Released in 1987 by Paramount Pictures, Fatal Attraction was one of the biggest box-office attractions of the year. More than just a popular success, the film, directed by Adrian Lyne, was a cultural phenomenon, inspiring discussion across the nation. The film is the story of an extramarital affair between Dan Gallager, played by Michael Douglas, a married attorney and father of one, and Alex Forrest, a single, successful professional played by Glenn Close. After a brief, and seemingly uninvolved two night fling, Gallagher is stalked and terrorized by the obsessed Alex. The film sparked a new genre—that of the female psychopath—that included such films as The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992), Single White Female (1992), and Basic Instinct (1992). Though dangerous women have existed long before Fatal Attraction, the murderous female characters in these films were more violent, sexualized, and devious. Many critics view Fatal Attraction as characteristic of the 1980s and 1990s backlash against the feminist movement. The character of Alex, with her gender-neutral name, financial independence, and ability to express and act on her desire, though a far cry from the traditional Hollywood depiction of women as passive sexual objects, presented female power as destructive and deadly.

Further Reading:

Holmlund, Chris. "Reading Character with a Vengeance: The Fatal Attraction Phenomenon." The Velvet-Light-Trap. Spring 1991, 25-36.