Category Archives: noir

Virginia Madsen in A Prairie Home Companion

A Prairie Home Companion

A Prairie Home Companion was a “new to me” film when I sat down to watch it for this whole Virginia Madsen thing. I don’t really know why I’ve never watched it before, I missed it on release, bought it and just never got round to it.

A fun little factoid while I’m here – A Prairie Home Companion was the film just starting to get some buzz around it when I sacked off the original version of this website all those years ago. At the time of watching / writing it’s one of the last I’m doing to complete this whole puzzle. Actually getting around to watching it now was kind of full circle for me, I didn’t even plan for it to be one of the last, not on purpose, my subconscious might have had something to do with it though.
Virginia Madsen as the Dangerous Woman in A Prairie Home Companion, wearing a white trench coat with a wide belt. She stands in a dimly lit backstage area, illuminated by a hanging lamp, with a mysterious and commanding presence.It’s the last film directed by Robert Altman, he was 80 while it was being made. The studio were so nervous about this they enlisted Paul Thomas Anderson as a backup in case things didn’t go according to plan.

The cast is amazing; Kevin Kline, Woody Harrelson, Tommy Lee Jones thrown in with Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin and of course our heroine, Virginia Madsen – I mean – it doesn’t really get a lot better than that on paper.

But, just because something looks good on paper doesn’t make it good on screen as I’ve found out time and time again when doing this whole thing.

It’s actually a quirky little (but big) film. We follow the story about the end of an era, the final broadcast of a long running Radio Show called, A Prairie Home Companion. It’s all done in a behind the scenes kind of format. You get the very real feeling you’re watching it play out live, or one of those Netflix documentaries where they film everything. It’s quite voyeuristic in places and a delight to watch actors of this calibur do this kind of thing.

And, it’s voyeuristic with good reason. It’s kind of, sort of, based on a real radio show, called “The Prairie Home Companion”, funnily enough. The host of the radio show, Garrison Keillor, would be the writer of this film version. More than a couple of people involved with the actual show would make their way over to this fictional version of it including Garrison himself, Tim Russell and Sue Scott.Virginia Madsen as the Dangerous Woman in A Prairie Home Companion, wearing a white trench coat. She leans over with a solemn expression, watching over an ailing man in a dimly lit room filled with candles and music memorabilia.Virginia Madsen plays a character who just goes by “Dangerous Woman”, though she’s widely regarded to be the actual Angel of Death. The “Dangerous Woman” moniker probably comes from her waltzing around in a trench coat and being all mysterious. Which, to be fair, she does pull off a trench coat quite well.

It’s not the Angel of Death you’re probably thinking of, not the way it’s played on screen at least. She’s a very serene figure with an ethereal presence. Almost soothing. It’s odd, there is almost no drama to her on screen despite you being painfully aware of what she represents. This is noticeable from when we first meet her in Kevin Kline’s office, to the way she enters the diner at the end of the film. In amongst the general chaos of the rest of the film it’s a unique performance that I don’t think just “anyone” could pull off. You very much get the impression that she’s heavily involved with the characters, deciding their fates, but the way she blends into the background and generally goes unnoticed unless she wants to be. Well, it’s kind of genius. Full credit to Virginia Madsen on this one, very subtle but very effective.

It’s all completely by design as well. Speaking with Jimmy Guerts for the Herald Tribune she’d explain;

“So I got to sit next to Robert Altman and Paul Thomas Anderson sometimes all day and just watch them work and listen to how he directed. Every once in a while, he’d say ‘Put in the angel!’ and I’d go in and he’d go, ‘No, no, bring her out.”

I realise I’ve been very complimentary about the film so far, and that’s because I very much did enjoy it. But I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. I’m not even sure there’s much of a plot, really – It’s just a film about life and due to the way it’s shot, that’s what you end up watching, life.Virginia Madsen as the Dangerous Woman in A Prairie Home Companion, wearing a white trench coat. She walks through a vintage hallway with a calm, enigmatic expression, her reflection visible in a foggy window beside her.It’s a little slow, but it’s not supposed to be anything fast paced. It’s a sentimental old fool’s love letter to a dying form of art. It’s homely, it’s… Nice. For want of a better way of putting it.

And, of course it would give Virginia Madsen a chance to work with Tommy Lee Jones again (sort of, he only has a small role) after all those years back in Gotham / The Dead Can’t Lie. And, kinda odd that the role she plays here isn’t a million miles away from that role either. Funny how that happens sometimes.

Availability:

Good, not hard to find on DVD in many different languages and regions.

