The Last Seduction

The Last Seduction
Original theatrical poster
Directed byJohn Dahl
Written bySteve Barancik
Produced byJonathan Shestack
Starring
CinematographyJeff Jur
Edited byEric L. Beason
Music byJoseph Vitarelli
Production
company
Distributed byOctober Films
Release date
  • October 26, 1994 (1994-10-26)
Running time
110 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2.5 million
(estimated)[1]
Box office$5,842,603[2]

The Last Seduction is a 1994 American neo-noir erotic thriller film directed by John Dahl, featuring Linda Fiorentino, Peter Berg, and Bill Pullman.[3] The film was produced by ITC Entertainment and distributed by October Films. Fiorentino's performance garnered widespread critical acclaim and generated talk of an Oscar nomination, but she was deemed ineligible because the film was shown on HBO before its theatrical release. October Films and ITC Entertainment sued the Academy, but were unable to make Fiorentino eligible for a nomination.[4][5]

The Last Seduction has gained a cult following over time, and its main character, Bridget Gregory, has been recognized as one of the most iconic femme fatales in film history.[6][7][8] In 2019, the British Film Institute included the movie, along with Gone Girl and Death Becomes Her, in a program dedicated to exploring "wickedly compelling female characters on screen."[9] The film was also featured in The Criterion Channel's Neonoir series in July 2021.[10] A sequel, The Last Seduction II, was released in 1999. However, it featured none of the original cast and starred Joan Severance as Bridget Gregory.[11]

  1. ^ Monaco, Paul (2010). John Dahl and Neo-Noir: Examining Auteurism and Genre. Lexington Books. p. 101. ISBN 978-0-73-913333-0.
  2. ^ "The Last Seduction". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  3. ^ Maslin, Janet (October 26, 1994). "THE LAST SEDUCTION; A Femme Fatale Who Lives Up To the Description". The New York Times. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
  4. ^ Bloomenthal, Andrew (September 10, 2015). "Seduced by Steve Barancik: The Last Seduction". Creative Screenwriting. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  5. ^ "'Last Seduction' Sues For Oscar Eligibility". The New York Times. December 21, 1994. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  6. ^ Smith, Anna (August 6, 2020). "The Last Seduction: The greatest femme fatale ever?". BBC. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  7. ^ Juzwiak, Rich (August 13, 2021). "The Lost Art of the Erotic Thriller". Jezebel. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  8. ^ Smith, Anna (July 18, 2014). "Why I'd like to be… Linda Fiorentino in The Last Seduction". The Guardian. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  9. ^ "Press release" (PDF). BFI Film. May 1, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  10. ^ "The Criterion Channel's July 2021 Lineup". The Criterion Channel. June 8, 2021. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  11. ^ "The Last Seduction II". Entertainment Weekly. December 4, 1998.