Rating: 
Summary: A ravishing, devilish good time!
Review: There's a certain degree of sinful pleasure hidden beneath the depravity of "Dangerous Liaisons," a film that is perversely elegant in its execution and daringly naughty in regard to its story. Based on the novel by Choderlos de Laclos, the script by Christopher Hampton explores the cause and effect nature of love, betrayal, and sinful intentions in both humorous and serious lights. While the material could be easily morose and unaffecting, director Stephen Frears spices up his canvas with a beautiful cast and a well-constructed production design. At the center of the story are two people who feed on the misery they cause others as a way to keep their urges for one another suppressed. Glenn Close is the seductively evil Marquise de Merteuil, a self-proclaimed "virtuoso of deceit" who believes it her duty to dominate the opposite sex, and avenge her own. Her latest undertaking involves the daughter of her naive friend Madame de Volanges (Swoozie Kurtz), for whom her former lover left her. In hopes of ruining daughter Cecile's (Uma Thurman) reputation, she calls upon beloved friend and partner in evil, Vicomte de Valmont, played by John Malkovich. Valmont, like Merteuil, prides himself on his accomplishments, and prizes the feeling of success that comes with the devastation he causes to women. But he has different plans in mind, involving the seduction and ruin of one Madame de Tourvel (Michelle Pfeiffer), whose ideals and virtues are the exact opposite of these two wicked souls. His plan is concocted from the most cruel of intentions: to make her want him so badly that she does not relinquish her beliefs, but instead is crushed by them once she gives in to his advances. Imagine his surprise when he finds that his task will not be as easy as he had at first hoped. When he finds that Tourvel is far more resistant than first expected, he agrees to aid Merteuil in her quest for revenge against Cecile. As the two weave their intricate web of deception and betrayal, Valmont finds himself in a position he never imagined possible, and Merteuil finds herself in danger of losing her grip over him. As you may have noticed, I've left out much of the important plot points concerning other characters; half the fun of this film is the unveiling of each evil plan, all of which fall into place in a manner that is ingeniously devilish and supremely potent. The manner in which these actions are carried out, and the overall effects they have, are unsettling, to be sure, yet there's a wondrous sense of awe about them, one that stems from the craftsmanship of such detailed revenges that are disturbing and mesmerizing at the same time. For such a devious story to work, a talented cast is in order, and "Dangerous Liaisons" supplies us with precisely that. Glenn Close is outlandish as Merteuil, mastering with incredible wit and sensibility the calculating nature of her character. She wonderfully portrays the physical beauty used to mask the cold-hearted novice with terrific gusto; in Merteuil's "win or die" conversation with Valmont, Close sells us on the character, and also proves her worth as an actress. Mirroring this delightfully evil performance is that of Malkovich, whose delectable wit and cool masterminding of deceit are supremely effective. For his character to work, there must be two key factors involved: we must believe enough in his ability to seduce and destroy, and we must be able to accept the change of heart that comes after meeting Tourvel. Malkovich is able to accomplish both with suave, debonair charm and true emotional feeling within his words. High praise to the supporting cast as well, who all give well-rounded performances. Pfeiffer portrays Tourvel's resistance and innocence perfectly, as well as the heartache and hardships once she accepts her feelings for Valmont. The two pawns in Merteuil's wicked game, Cecile and her young love, Chevalier Danceny, are played by Thurman and Keanu Reeves with a much-needed naivety and innocent virtue that casts Merteuil and Valmont in an even more chilling light. In my praise of the cast, I've neglected to mention the superb art direction and production design for "Dangerous Liaisons." Some of the best sets and costumes ever designed for a period motion picture reside here, conveying the elegance and aristocracy of pre-Revolution France in a very accurate manner; the bawdy, forceful score by George Fenton also receives high marks. Anyone looking for some fiendish fun with a believable premise need look no further than this film, a sheer delight of whimsy, devilish evil, and grotesque elegance.
Rating: 
Summary: good story ecellent play
Review: there is something deeper about this movie (facile too) that could escape one's attention due to the fast-pace/high-stakes story. indeed, the game in itself is not fulfilling and its logical conclusion, pushed in the end, is devastating. the dialogues build rapidly a captivating plot whose climax can come in two such different ways....
Rating:
Summary: I see she writes as badly as she dresses...
