335 reviews
Adultery, Jealousy & Revenge
- seymourblack-1
- Oct 8, 2012
- Permalink
I finally saw this, 33 years after its original release
Given that I see about 150-200 movies a year (mostly in the theater, but also on demand), it is absolutely amazing that I had never seen "Fatal Attraction", originally released in 1987 (119 min.), yes 33 years ago! So the other night I was channel-surfing for something good to watch, and there it was about to start on SHO. I decided to tune in.
No point in introducing the film's plot, which everyone knows. So let me just add a couple of general observations. First, I was surprised how good the film actually was. I'm not sure where I had gotten the idea in my head that this probably wasn't going to be all that good, but it is an intense, very intense, stalker-drama. Second, the three lead performances are rock solid, led by a believable crazy-over-the-top Glenn Close. Her transformation from lover to stalker to hater is absolutely spine-tingling. Third, the movie of course feels a bit dated when you see not a single communication exchange on mobile devices. Instead, old landline phones actually ring out loud. No texting of course. Fourth, after watching this the other night, I read up a bit on the movie's history and legacy, and it was then that I learned that the movie's original ending was changed drastically into what we now know as the ending. The original ending sounds sounds more logical to me that what it eventually would become, although I can certainly see the shock value in the new ending.
Bottom line, this movie was a pleasant surprise all around, and these 2 hours just flew by. Glad that I finally joined the rest of the cinema-loving crowd and now have seen "Fatal Attraction", 33 years after the facts. If you are one of those who like me hadn't seen this yet. I'd readily suggest you check it out and draw your own conclusion.
No point in introducing the film's plot, which everyone knows. So let me just add a couple of general observations. First, I was surprised how good the film actually was. I'm not sure where I had gotten the idea in my head that this probably wasn't going to be all that good, but it is an intense, very intense, stalker-drama. Second, the three lead performances are rock solid, led by a believable crazy-over-the-top Glenn Close. Her transformation from lover to stalker to hater is absolutely spine-tingling. Third, the movie of course feels a bit dated when you see not a single communication exchange on mobile devices. Instead, old landline phones actually ring out loud. No texting of course. Fourth, after watching this the other night, I read up a bit on the movie's history and legacy, and it was then that I learned that the movie's original ending was changed drastically into what we now know as the ending. The original ending sounds sounds more logical to me that what it eventually would become, although I can certainly see the shock value in the new ending.
Bottom line, this movie was a pleasant surprise all around, and these 2 hours just flew by. Glad that I finally joined the rest of the cinema-loving crowd and now have seen "Fatal Attraction", 33 years after the facts. If you are one of those who like me hadn't seen this yet. I'd readily suggest you check it out and draw your own conclusion.
- paul-allaer
- Feb 11, 2020
- Permalink
Does for adultery what JAWS did for sharks
So here we have it, the granddaddy of the psycho-thriller genre and in all respects a more subtle and realistic film than you'd expect from a genre that later descended into cheesy madness and inanity. By the time these run of films had finished – and there are still some B-movies coming out, here and there – we'd had psychotic babysitters, mothers, fathers, children, nurses, co-workers, you name it. But FATAL ATTRACTION is the one that kicked them all off in a wave of popularity, even if there were precedents in the likes of Eastwood's PLAY MISTY FOR ME and the slasher genre. It's a simple story of the archetypal happy family and what happens when the father and husband has an affair with an unhinged woman.
Michael Douglas is on top form as the slightly sleazy family guy who can't resist shacking up with loopy Glenn Close when his wife (Anne Archer) is away. Douglas later found a home in this type of film, menaced by more adulteresses (Sharon Stone) and even his own boss (Demi Moore). Here, though, he's fresher faced and more realistic, with the script making no bones of his adultery and the way he betrays both his wife and child by having an affair while they're away. Glenn Close is frightening in the role that made her name, but I have to say she doesn't cut it as an object of desire – with that hairstyle she looks like a maniac from the outset! The realism of the plot excludes the kind of murderous rampage sequences that later popularised the genre, and it's all the more chilling for it – the suicide attempt scene is far more disturbing than watching a madwoman running amok with a kitchen knife. Then, of course, there's that scene involving the favourite family pet that's rightly gone down in history as one of the most memorable of all time, and a now-familiar shock climax to polish things off. I did find the film somewhat subdued in places where it could have been more thrilling, but that's because it plays it as a character drama for the most part, more interested in getting to grips with Close's psychosis than bumping off a string of inconsequential types.
