trailer:

#Nope

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virginia madsen in the apocalypse watch

The Apocalypse Watch

The Apocalypse Watch is 1997 TV Movie based upon a 1995 novel by Robert Ludlum, which is a pretty darn quick thing to happen.

The story follows the story of American intelligence officer Drew Latham (Patrick Bergin), who is plunged into a high-stakes conspiracy that threatens global security. The novel begins with the discovery of a neo-Nazi group called the Brotherhood of the Watch, which has infiltrated high levels of government and corporate structures worldwide.

Drew’s brother, James, an undercover operative, is murdered while investigating the Brotherhood. Determined to uncover the truth, Drew takes on his brother’s mission. He partners with French agent Karin De Vries (Virginia Madsen), and together they navigate a treacherous world of espionage, betrayal, and murder.

Sounds like a Robert Ludlum novel for sure.
virginia madsen in the apocalypse watchIn truth, I got kind of bored of this one. It’s, very long. It clocks in at 2 hours and 56 minutes long. It was originally shown in two parts on TV, which I didn’t know when I started watching because I have it on DVD. I don’t mind spy movies, but I like some action to go with it and while not completely lacking, it’s not a Bourne film.

Virginia Madsen doesn’t seem to make much effort at a French accent, but she does her thing well here. I’d have switched it off long before I did if it wasn’t for her. Kind of an odd role for her in the grand scheme of things, but it makes for an interesting change.
virginia madsen in the apocalypse watchI don’t know if I’d recommend this one. If you’re a fan of the genre then go for it, it did seem to be reasonably well made, and there was some intrigue to be had for sure. But, at the risk of repeating myself it’s not a Bourne film which, I wasn’t expecting, but given it’s from the same author I expected similar. If that makes sense.

Availability:

Not impossible to get hold of, but you’ll pay for it on DVD, it can command a high price for whatever reason. It seems popular in Germany for some reason.

It is available to stream on various channels, and, YouTube can be your friend here.

Gallery:

Trailer:

Not for this one.

virginia madsen in ghosts of mississippi

Ghosts of Mississippi

Ghosts of Mississippi sees Virginia Madsen head back into Biopic country with a film based upon the trial of Byron De La Beckwith, a white supremacist who in 1963 was accused of assassinating Medgar Evans, a racial equality civil rights activist in Mississippi.

Bryon was tried twice for the murder in the 1960s, but each time the (all white) jury was hung and no action was taken. Ghosts of Mississippi tells the story of how 25 years later Medgar’s widow was finally able to get some justice.

The film starts with an overview of the events in the 1960s before fast- forwarding to 1989 where we find DA Bobby DeLaughter (Alec Baldwin) reopening the case after some new evidence comes to light. DeLaughter was a man of personal pride and the idea that an injustice had been served and never corrected didn’t sit right with him.

But reopening the case would not be a popular move as reopening the case brought back all the racial tensions from the original days and folks liked things the way they were at the moment. Never the less.Bobby follows his sense of right and wrong and perseveres through it all to make sure justice is served, even if it is a little too late.

It’s another film where you know what you’re getting before you even start to watch it. If you like the legal drama kind of film then this isn’t something you’ve not seen before. That isn’t to make light of the subject, especially given the nature of it – But it’s all very formulaic in its presentation.

Virginia Madsen plays the part of Dixie DeLaughter, Bobby’s wife, or she was when the trial first started. Unfortunately Dixie wasn’t quite as enlightened as Bobby and she believed all the racist rhetoric around the case. This would ultimately cause the marriage to fail and they would divorce before the end of the trial.
Virginia Madsen as Dixie DeLaughter in Ghosts of Mississippi, standing in a warmly lit living room holding folded laundry, with a thoughtful and serious expression.She is, however, excellent in the role, but unfortunately we don’t get to see that much of her. Or, fortunately given the character she’s playing is utterly detestable in this one.