Gallery:

Trailer:

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 number 23

The Number 23

The Number 23, what should and could have been a great film from 2007. It’s a thriller directed by Joel Schumacher, and it has Jim Carrey as the main driver of the film. Obviously Virginia Madsen is also a star or we wouldn’t be here. And, parts of this film might be the ‘darkest’ we’ve seen her get on camera.

Now, something I’ve learnt from life, and from Batman and Robin, is that Joel and Jim should probably never have worked together. I’ve got time for the both of them on their own, but together? The jury might still be out.

The Number 23 introduces us to Walter Sparrow (Jim Carrey), he works in Pest Control. Just as he’s about to knock off for the day he gets a last minute call about a dog on the loose. He arrives to catch the dog but it bites him and gives him the slip.

All of this makes him late to meet his wife, Agatha (Virginia Madsen). He finds her waiting inside a bookstore. She’s been passing the time browsing and has found a book she’s been thumbing through and thinks he should read it. He shrugs it off but agrees.
Virginia Madsen as Agatha Sparrow in The Number 23, gazing affectionately at Jim Carrey's character, Walter Sparrow. She has a warm smile, her curly blonde hair pulled back with a red headband. The dimly lit scene, set in a cozy room filled with books, emphasizes an intimate and loving moment between the two characters.As Walter (eventually) starts to read the book he begins to notice a lot of similar traits between himself and the main character, a Detective who we only know as Fingerling. Where they grew up, dogs names and all of that kind of stuff. Weird, very weird, but something Agatha passes off as coincidence…

Eventually the novel starts to detail Fingerlings obsession with the number 23. He can see it everywhere. Names, birthdays and colours can all be broken down to the core component of 23.

Slowly but surely Walter begins to notice the 23 thing prominent in his life as well until he becomes as obsessed with it as Fingerling.

This leads to one thing or another, but mostly, well, nonsense.

I don’t want to ruin it for those who haven’t seen it. Even though I’ve just probably put you off it. Truth be told, I’ve seen this film more than a couple of times and relatively enjoyed it. I don’t *hate* the film, far from it. I much prefer Jim Carrey in this kind of role, I never understood the hate The Cable Guy got on release.
Virginia Madsen as Agatha Sparrow in The Number 23, standing with her arms crossed and smiling warmly at Jim Carrey’s character, Walter Sparrow. She is wearing a blue sweater over a white top, with her blonde curls framing her face. The setting is a dimly lit home, with a red wall and hanging lamp adding to the cozy atmosphere.If I do hate something about The Number 23, it’s that it’s a wasted opportunity for an actually good film. I don’t know what they could have changed about this film to make it work better. It’s like they took a really interesting intelligent concept and beat it to death until every conceivable angle had bent, broken and ruined beyond any recognition. There are just too many points where the story falls down if you give it a little thought.

For a film that tries to be so clever, it’s so dumb at times. Kind of like they tried to make it a film people would talk about for years, but missed the whole point of why people talk about films for years. I imagine that somewhere along the line, they pulled more than a couple of punches when it came to getting this onto screen and in front of people.

And, if all of that isn’t bad enough, you can read up online about how “23” affected the film and all that stuff, but personally, I don’t believe a word of any of it – And I love this kind of thing, normally.

Virginia Madsen pulls her weight here as well, I won’t go into specifics but it’s double duty as Agatha in Walters life and the sexy alluring Fabrzia in Fingerlings. But, it’s wasted. Again. Actually, no, to be fair – It’s not really wasted. Her work (and that of Jim Carrey) here helps bring the movie up a few notches. It’s just a shame the movie doesn’t back her up.
Virginia Madsen as Fabrizia in The Number 23, wearing a black off-the-shoulder dress with dark hair and bangs. She stands in a dimly lit room with a gothic atmosphere, candles burning in the background. She holds a dripping red cloth in one hand, extending it dramatically, her expression intense and mysteriousAnd, yet, despite all of that I’d still watch it again.

The tale it tells is serviceable, just don’t put a lot of thought into it – I did and do enjoy watching the story fold out and it has some half decent moments in it. There are some twists and turns, which I’m pretty sure aren’t going to be a shock to most of you but, if they are then that’s a bonus.

Reading the reviews on a few places it seems to be a pretty divisive film, some rate it highly, most put it in the middle like me it seems and obviously this is the Internet so there is some outright hate for it as well.

I guess this one to make your own mind up about.

Availability:

Good. Copies on DVD in most regions freely available and on Blu Ray as well.