Review: At first glance, Dangerous Liaisons would seem to be another boring, high minded period piece brought to you by PBS or Merchant & Ivory. Don't be fooled. The plot revolves around the scheming and vindictive Marquise de Merteuil and the equally sinister Vicomte de Valmont, played by Glenn Close and John Malkovich respectively. In order to exact revenge on her ex-lover, Bastide, the Marquise enlists the aid of Valmont, another former lover, to destroy the innocent reputation of a young girl Bastide is set to marry (played by Uma Thurman). It gets interesting when Valmont refuses, claiming its degree of difficulty would prove "humiliating if you don't succeed and commonplace if you do". Instead, Valmont is more excited about the loftier prospect of seducing the highly moral and religious Madame De Tourvel (Michelle Pfeiffer) - a challenge he claims would be his ultimate achievement.
The plot details eventually get more complicated, but by no means any less interesting! No fair to give away more than that, but suffice it to say that these two morally corrupt individuals epitomize the debauched aristocracy in pre-revolutionary France. If that's the only point to be made, however, then you're missing it. People like the Marquise and the Vicomte -- deeply cynical, decadent individuals who scheme to manipulate lives and destroy reputations for the mere sport of it -- surely abound today. Ultimately, "Dangerous Liaisons" is about two people so broken they can't admit their own love for each other. The opening scene finds the Marquise admiring her smug grin in the mirror, and the bookend to this initial cinematic flourish, is the final scene in which the Marquise bitterly removes her make-up, a letting-down of the mask, if you will, to one of the best comeuppances I've ever seen. Executed with this much intricacy, and played with such malice and cutting dialogue makes this "period peace" a howling wolf in sheep's clothing.
Rating:
Summary: Simply a masterpiece!
Review: The story itself is superb. I've read the original book in both English and French, and seen the other film adaptations, but this one is IT. 18th century French aristocrats amuse themselves by playing power games, and the weapon of choice is sex. Glenn Glose, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfieffer, Swoozie Kurtz, Uma Thurman, and Keanu Reeves (believe it or not, those last two actually act in this movie) all do incredible work. The layers of intrique range from delicate to crude, but each is captivating. Mix exquisite acting and biting dialogue with sumptuous costumes and sets... you get this masterpiece. It improves with each subsequent viewing.
Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: Superb acting, character interaction, tight story, great lines & lush environments translate into a great movie.
Rating:
Summary: Sexual decadence before the fall of the guillotine
Review: This is a tale about the ancien régime in18th century France before the revolution in which the moral decadence of the privileged classes rivaled that of Sodom and Gomorrah and the ancient Romans. The story comes from a novel by Choderlos de Laclos that was made into a stage play by Christopher Hampton. It is a cynical satire on human sexuality as well as a very subtle examination of sexual hypocrisy and desire, a kind of oh so sophisticated laugh at bourgeois morality that would have delighted Voltaire and Moliere and greatly amused Shakespeare. It is a tale of elaborate lechery and revenge that backfires because it seems that anybody, even the most jagged rake can fall in love, and thereby become the victim. John Malkovich plays the rake, Vicomte de Valmont, whose sole purpose in life is to seduce women, rob them of their virtue and then move on. Glenn Close plays his back-stabbing confidante and one-time lover, the Marquise de Merteuil. Michelle Pfeiffer plays the coy and virtuous Madame de Tourvel, who is to be Valmont's latest conquest. Uma Thurman is cast as a teenaged ingenue who is betrothed to Merteuil's lover while Keanu Reeves plays her naive music teacher and would-be lover, Chevalier Danceny. Stephen Frears, who has directed such diverse films as The Grifters (1990) and My Beautiful Laundrette (1985), after a somewhat cryptic start, does an excellent job of bringing the biting cynicism of Laclos and Hampton to the screen. I know of two other versions of this film, Milos Forman's Valmont (1989), starring Colin Firth and Annette Bening, and Roger Vadim's Dangerous Liaisons (1960). Regrettably, I haven't seen Vadim's film, but Forman's Valmont is excellent. In polite society comparisons are said to be odious. I shall proceed anyway: John Malkovich vs. Colin Firth. Malkovich is widely recognized as a great actor, but he is clearly miscast in this role, yet he brings a predatory dimension to the part that is in keeping with the overall psychology of the movie. Firth, while not as celebrated for his acting skills as Malkovich, is nonetheless a fine actor, and his charm and playful inventiveness are more in keeping