Reviews
[REVIEW] Is ‘Fatal Attraction’ (1987) A Horror Film?
Fatal Attraction follows New York attorney Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas) who meets editor Alex Forrest (Glenn Close) at a book release party. When Dan’s wife Beth (Anne Archer) and young daughter Ellen (Ellen Hamilton Latzen) go out to the country for a weekend with Beth’s parents, Dan has a life-changing affair with Alex. Once Dan makes it clear that he doesn’t wish to continue their affair in secret, Alex attempts to end her life. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Learning that Alex is pregnant (possibly) with Dan’s child, he fast-tracks his family’s exit from the city to a sprawling, isolated house in the woods. But if he thought moving would solve all his problems…he was dead wrong.

Not to be that guy but Merriam-Webster defines horror as, “painful and intense fear, dread, or dismay.” Defining something as horror is more than just checking a few boxes of descriptor words. What it really comes down to is the subjective experience of the viewer. Fatal Attraction is one of those films I’ve heard endlessly mentioned throughout the years, but I had never given it the time of day. So, after finally watching it, I’m left with the question: is it horror?
Yes. But not a good one.
Fatal Attraction follows New York attorney Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas) who meets editor Alex Forrest (Glenn Close) at a book release party. When Dan’s wife Beth (Anne Archer) and young daughter Ellen (Ellen Hamilton Latzen) go out to the country for a weekend with Beth’s parents, Dan has a life-changing affair with Alex. Once Dan makes it clear that he doesn’t wish to continue their affair in secret, Alex attempts to end her life. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Learning that Alex is pregnant (possibly) with Dan’s child, he fast-tracks his family’s exit from the city to a sprawling, isolated house in the woods. But if he thought moving would solve all his problems…he was dead wrong.
Where do we start with discussing Fatal Attraction? I’ll start by quelling your, and curator of all things Horror Press James-Michael, minds by saying when I refer to Fatal Attraction as not being a “good one” I don’t mean it’s a bad film. It’s not great by any means but it’s not terrible. Fatal Attraction has the trappings of a great horror film but fails to follow through with elements that would make it an excellent horror film. Part of this has to do with the scrapped ending.
The “good guy” in Fatal Attraction isn’t Dan or Alex, it’s Beth and Ellen. Dan and Alex are inherently both bad people. Where Dan is just morally corrupt, Alex has mental health issues that drive her to commit reprehensible acts. Beth and Ellen (and the rabbit) are the innocents stuck in the crossfire of Dan and Alex. By the time the credits rolled and Dan shook the Luitenant’s hand (Michael Arkin), I didn’t feel anything for him. I felt terrible that Ellen had to be put through this and watch her parents argue (and get kidnapped). I felt bad that Beth was unnecessarily forced to have a car accident and then kill Alex.
Now, if the film’s purpose was to feel bad for Beth and Ellen, I would have a different outlook. But writer James Dearden and director Adrian Lyne (based on Dearden’s short film Diversion ((which was based on Clint Eastwood’s Play Misty for Me))) fail to do anything with their script and direction, respectively, to make you feel for them. Beth and Ellen are constantly relegated to the background and only used when Dan needs to be hurt somehow.
The scrapped ending for this film has Alex slitting her throat and framing Dan for her murder. While this would have been a better all-around ending, it still paints Alex as the crazy woman who solely has it out to hurt men. Which, for a film in the ‘80s, isn’t too much of a stretch. Films like this and 1977’s Death Game (the film that Eli Roth remade Knock Knock from) are quick to point the finger at women. Death Game even ends with Agatha (Sondra Locke) and Donna (Colleen Camp) getting run over by a van–their just desserts. I can only imagine the rounds of applause that moment got in ’70s cinemas. To make a long story short, Dan is not the victim in Fatal Attraction. And it’s completely disingenuous for this film to paint him as such.
One of the highlights of Fatal Attraction is the acting. While we may not see any of Michael Douglas’ famed cancer-causing-cunnilingus, he does a stellar job as Dan (the way he is written). Glenn Close, brings a level of charisma to her character that could lead to an “alpha” man falling for her. But maybe the biggest plothole of the film is WHO THE HELL WOULD EVER CHEAT ON Anne Archer?!
