Friday, January 5, 2024

Classic Movie Flashback 'Fatal Attraction' 1987 with Michael Douglas

FATAL ATTRACTION from PARAMOUNT Pictures (1987). The production budget climbed to $14 million and grossed $157 million at the north American box office. It hit $163 million at the Foreign box office. The thriller would go onto to become the number one grossing movie worldwide at $320 million.

For 8 weeks - It stood at number #1 at the U.S. box office. Word-of-mouth made the film a popular smash and became the most talked about movie of that year.

The story surrounds a male lawyer who has a one-night stand with a successful hard working woman. She can't let go and begins to stalk him and his family. He tries to drop her but she claims that she is pregnant. It gets worse as she becomes a threatening presence with his family. She even breaks into his home and boils the pet rabbit. The other woman can't let go and becomes an absolute nightmare.

I was in college at the time and in my health science classes. The conversion turned to "Fatal" and the talks went deep with dating, marriage and couples. It scared men across the world and the film un-earthed real life "Fatal Attractions."

The movie spent 7 years in the making and was turned down be every major Hollywood studio (twice). When the producers found the right casting and a strong director. Everything fell into place. 

"Fatal Attraction" received 6 Oscar nominations including Best Picture of the year. There was no sequel but the film spawned dozens of copy-cat thrillers over the next 10 years. None of them could reach the film's popularity and powerful reach. It is still a talked-about movie even today.

A recent TV series was developed but was cancelled after one season.

Below is the original 1987 movie trailer.


Publicity Photo 1987. Glenn Close & Michael Douglas. 30th anniversary retrospective in 2017.

A scene from "Fatal Attraction." Michael Douglas and Anne Archer (husband & wife).

1987 Publicity Photo. Glenn Close, Michael Douglas & Anne Archer. 

No comments: