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List Price: $9.98 | | Label: Paramount
Salesrank: 9266
Released: April 16, 2002 |
| Our Price: $4.47 |
| Used Price: $2.84 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
A NEW YORK LAWYER WITH A WIFE AND DAUGHTER SLEEPS WITH A CLIENT WHOSE LUST TURNS TO HATE.
Description of Fatal Attraction (Special Collector's Edition):
The date movie of the late 1980s, this had everyone arguing in the aisles. Does Michael Douglas deserve the unwanted attention he and his family are receiving at the hands of loony stalker Glenn Close? After a weekend extramarital affair with colleague Close, he returns home to wife Anne Archer, and Close becomes progressively angrier. You might even say she is boiling bunny mad.
Directed by Adrian Lyne, this is not your average thriller, as it garnered six Academy Award nominations. The plot is too obvious, but the dialogue rings true and the intense performances hold the story together. Anne Archer deserves kudos for side-stepping cliché as the strong but frightened wife, and Close is a scream as she chews up the scenery.
The film's original ending, which was reshot after poor preview screenings, has been added to the video release. --Rochelle O'Gorman
Fatal Attraction (Special Collector's Edition) Reviews:
Just 'Say No' to adultery! 
2009-11-14 - "Fatal Attraction" tells the story of a Manhattan attorney (Michael Douglas) who foolishly decides to have a weekend affair with a sharp blond (Glenn Close) while his wife (Anne Archer) & kid are away visiting the grandparents. The situation turns increasingly harrowing and horrifying when the woman refuses to end the union.
The film was hugely popular when it was released in 1987, but I didn't see it until a decade later. I saw it again this week and I had forgotten how good it is.
It's easy to compare to Clint Eastwood's "Play Misty for Me" (1971) since both films deal with a sexual affair gone bad and the clingy psycho woman, but other than the obvious similarities the stories, characters and locales are totally different. In other words, just because you've seen one doesn't mean you shouldn't see the other. Both are very good, even great, and worth your time if you're in the mood for such a flick. That said, however, if I were to compare the two unbiasedly I'd have to give the edge to "Fatal," even though "Misty" has better locations (beautiful Carmel, California).
Many question why Douglas would even consider cheating on a wife as beautiful as Archer, but the film clearly shows that Douglas was starting to get sexually frustrated (there's a scene where Douglas is looking foward to sex but his daughter ends up sleeping on the bed with his wife while he gets stuck on the couch). It's also clear that Douglas didn't plan to commit adultery; the opportunity presented itself while his wife was away and it simply didn't take much for him to fall into the temptation. I'm not defending his unfaithfulness, in fact I'm totally opposed to it, but at least his actions weren't premeditated.
Others complain that Glenn Close isn't attractive in the film, but she looks pretty dang sharp to me. As the story progresses and we see how truly disturbed she is it's only natural to view her as ugly; in fact, she becomes absolutely hideous! Regardless, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
The drama and acting are outstanding here. As Close becomes increasingly irritating and clingy you can see Douglas's progressive horror on his face, as if he's saying, "What did I get myself into? I'm so stupid! How can I get rid of her? -- AaaaaAAAAHH!"
Some complain about Douglas breaking into Close's apartment and attacking her, but in light of her actions this is a very realistic and understandable reaction.
Then there's the debate about who's the real villain -- Close or Douglas -- and that Close deserves at least a little compassion, especially on the grounds that Douglas' character views their sexual union as a mere physical encounter and Close as a throwaway object in which he can satisfy his lust and pride (of course, you could argue the same vice versa). On the contrary, Close is a real person who apparently sees their union as something deeper. Something not just physical, but emotional and spiritual as well. Is it any wonder that she starts to increasingly lose it after Douglas breaks off the fling? Not that I'm justifying her actions. I'm just pointing out how "Fatal Attraction" potently illustrates the possible consequences of treating people like throwaway sex objects. In the vast majority of cases, of course, the consequences aren't nearly as extreme, but there are always repercussions, even if it's just a broken or hardened heart. Try as we might, separating the physical from the spiritual is a lost cause. Nevertheless, the story makes it clear that Douglas "made the bed he's sleeping in"; he certainly deserves to experience the consequences of his foolish actions, if for no other reason than to learn from his mistakes, but by the end of the film anyone who believes he (and his family) hasn't suffered enough is a sadist! As for compassion on Close's character: Yes, up to a point she deserves an ounce or two of human compassion (we all screw up and make wrong choices from time to time, don't we?), but only up to a point. After all, she walked into this fling fully knowing he was a married family man, not to mention she adamantly claimed to be discreet and insisted the same in him. Besides, it takes two to tango. Regardless, there is zero justification for her actions as the story progresses; she clearly earns the label of villain and Douglas the foolhardy victim.
