Dangerous Liaisons [1988] [DVD]

Michelle Pfieffer and Uma Thurman are equally worthy of note as the pawns in a vicious game - even Keanu Reeves seems relaxed in his role as a penniless music teacher, as opposed to his stilted delivery in his later costume drama Dracula.

Whilst the support is good, the film undeniably beongs to Malkovitch and Close portraying two characters so assured of their own immortality, disaster strikes them both unawares. Note: the very final scene of the film in which the Marquise de Meurteuil removes her make-up after her fall from grace is one of the most poignant and horrifying: her inner ugliness is all of a sudden laid bare for all to see. Watch this with a bottle of wine and a box of Black Magic.

John Malkovich exudes charisma as Valmont and really does look like a french aristocrat from those times. It is unfortunate then that his seduction of Madame de Tourvelle (Michelle Pfeiffer) is conducted in the manner of a drill sargent, making his character as a lady killer a bit unbelievable. Michelle Pfeiffer and Glen Close give the best performances in the film. The torment of Madame de Tourville, played by Pfeiffer, struggling between her love for Valmont and everything she believes in, is acted with exquisite emotional honesty.

It is interesting that author Francois Choderlos de Laclos who wrote the original novel in 1782, being a man, had such a sympathetic insight into the inequalities and double standards the women of the time had to endure. The character of the Marquis de Merteuil being the anti-hero here as a supremely intelligent, capable woman in a society which offers her no outlet for her abilities, apart from destruction and manipulation. Although excellently acted, Glenn Close who plays her reminds me scarily of (a young) Margaret Thatcher!

It is probably the most definative adaptation of the original novel we are ever likely to get, with its message of the timeless constancy of candid, unsophisticated human nature, with its flaws, desires and vunerabilities. A film version with Lindsey Duncan and Alan Rickman as Merteuil and Valmont respectively (who were in the original Broadway version) would have been awesome. But sadly not meant to be. That aside, this version is pretty close to perfection.

The transfer from film to DVD is poor and unworthy of such a visually stunning film, especially one awarded for the visual spectacle the director and costumers created. The Chateau locations and their grounds are spectacular but they are hampered by a poor transfer. The film deserves better treatment and hopefully a better product combined with featurettes of the film's making will also find their way to a new disc.

The balance of the cast includes even more familiar names including Michelle Pfeiffer, Uma Thurman, Keanu Reeves, and Swoosie Kurtz. And while virtually all of these characters are harmed by the two primary practitioners of evil, they are not the same people who will suffer mortally, be it physical or social. And while not playing traditional roles, the spectacular homes, the period dress, and the elaborate ritual involved in 18th Century French Aristocratic living creates a visual treat.

The only reason I leave off the 5th star is because the transfer to DVD is so poor. This film was honored with many awards and has remained a favorite of viewers since 1989. As this is the case is deserves better treatment and the technology to do so is easily at hand.