FemaleFirst.co.uk: DVD: Rules Of Attraction [DVD] [2003]

Rules Of Attraction [DVD] [2003]
enlarge	Director: Roger Avary Actors: James Van Der Beek, Ian Somerhalder, Shannyn Sossamon, Jessica Biel, Kip Pardue Studio: Warner Home Video (Icon) Category: DVD List Price: ~~£13.99~~ Buy Used: £1.12 as of 24/11/2009 23:22 GMT details You Save: £12.87 (92%) New (3) Used (25) from £1.12 Seller: zoverstocks Rating: 33 reviews Sales Rank: 26859 Format: PAL, Widescreen Languages: English (Original Language), German (Original Language) Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over Region: 2 Discs: 1 Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Number Of Discs: 1 Running Time: 86 Minutes Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2 Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6 EAN: 7321900938891 ASIN: B000087JHP Theatrical Release Date: October 11, 2002 Release Date: July 4, 2005 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days


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Editorial Reviews: Amazon.co.uk Review Based on Bret Easton Ellis's often-overlooked second novel, IThe Rules of Attraction/I works better as a film than the disastrous ILess Than Zero/I, though not as well as the canny IAmerican Psycho/I. Writer-director Roger Avary--who lets slip a nasty Quentin Tarantino reference that feels like sour grapes--can't quite decide whether to ditch the novel's extremely 1980s cultural references and make a contemporary-set picture or to evoke the period in which the book was written. Set on a small New England campus, the film offers a love triangle between "emotional vampire" Sean Bateman (James Van Der Beek), skateboarding "innocent" Lauren Hynde (Shannon Sossamyn) and gay libertine Paul Denton (Ian Somerhalder) that gets complicated by passing characters. p While not as hung up on time as IMemento/I or IIrreversible/I, the film does play its tricks, opening at an "end of the world party" to show its three leads at simultaneous low points, reversing to take stabs at each of them, then hopping back and forth in time as different narrators take over, with time-outs for a fast-forward tour of Europe by a minor character and a drug-dealing subplot to keep Avary's crime credentials in order. All in all it's a satirical piece that is removed from reality, always striking, sometimes funny or horrifying, but ultimately hard to connect with. --IKim Newman/I