Michael Douglas is on top form as the slightly sleazy family guy who can't resist shacking up with loopy Glenn Close when his wife (Anne Archer) is away. Douglas later found a home in this type of film, menaced by more adulteresses (Sharon Stone) and even his own boss (Demi Moore). Here, though, he's fresher faced and more realistic, with the script making no bones of his adultery and the way he betrays both his wife and child by having an affair while they're away. Glenn Close is frightening in the role that made her name, but I have to say she doesn't cut it as an object of desire – with that hairstyle she looks like a maniac from the outset! The realism of the plot excludes the kind of murderous rampage sequences that later popularised the genre, and it's all the more chilling for it – the suicide attempt scene is far more disturbing than watching a madwoman running amok with a kitchen knife. Then, of course, there's that scene involving the favourite family pet that's rightly gone down in history as one of the most memorable of all time, and a now-familiar shock climax to polish things off. I did find the film somewhat subdued in places where it could have been more thrilling, but that's because it plays it as a character drama for the most part, more interested in getting to grips with Close's psychosis than bumping off a string of inconsequential types.
- Leofwine_draca
- Jul 24, 2011
- Permalink
WOW
Terrifying
A married man (Michael Douglas)'s one night stand comes back to haunt him when that lover (Glenn Close) begins to stalk him and his family.
Apparently when this film came out it had some feminist backlash because it appears to show a career woman as psychotic, while the stay-at-home wife is good and subservient. That is one way to read it, but it would be putting meaning in there that probably was never intended.
This is quite simply someone with mental issues going after another person. It has a bit of a morality tale in there, scaring men off of cheating. But there is not much in it about gender. It simple works better as a psychotic woman rather than a man, because a psychotic man with a knife is pretty mundane.
Apparently when this film came out it had some feminist backlash because it appears to show a career woman as psychotic, while the stay-at-home wife is good and subservient. That is one way to read it, but it would be putting meaning in there that probably was never intended.
This is quite simply someone with mental issues going after another person. It has a bit of a morality tale in there, scaring men off of cheating. But there is not much in it about gender. It simple works better as a psychotic woman rather than a man, because a psychotic man with a knife is pretty mundane.
Made me squirm
holds up over time... except...
- Quinoa1984
- Sep 22, 2016
- Permalink
One Of The Most Memorable Movies Of The '80s
You don't hear much about this film anymore, but in its day, this was the most-talked about movie of the year. It was a 'favorite topic of conversation about the office water cooler' for a number of weeks. At the time, it was a shocker. Nowaways.....who knows? As we become more and more desensitized to violence, sex and profanity, it takes a lot more to shock us.
Still, this movie had memorable moments that have stayed with us who first saw it at the theater 20 years ago. Most of those memorable scenes, if not all of them, involve Glenn Close's character, "Alex Forrest." Man, this is a woman who would not be denied what she wanted: in this case, married man Michael Douglas.
No sense going into all the details. Everyone knows them by now, anyway. Looking back, I think the film was a good lesson for men (or women) thinking about cheating on their spouses and assuming nothing bad will happen as a result. Men may commit more crimes, but that old adage about a "woman scorned" certainly is demonstrated here in spades! Douglas' character, "Dan Gallagher," certainly can attest to that, but he is anything but a sympathetic character. Both actors do a superb job in here, but kudos also to the rest of the Gallagher family, played by Anne Archer (wife "Beth") and Ellen Hamilton Latzen (daughter "Ellen.")
Also, the cinematography shouldn't be overlooked. The widescreen DVD certainly brought out how nicely this film was shot and directed. This two-hour film keeps your attention all the way. The only thing I would change is the language, toning it down a bit. Otherwise, it's a classic thriller and one of the most famous films in the '80s.
Still, this movie had memorable moments that have stayed with us who first saw it at the theater 20 years ago. Most of those memorable scenes, if not all of them, involve Glenn Close's character, "Alex Forrest." Man, this is a woman who would not be denied what she wanted: in this case, married man Michael Douglas.
No sense going into all the details. Everyone knows them by now, anyway. Looking back, I think the film was a good lesson for men (or women) thinking about cheating on their spouses and assuming nothing bad will happen as a result. Men may commit more crimes, but that old adage about a "woman scorned" certainly is demonstrated here in spades! Douglas' character, "Dan Gallagher," certainly can attest to that, but he is anything but a sympathetic character. Both actors do a superb job in here, but kudos also to the rest of the Gallagher family, played by Anne Archer (wife "Beth") and Ellen Hamilton Latzen (daughter "Ellen.")
