Dangerous Liaisons
The biting satire about love and lust, passion and deception includes director's commentary.
A sumptuously mounted and photographed celebration of artful wickedness, betrayal, and sexual intrigue among depraved 18th-century French aristocrats, Dangerous Liaisons (based on Christopher Hampton's Les Liaisons Dangereuses) is seductively decadent fun. The villainous heroes are the Marquise De Merteuil (Glenn Close) and the Vicomte De Valmont (John Malkovich), who have cultivated their mutual cynicism into a highly developed and exquisitely mannered form of (in-)human expression. Former lovers, they now fancy themselves rather like demigods whose mutual desires have evolved beyond the crudeness of sex or emotion. They ritualistically act out their twisted affections by engaging in elaborate conspiracies to destroy the lives of their less calculating acquaintances, daring each other to ever-more-dastardly acts of manipulation and betrayal. Why? Just because they can; it's their perverted way of getting get their kicks in a dead-end, pre-Revolutionary culture. Among their voluptuous and virtuous prey are fair-haired angels played by Michelle Pfeiffer and Uma Thurman, who have never looked more ripe for ravishing. When the Vicomte finds himself beset by bewilderingly genuine emotions for one of his victims, the Marquise considers it the ultimate betrayal and plots her heartless revenge. Dangerous Liaisons is a high-mannered revel for the actors, who also include Swoosie Kurtz, Mildred Natwick, and Keanu Reeves. --Jim Emerson
Dangerous Liaisons Accessories
Dangerous Liaisons Reviews
The sumptuous costumes and backdrop go without saying. I love John Malkovich, and he does not disappoint in this role. Glenn Close was also good. I found Keanu Reeves' and Uma Thurman's performances both to be a bit 'weak'. But for me, it was (surprisingly to me) Michelle Pfeiffer who really stood out. Before she gives in to the advances of John's character, you can completely FEEL her pain...that pain of wanting someone so badly...the physical desire...and feeling that you cannot have it. You can see it in her eyes...her mouth...
I've purchased several DVD's from Amazon and I've always been very satisfied...until now.
This particular DVD was of very poor quality, dark and grainy. I would have sent it back, but it's not worth the postage.
Movie redeems itself in the last 20 minutes almost making you forgive the first hour and a half that you must suffer through.
Namely you will suffer through Malkovich's gaudy American accent as he goes around deflowering virgins in his flowery French turn-of-the-19th-century attire. Perhaps this movie would have been better enjoyed with the French voice-over and subtitles. At least it would have lent some credibility to the detailed costumes and sets.
Second, most of the seducing and getting seducted that seems to be most of this movie comes off somewhat forced. It's hard to beleive any woman could be seduced by Malkovich's character. His overlong, lingering looks are enough to turn your stomach.
In Dangerous Liasons, you get to see a lot of Hollywood stars back in their prime. You get to see "a lot" of Uma Thurman, almost worth the price of admission alone. In spite of this, much of the acting is kind of wooden - bland accents not helping matters and the story is rather boring as well up until nearly the end of movie when everything is finally put into perspective, and some of the acting actually gets pretty good (Close in particular). It takes a long time to generate much suspense or interest. Or beleivablility! A man who goes through the task of deflowering both Uma Thurman AND Michelle Pfeifer for the sole purpose of getting a roll in the hay with Glenn Close?! Come on!! OK, I'm joking. By the end of the movie we have a deeper understanding of the characters (and certainly more than enough time invested in them) and can all the more savor the final ironies. It still gives me chills to think of the closing scene with Glenn close wiping off her make-up.
Let me just say that prior to the ending of this movie I was ready to give it a whopping 3 stars. The movie ends so well however that I nearly forgot all the gripes I'd been compiling the first long hour and a half.
A little background prior to seeing this movie would have helped. From the footnotes in the special features:
"France was under the rule of King Louis XVI when Choderlos de Laclos wrote 'Les Liaisons Dangereuses' in 1782. Marie Antoinette was queen."
Dangerous Liaisons I have seen this movie before and decided to buy it for my library. I like historic movies that have bite and this one has it. First of all, the actors are superb in the roles they play. Everyone romanticizes the 17th, early 18th century. An era of fancy dressed men and pompadour women of the elite class. The ideaology of the time, the mind-set, and philosphy of those times is starkly portrayed. Not so romantic in the reality of false and rediculous etiquette and values.
The Bottom Line:
Far better than Cruel Intentions, the recent remake, Dangerous Liaisons is a biting costume drama that portrays pre-revolutionary France as just about the most decadent place on earth; with good performances by the always-reliable Malkovich and a suprisingly villainous Glenn Close, it's an effective film.
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