Fatal Attraction

Author & Audience Relationship: Fatal Attraction

             For our second writing assignment, we have been asked to pick an example of a field that portrays the power struggle between the author and audience. I have decided on the 1987 film Fatal Attraction, which dealt with a change of ending in order to please the audience. The plot of Fatal Attraction begins with a married man named Dan Gallagher, played by Michael Douglas, who is having an affair with a woman while his family is away for the weekend. This weekend affair turns into a downward spiral of psychotic stalking and blackmail from Alex Forrest, played by Glenn Close. The ending of the film was originally supposed to be a suicide, but test audiences argued that they wanted something more, so it was inevitably changed. In order to change the ending, a three-week reshoot occurred, even though some of the actors initially refused. The alternate ending results in Alex being shot by Dan’s wife Beth.

            I chose Fatal Attraction not only because it is a brilliant film but it also is a perfect example of the struggle between the audience and author relationship. After doing further research, I was also intrigued by Glenn Close’s personal feelings on the changed ending. She even brought in psychiatrists to help push her opinion that the original ending was far more realistic. Also, numerous feminists disagreed on the idea of a strong business woman becoming psychotic. Due to all the various opinions on the audience and author relationship from the film Fatal Attraction, I felt this was the ideal motion picture to choose for the writing assignment.