Also, the cinematography shouldn't be overlooked. The widescreen DVD certainly brought out how nicely this film was shot and directed. This two-hour film keeps your attention all the way. The only thing I would change is the language, toning it down a bit. Otherwise, it's a classic thriller and one of the most famous films in the '80s.
- ccthemovieman-1
- Jan 27, 2007
- Permalink
Excellent Performance by Glenn Close In A Rather Ordinary Movie
Had it not been for the performance of Glenn Close, this movie wouldn't really be worth the effort of watching. She shines in an excellent performance as Alex Forest, the spurned lover of Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas), whose obsession with their relationship becomes progressively more violent. Close manages to play Forest as the successful business type, the emotionally wounded woman and the deranged psychopath, and she makes every aspect of Alex believable. Michael Douglas is always competent, and is no less here than anywhere else, but his portrayal of Gallagher to me seemed a bit shallow and unconvincing.
The story itself (of the spurned woman seeking revenge) is hardly original, and even the twists and turns seem typical and predictable, and more than a few things in the story made little sense. First, given that Gallagher seemed to have a good relationship with his wife Beth (Ann Archer) and a happy family life as the father of Ellen (Ellen Hamilton Latzen) it seemed to me that he fell too quickly and too easily under the spell of Alex. Their relationship didn't come across as believable to me. Then, setting up the last confrontation of the movie, Gallagher is shown locking the doors to his house, with his body language suggesting that he had forgotten to lock them before. What? After everything he and his family have been through at Alex's hands, he didn't think to keep the doors locked at all times?! How did this guy get through law school? Finally, the ending was predictable, and for about the 914th time in the movies we see a villain who seems to be dead come back to life. There's no shock to this anymore, although I suppose when "Fatal Attraction" was actually released (in 1987) it was actually only the 674th time this had happened. In short, there really wasn't much imagination at the end.
This movie is all right as a way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon, but except for a few scenes (the thought of the boiling pot in the kitchen - and its contents - will remain in your mind after the movie's over) this is hardly edge of your seat stuff. Watch it for the excellent performance by Close, though.
6/10
The story itself (of the spurned woman seeking revenge) is hardly original, and even the twists and turns seem typical and predictable, and more than a few things in the story made little sense. First, given that Gallagher seemed to have a good relationship with his wife Beth (Ann Archer) and a happy family life as the father of Ellen (Ellen Hamilton Latzen) it seemed to me that he fell too quickly and too easily under the spell of Alex. Their relationship didn't come across as believable to me. Then, setting up the last confrontation of the movie, Gallagher is shown locking the doors to his house, with his body language suggesting that he had forgotten to lock them before. What? After everything he and his family have been through at Alex's hands, he didn't think to keep the doors locked at all times?! How did this guy get through law school? Finally, the ending was predictable, and for about the 914th time in the movies we see a villain who seems to be dead come back to life. There's no shock to this anymore, although I suppose when "Fatal Attraction" was actually released (in 1987) it was actually only the 674th time this had happened. In short, there really wasn't much imagination at the end.
This movie is all right as a way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon, but except for a few scenes (the thought of the boiling pot in the kitchen - and its contents - will remain in your mind after the movie's over) this is hardly edge of your seat stuff. Watch it for the excellent performance by Close, though.
6/10
An unforgettable movie
- Smells_Like_Cheese
- Feb 12, 2004
- Permalink
She won't be ignored, Dan!
"Fatal Attraction" is one of those famous things that got people talking during every free moment – and also one that's sure to be spoiled if you're like me and wait 30 years to see it.
Plot-wise, I know that to expect; but it still surprised me in some ways. Like the character of Alex Forrest. She doesn't have very much depth and it reduced to a stock schizo, but you wouldn't know it from Glenn Close's performance. Alex's (let's call them) antics have an unpredictability to them. Even when they're outlandish, they still work towards terrorizing Michael Douglas. She just keeps closing in, man. I don't think I'm really spoiling anything by saying Douglas eventually comes clean to his wife (Anne Archer) about the affair and that look of abject devastation on her face is horrible.
If the writing ever fails you (and it gets iffy) the acting won't. This can be a real nail- biter at times, and that's because the performances elevate the trashy script.