The rest of the movie. Not so much. I don’t know if it’s aged badly but it never really felt like I was watching a “cinema” movie, it wouldn’t have surprised me to find that it had been made for TV. Bit odd like that given the calibre of the cast. No that I have anything against made for TV Biopics, A Murderous Affair I enjoy, and Just Ask My Children is some of Virginia Madsens finest work in my opinion.

James Woods plays Byron De La Beckwith in fine style, he easily steals the movie from everyone else. Whoopi Goldberg plays Myrlie Evans, the widow of Medgar. She also does well but this almost goes without saying in this kind of role. I get the feeling she could have done this in her sleep.

It’s worth a watch on a rainy Sunday afternoon, don’t expect too much and you’ll be fine. Perhaps that’s where it always belonged.

Availability:

Not the easiest film to find on DVD. but if you keep a good solid pair of eyes out then you should be able to find a copy.

Trailer:

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virginia madsen in love kills

Love Kills

Love Kills is another one from the Virginia Madsen golden age of made for TV movies. It premiered on USA Network in 1991 and would also reunite her with Electric Dreams co-star, Lenny Von Dohlen.

But this is a very different movie than Electric Dreams.

Virginia Madsen plays Rebecca Bishop, a fashion photographer who after finding out about yet another affair by her husband, Drew Bishop (Jim Metzler) decides to even the playing field and get a little action for herself.
Virginia Madsen as Rebecca Bishop in Love Kills, holding a camera with a focused expression. She wears a black outfit with a scarf, her short curly hair framing her face. A blurred floral arrangement is in the background.On a photo shoot she meets Jonathan Brinkman (Lenny Von Dohlen) who suits her nicely. After a little wining and dining she hooks up with him for a night of rumpy pumpy, but all is not as it seems.

It turns out that Jonathan is actually a hitman, hired by Rebecca’s husband to kill her. But not to panic, now that he’s got to know Rebecca, he’s actually fallen for her and wants to protect her instead. Or, so he says.

Rebecca confronts Drew but he says that it’s all lies and that Jonathan is actually an ex-patient of his and that he’s got some sick and twisted agenda of his own. Or, so he says…

And – Yeah, it’s that roundabout. Rebecca doesn’t know who to believe, her husband has his reasons for lying, but equally plausible is Jonathan’s claims so it really does keep you guessing until the end just what the truth is.

Love Kills was actually one of the ones I was looking forward to rewatching the most. I hadn’t seen it in a long, long time and I didn’t really remember much other than the basics. My copy is on VHS and so it’s not that easy a decision to just sit down and give it a go one night. Fortunately, there are other ways to watch it in this day and age.
Virginia Madsen as Rebecca Bishop in Love Kills, wearing a bold red blazer over a black top. She stands in an outdoor café at night, her hands clasped as she looks ahead with a serious expression.Was I happy? Well. Yes, and no. The film is definitely different than I remember it through my rose coloured glasses. I’d totally missed the first time round that it was Lenny in the role of Virginia’s lover, so that was a nice surprise. The film itself though, I mean. It was never great, but now it’s just aged. It’s not a bad thing, there is a time and place for this kind of movie and I’ll probably watch it again sometime in the future, but my glasses won’t be as rosy.

Virginia basically carries this one on her back though. If it wasn’t for her then I think this one would be lost forever to the annals of time. It was good to see the chemistry with Lenny is still there, it’s weird but satisfying. There are shades of Linda, Victim of Love and Bitter Vengeance in her performance, but that isn’t a surprise given they were all around at the same time and this was pretty much Virginia Madsen’s thing at the time.

Availability:

Not great, never released on DVD but you can find VHS copies if you look hard enough. Also, YouTube can be your friend here.

Gallery:

Trailer:

#Nope

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Title card for Candyman (1992), featuring bold white text over an aerial view of Chicago. The opening shot establishes the film’s urban setting and ominous tone.

Candyman

Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Candy… No. Wait.

… Candyman surely needs little to no introduction, it is without doubt what most of the general public probably think of when they hear the name Virginia Madsen.

