Valmont | 
| Director: Milos Forman
Actors: Colin Firth, Annette Bening, Meg Tilly, Fairuza Balk, Sian Phillips
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.98
Buy New: $8.37
You Save: $6.61 (44%)
New (15) Used (7) from $5.95
Rating:  108 reviews
Sales Rank: 14743
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dts Surround Sound, Dubbed, Dvd, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), French (Dubbed)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 137 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: D1003785D
ISBN: 0792853423
UPC: 027616879097
EAN: 9780792853428
ASIN: B000069I02
Theatrical Release Date: November 17, 1989
Release Date: September 17, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Talk about too little, too late. A year after Stephen Frears's marvelous Dangerous Liaisons, Milos Forman released this film, based on the same material: the novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Shot at the same time but held so as not to compete, it suffered by comparison. The story--about a pair of aristocrats, former lovers, who wager that the man cannot seduce a particularly chaste woman--is still awash in lust and intrigue. But, while Forman's craft was exceptional, his cast couldn't match the power of its predecessor. In particular, Colin Firth, as the game-playing title character, lacked the snaky charm of John Malkovich, and Meg Tilly couldn't compare to the tragic beauty of Michelle Pfeiffer. Annette Bening, though born to play a vixen, seemed callow and insubstantial next to the sinister depths of Glenn Close. --Marshall Fine
Description
Based on the classic novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, this delectable thriller stars Colin Firth (Bridget Jones's Diary) and Oscars nominee* Annette Bening (American Beauty) as embittered aristocrats who weave a wicked web of cruel intentions and savage seductions. Directed by Oscar winner** Milos Forman, Valmont is a darkly amusing period drama that issimply a piece of high entertainment (The Hollywood Reporter). In 18th-century France, a cruel and calculating playboy, Valmont (Firth), makes a malicious wager with the equally wicked Madame de Merteuil (Bening): Valmont must dishonor the married Madame de Tourvel (Meg Tilly) by sleepingwith her. If Valmont succeeds, he gets the privilege of Merteuil's bed as well. But when Valmont sets out on his task, the unexpected happens...he falls in love with Tourvel! And now Merteuil will stop at nothing to destroy Valmont's newfound passion. *1990: Supporting Actress, The Grifters; 1999: Actress, American Beauty *1975: Director, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; 1984: Director, Amadeus
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| Customer Reviews: Read 103 more reviews...
 Better than Dangerous Liaisons! June 16, 2009
G. Maisano (USA)
Valmont has more heart and soul that DL. While DL gave me the creeps, I enjoyed Valmont and can watch it over and over. While I wouldn't mind at all seeing the DL characters go to the guilliotine, I felt more for the Valmont characters. Perhaps the acting was not quite as rarified as the snobbish critics might have liked, but I considered Colin Firth much more believable as the heartless charmer than the slithery Malkovich.
BETTER THAN DANGEROUS LIASONS April 17, 2009
Byron Hoover (Louisiana)
The historical setting of this first class film is beautifully executed, and the acting, dialogue, and music are all exemplary. Lessons about life abound in this movie as selfish and insensitive individuals ultimately pay for their transgressions and mistakes. This film is set around the 1730's, which is considerably earlier than the time frame for Dangerous Liasons, and Valmont is also superior in character development and motivation. A beautiful movie of a special historical era with an outstanding cast and musical score.
dvd February 13, 2009
vocalgirl (Minnesota)
I am trying to convert vhs to dvd and it was great to find this one. It is my all time favorite compared to the other film made to resemble this one. (I will not mention the title). This is the best one!
Much more enjoyable! December 15, 2008
night book owl (Thousand Oaks, CA United States)
This is one of my all time favorite movies and the Editorial Review is in my opinion way off the track. Dangerous L. was sarcastic and bitter - a cast of vile characters that left a bad taste in your mouth. Besides who would ever believe that somebody as ugly as John M. could possible seduce any woman - a real miscast. Now this movie treats the same somewhat sordid story of the bored French aristocracy in a completely different way. Colin Firth is completely believable and utterly charming as Valmont. Even so a schemer and seducer the director also shows the the softer, more vulnerable side of the main character - which gives him humanity, so lacking in the first movie with John M. I also completely disagree about the Meg Tilly versus Michelle Pfeiffer character. Meg delivers an outstanding performance and her fragile beauty can be heartbreaking. The movie also has humor, completely lacking in the other adaption. The cast here is outstanding - I highly recommend THIS adaption - forget about Dangerous L.
"One must always honor a bet." October 31, 2008
Kona (Emerald City)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This lavish retelling of Les Liaisons Dangereuses stars Annette Benning as the Marquise de Merteuil, a nasty aristocrat who delights in manipulating those around her. She is outraged when her lover makes plans to marry the young and virtuous Cecile,(who is in love with her music teacher), so she engages the services of the notorious playboy the Vicomte de Valmont to cuckold him. Before he can do it, however, Valmont falls in love with a proper, married woman, Madame de Tourvel. Learning of this, Merteuil bets Valmont that he can't bed Tourvel, and he happily takes up the challenge.
The plot was so complex that I needed a scorecard to keep straight who was doing what to whom and why. All the action swirls around Benning's Merteuil and she's malicious and flirty enough, but her American accent detracts from her character. In fact, the array of American and British accents and their 21st century delivery spoil the illusion that the story is set in 18th century France. As Valmont, Colin Firth is definite eye-candy but not nearly lecherous enough; he's boyish and pitiable instead of cunning and ruthless. Meg Tilley (Tourvel) and Henry Thomas, (the music teacher) are incredibly bland and look out of place in a period piece.
On the plus side, the Oscar-nominated costumes are breathtakingly opulent and palatial sets and locations are flawless. It's the actors that keep the movie from being really good; they're more common than genteel and I didn't believe any of them. 3.5 stars.
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