fine whine

Fatal attraction is not a good movie. It's not 'thrilling' and it's not a 'classic'. It's dated, overrated, and I didn't enjoy watching it other than to heckle it*.

Now I can say that I've seen it, because it seems to show up on many a list of necessary or important films. The latter case may well be true, in that this precedes many of the other hackneyed purveyors of the "don't cheat, it can only end badly" message. 'Immoral' Hollywood seems to recycle this plot over and over again, but perhaps (and I'm not really interested in researching it further) Fatal attraction is hailed as the paragon, or at least the progenitor, of the two-decades long spate of such films.

It is only in light of all the other deadly affair movies that I can watch this; I'm not willing to expend the effort to forget them and their hoary clichés.

I work in the fashion industry, and was regaled earlier this year with something of a fashion show at one of our all-company meetings showing off our line featuring flashback styles from the fabulous eighties, with a modern twist. There's an important distinction between the fashions now and then: now we're claiming it's about looking sexy. Having sat through two hours of prime eighties regalia, I can't imagine the shoppers of the time being sold on looking sexy, with as ridiculous as the clothes look. How were womens' clothes sold back then?

I mean, come on. Linebacker shoulderpads? Kudos to the marketing wonks who ever managed to move the first unit of those, let alone so many of them. Don't get me started on the hairstyles.

* And heckling it wasn't nearly fun enough. I want at least one of those hours back.