And if, for some inexplicable reason, they don’t know her name you can probably go with “she was the one in Candyman” and most people would get a sudden expression of realisation on their face, and hopefully remember the name Virginia Madsen forever more.

Candyman is a film from 1992, it was written and directed by Bernard Rose and taken from a short story by Clive Barker, “The Forbidden”. The Candyman himself is played by Tony Todd, the film follows the story of Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) as she investigates the mythos of various Urban Legends for her college thesis. As part of her research she comes across the Candyman story and the folklore around it.
Virginia Madsen as Helen Lyle in Candyman (1992), wearing a black turtleneck and looking to the side with a concerned expression. Her short, curly blonde hair is slightly tousled. A blue-screen computer monitor and a chalkboard in the background, reinforcing her role as a graduate student investigating urban legends.The Candyman is given credit for a series of killings in the modern day, which seems preposterous to Helen.

The more she learns about the origin of the Candyman, the deeper she gets invested in the lore until she eventually meets the literal man, the myth and the legend.

At its core, it’s a slasher flick as was all the rage at the time. But it’s an intelligent one, it’s not simply a gorefest as many as its contemporaries were at the time. It’s got an underlying meaning behind it all which goes deeper than most.
Virginia Madsen as Helen Lyle in Candyman (1992), sitting in a dimly lit room, holding a cigarette with a calm yet intense expression. Her short, curly blonde hair frames her face, and the warm lighting highlights her features. The blurred background adds to the moody atmosphere of the scene.Candyman, or should we call him Daniel Robitaille, isn’t a traditional monster in the true sense of the word, he was wronged and while he does seek his vengeance it isn’t without justification. I think many of the other “Slasher” flicks more or less all feature a protagonist who was “evil” before they became the monster.

Or at least the ones that instantly spring to my mind at least, Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers – I’m not sure if that’s just my age showing there though – The newer wave of ‘Slasher’ movies don’t seem to follow the same tropes.

As Virginia Madsen herself told The Moving Picture;

“I think it would be different if Tony Todd’s character were a monster. But he’s not a monster — he’s a phantom. He is like Dracula, a romantic phantom. He’s beautiful, he’s seductive, he wants you to join him in immortality.”

Not going to lie – I don’t know how much I can add to the whole ‘Candyman’ thing here, and I don’t know if I even want to after going deeper into search results than I normally would while researching this. I mean, wow… There are some interesting takes on it out there.
Virginia Madsen as Helen Lyle in Candyman (1992), sitting in a hospital gown with a distant, shocked expression. Her short, curly blonde hair is slightly disheveled. The dimly lit background features a medical examination room with a bulletin board and an empty bed, emphasizing the tense and unsettling atmosphere of the scene.Hell, after reading some of the stuff about the film and its implications I’m not even sure I’m qualified to write about the film on a site about collecting other films from one of the actresses in it.

And, that’s all this site is – So, I’ll leave those conversations and observations for another site on another day.

As for Virginia Madsen as Helen Lyle? Spot on. While there is no doubt that the film would have seen the same levels of success without her, I do genuinely think Candyman does benefit from having someone of her caliber play this lead role. It’s pretty well known at this point that the way Bernard Rose directed some of the scenes in Candyman was unconventional to say the least. In the scenes which have Candyman and Helen together, Virginia would be hypnotised beforehand which kind of gives it / her an ethereal quality for want of a better way of putting it.

Is it worth a watch if you’ve never seen it? – Well, yeah – Candyman has its detractors and was originally released to mixed reviews but I think over time more and more people have come to appreciate the film more than ever. It’s often referred to as one of the best adaptations of Clive Barkers work on film.
Virginia Madsen as Helen Lyle in Candyman (1992). She appears distressed, with short, curly blonde hair, wearing a blue blouse and knitted cardigan. The background features a pink wall with a shadow. Madsen’s performance in Candyman is one of her most notable horror roles.The Candyman legend would continue in two direct sequels, Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995) and Candyman: Day of The Dead (1999) and more recently a fourth entry into the franchise reverting back to the original title Candyman (2021) which could be considered both a reboot and a sequel.

