JenDan05
08-04-2001, 11:59 PM
Glenn Close was absolutely AMAZING!!!! She brought me through so much with her character. First, the happiness. It seemed she was happy in the beginning of the movie and although, Glenn Close isn't really a Sharon Stone as for as looks are concerned, but I think she's not that bad and by personality alone, she could've gotten someone so much better than the sleezeball Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas). Second, we meet the Alex Forrest (Close's character) with obvious relationship problems and a very strong and depressing loneliness is realized throughout this part of the film. Alex Forrest lives alone in a rather trashy apartment building, and the only time she really interacts is when she's with Michael Douglas's character and her intro into the movie, at a party. Other than that, she is flying solo, and we clearly see it during a very emotional scene where she is sitting alone, crying, listening to Madame Butterfly, and turning the lights on and off, after Dan Gallagher has given her the first brush-off, and he is spending the night bowling with his wife and friends. To me, that particular scene had the same kind of power that the ending of PSYCHO had.
Next, we see Close's character slip into a stage of madness where she continually calls the man she claims to "love." This also signifies emptiness in a way, and a need to be accepted, and when she is, of course, unaccepted, her madness grows even more, along with her pregnancy. The pregnancy is what really rescues Close's character from becoming an FULL BLOWN villain because there is finally another reason for her to "hound" Dan Gallagher, and that reason is perfectly justifiable, in my opinion... she's pregnant with his baby. However, not even her pregnancy could make Dan want to be around her. At this point in the movie, I don't see Alex Forrest as the villain. I definitely see Dan as the villain. He is disgustingly awful to Alex and unwilling to accept a responsibility that is truly his.
So the seed is planted (double-meaning) and now we see Alex Forrest grow more obsessed with Dan and when he keeps turning her down, it makes her act out in ways that are unacceptable, to Dan. She vandalizes his car, makes phone calls, purchases his apartment, and even sends him a disturbing "tape". If you ask me, and most of the people that have seen FATAL ATTRACTION, Dan Gallagher deserved all of those things.
But there is a cut-off point to what Dan deserved... and it begins when she, well... I don't want to ruin a truly freaked up scene, but it has to do with Dan's daughter's rabbit and an oven. I think we all know this scene, and in all of the movies I've seen, the "rabbit scene" has to be one of the most frightening, without going over the top and explaining its significance. The rabbit scene is important to the film because it establishes that Alex has been in the Gallagher house and she's gone LOCO.
Next, is what most movie-goers were waiting for and I must say is worth the wait... Glenn Close with a knife. Alex Forrest pulls the last straw by kidnapping Dan's kid, which was really innocent, but it was still kidnapping. So he meets up with her and we have a great confrontation... There's breaking in, busting glass, trips, spills, cuts, a hit to the balls, CHOKING, and a knife attack which, I must say, took me totally by surprise. Glenn Close sure didn't move with the speed of Michael Meyers, let me tell you that much.
Finally, the ending. Now if you don't consider FATAL ATTRACTION a horror movie then at least just view the ending and maybe you will be persuaded. However, I know some people haven't seen it so all I'll say is a few words...
BIG KNIFE, GUN, SELF-MUTILATION, BEATING DROWNING, TEARING, SLICING, AND A SICK PSYCHOTIC BREAKDOWN FROM GLENN CLOSE (I know it seems like I ramble on about her, but she is just so good.)
The directing also deserves a worthy mention. Adrien Lyne really knows his shit. He can set up a story like NO ONE. He tosses a little bit of Hitchcockian style in the movie too and I love the way he made the scenery seem bright in the beginning and then it was darker towards the end. He also did the same with Close's wardrobe, which really added to the power of her character.
I give this movie an A+++++. I don't care how many people hated it. I can't get enough of the movie, right now. How did this movie not win any of its SIX Oscar Nominations? If anything, Glenn Close was the one who was robbed the most. Just pick up the movie because of her.
Did anyone on the board like this movie?
[This message has been edited by JenDan05 (edited 08-05-2001).]
Next, we see Close's character slip into a stage of madness where she continually calls the man she claims to "love." This also signifies emptiness in a way, and a need to be accepted, and when she is, of course, unaccepted, her madness grows even more, along with her pregnancy. The pregnancy is what really rescues Close's character from becoming an FULL BLOWN villain because there is finally another reason for her to "hound" Dan Gallagher, and that reason is perfectly justifiable, in my opinion... she's pregnant with his baby. However, not even her pregnancy could make Dan want to be around her. At this point in the movie, I don't see Alex Forrest as the villain. I definitely see Dan as the villain. He is disgustingly awful to Alex and unwilling to accept a responsibility that is truly his.
So the seed is planted (double-meaning) and now we see Alex Forrest grow more obsessed with Dan and when he keeps turning her down, it makes her act out in ways that are unacceptable, to Dan. She vandalizes his car, makes phone calls, purchases his apartment, and even sends him a disturbing "tape". If you ask me, and most of the people that have seen FATAL ATTRACTION, Dan Gallagher deserved all of those things.
But there is a cut-off point to what Dan deserved... and it begins when she, well... I don't want to ruin a truly freaked up scene, but it has to do with Dan's daughter's rabbit and an oven. I think we all know this scene, and in all of the movies I've seen, the "rabbit scene" has to be one of the most frightening, without going over the top and explaining its significance. The rabbit scene is important to the film because it establishes that Alex has been in the Gallagher house and she's gone LOCO.
Next, is what most movie-goers were waiting for and I must say is worth the wait... Glenn Close with a knife. Alex Forrest pulls the last straw by kidnapping Dan's kid, which was really innocent, but it was still kidnapping. So he meets up with her and we have a great confrontation... There's breaking in, busting glass, trips, spills, cuts, a hit to the balls, CHOKING, and a knife attack which, I must say, took me totally by surprise. Glenn Close sure didn't move with the speed of Michael Meyers, let me tell you that much.
Finally, the ending. Now if you don't consider FATAL ATTRACTION a horror movie then at least just view the ending and maybe you will be persuaded. However, I know some people haven't seen it so all I'll say is a few words...
BIG KNIFE, GUN, SELF-MUTILATION, BEATING DROWNING, TEARING, SLICING, AND A SICK PSYCHOTIC BREAKDOWN FROM GLENN CLOSE (I know it seems like I ramble on about her, but she is just so good.)
The directing also deserves a worthy mention. Adrien Lyne really knows his shit. He can set up a story like NO ONE. He tosses a little bit of Hitchcockian style in the movie too and I love the way he made the scenery seem bright in the beginning and then it was darker towards the end. He also did the same with Close's wardrobe, which really added to the power of her character.
I give this movie an A+++++. I don't care how many people hated it. I can't get enough of the movie, right now. How did this movie not win any of its SIX Oscar Nominations? If anything, Glenn Close was the one who was robbed the most. Just pick up the movie because of her.
Did anyone on the board like this movie?
[This message has been edited by JenDan05 (edited 08-05-2001).]