With a supporting cast that includes Ann Archer as Douglas’s wife Beth and a truly adorable Ellen Latzen as their only child, Fatal Attraction was a cultural phenomenon the film grossed $156M in North America and $320M worldwide on a modest $14M budget. The infidelity thriller features an iconic unhinged performance from Glenn Close alongside Michael Douglas, starting his run as the gold standard for shitty dudes in the 80s and 90s. After all, this is the director behind no less than three of the most iconic texts associated with Erotic Thrillers.įlashing back to 1987 and Fatal Attraction only puts the current moment in starker contrast. Still, the lack of enthusiasm for one of the sub genre’s key contributors (if not its most important creative talent) was a little surprising. This was after a release schedule that included multiple delays, some of which were likely a result of the pandemic, but also perhaps because the studio was unsure how to promote the film. The new film, starring Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas, received mixed reviews following its debut on Hulu in April. In the previous installment of my ongoing Sex Crimescolumn, I explored a failed effort to revitalize the erotic thriller sub-genre in anticipation of Deep Water, the latest film from legendary director Adrian Lyne.