It’s almost a shame that the Helen Lyle character wasn’t followed up on, properly at least. I used to harbour some hope we’d get to see Virginia Madsen reprise the role at some point, but I think even I have to admit that it’s very unlikely at this point.

Availability:

Yeah, I think if you walked far enough you could literally trip over a copy of this film in one form or another. Freely available on DVD and Blu-Ray at the time of writing, with a special 4K release from Arrow Video also kicking around quite freely still.

Gallery:

Trailer:

Press Kit:

virginia madsen candyman press kit photo virginia madsen candyman press kit photo virginia madsen candyman press kit photo
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Title card of The Hot Spot (1990), featuring the film's name in bold, stylized lettering against a sun-drenched, hazy desert road. A vintage black car approaches in the distance, its heatwave distortion emphasizing the film's sultry, noir atmosphere. The shot captures the film’s moody and seductive tone, setting the stage for its steamy crime drama

The Hot Spot

The Hot Spot, might, just might, be the definitive Virginia Madsen film. Well, in my mind at least.

The Hot Spot is based on a the Charles Williams novel, Hell Hath No Fury from 1953. It’s a more relevant title for this story and one I wish they’d kept. The film is directed by Dennis Hopper.

Released in 1990, and rather deceptively billed as an erotic thriller in the marketing, The Hot Spot is a criminally under rated masterpiece. it’s more noir than it is erotic thriller. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t know the erotic side of the film was cranked up to eleven by the marketers, I mean, sex sells right?

Virginia Madsen was in her absolute prime when filming this movie and she was heavily used in the promotional materials. But for me, it’s more than that. When I think of “erotic thrillers” I think more of The Last Seduction or Basic Instinct. The Femme Fatale in those movies are the main character and using sex as a weapon almost, but that isn’t really the case here. Sure Virginia Madsen’s character is a sex bomb who seduces to get what she wants but it’s not about her, she’s more of a side character in Harry’s tale. That’s my take on it at least, I get it. But…

The Hot Spot tells the tale of Harry Madox (Don Johnson). He plays a drifter who arrives in the small Texan town of Landers. He quickly gets a job working for a local car dealership, Harshaws Motors, by impressing the owner, George Harshaw (Jerry Hardin) with his sales skills.

The locals are friendly enough but it’s the kind of town with secrets. Not that Harry particularly wants any part of those secrets, he’s got enough of his own.

On Harry’s first day of his new job Harry is sent to chase down a debt with Gloria (Jennifer Connelly), a man who goes by the name of Sutton (William Sadler) is late with his payments, again.

While they are at Suttons, Harry takes the chance to get to try and get to know Gloria a little better but she finds an excuse to leave Harry alone. When they meet up again Gloria tells Harry she’s found Sutton and that he’s paid her up.

But Harry isn’t a fool and when Sadler takes that moment to pull up and greet them it’s clear that he’s not seen Gloria and that she was lying about getting the money from him. His suspicions confirmed when they two slink off and whisper to each other outside of Harry’s hearing range.

Harry questions Gloria but it’s clear she wants to keep her secrets. She admits to lying but says she doesn’t want to talk about it.

When they get back to the dealership Harry makes his own excuses and makes his way to the local bank to open a bank account but he’s clearly not just there for that reason alone. He’s scoping the place out.
Virginia Madsen in The Hot Spot (1990), lounging in the driver’s seat of a vintage white Cadillac convertible with a pink steering wheel. She wears a stylish retro outfit, featuring a white halter top, a pink skirt, white cat-eye sunglasses, and curled blonde hair. Her poised expression and relaxed posture exude confidence and allure, capturing the film’s sultry, noir-inspired atmosphere. The background features a sunlit street with desert-like landscaping, reinforcing the film’s small-town setting.He grabs a bite to eat and heads back to the dealership, it’s then that he meets Dolly Harshaw (Virginia Madsen), the owners wife.