7/10
Plot-wise, I know that to expect; but it still surprised me in some ways. Like the character of Alex Forrest. She doesn't have very much depth and it reduced to a stock schizo, but you wouldn't know it from Glenn Close's performance. Alex's (let's call them) antics have an unpredictability to them. Even when they're outlandish, they still work towards terrorizing Michael Douglas. She just keeps closing in, man. I don't think I'm really spoiling anything by saying Douglas eventually comes clean to his wife (Anne Archer) about the affair and that look of abject devastation on her face is horrible.
If the writing ever fails you (and it gets iffy) the acting won't. This can be a real nail- biter at times, and that's because the performances elevate the trashy script.
7/10
"It scared the living daylights out of every man in America!"...
... so says Tom Hanks in 1993's "Sleepless in Seattle" to his son in reference to this movie and comparing its outcome to a strange woman who has been writing the widower (Hanks) as a result of him appearing on a radio show. But that's another movie.
The point is, its lesson was still easily recognizable in popular culture six years after it was made. What looks like an easy lay with a beautiful single woman can easily turn into an object lesson on Murphy's law. Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas) is a successful NYC attorney, and on a weekend when his wife and daughter are away from home at his in-laws' house, he has a work meeting that includes Alex Forrest (Glenn Close), an editor for a publishing company. This leads to a drink at a bar, and that leads to a passionate one night stand that turns into a two night stand when Alex attempts suicide when Dan tries to leave.
Dan thinks it's over. Alex has seemed to come to her senses. But then she tells him she is pregnant, and no she is having this baby because she is 36 and it may be her last chance. When Dan insists he is not leaving his wife for her, that he does not love her - well, let's just say that the opposite of love is not hate it's indifference, and Alex at first stalks Dan and gradually turns up the heat until his entire family is at risk. The suspense builds until the harrowing end.
The thing is, Dan always loved his wife, subtly played by Ann Archer. She is beautiful, supportive, and he still has passion for her. They have a little girl and are a very happy family. But he just could not say no to what looked like a one night adventure that nobody need ever know about that turns into a nightmare.
There is more to the film than the cautionary "Don't cheat on your wife" message. I think it's because Glenn Close does such a fantastic job playing Alex. There's something about her portrayal that, to me, paints Alex as ultimately powerful, not just outright insane. Until the end she mostly dominates what happens to Michael Douglas' character's life. I think this one has aged well and would still recommend it.
The point is, its lesson was still easily recognizable in popular culture six years after it was made. What looks like an easy lay with a beautiful single woman can easily turn into an object lesson on Murphy's law. Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas) is a successful NYC attorney, and on a weekend when his wife and daughter are away from home at his in-laws' house, he has a work meeting that includes Alex Forrest (Glenn Close), an editor for a publishing company. This leads to a drink at a bar, and that leads to a passionate one night stand that turns into a two night stand when Alex attempts suicide when Dan tries to leave.
Dan thinks it's over. Alex has seemed to come to her senses. But then she tells him she is pregnant, and no she is having this baby because she is 36 and it may be her last chance. When Dan insists he is not leaving his wife for her, that he does not love her - well, let's just say that the opposite of love is not hate it's indifference, and Alex at first stalks Dan and gradually turns up the heat until his entire family is at risk. The suspense builds until the harrowing end.
The thing is, Dan always loved his wife, subtly played by Ann Archer. She is beautiful, supportive, and he still has passion for her. They have a little girl and are a very happy family. But he just could not say no to what looked like a one night adventure that nobody need ever know about that turns into a nightmare.
There is more to the film than the cautionary "Don't cheat on your wife" message. I think it's because Glenn Close does such a fantastic job playing Alex. There's something about her portrayal that, to me, paints Alex as ultimately powerful, not just outright insane. Until the end she mostly dominates what happens to Michael Douglas' character's life. I think this one has aged well and would still recommend it.
Pulse Pounding Intensity
- cohenmax-72574
- Mar 10, 2017
- Permalink
in the end, just another psychodrama
WOW....
- lucas_dunaway
- Sep 29, 2002
- Permalink
Perfectly imperfectly
It's a great movie with excellent actors; the story, sound etc gives you emocions like if you were living it. My point is 8 because some things doesn't pass in the real life.
Glenn Close: Magical!
Glenn Close: Magical!
- anitaplaying
- Aug 28, 2019
- Permalink
Michael Douglas's first in-trouble role.