Gallery:

Trailer:

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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:

virginia madsen in the hot spot virginia madsen in the hot spot

Other Promotional Material:

virginia madsen in the hot spot
UK Full Page Magazine Advert

 

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virginia madsen in third degree burn

Third Degree Burn

Third Degree Burn is a TV Movie from 1989 made for HBO Television. And, another of my early awakenings for Virginia. I can’t remember how or where I first came across this one but it’s always been one of my favourites. I think I used to get this one mixed up with Linda for a while. No particular reason, just sticks in my head from around the same time.

Anyways, it’s another Thriller movie. With another Private Eye. And, well. Yeah, such was the time I suppose.

This time we see Private Eye Scott Weston (Treat Williams) hired by Clay Reynolds (Richard Masur) who suspects his wife, Anne (Mrs Madsen), has been cheating on him. He wants Scott to follow her and report back on any shenanigans she might be getting up to.
Virginia Madsen as Anne Scholes in Third Degree Burn (1989), standing beside a red-striped vehicle under a bright blue sky. She wears a stylish pink halter dress, cat-eye sunglasses, and pearl earrings, brushing her blonde hair back as she gazes into the distance with a confident, enigmatic expression.Scott ends up introducing himself to Anne when he rescues her from a breakdown on the side of the road. The two hit it off and before you know it he finds out that Anne is indeed getting up to shenanigans behind her husband’s back, with him.
Virginia Madsen as Anne Scholes in Third Degree Burn (1989), leaning against a wall in a dimly lit room. She wears a red halter top, her blonde hair tousled, as she faces a shirtless Treat Williams. Their close proximity and intense expressions add to the film’s sultry, suspenseful tone.BUT – In a twist, it’s not long before Clay is killed and Scott finds himself squarely in the frame for his murder even though he’s innocent.

And what follows is a cat and mouse between various players as Scott tries to prove his innocence with everything working against him.
Virginia Madsen as Anne Scholes in Third Degree Burn (1989), gazing thoughtfully at someone off-screen. Her blonde hair is elegantly styled, and she rests her chin on her hands, her expression both alluring and mysterious. The dim lighting enhances the film’s moody, noir-like atmosphere.And as I wrote that I realised just why it reminds me of Linda.

Third Degree Burn isn’t ever going to win any awards for, well, anything – BUT – It is a fun thriller that keeps you on your toes. It’s well acted for the most part, Treat Williams keep up his end of the bargain against Virginia well.

Virginia is in fine form here doing her thing as the mysterious femme fatale, there aren’t many that do this kind of role as well as her and I imagine anyone that is up for this kind of role these days would study her performance in films like this.
Virginia Madsen as Anne Scholes in Third Degree Burn (1989), gazing intently at Treat Williams with an expression of fear or longing. Her blonde hair is elegantly styled, and she wears pearl earrings and bold red lipstick. The moody lighting and close framing heighten the film’s noir-inspired tension.There seems to be a lot of negative reviews about this film online – But, as I’ve said a few times now on this site – The film is what it is, switch your brain off and go along for the ride on this one. It’s just trying to entertain, and it does.

Availability:

Not that easy. It’s never had an official release on DVD, it can be found on VHS but then you need a VHS player. There are copies on YouTube but they tend to be fairly low in quality. I own the VHS and I did manage to find a copy on DVD as a backup which is probably better than the VHS. Don’t expect it to come with a case, sleeve or properly printed disc though if you do find one.

Gallery:

Trailer:
#Nope

Pseudo DVD Cover:
I’m not a graphic designer, I don’t claim to be a graphic designer and I never actually want to be a graphic designer.

However, I don’t like gaps in my DVD collection and so I made this from a scan of the VHS cover to print out and slot in there.

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virginia madsen in gotham

Gotham / The Dead Can’t Lie

Gotham, also known as The Dead Can’t Lie, is a product of 1988 and was first shown as a TV Movie first show on Showtime. Don’t worry though, it’s not an “Eighties” movie in the way her other films where at the time.

If there was one film that would forever make me a Virginia Madsen fan, it would be this one. A firm favourite and one I watch on a semi regular basis. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that whenever I read or hear her name the chances are the image I get in my head of her is one from this film.

We first meet Charles (Colin Bruce) in a bar telling his tale of woe to a bartender. The mood set by jazz saxophones aplenty. He tells the tale of how he’s being stalked by a woman who is following him at night, he tries to hide from her but she knows he’s there and taunts him as he hides in the shadows.

He ends up sleeping on the streets only to be woken by the Police the next day. Charles calls on the help of a Private Eye, Eddie Martel Mallard (Tommy Lee Jones). He’s the Private Eye you think of when you think of the classic film noir Private Eye, a gruff grumpy chancer.