The casting for Fatal Attraction works for what this film is, but it’s important to look at what could have been. Almost 100 actresses were looked at for Alex with people including Rosanna Arquette, Jessica Lange, Demi Moore, Sharon Stone, Mia Farrow, Beverly D’Angelo, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Olivia Newton-John, Heather Locklear, and Isabelle Adjani. ISABELLE ADJANI. Come on! Conversely, some of the men looked at to play Dan were less interesting and attractive like Dan Aykroyd, John Voight, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rick Moranis, Jim Belushi, Sylvester Stallone, and O.J. Simpson. That would have been hysterical[ly bad].
Fatal Attraction is a competently directed film for the story it’s trying to tell but fails to be anything more than thinly veiled semi-erotic fodder. Some solid performances are bogged down by a one-note story that’s afraid to push itself to the far reaches of human emotion. The first half is fun and exciting but slows down in the back half, which kills the pacing. I wish they would have stuck with the original ending and not curtailed itself to idiotic test audiences. It’s fine for what it is, but it could have been so much more with a better casting director.
Reviews
[REVIEW] ‘The Dead Thing’ Takes Ghosting To A Whole New Level
The Dead Thing follows Alex (Blu Hunt), a young woman who works late hours, lives by the rays of a sunlamp, and is looking for the one connection that will make life seem less cyclical. When Alex meets Kyle (Ben Smith-Peterson), it seems like things will finally be going in her favor. But all that glitters is not gold. As quickly as he came, he vanished. Hurt, confused, and pissed, Alex tries to get to the bottom of why Kyle disappeared from her life. Some stones are meant to be left unturned.

Elric Kane has been a prominent voice in the film and horror space for a long time. One of my fondest memories of Kane is his longtime hosting gig on the Shock Waves Podcast. The amount of film knowledge and obscure films I learned about from him and Dr. Rebekah McKendry singlehandedly fueled my interest in collecting physical media. Hearing how passionate and intense they were with their love of the genre is also what started me down the path of writing. While Dr. McKendry has previously dipped her toes in the feature filmmaking game, it’s now time for Elric Kane to do so.
Cut to: The Dead Thing.
The Dead Thing follows Alex (Blu Hunt), a young woman who works late hours, lives by the rays of a sunlamp, and is looking for the one connection that will make life seem less cyclical. When Alex meets Kyle (Ben Smith-Peterson), it seems like things will finally be going in her favor. But all that glitters is not gold. As quickly as he came, he vanished. Hurt, confused, and pissed, Alex tries to get to the bottom of why Kyle disappeared from her life. Some stones are meant to be left unturned.
Writer/director Elric Kane’s (and co-writer Webb Wilcoxen) singular debut feature film is a superbly crafted supernatural spectacle. The Dead Thing starts slow and deliberate; rather than rushing into an overwritten plot with underwritten characters, Kane and Wilcoxen allow the audience to sit with Alex in her neverending love life. One aspect of Alex that I, and hopefully many will, appreciate is how Alex is written. Rarely does Alex feel written from the perspective of the male gaze. Her life may not be going in the exact direction she wants, but the film never makes it out to be a her problem. At no point do they try and make Alex out to be a floozy or condemn her for the life she’s living, instead they make those who live the same kind of lifestyle feel seen. The film asks the audience if they ever feel like there’s no escape; too many of us can relate to that.
It doesn’t matter how a character is written if the acting doesn’t deliver, and Blu Hunt delivers. Set aside the fact that she has one of the most badass names I’ve ever heard, Hunt provides an astounding lead performance. Whether she’s walking alone down a Los Angeles street, or playing off of her longtime friend Cara (Katherine Hughes), coworker Chris (John Karna), or the mysterious[ly handsome] Kyle, Hunt gives it her all. It helps that Ben Smith-Peterson and the supporting cast all give overwhelmingly brilliant performances.
Supernatural stories aren’t usually my go-to. They can be too overwritten, too style over substance, too “elevated”, or just plain boring. The Dead Thing quickly finds its footing and lets the audience accept it or not. Kane and cinematographer Ioana Vasile (who was a still photographer for Pontypool!!!) wonderfully capture the sometimes-solitary, sometimes-overstimulating beautiful hellscape that is Los Angeles. It should also be noted that one of my favorite actors in the world, Matt Mercer is a producer on this film.
The Dead Thing hits the perfect blend of claustrophobic loneliness and endless yearning. Just like Dr. Rebekah McKendry, it’s clear that Elric Kane doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk. For his debut feature film, The Dead Thing doesn’t need resuscitation. I’d say run, don’t walk, to check this one out, but if you do…look left and right before crossing the street.
The Dead Thing hits Shudder on Friday, February 14! Watch it with your partner if you can, or watch it alone with a tub of ice cream and an overflowing glass of wine. I won’t judge.