And Dolly, well Dolly is obviously a whole boat load of trouble. She introduces herself to Harry and explains she’s looking for George, when she learns he’s gone to lunch she asks Harry to help her move some old stuff she needs rid of. Dolly takes more than a passing interest in Harry and sets about doing her best to get to know him better and it’s not long before she’s finding any excuse she can to meet up with him again. When Harry makes a pass at her later on she acts outraged but is clearly interested.
Virginia Madsen in The Hot Spot (1990), sitting in a dimly lit, wood-paneled room, speaking into a white corded telephone. She wears a delicate, sheer nightgown with a silky ribbon draped over her shoulders, her blonde curls framing her concerned expression. The moody lighting, with warm lamps and a red glow in the background, enhances the film noir aesthetic. A glass of whiskey, an open book, and a bottle of liquor sit on the cluttered desk beside her, reinforcing the atmosphere of intrigue and seduction.Harry gets to know the residents of the town better over the next few weeks but it’s not long before we learn the real reason he’s there.

He enacts a plan to rob the local bank by setting fire to a nearby building. While the town is distracted by staring at the fire he makes his move. He almost makes a clean getaway but thanks to a blind man almost catching him the in the act suspicions are raised in his direction. Just when it looks like he might get caught he’s saved by an alibi from Dolly.

Dolly owns Harry now and she intends to collect.
Virginia Madsen in The Hot Spot (1990), sitting in a dimly lit bar with neon red hues, engaged in an intense conversation. She wears a vintage-style dress with a cherry pattern, her blonde curls framing her face as she holds a cigarette in one hand. Across from her, Don Johnson’s character leans back, a beer bottle in his hand, watching her with a cool, guarded expression. The scene’s sultry lighting and smoky atmosphere add to the neo-noir tension of the filmFrom there it’s a game of cat and mouse between the two as the games they are playing get ever more dangerous and the two test each other to their limits.

I’ve watched this film countless times over the years, not just because of Virginia Madsen, it’s one of those films that never gets old and I think the more you watch it, the more you can appreciate it. It’s definitely changed for me as I got older, I remember the first time I watched it I thought it was “OK”, “kind of boring” etc – But now I watch it with relish and soak in all the atmosphere.

I said at the start that it might just be the definitive Virginia Madsen film, and I meant it. She smoulders on screen here and doesn’t miss a beat. Her Dolly Harshaw is her ultimate femme fatale. Sexy, smart, coniving, utterly ruthless and just believable enough so you can still have some doubt in her lies. Although, it’s unlikely you’d ever 100% trust her. For me, that’s one of the reasons the ending works so well.
Virginia Madsen in The Hot Spot (1990), elegantly dressed in a black vintage dress with a pearl brooch, sitting in a dimly lit, atmospheric room. Her voluminous blonde curls frame her face as she casts a knowing glance, exuding mystery and allure. Behind her, a taxidermy wildcat and antique furnishings add to the sultry, neo-noir ambiance of the scene.It was an exercise in futility for me to try and capture this movie without resorting to the classic images you see of Virginia in this movie, I’ve tried my best not to be obvious and do things a little different, so don’t judge me on that.

I’d highly recommend this film if you’ve never seen it. Just don’t believe the erotica side of the hype, it’s a noir crime thriller through and through. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it has it’s, erotica moments, but they are (mostly) necessary for the characters and the atmosphere of the film.

Virginia Madsen has spoken on the record a few times about The Hot Spot, sometimes favourably, sometimes not. I don’t want to get into the whole debate here but to take a positive she credits the movie with giving her some confidence as an actress, in an interview with The Hollywood Interview she says;

“It was very surprising to me that people bought it! (laughs) It was funny, especially when I was being really super evil in a movie like The Hot Spot, and I just thought ‘My God, that was the most over-the-top, over-acting I’ve ever done in my life, and they bought it!’ It was an image and I didn’t really understand at the time, the power of that image, and how enormous an effect that would have on an audience. Dennis Hopper once told me “You don’t get it, because you’re too young. But in about ten years you’re going to understand, that you can’t really watch yourself be that type of person.” And he was absolutely right.”

