The framework that supports the concept for this psychosexual melodrama collapses due to a weakly organized script, erratic acting and direction, and flawed sound editing, preventing a sensible development of the plot. Action opens with brief sequences establishing the principals at their workplaces, Peter Hill (Stephen Lack), an unmarried professor of psychology (he mentions R.D. Laing to his class), and Michelle Keys (Sally Kellerman), a married child doctor of psychiatry whose specialty is children in states of crises, with the two soon meeting in traumatic fashion by accident through a head on automobile crash. It is intended for viewers to believe that, during subsequent litigatory procedures relative to the collision, Peter and Michelle fall in love, although the treatment of this mutual attraction seems to be quite perfunctory, a door being held open for the pair by a simple artifice of an out-of-town business trip taken by Michelle's husband Frank (Lawrence Dane). Peter senses that Michelle may have a penchant toward sexual fantasy; whereupon, after very minimal coercion of her, he becomes extensively engaged in exploiting Michelle's natural amourousness, she having become repressed by her uneventful marriage with Frank. The sexual games become increasingly aberrant, exacerbated by a cruel, indeed, sadistic streak in Peter, but Michelle seems capable of adjusting to her quaint situation, although her marriage, career, and even life itself, are in hazard. A cardinal cause of this film's failure to please is that, amidst the messy sexual posturing, a viewer learns next to nothing of who Peter and Michelle are and, worse, is apt to care little about what may happen to either. Additionally, actual physical chemistry between the players is wanting, a significant drawback for a film of this type, principally because of Lack's lustreless performance, noteworthy in the main for a remarkably narrow octave range. Poor sound quality is in evidence throughout, the throaty intonations of Kellerman often difficult to understand, although she certainly works with zeal at her role. John Huston plays as Peter's father and shamelessly mugs; however, often trite dialogue within the episodic screenplay is no help, and neither is an obtrusive and oft inappropriate score that, when conjoined with tepid direction, only serves to highlight the film's depressing nature. Along with Kellerman's genuine effort, there is also an interesting single scene turn from James Kidnie as an undercover vice officer, with acting honours going to Dane who is impressive in an underwritten role. The strongest production values here come from the film editing and the consistently creative cinematography and setups by Anthony Richmond; unfortunately, these boons can not prevent the film, titled FATAL ATTRACTION for its video release, from turning into an unsavoury muddle.
4 Reviews
One to avoid!
jonboy_onthe_hill3 January 2006
I accidentally bought this second hand thinking it was the Michael Douglas film and only realised a week later that it wasn't the "Fatal attraction" i was intending to buy. Sadly enough, it wasn't good mistake to have made as the film was 'wishy-washy' at the best of times and i didn't really see the point to the plot itself. The dialogue was boring and the straight forward and kind of obvious despite the odd scene here-and-there trying to 'up the tempo'. The acting didn't seem to have much feeling to it but in all fairness the script seemed to give them little material to work with. If it had a little more grit and a little more suspense surrounding others effected by the actions of the leading parts, the story may have come across with more substance.
At no point was the film gripping in any respect....one best avoided. I suppose i'll be having to search for my 'bunny boiler' elsewhere!
At no point was the film gripping in any respect....one best avoided. I suppose i'll be having to search for my 'bunny boiler' elsewhere!
Sorry, no dead bunny rabbits here
Lunar_Eclipse_Scoping31 March 2004
Warning: Spoilers
*Spoilers*
"Fatal Attraction" was originally titled "Head On", referring obviously to the initially minor and eventually fatal collision our lead characters find themselves involved in. This is a pretty subtle psychological drama about an unhappily married woman who begins a rather strange affair with an often hostile young man after they meet in a road accident. The games they play involve role-playing and setting up provocative scenarios, innocent until we start to see that the man is really quite unstable. Sally Kellerman's character is just so used to a boring, unfulfilling life with her husband that she can't stop or resist playing the games, even though she is arrested at one point because of them. One scene that sticks out in my head is the almost surreal sequence where Kellerman makes Stephen Lack think she's hung herself, only to attack him when he tries to cut her down. The combination of slow camera technique and rich, vibrant colors is mesmerizing here.
