When Fatal Attraction was released to theaters in 1987 it became a bit of a cultural phenomenon. It was the movie everyone was talking about at work the next day. Now that the film has been released on Blu-ray the question is whether the film still holds its original impact or is just another catalog title making the transition to a new format. Being only 16 or 17 when I first saw the film on video, a few years after its theatrical run, I was shocked by what I saw. The sex scenes were graphic, and the film was brutal in its depiction of a love affair gone bad. Twenty-two years later the film still packs somewhat of a punch, but suffers due to the rudimentary b-movie storylines.
It’s hard to say why Fatal Attraction became the hit that it did both commercially and critically. The film made tons of money and garnered six Oscar nominations in major categories. Perhaps audiences were intrigued by the notion of rooting for a character who they would normally hate. The plot revolves around Dan Gallagher, who is played by Michael Douglas. He is a man who quite easily makes a decision that he knows could destroy his whole life. He decides to have a one-night stand with career minded executive Alex Forrest, played by Glenn Close. Gallagher is inexplicably drawn to Forrest. In fact all the men at the mutual party they are attending are. Forrest is not a typical knockout, however her confidence gives her a powerful sexiness that was not all that typical in women at that time. Still Gallagher has a pretty and adoring wife (Anne Archer) at home, along with a cute five year daughter. The family is preparing to move out of the hectic city to a nice country home to live a nice family life. The idea that he could give it all up for a night of wild sex on the kitchen counter is a bit perplexing.
It can’t even be said that one thing led to another and the affair “just happened.” Gallagher actually plans the affair while eating dinner with Forrest while his wife and daughter are out of town. She asks him, “are you discreet … I’m discreet.” He decides he can’t pass up this opportunity for no consequences; no strings attached sex and goes for it. But of course it turns out there are consequences and there are strings attached. That is a given, otherwise we would have no movie. One of the strong points about the movie is that it in no way makes Gallagher sympathetic. In fact it goes the opposite direction. After Gallagher and Forrest have their night together, the audience expects Gallagher to go home and deal with whatever comes next. Instead he decides to spend the whole weekend with Forrest, and not just for sex. They become a couple. They romp through park with the Gallagher family dog, she makes dinner for him, and of course there is some more sex. And after all this Gallagher thinks he is going to be able to go home and they both will forget it ever happened.
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