with the character of Valmont, whom women love. Call it even. Glenn Close vs. Annette Bening. Again Close is considered the more accomplished actor, but Bening is sexier, prettier and considerably more charming. Whether that is a plus as far as the reality of the novel and play are concerned is debatable. For my part I found Bening a lot more fun to watch. Edge to Bening. Michelle Pfeiffer vs. Meg Tilly. Pfeiffer is a much bigger star and has more experience as an actress. She is beautiful, but Tilly is more passionate. Pfeiffer was nominated for an academy award for best supporting actress for her work here, but did not win. Personally I thought Tilly was more believable and was especially effective in projecting first the repressed passion and then the complete abandonment as she gives herself to Valmont. Pfeiffer's portrayal of Tourvel's coy awakening, with just a hint of duplicity, and then her utter dissolution when he leaves her, was star quality. Edge to Pfeiffer. Uma Thurman vs. Fairuza Balk. I loved them both. Thurman, of course, is a more statuesque beauty with a polished and controlled acting style, but Balk's wide-eyed innocence was a delight. Call it even. Keanu Reeves vs. Henry Thomas. Thomas was cute, but almost too juvenile to be believed. Reeves seemed just right for the part. Clear edge to Reeves. Frears vs. Forman. Frears's direction was more cynical, especially in the duel between Valmont and Merteuil in which their mutual and complementary debauchery is in sharp focus. And his resolution was more clearly defined. Forman's strength was in the delight and playfulness of many of the scenes, especially those relating to the seduction of Tourvel. His direction was more comedic and he allowed a greater development of secondary characters, while Frears concentrated more on the two leads. I give a very small edge to Forman, but would not argue with those preferring Frears. Bottom line: I liked Forman's movie better, but the voters at IMDb.com preferred Frears's Dangerous Liaisons, giving it an average of 7.7 stars out of ten to 6.7 for Valmont. Some bon mots: Valmont tells Madame de Tourvel as he dumps her, "My love had great difficulty outlasting your virtue. It's beyond my control." Valmont demands that the Marquise de Merteuil reply to his proposal of a night together, will it be love or war? He says, "A single word is all that is required." Long pause, and then she gives him three, "All right. [Pause.] War." When Valmont returns from making love to Madame de Tourvel he reveals to Merteuil that for the first time he may be in love. He relates his feelings to her, "I love her. I hate her..." The camera turns to Close, who yawns. Valmont's aunt while consoling Madame de Tourvel, who has confessed that she is in love with Valmont and can't help herself, says, reflecting the wisdom of all who have been there, "In such matters all advice is useless." Toward the end, Valmont says, "I have no illusions. I lost them on my travels."
Rating:
Summary: Excellent choice
Review: Dangerous Liaisons is a very well directed, well-written character builder. It focuses on the lives of several devious people and their ability to affect others lives. It is fascinating to watch how John Malkovich and Glenn Close superbly act out their roles and interact as characters. I recommend this movie for an evening of enjoyment.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Film. Great Cast. No Extras.
Review: Superb film--Excellent cast. Probably Malkivich's best film. No DVD Extras, too bad.
Rating:
Summary: A Movie Masterpiece
Review: This is without a doubt, one, if not the most memorable films of all time. You can watch it a dozen times, and still be able to discover anew an incredible amount of stunning, yet simple, pronouncements on some of life's most profound conditions. I enjoy the tight, and sophisticated word play. The musical score is perfectly balanced. A sumptiously displayed and highly thought-provoking film, laying bare the very essence of the morals and values of Western Civilization.
Rating:
Summary: Not what I expected from a DVD.
Review: First I have to say, this is probably my favorite movie of all time. The acting, (with the exception of Keanu Reeves.) can not be beat! The cinimatography is awesome and the score brings it all together. But, this DVD is not the quality I expected. I bought a DVD copy of this movie in February and was disappointed to find it wasn't the best transfer. My VHS version has a better picture. It was obviously transfered from poor quality print of the film, or poor quality video. There are several scenes that have white splotches that pop up. And, what looks like there may have been scratches on the film. I just finshed watching the copy I received today, and all those flaws were on the new copy also. I would only recommend this to you if you don't have the VHS version and are going through withdrawls. Otherwise save your money until Warner Brothers gets serious and cleans up the DVD some.
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