I'm from China. My English is not very good. So the first time I comment a movie I chose a simple one. I saw "Fatal Attraction" the day before.
I have seen a few of Michael Douglas's movies. And I found he kept taking the same kind script and role for himself. He was a lawyer who had another affair with an attractive woman. By which the relationship brought him a lot of troubles.Even make his life over.
I have to say that Michael had just given his basic performance, nothing special, and nothing would light his career at that moment. Meanwhile, Glen Close did a great job in the movie. We could touch her weird feeling, and her extreme mental troubles. You might even understand what she had done to Michael's family.
This story told that sometimes an unfaithful relationship not only brought one night sexual enjoyment, but also ruined one's life.
I have seen a few of Michael Douglas's movies. And I found he kept taking the same kind script and role for himself. He was a lawyer who had another affair with an attractive woman. By which the relationship brought him a lot of troubles.Even make his life over.
I have to say that Michael had just given his basic performance, nothing special, and nothing would light his career at that moment. Meanwhile, Glen Close did a great job in the movie. We could touch her weird feeling, and her extreme mental troubles. You might even understand what she had done to Michael's family.
This story told that sometimes an unfaithful relationship not only brought one night sexual enjoyment, but also ruined one's life.
Beware of the lover
The plot of Fatal Attraction is well known and supposedly, when the movie was released, it terrified married men to the extent that it reduced adultery rates, or so the story goes. I find that mildly amusing and hard to verify.
What is more interesting is the character of Alex, portrayed skillfully by Glenn Close. The fact that Close didn't have the typical physique to play a "femme fatale" makes her role even more compelling, demonstrating the unpredictability of attraction. Her Alex is only mildly attractive but exudes a wild, deranged sexuality. Her frizzy hair, lack of eyebrows, and pale mouth didn't enhance her appearance, but Alex compensated with aggressive outfits and a matching attitude.
Some have tried to frame her as a feminist icon, but Alex is just a deranged, damaged criminal. At the start of the movie, it's clear that she's leading Dan where she wants him. During their dinner, Dan says, "This will end the way you want it," indicating that the idea was a no-strings-attached one-night stand between consenting adults, especially since Alex knew Dan was married.
They spend another day together because Alex insists, but Dan never gives the impression that he is in love with her or anything more than temporarily interested.
What is bizarre is Alex's change of behavior when Dan shows no further interest. From an independent professional, Alex transforms into a clingy, begging mess of a woman, which is explained vaguely, if at all.
While Dan's infidelity is not justified, I think he receives a punishment far harsher than he deserves. It's not true that he "used" Alex, who was more than willing to be used (as seen in the elevator scene). Moreover, falling out of love-or in this case, out of lust-is not a crime.
Alex turns into a violently aggressive psycho, and if the genders were reversed, everyone would side with the married person. Imagine a man harassing a former female lover with nonstop phone calls, destroying her car, and kidnapping her child. Everyone would scream "Stalker!" So why is Alex seen as a "feminist" and not a criminal?
All the lead actors were excellent, including Douglas, Archer, and Latzen, who played one of the few genuinely cute kids I've seen on screen. It's a pity about the over-the-top ending.
What is more interesting is the character of Alex, portrayed skillfully by Glenn Close. The fact that Close didn't have the typical physique to play a "femme fatale" makes her role even more compelling, demonstrating the unpredictability of attraction. Her Alex is only mildly attractive but exudes a wild, deranged sexuality. Her frizzy hair, lack of eyebrows, and pale mouth didn't enhance her appearance, but Alex compensated with aggressive outfits and a matching attitude.
Some have tried to frame her as a feminist icon, but Alex is just a deranged, damaged criminal. At the start of the movie, it's clear that she's leading Dan where she wants him. During their dinner, Dan says, "This will end the way you want it," indicating that the idea was a no-strings-attached one-night stand between consenting adults, especially since Alex knew Dan was married.
They spend another day together because Alex insists, but Dan never gives the impression that he is in love with her or anything more than temporarily interested.
What is bizarre is Alex's change of behavior when Dan shows no further interest. From an independent professional, Alex transforms into a clingy, begging mess of a woman, which is explained vaguely, if at all.
While Dan's infidelity is not justified, I think he receives a punishment far harsher than he deserves. It's not true that he "used" Alex, who was more than willing to be used (as seen in the elevator scene). Moreover, falling out of love-or in this case, out of lust-is not a crime.
