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The Rules of Attraction (2002)

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  • The Rules of Attraction (2002)



    Anybody else love this film as much as I do? Ellis has gone on recording saying that he feels out of all the film adaptations of his work, this one was the best and came the closest to capturing the essence of the novel. As much as I love American Psycho, I have to agree. Its a brutally funny, at times even affecting quirky flick with some brilliantly inspired casting. Van Der Beek especially kills it going against type at the time as the lead spoiled rich asshole. Despite having very little “likable” characters, everyone in the film is so engaging that you eventually grow to, if not like them at least be fascinated by their characters.

    Avary was certainly the right man for the job. Even when the direction gets a bit too music videoy (the Europe montage) it actually fits and doesn't get distracting. The reverse order and time jumps also work wonders and there's a wonderful split screen sequence with an equally great use of Donovan's “Colours”.

    And this happens:



    “It sucks coooooooooooock.”
    LA PASIÓN ESPAÑOL: THE EROTIC MELODRAMAS OF VICENTE ARANDA (1991-1999)

  • #2
    I remember liking it when it came out, but I havent seen it since. I need to revisit it.
    "No presh from the Dresh!"

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    • #3
      Never seen it, not an Ellis fan but this has always got good word of mouth.

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      • #4
        A masterpiece. One of the greatest films of the 00's.
        "Ah! By god's balls what licentiousness!"

        Marquis de Sade, The 120 Days of Sodom.

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        • #5
          I've always felt that the characters are just too obnoxious for this to work as a whole. It seems like it should've been tougher as well, it feels a bit watered down. It has some good moments, though and is well-made.
          Why would anybody watch a scum show like Videodrome? Why did you watch it, Max?

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          • #6
            Watched it at the cinema and had the DVD since it came out, so yeah I liked it a lot back then. It may have helped that i was early 20's back then. Havnt watched it in years but will have to see if it still holds up in reality as well as it does in my memory or whether as I a have aged the characters now just are plain awful

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            • #7
              I watched it again recently and thought it to be good stuff. Dawson is really good in it which is a surprise. I remember at the time not enjoying it but I think that had a lot to do with the cast being hugely obnoxious on local telly in interviews. Plus it was a large part of the reason I mistakenly invested in an iMac (it was the first Hollywood flick edited in Final Cut from memory) and I've always held a bit of a grudge for that reason too.

              It's largely missing the bi sexuality of Dawson's character from the book which I reckon would have been fun to throw in but maybe Dawson wasn't ready to go there. Did Avery ever make another good film?
              "Never let the fact that they are doing it wrong stop you from doing it right." Hyman Mandell.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Dom D View Post
                Did Avery ever make another film?
                A better question to ask I think...

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by sukebanboy View Post
                  A better question to ask I think...
                  I see... I either forgot about or wasn't aware of the prison term. This and Killing Zoe were a good start to a career, shame he fucked it up.

                  I guess getting screenplays up for Silent Hill and Beowulf was a good effort but I saw them both and they both sucked.
                  "Never let the fact that they are doing it wrong stop you from doing it right." Hyman Mandell.

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                  • #10
                    He only aerved about a year in total I think...got out in 2010..

                    tdont think he has done anything since..not even tv or producing....

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Dom D View Post
                      Did Avery ever make another good film?
                      I've always wanted to see MR. STITCH, a TV movie he did in '95, with Rutger Hauer and FX by Savini.
                      Why would anybody watch a scum show like Videodrome? Why did you watch it, Max?

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Dom D View Post
                        I see... I either forgot about or wasn't aware of the prison term. This and Killing Zoe were a good start to a career, shame he fucked it up.

                        I guess getting screenplays up for Silent Hill and Beowulf was a good effort but I saw them both and they both sucked.
                        I liked the Silent Hill movie. It had some plot holes but it was a fine horror film and one of the few good game to movie adaptations. I saw Beowulf and the CGI was just too distracting for me.
                        "Ah! By god's balls what licentiousness!"

                        Marquis de Sade, The 120 Days of Sodom.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Matt H. View Post
                          I've always wanted to see MR. STITCH, a TV movie he did in '95, with Rutger Hauer and FX by Savini.
                          It is quite nice. A nice step away from the horror/action sci-fi Rutger used to do. I rented it on VHS back in the day, when I rented every Rutger Hauer film there was.
                          "No presh from the Dresh!"

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by The Silly Swede View Post
                            I rented it on VHS back in the day, when I rented every Rutger Hauer film there was.
                            Yeah, Rutger's awesome. BLIND FURY is a personal favourite.
                            Why would anybody watch a scum show like Videodrome? Why did you watch it, Max?

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                            • #15
                              Whoa, was totally unaware of Avary's doing time. Intense. If Wikipedia is too believed, an upcoming project he's attached too is an adaptation of a sci-fi novel called Unwind. Never heard of it. It'd be nice to see him get something off the ground though. Killing Zoe is another great film. Kind of irritates me though how it still seems to get slagged as a Tarantino rip-off.
                              LA PASIÓN ESPAÑOL: THE EROTIC MELODRAMAS OF VICENTE ARANDA (1991-1999)

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