A2 Film - 'Fatal Attraction' trailer and alternative ending

In this post you will find the trailer for Fatal Attraction (1987) and the alternative ending.

The original ending was screened before the official release, but the results showed that the ts audience did not like it, saying it was too downbeat and that it should end with Beth shooting Alex. The director Adrian Lyne re-shot the ending in keeping with the wishes of the test audience.

Fatal Attraction trailer (1987)

The original ending

The released ending

CBS News report on the alternative ending

A2 Film - Emotional Response: "Fatal Attraction"

In this blog post you are asked to analyse at least four sequences from the film, Fatal Attraction.

You need to identify how the cinematic and narrative techniques used affect your emotional response. These should include the following elements:

Mise en scene (Setting, location, lighting, props, costume, character placement)
Performance
Cinematography - angles, movement, framing
Sound - dialogue and music
Editing - pace and detail

Narrative techniques such as enigmas, cause/effect, and use of dialogue should also be considered in framing an emotional response from the audience.

You should also consider how the audience is being 'positioned' to feel potentially different emotions for different characters.

Also consider how the audience theory of 'structured interpretation' may affect an audiences' emotional response. This will depend on factors such as age, gender, class, social background, religious beliefs, moral beliefs, education, social status, marital status etc.

Sequence 1 - Lying in the Park

Sequence 2 - A Married Man

Sequence 3 - Bloody Farewell

Sequence 4 - Alex is pregnant

Sequence 5 - Alex comes over

Sequence 6 - Not being ignored

Sequence 7 - Boiled Bunny

Sequence 8 - Bathroom Brawl

Fade to Black: Why we watch Slasher films - on-line article

Link to a blog post from last year's teaching of the slasher film - will be useful background reading to support today's introductory session on the slasher sub-genre...more useful posts coming soon...

Fade to Black: Why we watch Slasher films - on-line article: Short, but useful insight into possible reasons for the audience attraction for slasher films (and probably horror films generally)...   h...

A2 Film: Resource material for MS3 Small Scale Project - 'The American Nightmare'...horror film documentary

For those researching horror films for their MS3 Small Scale Research Project, I fully recommend you watch Adam Simon's superb documentary, The American Nightmare, uploaded here in five parts. Absolutely essential viewing and most definitely one of the resources which should make the annotated bibliography.

The documentary looks at the development of the horror film from 1968 to the 2000s, interviewing important directors working in the genre throughout the 1970s, '80s and '90s, such as George A. Romero (Night of the  Living Dead), Wes Craven (Last House on the Left), Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), David Cronenberg (Shivers) and John Carpenter (Halloween)

Part 1. George A. Romero and the influences and influence of Night of the Living Dead from 1968

Part 2. Wes Craven and his debut horror, The Last House on the Left, from 1971

Part 3. Tobe Hooper highlights the social  influences on his seminal slasher film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, from 1974

Part 4. David Cronenberg talks about the advent of 'body horror' in the 1970s and '80s, in his films such as Shivers, made in 1976

Part 5. The final part sees John Carpenter discussing his influential slasher, Halloween, produced in 1978, and the documentary's conclusion

History of the Slasher Film Part 5 of 5

Fifth and final part of the Slasher documentary...this part focuses primarily on Scream

History of the Slasher Film Part 4

Part 4 of The Slasher documentary

History of the Slasher Film Part 3 of 5

Part three of the slasher documentary...4 and 5 to come...

History of the Slasher Film Part 2 of 5

Part two Of Mark Kermode's excellent programme on Slasher films...required viewing for my AS Film students

History of the Slasher Film Part1 of 5

A more than useful series on the history of the slasher film, produced by the film critic and journalist, Mar Kermode. Absolutely required viewing...the other four parts to follow...