Michael Douglas has always been known for his roles in crime thrillers and dramas. But 1987’s Fatal Attraction with Glenn Close can easily be called one of his best works. This dark, psychological crime thriller is based on English filmmaker James Dearden’s 1980 short film, Diversion, and directed by Adrian Lyne (Jacob’s Ladder), from a screenplay written by Dearden himself. Fatal Attraction follows Dan Gallagher, a New York City lawyer who ends up having a whirlwind weekend affair with a mysterious woman named Alex Forrest, an editor, who gets obsessed with Dan and refused to end it. The film focuses on Alex’s obsessive passion and attempts at trying to hold onto Dan, in every possible way she can. Douglas plays the role of Dan while Close portrays the complex character of Alex. Anne Archer plays Dan’s wife, Beth, while Ellen Hamilton Latzen plays their daughter Ellen, and both are instrumental to the story.
On its release in 1987, Fatal Attraction became quite successful with high ratings and positive reviews, but also simultaneously generated controversy for its subject and character portrayal. In 2015, there were talks of a television reboot of the hit psychological thriller film, but those plans were dropped. Finally, in 2021, Paramount’s streaming platform, Paramount+ greenlighted a series reboot produced by the film’s original producers, Stanley R. Jaffe and Sherry Lansing, along with Alexandra Cunningham, Kevin J. Hynes, Justin Falvey, and Darryl Frank of Amblin Entertainment, with Lizzy Caplan and Joshua Jackson taking on the roles of Alex and Dan in a more contemporary setting.
With the television series revival all set to release this week, it might be interesting to catch up on the original inspiration and explore the Academy Award-nominated film and the hallmark performances of Douglas and Close. Read on to find out where and how you can watch Fatal Attraction, the film.
When Was Fatal Attraction (1987) Released?
Fatal Attraction first premiered on September 16, 1987, in New York, followed by a wider release on September 18, 1987.
Is Fatal Attraction Available on Streaming?
Fortunately, yes! As a Paramount Pictures production, the classic thriller is now available to watch on the network’s streaming service, Paramount+. Since its launch, the platform has been streaming a wide array of Paramount’s original productions like The Godfather (all three parts), I Love Lucy, Indiana Jones, etc. as well as a practically unlimited library of curated shows, movies, sports, and more. You can also find other films in the psychological thriller genre similar to Fatal Attraction like Basic Instinct (also starring Douglas), Scream, Jacob’s Ladder, and more. You can subscribe to Paramount+ for either $4.99 per month ($49.99 per year) or $9.99 per month ($99.99 per year).
Watch on Paramount+
Now, if you don’t have (or want) Paramount+, then you can also watch Fatal Attraction on MGM+ on Prime Video, Paramount+ on Prime Video, or Fubo TV. But of course, you need to have a Prime Video subscription for that. If you are already a Prime Video user, you can access MGM+ on the platform for only $5.99/per month, or the Paramount+ Premium Plan for $9.99 per month (the essential plan is not currently available through Prime Video). The film is also available for rent on Apple TV, Amazon, Vudu, Google Play, YouTube, and other similar platforms.
What Is Fatal Attraction About?
The story follows Dan Gallagher, a New York lawyer with a wife and a daughter. One weekend, when his wife and kid are out of town, he meets Alex Forrest, an editor for a publishing company, and they end up having a steamy affair over the weekend. Dan later regrets this and realizes it was a one-time mistake, deciding to end it. But Alex thinks otherwise. She refuses to let go of Dan and tries everything she can to have him. This only further complicates things, as the more Dan pushes her away, the harder Alex tries to hold on, even if it involves taking fatal measures. At first look, Fatal Attraction appears to be a story of an obsessive passion of an egocentric woman, but at its core, it’s the story of a very disturbed human being.
Is Fatal Attraction Available on DVD and Blu-ray?
The film was available on VHS and LDs long before its DVD was released. In 2002, Paramount Pictures released a Special Collector’s Edition DVD of Fatal Attraction, followed by its first Blu-ray in June 2009. The Blu-ray edition contains some bonus features from the earlier DVD edition, along with a director’s commentary from Adrian Lyne, cast interviews, behind-the-scenes snippets, etc. as well as two different endings – the original theatrical one and an alternate one, which we’ll get to soon. In 2020, a remastered Blu-ray was also released with a new interview with Lyne and some rehearsal footage but did not include all features from the previously released version. For the film’s 35th anniversary, Paramount released a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on September 13, 2022, which you can get on Amazon with the following link:
Buy on Amazon
The Legacy of Fatal Attraction
Upon its release, Fatal Attraction became a massive box-office success and was an instant hit among fans. The film grossed $320 million against its original budget of $14 million and turned into the second highest-grossing film of 1987 behind Three Men and a Baby (which is also due for a reboot soon) and was the biggest film of the year. Critics appreciated the film’s dark and sultry narrative and praised the brilliant performances of Douglas and Close. Some even call it “a potboiler in the finest sense”. So, it was no wonder when Fatal Attraction got nominated in six categories at the 60th Academy Awards, for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress for Close, Best Supporting Actress for Archer, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.
Conceptually, this psychological thriller also became a touchstone for future films made in the genre, especially during the late 80s and through the 90s. On the other side of its legacy, as much as the film was a critical and commercial success, Fatal Attraction also invited a lot of controversies, especially regarding Alex’s character, which, at that time was considered aggressive and negative. However, in the years following its release, the film became a major subject of conversation in psychology. Film experts and psychiatrists have analyzed the complexities of Alex’s character as a reference for borderline personality disorder shown in films in that era. The film also gave rise to the term “bunny boiler”, which though derogatory, is usually defined as “a woman who acts vengefully after having been spurned by her lover.” The phrase takes after a scene in the film, where we learn that Alex had boiled her family’s pet bunny out of whatever mental state she would have been in at that point.
Alternate Endings of Fatal Attraction
Originally, before the film was released in the theaters, Fatal Attraction was scripted for a different ending. At the story’s ending, Alex slashes her throat with the knife that Dan had left behind to make it look like a murder committed by Dan. After Dan gets arrested for the same, Beth finds a tape that Alex had sent Dan, where she threatens to kill herself. On realizing what Alex truly intended for Dan, Beth immediately takes the tape to the police and Dan is cleared of charges. As an epilogue the ending scene cuts to a flashback, showing Alex slashing her throat while listening to “Madame Butterfly”.
However, after test screenings, the production team reshot the ending as we see in the final theatrical release, i.e., with Alex getting shot by Beth. The VHS, LD, and the 1992 DVD of the film all have the original ending included.