Charles explains his problem to Eddie. It’s his ex wife, Rachel (Virginia) that is stalking him and he wants rid of her from his life. Eddie suggests he divorce her but Charles insists that he can’t. Why? It turns out his wife died 10 years ago in a boating accident…

Eddie is of course sceptical about all of this and an amused look crosses his face as tries to determine how much of a nut job Charles is but once he’s shown the colour of Charles’ money he sees an easy score, “Call me Eddie” he insists as he takes the job.

Eddie feels bad for taking his money, but he needs it and he figures he’s doing Charles a favour one way or another.

A few days later Eddie and Charles are in town and they spot Rachel. Eddie doing his thing crosses the road to speak to her. She denies knowing Charles and thinks the whole thing is a pick up line by Eddie. They end up going for a drink together (somewhere expensive, she insists), much to Charles’ dismay.Virginia Madsen as Rachel Carlyle in Gotham (1988), exuding elegance in a sleek black outfit with a wide-brimmed hat and bold red lipstick. A striking gold crescent belt accents her waist as she walks through a bustling city street, her expression enigmatic and distant, adding to the film’s noir atmosphere.Eddie and Rachel talk in the bar, well, Rachel talks as Eddie gets flustered around such a beautiful woman. He knows she’s out of his league and she knows she’s out of his league but seems to offer some encouragement to what she likes in a man. She leaves him at the bar to mull over what she’s said.
Virginia Madsen as Rachel Carlyle in Gotham (1988), radiating classic noir elegance. She wears a black and white wide-brimmed hat, red lipstick, and white gloves while holding a cigarette with a knowing, enigmatic expression. The soft lighting and cityscape background enhance the film’s mysterious, vintage atmosphere.Eddie returns to his office where Charles catches up to him. Charles wants to know what Rachel wants, when Eddie doesn’t know he offers up that she probably wants some jewels that she thinks she is owed. Jumping on the chance to potentially get hold of some money so that he can impress Rachel goes along with the idea and they come up with a plan to get rid of Rachel by giving her these jewels.

Of course, things don’t quite go according to plan as Eddie schemes his way through the rest of the situation hoping to get a payday, and to get to know Rachel better…
Virginia Madsen as Rachel Carlyle in Gotham (1988), with voluminous blonde curls and a thoughtful expression. She wears a black and white houndstooth coat over a white blouse, her red lips adding a touch of classic elegance. The blurred cityscape behind her enhances the film’s mysterious, noir atmosphere.Gotham is a noir film dripped in noir and sprinkled with a touch of noir. Then served with a healthy side of good old fashioned noir. And it’s fantastic for it.

Tommy Lee Jones is brilliant as Eddie, I don’t think he’s even acting, I think he’s just turned up to be him and is generally amused by what he finds. Virginia, is of course peak Virginia in this. Sexy, alluring, mysterious and a little bit dangerous. I feel a bit sorry for Colin Bruce, he plays his part to perfection but he’s not given the meat on the bones of the other two, still a great turn from him.

I obviously recommend this one. You’ll need to take it for what it is, it’s supposed to be that way and it’s brilliantly realised.

Availability:
Not too hard to find on Region 1 DVD, there are some inflated prices for it as it’s not readily available but patience will be your friend here. Seems to pop up on VHS quite a lot as well if that’s your thing. Also seen Laser Disc copies kicking around but that’s something I’ve not really bothered with.

Gallery:

Trailer:

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virginia madsen in victim of love

Victim of Love / Raw Heat

Victim of Love, or Raw Heat as you might know it is a 1991 erotic(ish) thriller film, or maybe a 2003 film? Originally it was made for TV for CBS but apparently it had its sexier scenes expanded in 2003  and released by LionsGate / Artisan as Raw Heat.

Either way, it’s a love triangle kind of film. Tess Parker (JoBeth Williams) is a therapist who meets a new man, Paul Tomlinson (Pierce Brosnan) on a night out. He charms Tess and she has a hard time not thinking about him.

One of Tess’s patients, Carla Simmons (Virginia) comes to a therapy session where she starts telling Tess about a man who used to be in her life, but now isn’t. It doesn’t take long for Tess to realise that Carla is telling her about Paul.
Virginia Madsen as Emma Simmons in Victim of Love, exuding mystery and allure. She leans against a wall, holding a cigarette, her expression unreadable.Because, of course.

Carla tells Tess about how she was having an affair with Paul when his wife died. Paul, feeling bad about his wife’s death, didn’t want to continue with Carla and told her he needed some time out. But Carla finds out Paul has moved on with someone else.