I do have a few cavils with the film: The phone plays too big of a role and gets bothersome after awhile. Plus, Douglas and his wife act too naively late in the story. The psycho woman is missing and has already broken into their house and kidnapped their kid from school. Shouldn't they be extremely on guard? Also, the 'kid' is actually a girl named Ellen, but throughout the film she looks like a boy named Allen. Go figure.
Be sure to check out the original ending on the dvd. The original ending [SPOILER ALERT!] has Close committing suicide and getting back at Douglas as his fingerprints are on the knife and he gets arrested. But Douglas' wife finds a cassette with Close admitting that she was going to kill herself so he gets off the hook. [END SPOILER]. All the principle filmmakers, including Douglas, felt the original ending was ineffective and test audiences verified this; only Close and Archer defended it. Hence, eight months after completion they shot a different ending. Did they make the right choice? That's for you to decide, but I agree with the filmmakers that the deleted climax is rather flat whereas the newer ending is simply more entertaining. Less believable, perhaps, but more exciting and entertaining (but certainly not outside the realm of possibility, except for one horror cliche).
Filmed on location in Manhattan and the New York countryside; the film runs 2 hours.
What a treat.
2009-11-01 - Everyone in this is just so good, and Michael Douglas and Glenn Close are astonishing. Love the special features. This was my first opportunity to see the original ending, and I'm so glad they didn't go with it. One of two of my favorite Michael Douglas performances, the other being "Wonder Boys."
Play Ripoff for Me 
2009-10-08 - This ludicrous imitation of Clint Eastwood's "Play Misty for Me" fooled many critics who should have known better. "Fatal Attraction" (1987) goes downhill the moment Michael Douglas finds Glenn Close's femme fatale more enticing than spouse Anne Archer. Perhaps if the Douglas character had been married to Anne Ramsey (who played the title role in "Throw Momma From the Train"), the psychopathic hijinks would have made sense. Director Adrian Lyne's ill-conceived thriller grows increasingly cartoonish with age. However, Clint's 1971 classic holds up just fine.
Guaranteed to make you think twice about cheating. GREAT FILM ! 
2009-08-30 - I finally got to watching this again after not seeing it for years and having watched the lackluster wanna be known as Obsessed.
This film really delivers in the suspense, drama and so forth. Michael Douglas decides to have a one night stand with Glenn Close. She turns out to be a maniac. For those who have not seen this & have been curious about it - check this one out. This is the way suspenseful film making should be done.
The first thing that came to my mind is why Douglas cheated on his wife anyway - I personally found his wife much more attractive than Close. Not only that but it was presumed that he was happy and had it all. He was a rich lawyer, the wife, the kid , the home, the dog. His character did not seem like the type who would cheat, but one can never tell these days. I guess his animal instincts came out when he saw her and there was an attraction. One can also never tell what the consequences are for cheating, which in this case takes it to extreme levels. I would have liked to have explored Closes' character a little more about why she is who she is. It was touched on a little bit, but more would have been better..
Watch for a rabbit scene which will have animal rights people having fits
and watch for a scene with Close's whites of her eyes showing (no eye balls) - this was a truly terrifying scene(it reminded me of a movie called Diabolique also worth seeing)
Overall this is an fantastic suspenseful edge of your seat thriller type of movie, which can also be seen as a pioneer of films of this sort. No film hit the subject of cheating quite like this. Highest recommendation and a keeper to your DVD collection. Make sure you get the special edition as it contains bonus features and not the bare bones releases...
The DVD is widescreen and the transfer is very nice for the most part.
Great DVD
2009-08-18 - No problems with this DVD. It showed perfectly clear & it was as if I had never seen it before, still thrilling movie.