Alex turns into a violently aggressive psycho, and if the genders were reversed, everyone would side with the married person. Imagine a man harassing a former female lover with nonstop phone calls, destroying her car, and kidnapping her child. Everyone would scream "Stalker!" So why is Alex seen as a "feminist" and not a criminal?
All the lead actors were excellent, including Douglas, Archer, and Latzen, who played one of the few genuinely cute kids I've seen on screen. It's a pity about the over-the-top ending.
Close Call For Douglas
Almost thirty years later and I still creep over that rabbit
Micheal Douglas (With the possible exception of his academy award winning turn as Gordon Gekko) tends to play nice guys who do some shady things. In this case he's Dan Gallagher, living the perfect 80s lifestyle with his wife and kid, they are about to leave the city and move to a suburb to raise a family, but at a party, he meets Alex, played by Glen Close. Adrian Lyne and his actors do a good job of showing us the instant attraction between the two without saying much. Nothing happens, but a second encounter puts all the cards on the table for what seems like a no strings attached bed room dance, and Dan is all like, "why not, my wife and kid are out of the city looking at houses, I can do this. So he gives her the passion right on the kitchen counter". So they had fun while his wife is away, no big deal, now we can go back to our regular lives right? Right?
Unfortunately for Dan, this is not a Woody Allen movie, the consequences for stepping out on your wife don't end in a comedic folly. As they are having fun, he notices slowly what he just gotten into, with jokes about seeing her father die and her getting very upset when he leaves during their second encounter.
Then she goes bonkers--real bonkers and just when he thought he had her under control, she just increases the level of Bonkers (An impressive feat might I add cause when you watch it, Alex gives a WTF moment, she only tops as the movie goes on).
It's effecting his work (Lucky it did not effect his relationship with his boss Herman Munster from the Munsters, cause you know, wouldn't want him to do the Munster mash on you), and of course she's effecting his wife in kid. It's a hard lesson to learn.
But it's hard not to still love Micheal Douglas in this movie. Like I said his movie star days seem to have him playing appealing men who get involved with some shading things, Douglas is charming and you can't help but to side with him despite this whole thing being his fault.
Stranger for me is that Anne Archer, who plays his wife in the movie was a hot number here. Every time she smiled, I thought to myself "Why would he cheat on her?"
I can tell you why. Glenn Close is really sexy in this picture. That's what she has going for her here, mad sex appeal. She was oozing it on the screen and as charismatic as Douglas is, Close fuels the fire. You really could not blame him for wanting to get a piece of that (Which in reality is why he should not have done it cause she made it all too easy for him. I mean way too easy, so easy you knew it was going to end badly).
Fatal Attraction has an amazing story well done by the director and the actors that allows it to stand the test of time despite it being so engulfed in the decade it was filmed. Me personally, I remember this New York and all the places they filmed so I was in heaven. All the wide shots of the landscapes were done for dramatic feel (especially one scene were Alex followed Dan home), not knowing that one day looking back on this would take me to that time and place and make the movie even better after almost thirty years.
And thirty years later, it's still one of those movies that people reference when they talk about how looney tunes your significant other can get. Not a bad legacy for it at all.
http://cinemagardens.com
Unfortunately for Dan, this is not a Woody Allen movie, the consequences for stepping out on your wife don't end in a comedic folly. As they are having fun, he notices slowly what he just gotten into, with jokes about seeing her father die and her getting very upset when he leaves during their second encounter.
Then she goes bonkers--real bonkers and just when he thought he had her under control, she just increases the level of Bonkers (An impressive feat might I add cause when you watch it, Alex gives a WTF moment, she only tops as the movie goes on).
It's effecting his work (Lucky it did not effect his relationship with his boss Herman Munster from the Munsters, cause you know, wouldn't want him to do the Munster mash on you), and of course she's effecting his wife in kid. It's a hard lesson to learn.
But it's hard not to still love Micheal Douglas in this movie. Like I said his movie star days seem to have him playing appealing men who get involved with some shading things, Douglas is charming and you can't help but to side with him despite this whole thing being his fault.
Stranger for me is that Anne Archer, who plays his wife in the movie was a hot number here. Every time she smiled, I thought to myself "Why would he cheat on her?"
