Rating summary
| Movie |  | 3.5 |
| Video |  | 4.5 |
| Audio |  | 2.5 |
| Extras |  | 2.0 |
| Overall |  | 3.0 |
Fatal Attraction 4K Blu-ray Movie Review
Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 22, 2022
Paramount has released the classic 1987 film 'Fatal Attraction' to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/Dolby Vision video. No new
audio track is included, and no new supplements are to be found. Paramount notably released the film in 2020 as the inaugural title in its prestigious 'Paramount
Presents' line. This disc is not part of that collection; it is merely a generic, standalone release.
Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas) is a happily-married New York lawyer. Working a case with a publishing house regarding a novel that may find
itself at the center of a lawsuit, he meets editor Alex Forrest (Glenn Close). With his wife Beth (Anne Archer) out of town, Dan enjoys a quiet dinner
with Alex that leads to a passionate encounter. Though seemingly agreed upon as nothing more than a one-night affair between two consenting
adults, Alex rejects the fact that Dan needs to leave her to return to his established life where he works a demanding job and enjoys the company of
his loving wife and daughter. Alex begins stalking Dan, her aggressive pursuit becoming more serious as time goes on, leading Dan to fear every ring
of the phone and knock on the door while doing all he can to convince Alex to leave him -- and his family -- alone.
For a full film review, please click
here; note that this link points to the 2009 Paramount release.
Fatal Attraction 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
The included screenshots are sourced from the 2020 1080p Blu-ray disc.
Paramount brings Fatal Attraction to the UHD format with an attractive 2160p/Doby vision transfer. The image is clearly sourced from the same
master that the studio used for its 2020 remastered Blu-ray. There is not a monumental shift or dramatic series of enhancements on display here, but
the image is still very good and a step forward from the Blu-ray. Viewers will note moderately sharper elements -- faces, clothes, trinkets around
interiors, building exteriors -- but there is not a major leap forward for textural detail, tactile definition, or overall elemental clarity. Such are in
evidence, but this not one of those leaps-and-bounds superior type images. Still, the image holds to a perfectly filmic image with a few shots here and
there that look a little processed and smooth, but it's difficult to tell where photographic characteristics stop and any digital manipulation begins.
The Dolby vision grading brings some tinkering and tweaking to the palette, offering the usual array of benefits, including deeper overall tones, more
color authenticity and tonal subtlety, and here at times a slightly grayer appearance. The image also benefits from the general signs of Dolby Vision
improvement to whites (more brilliant) and blacks (deeper and more absorbing without crushing out details).
This is obviously the best image ever for the film, and it betters the Blu-ray in all ways. However, the gains are not dramatic. It's worth the upgrade, but
probably not at full price at release; wait for a sale or sell the 2020 disc and put the funds towards this.
Fatal Attraction 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
Rather than reformat the audio for Dolby Atmos, Paramount has simply ported over the existing Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack that has been
recycled from both the 2009 and 2020 Blu-ray releases. Please click here for full coverage; note that this link points to the original
2009 Blu-ray.
Fatal Attraction 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
Fatal Attraction's UHD disc includes no supplemental content, but the bundled Blu-ray (which is not advertised on the front of the packaging
where it states "4K Ultra HD + Digital Code") houses the following legacy extras (please click here for coverage). Note that because this is the same disc
from 2020, the missing extras from 2009 are still absent. A digital copy code is included with purchase. This release ships with a non-embossed
slipcover that features artwork identical to the UHD case.
- Filmmaker Focus: Adrian Lyne on Fatal Attraction
- Rehearsal Footage
- Alternate Ending with Introduction by Director Adrian Lyne
- Original Theatrical Trailer
- Audio Commentary: Director Adrian Lyne.
Fatal Attraction 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
Perhaps the film played a bit better in 1987, but Fatal Attraction now seems not an Oscar-caliber picture but rather simply a good movie
marked by
solid performances on both sides of the camera but featuring a by-the-book plot and a routine conclusion. Glenn Close and her 80s hairdo continue to
fascinate with her descent into madness over a seemingly trifle affair that winds up scarring more than one man's conscience. Well-paced, scary at
times, engaging, and even somewhat memorable, the film plays well but doesn't hold up as an all-time classic. Paramount's new UHD release of
Fatal
Attraction includes a solid new 2160p/Doby Vision video transfer that is better than the Blu-ray but that does not scream "instant must buy," either,
even with some of the mild-to-moderate gains in evidence. The bundled Blu-ray houses all of the extras from the 2020 releases but is
still missing some that were only available on the 2009 disc. Audio is unchanged.
Pick this one up for the amazing transfer and hang onto the old 2009 disc for the extras. Highly recommended, but wait for a sale, especially for anyone
still
enjoying the excellent 2020 Blu-ray.