Reviews
[REVIEW] ‘Bride of Chucky’ Takes The Franchise In A New Direction
Bride of Chucky follows two groups of people who inevitably meet up for a final climactic finale. Tiffany Valentine (Jennifer Tilly) procures Chucky’s (Brad Dourif) body following the events of Child’s Play 3. Her goal is to perform a voodoo ritual to put his soul back into a human’s body. Through a questionable series of events, Chucky kills Tiffany and puts her soul into the body of a doll. The side story follows Jade Kincaid (Katherine Heigl) and Jesse Miller (Nick Stabile) who elope, with a thousand dollars, from Jade’s overbearing police chief uncle Warren (John Ritter). After Chucky kills Warren, Jade and Jesse are fingered for the murder. That’s when hijinks ensue.

The Child’s Play franchise is all over the place. What started as a [fairly] serious slasher series surrounding a killer doll would morph into a Nightmare on Elm Street-like horror comedy before self-correcting to find a solid middle ground. I’ll be the first to admit that I have never really cared much for this franchise. Child’s Play frightened me when I was a kid, and it wouldn’t be until my college years that I decided to watch Bride and Seed–this altered my overall opinion of what the franchise stood for. Watching Child’s Play 2 and 3 back in college left me wondering how a franchise as culturally impactful as this one fluctuated in style and substance.
Bride of Chucky follows two groups of people who inevitably meet up for a final climactic finale. Tiffany Valentine (Jennifer Tilly) procures Chucky’s (Brad Dourif) body following the events of Child’s Play 3. Her goal is to perform a voodoo ritual to put his soul back into a human’s body. Through a questionable series of events, Chucky kills Tiffany and puts her soul into the body of a doll. The side story follows Jade Kincaid (Katherine Heigl) and Jesse Miller (Nick Stabile) who elope, with a thousand dollars, from Jade’s overbearing police chief uncle Warren (John Ritter). After Chucky kills Warren, Jade and Jesse are fingered for the murder. That’s when hijinks ensue.
Before the comments start, let’s return to the opening comment regarding Child’s Play turning into a horror comedy. Chucky was always one for quips. Like Freddy Krueger, Chucky would hit a one-liner shortly before or after his kill. These jokes worked to help cut through Chucky’s horror. It gave some momentary relief from the kills. Bride of Chucky is just one long gag, and for me, it’s frustrating. Like Nightmare, Bride of Chucky has lost the plot. Every scene seems to exist to facilitate a setup for the next bit or one-liner, rather than having moments of comedy flow naturally. The doll sex scene and swinger couple bits are just poorly thought-out filler.
I know this is going to anger some of you, but Bride of Chucky is a seriously awful movie.
There are a few moments that I do truly enjoy and work well in the overall Child’s Play universe. Tiffany kills the officer she buys Chucky’s body from with a nail file and then uses it to file her nails. The moment Tiffany stabs Chucky in the back at the cemetery is a great character moment, but it makes everything that led up to it pointless. With the exception of a few moments here and there, Bride of Chucky ends up being a chore to watch rather than entertainment. For a genre that has always been political, gay representation has been lacking for quite some time. The character of David Collins (Gordon Michael Woolvett) is a welcome addition to the story, but he feels underutilized in the grand scheme of it all.
While I may not care for the franchise much, I’ve done some research on it over the years. Bride of Chucky features many recycled bits from other Child’s Play scripts and you can really feel it. The kills are few and far between and feel overly forced. Child’s Play 4 was initially put on hold after the abysmal box office of Child’s Play 3 and maybe writer/director Don Mancini should have taken another year or so to really flesh out the canon of Chucky. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like the idea of Tiffany becoming a doll and becoming pregnant with Chucky’s baby. But I don’t think the ends justify the means.
Cult and Curse of Chucky, thankfully, take the series back to a more grounded and to-the-roots nature of what Child’s Play was, and I’m glad it took nearly a decade after Seed for it to come to fruition. Mancini is an excellent voice in horror, but time and constraints are necessary for his vision to be fully realized. Those who are Child’s Play die-hards will probably disagree with everything I’ve said, and that’s okay. As a casual Chucky fan, Bride of Chucky feels nothing more than a nu-metal, Hot Topic, try-hard entry into the franchise. The kills look solid, and Dourif gives an incredible vocal performance (as always) but there’s little to no substance to Bride of Chucky.
No wonder half of all marriages end in divorce.