Fatal Attraction

There are certain films and shows that resonate with audiences everywhere—they generate discussion and debate about everything from gender, class, citizenship and race, to consumerism and social identity. This new ‘teachable canon’ of film and television introduces students to alternative classics that range from silent film to CSI.

• This 1987 horror/thriller sensationalizes the deadly consequences of an extra-marital affair in an era known for conspicuous consumption and the re-emergence of ‘family values’
• A box office blockbuster, Fatal Attraction sparked intense media coverage, preying upon cultural anxieties about female sexuality, career women, work, violence, and infidelity
• Teachable through formal analysis, American film history, and the emerging study of post-feminism