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Fatal Attraction - Special Collector's Edition

"Fatal Attraction" isn't so much an erotic thriller as it is a stalker suspenser. Sure, the movie begins with the standard lurid sex scenes involving two respected actors pawing at each other like there's no tomorrow. But rather than succumb to such torrid displays of goofy, laughably cheesy eroticism, the material actually becomes interesting in its second half, building a solid sense of menace and intensity around the mind games of its psychotic centerfold. ****

Michael Douglas stars as Dan Gallagher, a lawyer whose firm's clients include a well-known publishing company in New York City. His wife, Beth (Anne Archer), has hopes of moving out of their city apartment and buying a house in Bedford, where she and their young daughter travel for the weekend. And as they say, when the cat's away, the mice will play, which is just what Dan does when he crosses paths with Alex Forrest (Glenn Close), an editor from the publishing company whom he spends the weekend with. ****

So far, so mediocre. The various conversations between characters meant to advance the plot are silly and ongoing, while the inevitable images of lustful satisfaction between Douglas and Close provide some unintentional laughs that seem to work in the film's favor. Once you see these two credible performers manhandling one another, you have a choice: you're either in or you're out. ****

The film picks up considerable momentum once the reality of the situation sets in. Dan realizes that he can't continue seeing Alex, who becomes embittered when he avoids her phone calls and dismisses her from his office after an invitation to the opera. As he tries to juggle his secret and keep up the pretence of happiness with his family, Alex acts as a thorn in his side that keeps inching deeper and deeper, until he acknowledges the fact that she is a real threat to his family's safety. ****

This turn of events isn't as unexpected as it would hope to be; from the various expressions of underlying menace that grace Close's face, we can already gather that she's cooking up more than just spaghetti for dinner. But, as we wait in breathless anticipation of Alex's next move, the shocks multiply, the suspense grows, and everything we initially thought about the film's beginning act is but a memory as we follow the plot into familiar yet overall satisfying grounds. ****

Much of this rests on the shoulders of Close, who carries her character so well that any inhibitions one may have about the extent to which her character will go are left behind. Alex's coolly-calculated, ultimately psychotic plan of attack gives way to moments of sheer lunacy that Close masters with little more than a delightfully menacing smirk. When Dan finally comes clean and gets the police involved, we know just what she's going to do, and how she's going to do it, but under such a brooding performance, it all seems fresh. ****

It's also quite nice to see Michael Douglas squirm as the victim of the movie's role-reversal, where this time, the woman makes all the rules. His performance here is commendable, and he does show a sincere amount of fear and worry over the revelation of his dark secret, and the safety of his wife and child. His scenes with Close carry their weight in sweaty-palms tension, as well as some sweet lessons about the consequences that he must face as a result of his affair. ****

If you have the stomach to stick with "Fatal Attraction," you may find yourself enjoying it for its acting zeal and wonderfully-executed second half. It's trash, to be sure, but it's stylish, likeable trash, made so by a predictable plot tailored with a low-lying charge of intensity that grips the viewer by the hair until the blazing, bloody end.

Well, it has finally arrived: the long-awaited DVD edition of Adrian Lyne's now-classic "Fatal Attraction," given a terrific special edition treatment that outshines most other DVDs that take two discs to relate the movie and its supplements. The main reason all of this works so well is because the material has such a connection to the movie itself; whereas some movies throw in as many features as they can in hopes of raising interest, this small collection feels slightly more personal. ****

The best and most entertaining of the special features is the newly-created documentary "Forever Fatal: Remembering Fatal Attraction." In it, producers Stanley Jaffe and Sherry Lansing, cast members Michael Douglas, Anne Archer and Glenn Close, and director Adrian Lyne, reunite to look back on the movie with fond memories. The origins of the film's script are revealed (a short film that ended with Close's character's first phone call to the wife), and from there, everything from the acting, the collaboration of the cast and crew, and the effects of the film on worldwide audiences, is discussed in detail, with everyone talking about specific scenes and their impact, and how it has affected their career (Close even made the cover of a national tabloid as "Most Hated Woman in America!"). ****

Following this documentary is "Social Attraction," which expands on the effects of the film on audiences and different social circles and groups. The film is said to have had a negative effect on feminists, who despised the movie for portraying Close's character as a psychotic, while various members of the crew relate the movie to different cultural goings-on in the late 80's. Following this is a featurette on the filmmaking, entitled "Visual Attraction," in which various interviews with the film's make-up artist, costume designer, and cinematographer, all go behind the making of the movie in terms of its visual appearance. ****

The second best feature, and the most intriguing, is the collection of rehearsal footage shot before considerations for cast members. It is especially delicious to watch Close inhabit a role that no one ever thought she could embody; her performance in the early sketches is just as potent and effectively chilling as those that made it into the final cut of the film. Archer also appears during rehearsal, and apparently made a lasting impression. ****

The alternate ending works with the movie in an entirely different manner than the latter version; the reshoot was made in order to keep the suspense at a thrilling high. Here, Douglas's character receives a shock when the police arrive to arrest him for the murder of Alex Forest, who is seen killing herself with the knife that holds his fingerprints after his attack on her in her apartment. I liked the way this ending sort of left things to suggestion; whereas the later ending is a shock machine, this one is thoughtful in a weird way, and just as engaging. **** --

Simply put, anyone who loves "Fatal Attraction" will love the DVD. Enough said. There's a lot of love and devotion that went into its making, and it shows in every interview and reminiscence. One of the year's best DVDs.