This is much more of a character study than anything. Though it has nothing to do with the 1987 blockbuster of the same name and is very obscure, I think it's just as good if not better. It doesn't have as many "big" dramatic moments as that film, rather it underplays the plot and makes both parties just as guilty for the inevitable deadly consequences, whereas "Fatal Attraction" (1987) just makes Glenn Close the stalker. People probably didn't want to accept the more complex concept of this film, or maybe the film was poorly distributed -- probably a combination of the two -- and that's why this film has remained unseen for the most part.
The acting is pretty good, especially from Kellerman, an underrated actress. Lack's almost as good, and some good supporting character actors like John Huston and Lawrence Dane add special flavor to this thoughtful film.
My rating: 8/10
"Fatal Attraction" was originally titled "Head On", referring obviously to the initially minor and eventually fatal collision our lead characters find themselves involved in. This is a pretty subtle psychological drama about an unhappily married woman who begins a rather strange affair with an often hostile young man after they meet in a road accident. The games they play involve role-playing and setting up provocative scenarios, innocent until we start to see that the man is really quite unstable. Sally Kellerman's character is just so used to a boring, unfulfilling life with her husband that she can't stop or resist playing the games, even though she is arrested at one point because of them. One scene that sticks out in my head is the almost surreal sequence where Kellerman makes Stephen Lack think she's hung herself, only to attack him when he tries to cut her down. The combination of slow camera technique and rich, vibrant colors is mesmerizing here.
This is much more of a character study than anything. Though it has nothing to do with the 1987 blockbuster of the same name and is very obscure, I think it's just as good if not better. It doesn't have as many "big" dramatic moments as that film, rather it underplays the plot and makes both parties just as guilty for the inevitable deadly consequences, whereas "Fatal Attraction" (1987) just makes Glenn Close the stalker. People probably didn't want to accept the more complex concept of this film, or maybe the film was poorly distributed -- probably a combination of the two -- and that's why this film has remained unseen for the most part.
The acting is pretty good, especially from Kellerman, an underrated actress. Lack's almost as good, and some good supporting character actors like John Huston and Lawrence Dane add special flavor to this thoughtful film.
My rating: 8/10
"He's not coming - he thinks it's a game!"
margielove24 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
When I read the 3 reviews of this film - I was wondering whether I had viewed the same film as them.
I found it to be a riveting Psychological Thriller.
Maybe people found it hard to deal with because of its non-mainstream elements and its lack of type - casting In particular Sally Kellerman and Steven Lack are brilliant.
The intensity of the games increases through the film and reaches a horrifying and ironic crescendo at the finale.
Because of its non-mainstream element it has a surprising level of naturalness and to that effect I found that it realistically mimicked the normal reactions one would have expected from people.
John Cusack was an intriguing addition to the movie.
I have observed this type of game-playing socially and in that sense found the film totally believable - Possibly the crux of the film being when Kellerman waits for Lack to arrive when they are about to marry and when he doesn't show says 'He's not coming - he thinks it's a game!"
The film demonstrated succinctly that people who play these games confuse reality with the game.
What a pity that it was never released to DVD.
I found it to be a riveting Psychological Thriller.
Maybe people found it hard to deal with because of its non-mainstream elements and its lack of type - casting In particular Sally Kellerman and Steven Lack are brilliant.
The intensity of the games increases through the film and reaches a horrifying and ironic crescendo at the finale.
Because of its non-mainstream element it has a surprising level of naturalness and to that effect I found that it realistically mimicked the normal reactions one would have expected from people.
John Cusack was an intriguing addition to the movie.
I have observed this type of game-playing socially and in that sense found the film totally believable - Possibly the crux of the film being when Kellerman waits for Lack to arrive when they are about to marry and when he doesn't show says 'He's not coming - he thinks it's a game!"
The film demonstrated succinctly that people who play these games confuse reality with the game.
What a pity that it was never released to DVD.
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