Tess confronts Paul about it, he admits to knowing her but denies any romantic involvement. Just as they hug and make up, Carla see’s them and starts to shout at Tess before storming off.
Virginia Madsen as Emma Simmons in Victim of Love, wearing a headband and earrings. She looks concerned, her expression hinting at unease.Tess tries to make it up with Carla and goes to her apartment to set things right. When she gets there Carla has up and left but left behind a letter written to her by Paul.

Tess goes to confront Paul, and – Yeah – He denies, she believes, more evidence from Carla who claims that Paul’s wife’s death wasn’t an accident, Paul deflects and so on.

I would say it’s not a complicated film, but it’s not without its twists and turns – The overall premise isn’t hard to grasp though.

I’m going to hold my hands up and say I enjoy this film for what it is. I didn’t actually remember it that well when I sat down with it again. It’s by the numbers plot wise but the story keeps you watching till the end.
Virginia Madsen as Emma Simmons in Victim of Love, looking distressed in a dimly lit scene. Her expression conveys fear and urgency.Virginia is excellent in this movie, I always think the films from this time give her the most to do, I wouldn’t like to say it was the peak of her career but she was certainly getting cast in a lot of various types of roles and at her best when you think about all the different roles she was pulling off at the time.

As for Raw Heat being an expanded version of Victim of Love, I can find no evidence of that, I have “Victim of Love” and “Raw Heat”, both have the same running time. Victim of Love DVD says that it’s from 1991 and Raw Heat from 2002, that much at least is true.

Availability:
Not hard to find on DVD under both titles.

Gallery:

Trailer:

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virginia madsen in slam dance

Slam Dance

I think I’d credit Slam Dance as being the first time we see Virginia Madsen do her Femme Fatale thing. It was a bit of a break in stride for her at this point in her career. It’s just a shame we didn’t get to see more of her do her thing in the movie, despite her being on the poster.

When I originally watched this movie back in the day, I thought it was “OK” – I didn’t feel the urge to watch it again. Hell, even when it came time to watch it again on this project I can’t say it was top of my list.

The internet seems divided on this film, reading the reviews on iMDB.com there are quite a few split opinions on it.Virginia Madsen in Slam Dance (1987), smiling confidently with voluminous blonde hair and wearing a sleek black dress. The moody lighting and her playful yet mysterious expression add to the film’s neo-noir allure.Unfortunately, after the rewatch I’m falling down on the “what a mess this is” side of things. There is a lot that can be said about how the film looks, how it’s shot and the other technical stuff – It’s a very well made film. But, the plot and the story don’t do it justice. Mutton dressed as Lamb in film form.

I didn’t enjoy it, I contemplated turning it off a few times in all honesty but I got distracted with how little Virginia is actually in this one. Which is probably the opposite of what normally distracts me in one of her movies.

Slam Dance is a neo-noir thriller. CC Drood (Tom Hulce) is a cartoonist, he’s married to Helen (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio)  but he’s been involved with  a call girl, Yolanda Caldwell (Mrs Madsen). The cad.

Yolanda is found murdered near the start of the movie and Drood’s name is firmly on the lips and minds of the investigating Police officers, Detective Benjamin Smiley (Harry Dean Stanton) and Detective John Gilbert (John Doe).

Drood knows he is innocent but can see for himself how bad it is and so he sets about proving his own innocence.Virginia Madsen in Slam Dance (1987), wearing a black halter dress, leaning toward Tom Hulce’s character against a seaside backdrop. Her voluminous blonde hair frames her face as they exchange an intense gaze, adding to the film’s romantic yet suspenseful tone.And, that’s about all I can manage to describe without going down a rabbit hole with plots and other totally unnecessary things about the film. Probably doesn’t help that I only had one eye on it to be honest.

BUT – I’m not on my own, Googling the film while I was watching and checking out what others had to say about it, they pretty much say the same. I was thinking I might be missing something, but seems not – Style over substance seems to be the overall consensus about this one.

It’s hard to give any real guidance on Virginia’s performance in this one, I mean for sure it’s a sign of things to come but she’s basically wasted here.

Probably worth a mention that this is the first film which she’d share credits with both Harry Dean Stanton and Robert Beltran, both of whom she’d work with again. Harry on Blue Tiger and Ballad of the Nightingale (Los Angeles Cannes (Solo Andata), Robert on Star Trek: Voyager.

It’s also hard to recommend you watch it as a Virginia fan for the same reason, obviously as a collector you’re going to want to show up for this one, but other than that…

It does actually say something when the DVD cover actually manages to spell one of the lead actors names wrong… 🙄 virginia madsen in slam dance
Availability:
Good. Not hard to find on DVD at all.

Gallery:

Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoT0iXDWWCA

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