Section 2: Research into examples of comparable products (FATAL ATTRACTION)

Fatal Attraction is a 1987 American thriller film directed by Adrian Lyne and stars Michael Douglas, Glenn Close and Anne Archer. The film follows Dan,A married man, who has a weekend affair with a his co-worker, Alex Forrest, who refuses to allow it to end and will resort to any measure in order to keep him. The film was the 2^nd highest grossing film of 1987 and earned 6 academy award nominations, including best picture and best actress for Glenn Close.

The film is most memorable for the particular death scene of a rodent, and coined the popular phrase ‘Bunny Boiler’.

Narrative Structure

At the start of the film, we are shown a very ahppy and domestic family household. Dan appears to be a family man, devoted to his wife and child. They live in a rather small house, and this appears to only strengthen their family bond. However Whilst at the party, where we meet Alex,  it is clear that an ambience changes, Dan seems to only talk to and touch one woman, his wife. However Alex is the only other woman he touches, this presents a disturbance in the Equilibrium and perhaps forshadows Alex’s threat over Dan’s Marriage.

Mis-en-Scene

• As the film starts, we see an XLS of New York City on a backdrop of a sunset sky. This creates a distinctly cleardivide between the urban civilisation and the sky. This could be symbolic of The distinct differnce between Dan’s married life, and his life with Alex, or perhaps signal the difference between reality and fantasy. Also, the subset is a visual metaphor for and end, or a change. Perhaps forshadowing the change that will occur in Dan’s ‘perfect’ family life. Also, the colour of the sky, orange, connotes warmth, mirroring the warmth of the family atmosphere Dan shares with his wife and child.
  
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  When the scene in Dan’s flat begins, we get an immediate sense that thie family is close, as they’re laughing and joking together, and appear to be the average evryday family, with Dan asking his wife where his suit is, and their little girl bieng diciplined for foiling her mother’s make-up.
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  In the party scene, there is always a number of people in the shot, giving us the sense of a large close gathering, and that anyone at any point could appear (Alex)
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  Also, Alex Forrest’s character is not hidden from us before she and Dan meet. We have several shots with her in the background, this suggests that she appears to be an average, normal member of society and not an antagonist, this is how how Dan percieves her at first. With the audience and Dan making the same interpretations of Alex, it is more devestating when we realise her true nature.
  
• Also, Alex and Dan's wife wear the same colour in the party sequence. This suggest that they are both similar in certain respects, and that Dan would be just as happy married to Alex, than he would his wife. Also, the colour black connotes death and misery, and this suggests that one, or both of these characters will experience such connotations.

Camera Work

• Whilst at Dan’s home, the camera angles are relitively low or waist hieght, and the acmera moves rather slowly, and cuts from shot to shot at a slow pace. However when at the party, the camera angles are highere and cut and move faster. This creates the sense of amtmosphere and excitement when at the party, suggesting that feels the wild atmosphere of the party more enjoyable than at home, foreshadowing his affair with Alex, as he prefers the wildness and unpredictability of an affair.
• When Dan and Alex meet, the camera stays in one position throughout there conversation, this could suggest that Alex has Dan trapped from the moment they meet.

Sound

• As the film begins, and the establishing shot is shown, we hear the direct diegetic sound of traffic. This sets the scene for the movie, and establishes where the movie is sat, also the fact that the city has traffic, suggest mayhem, mirroring Dan and Alex’s relationship.
• Also, when Dan is listening to music via headphones, the phone rings and he doesn’t hear. This foreshadows certain events, as after Dan has informed Alex that he wants to end the affair, she rings the house several times, and only his wife answers. In this scene, only Dan’s wife and daughter hear the phone. This mirrors the effect the phone has later in the film when Alex calls the house, as Dan will not be effected if he were to answer the phone, however should His wife or daughter answer, then they would be deeply effected.
• When at the party, we hear the diegetic sound of all the people at the part talking, this creates the hectic atmosphere of the party.

Graphics

As the film begins, we see the cast members and the name of the film in a white lock capital font on a black background. These 2 opposite colours suggest an opposite in Dan and Alex’s relationship, that the 2 contrast one another. Also, Black and white are very Gothic colours, suggesting darkness throughout the film.