Dangerous Liaisons

Nominated for Best Picture, this wickedly intelligent tale of debauchery marks the Hollywood debut of independent filmmaker Stephen Frears (My Beautiful Laundrette, Sammy and Rosie Get Laid). John Malkovich and Glenn Close star as a pair of pre-revolutionary 18th-century French aristocrats whose primary occupations are deflowering virgins and exacting revenge. Based on the erotic novel by Choderlos de Laclos, Christopher Hampton's Oscar-winning screenplay focuses on the intricate web of deception woven by Close and Malkovich in order to snare a virtuous young wife (Michelle Pfeiffer). What begins as a conquest attempt treated with a light comic hand, eventually turns into a sobering moral tragedy that has much to say about the differences between love and sex. A bonus is the letterboxing which Warner is using for the video (perhaps two inches on top and bottom), allowing the full appreciation of the Oscar-winning set decoration. Easily one of 1988's most challenging films of the year, it is also, in every respect, one of the best. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (R. Pitman)