Risky Business

I knew it was risky to cast Amy Fisher as the unstable “other woman” in our debut Sweet Sinema film, “Fatal Seduction” (inspired by the classic 80’s thriller, Fatal Attraction). But in my defense it happened organically – some might say fatefully.

I was searching model agency sites for a girl who could play the role of an emotionally disturbed seductress. We needed the kind of woman a happily married man would cheat on his wife for; someone who exuded beauty, danger, sophistication and, of course, sex.

Photos of a gorgeous brunette with a killer body (no pun intended) caught my eye, and I quickly grabbed a pen to jot down her name.

“Amy… Fisher.” I wrote. Then I paused.

Amy Fisher?

THE Amy Fisher?

With a few Google searches I learned that this was, indeed, THE Amy Fisher, otherwise known as the Long Island Lolita. She had become a tabloid fixture in the 90’s when as a precocious, manipulated teen she’d had an almost deadly confrontation with her Svengali lover’s wife.

I knew that casting Amy might be considered bad taste, insensitive – even exploitive. But I couldn’t help but wonder if she could bring something real to the role -- even play it with a sense of dignity. I called her agent and explained the project, and asked if Amy would be interested. I promised that the movie would not be exploitive or comedic, and that Amy’s character would not perform any acts of violence. (There would be no “boiling bunny.”)

Amy said she was interested - with one caveat.

“I don’t want the character to have my name,” she wrote to me in an email. “Please make sure I’m not referred to as Amy Fisher in the movie.”

“Of course not,” I said. But I certainly didn’t blame her for wanting the assurance.

Our first day of production was chaotic – multiple trade magazines had sent reporters to observe the birth of a new Mile High studio, and I vacillated between directing performers and crew, setting up shots, and sitting for interviews.

“Is this another parody studio?” was the number one question.

I explained that it was not.  Sweet Sinema films would be neither funny nor silly in nature.  Instead, we aspired to create serious erotic interpretations of classic films and literature.

Aside from our leading lady Amy, who was even hotter in person (and who I found to be a shy, sweet, hardworking girl) “Fatal Seduction” starred French beauty Katsuni as the cheated-upon wife, and Performer of the Year Evan Stone as the philandering husband. I clearly had a stellar cast, so I knew if Sweet Sinema failed I’d have only myself to blame…

(Will you blame me or cheer my leap into the unknown?)

As a teaser I offer a photo that should prove to all how smoldering Amy Fisher can be (Katsuni has a way of doing that). 

XO

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