MovieChat Forums > Dangerous Liaisons (1989) Discussion > Who else prefers Cruel Intentions?

Who else prefers Cruel Intentions?

posted 18 years ago by Ricardo_Br
131 replies | jump to latest

I've seen Cruel Intentions two or three times and today, already knowing they were inspired on the same novel, I decided to watch DL.

Well... It really IS a great movie, but I found CI to be sooo much better. I think its story is much more devilish, fresh and clever. Maybe DL slightly outdoes it when it comes to acting, but I think it's just not enough to make up for the much better plot. Besides, [SPOILERS AHEAD]
the ending of Dangerous Liaisons is unnecessarily tragic. I mean, why did Madame de Tourvel have to die? It came completely out of nowhere.

Anyway... Which one do YOU prefer?

[–] skutremur 15 years ago

Dangerous Liaisons is pure cinema art with great casting and directing.the other one is pure hollywood crap for tv,it's just an adaptation for the common ignorant to get close to art....as the original is not for the "narrow minded modern hollywood soap opera lovers".ART IS NOT A DEMOCRACY ,IS NOT FOR EVERYBODY...

[–] Bethrothenbach 15 years ago

Cruel Intentions is for teenagers/ Dangerous Liaisons is for adults.

[–] skutremur 15 years ago

So true!!!!

[–] quende 15 years ago

"Cruel Intentions is for teenagers/ Dangerous Liaisons is for adults."

I couldn't agree more!

Although even if I had been a teenager I would still have preferred Dangerous Liaisons because it's simply a much better movie. Better script, better actors and of course much more beautiful for the simply reason that it's set in the 18th century and I'm a sucker for that.

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[–] CaptainDgro 15 years ago

The problem with DL is that John Malkovich's character is a jackass and the viewer can't possibly be bothered to care what happens to him. Even after the turning point where he had supposedly fallen in love with Pfeiffer's character, it wasn't romantic at all. It was more of a "I'll marry you and have your children, and then backhand the **** out of you for no reason when no one else is looking" kind of love. Although that's the 18th century for you, I suppose. But oh yeah, Glenn Close was awesome and they put a lot of work into the costumes and ****. If that's the sort of thing that can validate an entire movie for you, well more power to ya I guess

At least in CI Ryan Phillipe's character is likeable and his relationship with Reese Witherspoon's character seems genuine, like something you could root for. I think anyone who said that CI was too anti-tragedy for a tragedy film has to examine it a little more closely. For example, yeah Witherspoon's character is alive at the end, but do you think she was happy about it? The **** she went through in that story would weigh heavy on any human being long after the fact. Pfeiffer just died like a *****. You can have a tragedy without inventing convoluted deaths.

[–] emmeaki 14 years ago

You must be really young.

What a waste. Oh, the humanity!

[–] wiked_wich 14 years ago

Interesting. :) I prefer DL more for the richer story and dialogue and better cast in it, but also like CI for the modern-day story-telling. Overall, DL is superior to me.

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Do you hear that, Mr. Anderson? That is the sound of inevitability.

[–] alh623 14 years ago

Without a doubt Dangerous Liaisons is MUCH better!

[–] goodandplenty69 14 years ago

Anyone who prefers CL to DL must be twelve years old.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] sarizonana 13 years ago

I like much more DL
It has much better performances by everyone
Especially Glenn Close no one can't compete with her.

Now I have to say that I liked cruel intentions too, it's not a masterpiece but whoever made the adpatatiion in to the modern days did a very good job.
I can understand the people who prefer CI.
There are some people who hate period dramas, so it's normal thier preference forvth teens version.

Anyway the story it's fantastic one of best fictional stories I've seen adapted to the screen and it's too flexible.

Producers could make thousands of adaptations of this story
The next ones could be with college students, it could with all adults in a corportatte world,they could take it back to the 18th century and still make a very successful remake.

I would never get tired of DL adaptations, Two Dangerous Liaisacions would have been much more exciting than the two snow whites coming soon

[–] Aibhlin 13 years ago

If only Cruel Intentions had kept its original script the two movies could at least be comparable, despite CI's weaker cast...

Seriously, if you haven't read the original script, go read it now. Much more real and intriguing than the watered-down, censored version.

“One girl’s fears in the night are another girl’s paradise…”