Mortelle séduction

This has always been one of my favorite "B-Movies" that was made with home video and cable in mind (Even though it was a theatrical release, back in the days B-Movies got theatrical runs) Jamie (Morgan Fairchild), a beautiful anchor-woman is the target of a stalker (Andrew Stevens) That's about it for the plot. The film has some truly decent moments. I like the scene where Stevens apologizes for his initial stalkings to a receptive Jamie (He even gives her flowers!). Of course, the signature scene is Stevens spying on Morgan Fairchild taking a bath. The scene works for the movie, and of course, the idea of a nude Morgan Fairchild walking about is one of the key reasons why this film was made. But for the most part, this film is dizzlingly hokey. There is a lot of unintentional humor here. My favorite bit is when Jamie reads the news off the teleprompter, and all of the sudden, the text in the teleprompter becomes a nasty note from Andrew Stevens. She accidently reads the first few lines of the nasty, naughty note in the same tone of voice she uses to read the news. She realizes what she has done, and comes close to giving a Homer Simpson "Dohhh!"

I first saw this movie when it first came out and I was still in the Army. I enjoyed it then, probably because of Morgan Fairchild but recently saw it again and decided to comment on it, especially after I read some peoples negative reviews.

This movie in my opinion delivers with its plot. There is no doubt that Morgan is being stalked and there is no doubt that the stalker has every intention of getting to Morgan. I thought Morgan Fairchild was very good in this movie, especially when you consider that she was a lot more of an inexperienced actress at the time this movie was made. Andrew Stevens was very good as the stalker and the rest of the cast was fine.

You could certainly remake this movie with a bigger budget and get a very good movie. This movie is not a classic but its certainly a watchable movie. Watching this movie you will get into the plot and you will be wondering what the stalker is going to do next.

for anyone who might tend toward romantic obsession, here's your cure. do yourself (or a friend) a favor and (get him to) watch this film. fifteen minutes into the film, you just want to punch andrew stevens in the mouth. the problem is that the harasser never seems to know what a jerk and a fool he is being. here's the message, written in big red letters. too bad more men don't see themselves this way until it's too late. of course, derek (mr. stevens' character) becomes a very bad person by the time he gets his due. if only derek could see himself in this movie, maybe then he wouldn't have taken that first step. sure, not all crushes are actually stalkings. and there is the risk that the truly disturbed stalkers won't understand that this movie is supposed to help them not to do it. the movie may just make a lot of people paranoid. still, it as an effective counterpoint to the CINEMA PARADISO-style treatment of unrequited love, and too much of that sort of fantasy romance in cinema just exacerbates this social problem.

it's not so much a thriller as a public service announcement. amazingly, farrah fawcett is in BURNING BED just two years later. one has to think that blossom kahn had more to do with this film than the credits reveal.

it's obvious why morgan fairchild took the script. ms. fairchild was never the bimbo that people accused her of being. (i have a friend who was at a bio lab at harvard when she phoned to discuss primate genetics for several hours! no kidding!) the kind of power that julia roberts uses today to deliver ERIN BROCKOVITCH was enjoyed by ms. fairchild in 1982, and she seems to have used it here. ms. fairchild even gives up her body with shocking compliance (with dozens of nude scenes, and almost constant appearance on screen) in order to keep the drooling men in their seats until the lesson is complete. as easy as it is thus to applaud ms. fairchild, mr. stevens deserves greater praise. not many leading men would have taken such a role in 1982, and mr. stevens is the perfectly detestable pretty-boy delusional peter-pan smarm. the boys will watch this film for ms. fairchild, and they will learn to leave the girls alone because of mr. stevens.

THE SEDUCTION (1982)

I am so happy they decided to restore this retro, schlocky gem that I might have never seen. It stars a fierce and gorgeous Morgan Fairchild as a tv news personality who finds herself stalked by a sexy, obsessive stalker played by a hunky Andrew Stevens. It's pretty by the numbers but it's a fun horroresque, erotic thriller that really delivers. Not to spoil anything but basically she just reaches the point where she refuses to be the victim and fights back. It's pretty damn satisfying.

Budget: $3m Box Office: $11.4m

7.5/10

An extremely silly "thriller". First of all, the Dereck character in real life would have gotten arrested for a number of offensives he commits. (He wouldn't have gotten serious sentences, but he would at least been arrested.) Second, the plot is really thin - see how many times and ways the filmmakers pad out the movie, including, but not limited to people walking around slowly from point A to B, Fairchild undressing, Fairchild showering or bathing, Fairchild in a hot tub, Fairchild driving around, etc. etc. Third, Dereck doesn't really become creepy or frightening until near the end of the movie - most of the movie, he acts like a confused little boy.

However, credit to the crew who lit and photographed the movie. Their work is definitely above average. Pity that the other material of THE SEDUCTION doesn't deserve it.