I can tell you why. Glenn Close is really sexy in this picture. That's what she has going for her here, mad sex appeal. She was oozing it on the screen and as charismatic as Douglas is, Close fuels the fire. You really could not blame him for wanting to get a piece of that (Which in reality is why he should not have done it cause she made it all too easy for him. I mean way too easy, so easy you knew it was going to end badly).
Fatal Attraction has an amazing story well done by the director and the actors that allows it to stand the test of time despite it being so engulfed in the decade it was filmed. Me personally, I remember this New York and all the places they filmed so I was in heaven. All the wide shots of the landscapes were done for dramatic feel (especially one scene were Alex followed Dan home), not knowing that one day looking back on this would take me to that time and place and make the movie even better after almost thirty years.
And thirty years later, it's still one of those movies that people reference when they talk about how looney tunes your significant other can get. Not a bad legacy for it at all.
http://cinemagardens.com
- subxerogravity
- Aug 27, 2016
- Permalink
Terrific, tight thriller
Bring the dog, I love animals... I'm a great cook.
What is it with Anne Archer. She has to escape Irish Terrorists when she is with Harrison Ford, and now she is escaping a psycho when she is with Michael Douglas. She is just too attractive to stick with these men who attract killers.
And, is Michael Douglas crazy? Why would anyone take up with Glenn Close when he has Anne at home. Yeah, I know, you get tired of steak every day. The hell I do. I would never tire of Anne.
And, what's up with the boiled bunny? All she ever did was look cute.
Close and Archer made this movie worth watching. I just enjoyed seeing Douglas get what he deserved.
And, is Michael Douglas crazy? Why would anyone take up with Glenn Close when he has Anne at home. Yeah, I know, you get tired of steak every day. The hell I do. I would never tire of Anne.
And, what's up with the boiled bunny? All she ever did was look cute.
Close and Archer made this movie worth watching. I just enjoyed seeing Douglas get what he deserved.
- lastliberal
- Aug 31, 2007
- Permalink
Fatal Attraction
- Prismark10
- Apr 10, 2021
- Permalink
"Well, what am I supposed to do? You won't answer my calls, you change your number. I mean, I'm not gonna be ignored, Dan!"
Yikes. This movie had some intense scenes. Also.. do not cheat.
Very little substance and ostensibly obstreperous.
This was an obstreperous film, it took almost no responsibility for itself and was extremely predictable and transparent.
The plot is formulaic: Douglas and Archer (his wife) are at a party, he accidentally meets an attractive and icy young professional (Close) and there is instant chemistry. Why is there this chemistry? Quite simply, the two find something about one another physically irresistible. Douglas simply thinks with his organ, nothing else appears to enter his mind. He appears to love his wife very much and one would think they have been enjoying a good marriage. He has a daughter, a good career he appears to enjoy, he is attractive and healthy. So what went wrong? Apparently nothing other than an arrogant chauvinism on his part. He made a mistake, a simple mistake in his mind, then things get ugly.
Close is a loose canon and deeply disturbed. Why? Well, in a rather flaky moment this film attempts to address this question by showing Douglas breaking into her apartment and discovering the death of her father in a newspaper clipping. He died fairly young of a heart ailment, a fact alluded to (if allusion is even proper considering how obvious it was as a technique) earlier in the film when Douglas and Close are in Central Park with his dog. She is carrying some type of emotional baggage. OK. But to become a murderous, unscrupulous kidnapper, stalker, hell-bent, obsessive, suicidal manipulator? Did I miss something? And furthermore, what happened to that flourishing career of hers we briefly, ever so briefly, get a glimpse of at the beginning of the film? Does she simply forsake her entire successful career, a career that must have taken years to build and mould in order to flourish, (as it apparently has been doing), in order to stalk Douglas? That is almost nonsensical. Why would a woman, whose apartment they meticulously filled with books and manuscripts, become so vapid and wounded and prepared to ignore all of her intelligence and spiritual/emotional reserves, which ostensibly enabled her to rise to success, in order to do such damage? How could she have come so far with this type of vapidity and singular weakness? And one should also ask, why does she find Douglas so important? Has she never experienced rejection before? If so, then why is she single and wary of men at 36? Obviously she has some experience with loss, mistakes and disappointment. If not, then she is a spoiled executive and success who always succeeds. But then, why would she forsake her career so easily? Do you see how many holes this story possesses?