Customer Reviews: Showing reviews 1-5 of 33 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next » Sex Drugs and Rock n Roll April 19, 2003 10 out of 11 found this review helpful Based on Bret Easton Ellis's often-overlooked second novel,The Rules of Attraction is written and directed by Roger Avary(pulp fiction, killing zoe. This film has to be the most underrated film of this year. I was expecting just a normal film about rich kids on drugs but i got a piece of art blended in with college life. Avary makes this film fit into a dozen catagories, a satire, drama, black comedy, romance just to name a few. pJames Van Der Beek(Varsity blues, standing still) plays a campus drug dealer Sean Bateman( brother of Patrick Bateman from American Psycho)who falls for the innocent virgin Lauren Hynde(Shannyn Sossamon)who is still in love with her ex Victor(Kip Pardue) who is on a trip across europe getting high every night. Of course nothing turns out how its supposed to be which is the best part about this movie, it's not predictable nor a stupid little teen flick.pThis movie is a serious film for anyone who wants to watch real actors and actresses playing their parts. Avary even has the time to fit in special effects of playing scenes backwards and putting in split screens to see the actors and actresses emotions at the same time. pA great movie! Excellent adaptation of great novel. April 3, 2003 Jason Parkes (Worcester, UK) 4 out of 4 found this review helpful Ellis hasn't fared that wonderfully when having his works adapted for the screen- the risible "Less Than Zero" so irked Ellis that he got Patrick Bateman in "American Psycho" ask in a video shop if they had any Jami Gertz movies (!). Mary Hannon's take on "American Psycho" had moments a great central performance from Christian Bale- but you kind of wished that Brian De Palma or Oliver Stone had made the film (as they were both rumoured to be attached to the project at one time). Roger Avary is more famous for being a co-writer of "Pulp Fiction" having disappeared off the cultural radar following the patchy "Killing Zoe". So I wasn't ready to be bowled over by this adpatation of one of my favourite books- but I think this is as good as it gets...pAvary translates the complex novel into an intrigueing film- this is the true American teen film- more 'Bully', 'Kids' 'River's Edge' than 'American Pie2', 'Loser' other stock US teen drivel. This is what 'Crazy/Beautiful' should have been like. Sure, Avary chucks out some elements I liked in the book (e.g. Lauren's abortion by Sean)- but he retained the feel of the book (which still exists- the book is not cancelled out by the film- which appears to be the major criticism levelled at films of fave books). Nice to see a reference to a Tarantino film in name only (does Avary mean Killing Zoe, From Dusk Till Dawn or True Romance?) as with 'Killing Zoe' he has people watching German Expressionism on video (Das Cabinet of Dr Caligari here). Avary also makes intrigueing use of digital video close-ups that pan in remind me of the end of 'Three Colours Red' (great when we realise who the unnamed girl obssessed with Sean is or the shots of Paul, Sean Lauren at the End of the World party at the end) or the reverse-elements (which demonstrate how complex even hedonistic lives are). The Victor in Europe rapid-digital sequence is great (I wonder if Avary will make Glamorama now?)- though the reference to the Tate Modern, Oakenfold etc with Sean's reference to Internet masturbation appear to contradict the 80s setting of the novel (which is compounded by the brilliant soundtrack which features The Cure, Erasure, The Go Gos, LoveRockets an amusing use of Faith- which is very homoerotic knowing regarding George Michael). pNice to see a reference to Sean's brother- Patrick Bateman ("Who's Patrick?")also- though the Faye Dunaway episode was a little inconsiquential the drug dealer plotline a little bit routine- but that's cancelled out by such scenes as the split-screen/come together sequence of LaurenSean, the sadness of the anonymous girl infatuated with Sean her demise or the opening sequence. In many ways, I'd have preferred the film to have been longer- the world of Ellis' novel captured so well (perhaps the DVD will have outtakes from Victor's diary or other sequences cut out?). pAdd to this some excellent performances- James Van Der Beek getting to mess with his star persona relating to the Creek/Teen fayre like 'Varsity Blues'- he does here what he should have done in 'Storytelling' (2001)- if he had not been edited out of that film. Van Der Beek takes to the role with great abandon, happy to lose himself in a depraved role- I'm with Uncut's Chris Roberts on him: the new Dennis Hopper! There are other great turns from Eric Stolz (as a stoned tutor messing round with his students), Kip Pardue (as Victor) Ian Somerhalder (as Paul Denton). Further great performances come from whoever plays the scarred/suicide girl (a small role I know) Shannyn Sossamon as Lauren (as great as Van Der Beek in one of the lead roles). pThe Rules of Attraction is probably the best depraved teen movie since "River's Edge"- it's messy, hilarious, cruel, depressing everything that edgy cinema ought to be. A great adaptation of a great book a film that I'll come back to for certain- hopefully the brilliant actors here will be offerred roles with as much meat as those here maybe the lite gross out/teen movie will become another dead genre? This is the real thing: more, please! A GREAT BOOK BECOMES A GREAT MOVIE... February 6, 2007 James King (Glos, England) 2 out of 2 found this review helpful First time I saw this movie I thought it was a load of rubbish. Then a year later, after spending some time living at York university I was stunned by how accurate the movie had been depicting college life on campus. br /Having read the book as well now I really think its one of the most under valued films in American cinema. br / br /According to the BBFC website the British DVD is cut by one second during the suicide scene. But its only a fleeting shot, less than a second even, showing how a character slits their wrists, apparently the BBFC doesn't want us to know how to 'do it properly'. br / br /I bought a region one copy out of curiosity to and see what all the fuss was about, and let me tell you it makes no difference at all to the scene in question. However the region one version has been re-dited completey differently in other scenes to ensure an R rating, especially the notorious opening 'vomit/rape scene'! These edits completely destroy the shock value of these scenes and for that reason its well worth sticking to the region two version. (although if you are a massive fan like me it may well be worth owning both copies as the region one also contains an additional audio commentary). br / br /The movie itself is really fun, and Brett Easton Ellis' humour from the book really comes across well. Far better than American Psycho. br / br /And the I've seen the Victor section of the movie make many a jaw drop!!! br / br /10 out of 10. Average Joe Review July 24, 2003 Dom Stokes 6 out of 9 found this review helpful Hi, I'm gonna try something different, most reviews on amazon are in depth, by amateur film critics who take this very seriously. And fair play to them, but I wanna see a review from your average Joe who likes to drink, go out and doesnt 'live' for films but enjoys it when a good one comes along. So here goes.pFirstly, if you are easily offended, do not bother with this film. But, and I emphasise, this is not distasteful or violent just for the sake of it. The film is amazing in dealing with issues such as virginity, homosexuality, drugs, sex, suicide, fighting, etc. But it is done in such a modern, hilarious and often ironic way, it really turns out to be a filming masterpiece. I do like films and this has to be my second or third favorite film ever, only definitively beaten in the stakes by pulp fiction.pNow i know this is the avg. joe review so without going into detail, this film includes...amazing camera work, sophistication, humour, a sexiness and 'cool' feel to the whole proceedings as well as evoking great emotional feelings of joy, pain, and heartbreak. The most underrated film in years.pMaybe that was to in depth so here I go to sum up : GO AND BUY THIS FILM. IF NOT, YOU WILL REGRET IT. Sex, Drugs and rock'n' Roll May 3, 2003 2 out of 3 found this review helpful Based on Bret Easton Ellis'often-overlooked second novel,The Rules of Attraction is written and directed by Roger Avary(pulp fiction, killing zoe. This film has to be the most underrated film of this year. I was expecting just a normal film about rich kids on drugs but i got a piece of art blended in with college life. Avary makes this film fit into a dozen types of film, a satire, drama, black comedy, romance just to name a few.pJames Van Der Beek(Varsity blues, standing still) plays a campus drug dealer Sean Bateman( brother of Patrick Bateman from American Psycho)who falls for the innocent virgin Lauren Hynde(Shannyn Sossamon)who is still in love with her ex Victor(Kip Pardue) who is on a trip across Europe getting high every night. Of course nothing turns out how its supposed to be which is the best part about this movie, it's not predictable nor a stupid little teen flick.pThis movie is a serious film for anyone who wants to watch real actors and actresses playing their parts. Avary even has the time to fit in special effects of playing scenes backwards and putting in split screens to see the actors and actresses emotions at the same time.pGreat Movie! Showing reviews 1-5 of 33 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next »

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