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Fatal Attraction was the surprise smash hit of 1987 that filled theaters and terrified men all over the country contemplating adultery.
This instant classic starred Michael Douglas as Dan Gallagher, a lawyer with a great job, a beautiful wife (Anne Archer), and an adorable daughter who risks it all by having a weekend fling with one Alex Forrest (Glenn Close), an associate from work, while his wife and daughter have gone away for the weekend. When Monday morning rolls around, Dan wants to resume his normal life but Alex is having none of that and is soon revealed to be a dangerous psychopath who refuses to let Dan just walk out of her life.
Probably the most talked about movie of 1987, this film tells a compelling story and teaches a lesson without being preachy, basically that actions have consequences and some must just be endured because they have been brought upon ourselves. Despite a somewhat cliché-ridden screenplay, this movie works thanks to vivid direction by Adrian Lyne and first-rate performances. Close is bone-chilling as Alex Forrest and despite the fact that he is an adulterer, Michael Douglas manages to infuse some semblance of sympathy into Dan. Dan made his bed, so to speak, but Douglas still manages to make us care about and fear for Dan. Anne Archer delivers the best performance of her career as Dan's wife, Beth, the real victim in this whole mess.
Close and Archer were both nominated for Oscars, but lost to Cher and Olympia Dukakis for Moonstruck. Close definitely should have won. The film was also nominated for Best Director, Adrian Lyne and Best Picture. Twenty years later, this film remains riveting from start to finish and it amazes me how different this film turned out to be from the producers' original vision. Alex was originally going to played by a sexy young starlet and many actresses were offered the role prior to Close and now I can't imagine anyone as Alex but Close...the performance is perfection.
Brian DePalma was originally slated to direct but bowed out because he felt Michael Douglas was wrong for the role of Dan and would not evoke sympathy from the audience. Co-producer Sherry Lansing said those fears were quashed during the first audience preview of the film during the scene when Dan comes home and messes up his bed to make it look like he had slept in it. Apparently, this scene produced cheers from the crowd and the audience loved Dan from there on. A once-in-a-lifetime motion picture experience that still holds up as riveting entertainment.
This instant classic starred Michael Douglas as Dan Gallagher, a lawyer with a great job, a beautiful wife (Anne Archer), and an adorable daughter who risks it all by having a weekend fling with one Alex Forrest (Glenn Close), an associate from work, while his wife and daughter have gone away for the weekend. When Monday morning rolls around, Dan wants to resume his normal life but Alex is having none of that and is soon revealed to be a dangerous psychopath who refuses to let Dan just walk out of her life.
Probably the most talked about movie of 1987, this film tells a compelling story and teaches a lesson without being preachy, basically that actions have consequences and some must just be endured because they have been brought upon ourselves. Despite a somewhat cliché-ridden screenplay, this movie works thanks to vivid direction by Adrian Lyne and first-rate performances. Close is bone-chilling as Alex Forrest and despite the fact that he is an adulterer, Michael Douglas manages to infuse some semblance of sympathy into Dan. Dan made his bed, so to speak, but Douglas still manages to make us care about and fear for Dan. Anne Archer delivers the best performance of her career as Dan's wife, Beth, the real victim in this whole mess.
Close and Archer were both nominated for Oscars, but lost to Cher and Olympia Dukakis for Moonstruck. Close definitely should have won. The film was also nominated for Best Director, Adrian Lyne and Best Picture. Twenty years later, this film remains riveting from start to finish and it amazes me how different this film turned out to be from the producers' original vision. Alex was originally going to played by a sexy young starlet and many actresses were offered the role prior to Close and now I can't imagine anyone as Alex but Close...the performance is perfection.
Brian DePalma was originally slated to direct but bowed out because he felt Michael Douglas was wrong for the role of Dan and would not evoke sympathy from the audience. Co-producer Sherry Lansing said those fears were quashed during the first audience preview of the film during the scene when Dan comes home and messes up his bed to make it look like he had slept in it. Apparently, this scene produced cheers from the crowd and the audience loved Dan from there on. A once-in-a-lifetime motion picture experience that still holds up as riveting entertainment.