And by the way, how is it that a magnificent controversy did not erupt over this film considering that Anne Archer and Douglas manage to kill the "pregnant" Close? Can you even imagine trying to get by with that today, with all of the arguing over abortion, stem-cell research and litmus tests for Supreme Court nominees? I am puzzled, if the "Last Temptation of Christ" could literally be crucified for its questions over the divinity of Jesus, how could killing an unborn child so cavalierly escape scrutiny? And what is worse is that the film simply ends there! The police come, everything is okay, Archer and Douglas have their arms around one another, there is no spiritual guilt, everything is discrete and tidy. Well, congratulations! How much more obstreperous and fantastic can we get? This script is unintelligent and cliche. Every action taken is predictable but what is worse is that it is predictably illogical. There is no character development in this film. None whatsoever. In fact, these characters are about as unidimensional as one could imagine. I don't understand all of the hype, the film did not even offer any surprises. It not only doesn't work as a story, but as a suspense film it lacks any suspense. We know immediately that Close is psychotic. We don't know why, the nuances of her personage don't exist, but that doesn't matter. She is simply psychotic and somehow that is all the explanation we need.
Don't waste your time. The best film Adriane Lyne ever made was "Jacob's Ladder." Don't miss it! Forget this film, it is not worth consideration.
The plot is formulaic: Douglas and Archer (his wife) are at a party, he accidentally meets an attractive and icy young professional (Close) and there is instant chemistry. Why is there this chemistry? Quite simply, the two find something about one another physically irresistible. Douglas simply thinks with his organ, nothing else appears to enter his mind. He appears to love his wife very much and one would think they have been enjoying a good marriage. He has a daughter, a good career he appears to enjoy, he is attractive and healthy. So what went wrong? Apparently nothing other than an arrogant chauvinism on his part. He made a mistake, a simple mistake in his mind, then things get ugly.
Close is a loose canon and deeply disturbed. Why? Well, in a rather flaky moment this film attempts to address this question by showing Douglas breaking into her apartment and discovering the death of her father in a newspaper clipping. He died fairly young of a heart ailment, a fact alluded to (if allusion is even proper considering how obvious it was as a technique) earlier in the film when Douglas and Close are in Central Park with his dog. She is carrying some type of emotional baggage. OK. But to become a murderous, unscrupulous kidnapper, stalker, hell-bent, obsessive, suicidal manipulator? Did I miss something? And furthermore, what happened to that flourishing career of hers we briefly, ever so briefly, get a glimpse of at the beginning of the film? Does she simply forsake her entire successful career, a career that must have taken years to build and mould in order to flourish, (as it apparently has been doing), in order to stalk Douglas? That is almost nonsensical. Why would a woman, whose apartment they meticulously filled with books and manuscripts, become so vapid and wounded and prepared to ignore all of her intelligence and spiritual/emotional reserves, which ostensibly enabled her to rise to success, in order to do such damage? How could she have come so far with this type of vapidity and singular weakness? And one should also ask, why does she find Douglas so important? Has she never experienced rejection before? If so, then why is she single and wary of men at 36? Obviously she has some experience with loss, mistakes and disappointment. If not, then she is a spoiled executive and success who always succeeds. But then, why would she forsake her career so easily? Do you see how many holes this story possesses?
And by the way, how is it that a magnificent controversy did not erupt over this film considering that Anne Archer and Douglas manage to kill the "pregnant" Close? Can you even imagine trying to get by with that today, with all of the arguing over abortion, stem-cell research and litmus tests for Supreme Court nominees? I am puzzled, if the "Last Temptation of Christ" could literally be crucified for its questions over the divinity of Jesus, how could killing an unborn child so cavalierly escape scrutiny? And what is worse is that the film simply ends there! The police come, everything is okay, Archer and Douglas have their arms around one another, there is no spiritual guilt, everything is discrete and tidy. Well, congratulations! How much more obstreperous and fantastic can we get? This script is unintelligent and cliche. Every action taken is predictable but what is worse is that it is predictably illogical. There is no character development in this film. None whatsoever. In fact, these characters are about as unidimensional as one could imagine. I don't understand all of the hype, the film did not even offer any surprises. It not only doesn't work as a story, but as a suspense film it lacks any suspense. We know immediately that Close is psychotic. We don't know why, the nuances of her personage don't exist, but that doesn't matter. She is simply psychotic and somehow that is all the explanation we need.
Don't waste your time. The best film Adriane Lyne ever made was "Jacob's Ladder." Don't miss it! Forget this film, it is not worth consideration.