Availability:

Great. Copies are more or less freely available on DVD in all Regions and it recently had a special edition remastered Blu-ray by Radiance Films. I even see plenty of copies on VHS on the auction sites.

Gallery:

Trailer:

Press Kit:

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Other Promotional Material:

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UK Full Page Magazine Advert

 

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virginia madsen in ambushed

Ambushed

1998 would see Virginia Madsen star in Ambushed, an action thriller also starring Courtney B Vance, Robert Patrick and William Sadler.

Ambushed sees the film kick off with the killing of the leader of the local Klu Kiux Klan, Jim Natter (William Sadler) not a bad thing. The problem being that the killers left alive a witness, Jims’s son, Eric. He was waiting in the car then it all went down, and he saw everything.

He’s found later by two of the Police who are investigating the scene, Jerry Robinson (Courtney B Vance) and Mike Organski (William Forsythe). Unfortunately when Eric is found by Jerry he immediately starts spitting out racist bile directed in Jerrys direction, including a Nazi salute.

They take him to the Police Station where Eric continues his nonsense, but it isn’t long before they have to throw some concern in his direction anyway as it looks as though his fathers killing was the act of militants and they fear they might come after the boy next to protect themselves.
Virginia Madsen as Lucy Monroe in Ambushed, wearing a sheriff's uniform and a cozy knitted cardigan, looking relaxed and thoughtful.It’s agreed that Eric should be taken into protection till they can get to the bottom of it all. Jerry and Mike along with two other deputies, Dunbar (Scott Hinson) and Lawrence (David Keith) make the arrangements and set off to the safe house. But, on the way there they are ambushed. Dunbar is killed in the initial skirmish and Lawrence disappears in the confusion of it all.

Jerry, Mike and Eric soon learn that Lawrence was a part of it all and helped arrange the ambush. In a showdown Mike and Lawrence both shoot each other, but Lawrence has already shot Dunbar several times with Jerrys weapon. Mike dies but Lawrence manages to hold out long enough to tell the reinforcements that have arrived that it was all down to Jerry. He tells them that he is the one that set it all up and, he’s the one that killed Dunbar, Mike and himself.

Meanwhile Jim Natter is being heralded as some kind of saint by the leader of the local militant Church group the Patriot Christian Order, Shannon Herald (Robert Patrick).
Virginia Madsen as Lucy Monroe in Ambushed, shown in profile with a focused and determined expression, sitting in an office setting.Jerry is trying to get Eric and himself some help, but Eric begins to question why Jerry is trying to help him and why he’s trusting his black colleagues over his white ones. It dawns on Jerry that not only did Eric see who killed his Dad, but that they where white and this whole thing isn’t what it looks like on the surface.

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnd. Yeah, once again I don’t want to ruin anything too much but the film goes on from there pretty much as you’d expect it to do.

See, I say that but while on the surface it’s a generic kind of film it does have some nuance to it. The obvious racial slant on the story is all handled very well in my opinion, but gets a little fluffy when Eric starts to see that what he’s been taught isn’t necessarily correct etc – I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad thing but it is a bit predictable at the same time. And I guess that’s how I’d describe the film, predictable. Good, but nothing new to see here folks.
Virginia Madsen as Lucy Monroe in Ambushed, aiming a handgun from behind a car door, with a tense and determined expression in a dramatic nighttime scene.Virginia plays Lucy Monroe, Jerry’s girlfriend, which is a little controversial given the small town Southern mindset they find themselves in. It’s not a massive role for her to play but she does have plenty of moments to shine, and even a few action bits and bobs to do which is good to see. She’s not a damsel in distress or anything, she can handle herself.

It’s worth your time to watch – It’s a popcorn movie for the most part, and it’s done well. It’s well shot, well-acted and above average compared to how some of these kinds of films turn out.

Virginia previously worked with William Sadler on The Hot Spot, but once again they never share any screen time – Ships that pass in the night.

Availability:

Good on Region 1 DVD, seems to be plenty of copies floating around at any given time.

Gallery:

Trailer: