102: Fatal Attraction

            Perhaps it seems odd, possibly even outrageous, to my regular readers (if any of you exist) that I have just now seen this multi-Oscar nominated, second highest grossing film of 1987.* As film entry #102 on this blog, Adrian Lyne’s Fatal Attraction is the 900^th title, apart from supplemental additions, that I’ve seen from the 1001 canon.  It seems more likely to be a viewer’s 90^th film than their 900^th, particularly if they had cable between the years of 1993 and 2002.  Still, it is what it is, and for a number of reasons (one being that I was seven years old in 1993) I have only now seen this practically ubiquitous 80s pop culture reference.

            Admittedly, I’ve held off on this movie.  I purposely relegated it to the last position of my Netflix queue in an attempt to save some films high on the watchability factor for later in my journey.  In fact, as of this post, Netflix can be of little service to me until they purchase some films in my overloaded “Saved” section.  It’s uploads from here on out I’m afraid.  In any case, I have to say that Fatal Attraction was worth the wait.  I might even say that I was surprised by how much I enjoyed some of it, particularly after reading its 1001 write up.  The text points out that without the burgeoning star power of leads Michael Douglas and Glenn Close, this might have been strait to video fare.

            Indeed, this is a story without much originality.  Dan Gallagher (Douglas) has a weekend affair with his associate Alex Forrest (Close) while his wife and daughter are away from the city.  Though Dan thinks this was some casual fun, Alex doesn’t take kindly to his ending the tryst.  She begins to terrorize both Dan and his family in an attempt to remain in his life, upping the stakes when she tells him that she is pregnant.  Forced to tell his wife everything after moving away to the country, Dan continues to be victimized.  The plot follows mostly predictable turns, heading toward an inevitable showdown as Alex’s demented behavior escalates.

            I’ll confess that I knew all about the ending before I even popped the disk into my player tonight.  I doubt that it’s a cat that has been kept in the bag for most people who didn’t see this picture on its first run.  What struck me here was not how the story reached its conclusion, but how that journey transpired emotionally.  Watching the movie it’s easy to forget that Alex has a good right to be upset.  She was sexually used, left pregnant, and abandoned by a man whom she thought loved her.  Perhaps this is all forgotten because she is absolutely Anthony Perkins, flat out Psycho, a homage that Lyne lays on almost too thick.  Still, were it not for the talent and even subtle depth that Close brings to the part, this movie would surely have never risen above the other knockoffs.

            Douglas does his part as well, reminding this viewer that he was someone human before he was Gordon Gekko.  Mr. “Greed is Good” was Douglas’ other role of 1987, and there’s just a hint of him here.  Dan does something awful, tries to hide his indiscretions, and endangers his family.  He isn’t pure evil, but there are moments when we think that he could be, and I think that this might be why the movie works.  Not every man cheats and lies, but put in the situation that Dan is, he might become the violent monster lurking just beneath the surface of Douglas’ actions.  I just don’t think that the same could be conveyed by the likes of Rick Moranis or Arnold Schwarzenegger, both of whom were considered for the role according to imdb.com.

            As casting was important here, so, I believe, were the New York City locations selected for the film.  At various moments DP Howard Atherton uses them to make his characters seem lost and alone, even in the midst of the urban jungle.  These sets are at times gritty and foreboding and they compliment the actions within the film well.  Alex’s white brick apartment creates the perfect counter to her inner darkness, perhaps even explaining why Dan is attracted to her in the first place.  One thing about this film that is certain is that it displays the faux pas of 80s female fashion and hair.

*The top money maker that year was 3 Men and a Baby.

Language: English

Runtime: 119 Minutes

Available from Netflix.com

Grade: 3 Hats Off