blanche-2 Crystal Bernard is "As Good as Dead" in this 1995 film written and directed by Larry Cohen. Before the day of home computers, Larry Cohen's grammar school-aged daughter had to write a short report. Mr. Cohen used the typing agency where I worked to type his scripts. So on a Sunday, I took a cab to his beautiful home in New York City, got the hand-printed paper, went home, typed it, got in a cab and brought the typed paper back. We also typed a couple of scripts for him in the office. He would dictate them and take on the accent or emotion of the characters. I've followed his prolific career with great interest.In "As Good as Dead," Bernard plays Susan Warfield, who works in an office. She takes a hep, sick young woman, Nicole (Traci Lords) to the hospital and gives the desk her own insurance card so that Nicole can be treated. Otherwise, they would have to go to the county hospital.Susan tells her office she has to have surgery (as Nicole does) and then takes off on vacation so as not to run into anyone she knows. When she returns, Nicole, assumed to be Susan, is unexpectedly dead; Susan's apartment has been cleared out, and her job is gone. The strangest part of it is that a half-brother that Susan isn't aware she has made all the arrangements. Susan has no choice but to move into Nicole's apartment and wear Nicole's trendy, too short clothes until she can find out why Nicole died and who this mysterious half-brother is.This is actually quite an interesting film, very Lifetime, very TV movie, but entertaining with good performances. Bernard is likable, Lords is Lords, and Judge Reinhold does very well as an attractive man who becomes part of Nicole's (Susan's) life.Mr. Cohen's daughter is undoubtedly married now with children of her own. Though this film was made in 1995, he is still very active as a writer. Thanks to the computer, I'm still typing.

Theo Robertson You know not to expect too much if you know if a film playing late on BBC 1 is a TVM but AS GOOD AS DEAD did at least have actors who have appeared in relatively successful mainstream movies , and even if you don't class Traci Lords as a mainstream actress at least you've got an opportunity to see what she looks like with her clothes on ! Saying that this telefilm has a very exciting premise of what happens if an act of kindness goes astray leading to all sorts of terrible fall-out . As a couple of people have already mentioned this would have possibly worked much better as a cinematic release or failing that a thriller made by HBO . Unfortunately seeing as it's marketed more for woman who have no interest in what's on the mid week sports channel the TVM pulls its punches But it's the lack of credibility that ruins the potential . Okay Nicole just happens to bump into Susan outside a nightclub and they become instant best friends so much so Susan lets Nicole have an operation via her medical insurance . This is one of those plot setting sequences where the audience aren't supposed to think about so that can be forgiven since most movies have this type of pre-destination , for example think how the alien from ET just happens to be found by Elliot the only friendly human he's likely to meet on Earth . But what is far less easier to forgive is the way Susan reacts to the situation or the way other people react to Susan who despite having no money or access to money can afford bus and taxi fares around town . Susan shows photos of people in a hospital and sits down at a computer but no one ever gets suspicious about her behaviour or motives , and if Nicole was able to walk into any club or attend any party doesn't that mean she has a large network of associates ? If so how come no one seems to have noticed she's disappeared . Perhaps the most unlikely aspect ( IMHO ) is that while Susan is shown at the start of the movie as being a conservative dresser she then has no qualms about dressing like a slut later on . Would a woman who wears trouser suits be the sort of person who wears thigh lengths boots and a belt masquerading as a skirt ? Yeah I know you've got to turn off critical facilities when you're watching this type of telefilm but these plot twists are irritating if not unconvincing , and what makes it worse is as I previously stated is that the premise itself showed a lot of promise

Donrmcm I agree with the user above who wrote the summary of this movie. The only reason I watched this was because I found both Crystal Bernard and Traci Lords very attractive. After Traci Lords died in the movie, the only reason I kept watching it was because Crystal Bernard had to dress up in all of Traci Lords mini dresses and she looked very sexy.Other than that, this movie takes too many twists and turns to be believable. Judge Reinhold plays what appears to be a silly character that turns out to be sinister. All I can say is that if you've got a few hours to kill, you might get a laugh out of this farce.

martymaster The only reason I watched this movie,where because Traci Lords was in it.As everyone knows,she is maybe the most famouse pornstar of all time.This is just a little biography about her:She was a teen runaway and began nude modeling and making adult films at the age of 15.This lead to a big trial in America and almost all of her movies was banned and burned.She then made some adult movies when she became 18years old.She has later become a ordinary movie star and stars in a lot of tv movies.But no one will forget her past.I think she is maybe the most talented pornstar of all time,because not many pornstar have gotten acting jobs like her,when they leave the adult industry.To bad that almost all of her earlie movie has been banned because she was only 15 years old,but it is possible to get them if you have the right conection.As far as the movie goes,it is an ordinary thriller with a few creepy moments, but nothig we havent seen before. The only special thing about it is that it has Traci Lords in it.