VIDEO KNIFE RABBIT BATHTUB COMING BACK TO 'FATAL ATTRACTION' AFTER 15 YEARS.

Byline: Rob Lowman Entertainment Editor

ADRIAN LYNE explains the popularity of his 1987 film, ``Fatal Attraction'' - the story of a married man (Michael Douglas) whose one-night stand comes back to haunt him in horrific fashion when the woman (Glenn Close) begins to stalk him and his family - this way:

``I think it's probably because the audiences recognize themselves in the characters, or have known the Glenn Close character, whether it's a man or a woman,'' says the 61-year-old English director. ``There's that hideous moment - I've had it a couple of times in my life - when you realize that everything that you're saying (to someone like that) isn't getting through. It's having no effect whatsoever. It's a frightening moment.''

And ``Fatal Attraction,'' which is out today on a special-edition DVD along with another of Lyne's films, ``Indecent Proposal'' (1993), is scary enough to frighten most adults into thinking twice about infidelity. Lyne is currently putting the finishing touches on another film dealing with the consequences of cheating in ``Unfaithful,'' starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane and based on a Claude Chabrol film. It opens May 10.

``Unfaithful'' is only Lyne's eighth movie in more than 20 years. His last, ``Lolita,'' based on the Nabokov novel and starring Jeremy Irons, was an ``ordeal.''

``Everyone was petrified of the subject matter,'' he says about the story of a middle-age professor becoming romantically involved with a teen- ager. ``It was a bad time for it to come out,'' he says. It almost didn't, initially debuting on the cable channel Showtime before a limited theatrical release in 1998.

You probably have noticed that Lyne is interested in relationships involving sexuality. He's also interested in casting against type, which is why he wanted Robert Redford as a handsome billionaire who offers a young couple (Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson) $1 million if he can spend one night with the woman.

``I thought casting Redford for the role was an interesting idea, because he was the last man on Earth who you think would buy somebody for a million dollars,'' says Lyne, adding, ``There are many actors you can think of you wouldn't be surprised in the least bit if they tried to buy someone for a million dollars.''

Lyne says he didn't think the film generated so much controversy.

``I always thought of it as a whimsical idea. The idea of what your price is. If you wouldn't accept a million dollars, would you accept 10 million?'' says Lyne. ``I didn't think people would take it very seriously but the public did take it seriously. Oprah Winfrey took it seriously and talked about it on one or two of her shows.

``I've always been surprised how people take things more seriously than you think they will. Like they did with 'Fatal Attraction.' It became larger than its content. I don't quite know why.''

LOOKING THROUGH: Joel and Ethan Coen have carved out a particular niche in American film. Describing that niche is another question. Usually words like offbeat, eclectic, ironic and strange are used to describe their sensibility, but that belies their intelligent attempts to deconstruct film genres.

Their recent black-and white effort, ``The Man Who Wasn't There,'' attempts to belie its title by making its main character the focus of your attention. Another noir effort (``Blood Simple'' was their first), the film, set in Northern California during the late 1940s, stars Billy Bob Thornton as a barber, Ed Crane, who suspects his wife, Doris (Frances McDormand), of being unfaithful (hmm, a pattern here?) with her boss, James Gandolfini, who owns the department store where she works.

Quiet, unassuming, Ed snips away while his brother-in-law and boss (Michael Badalucco) gabs. Ed doesn't even seem to object much when he suspects that his wife is cheating on him.

But below the surface something is simmering, and when a customer comes in with a get-rich scheme (dry cleaning), Ed sees a chance for revenge and to make some money with a blackmail scheme involving his wife's boss.

The scheme goes awry, though, but in absurd ways, as Doris is arrested for murder. He hires a high-powered defense attorney, Freddy Riedenschneider (Tony Shalhoub), who uses the Heisenberg uncertainty principle as a courtroom tactic.

As events unfold, Ed, wonderfully played by Thornton, never exhibits emotion, even during his infatuation with a teen-age girl, Birdy (Scarlett Johansson), who plays classical music on the piano.

Even as the Coens are following a classic noir pattern, they manage to undermine your expectation. Ed is eventually undone, but in the most outrageous way.

The other star of the very smart film is Roger Deakins' clever cinematography. Deakins shot the film in color but lit it for and printed it in black and white. The result gives the film a shimmering quality; the wisps of smoke from Ed's ever-present cigarettes remind you how insubstantial his life is.

``Fatal Attraction - Special Collector's Edition'' (Paramount) lists for $24.95 on DVD and includes commentary by Lyne; ``Forever Fatal: Remembering 'Fatal Attraction' - new cast and crew interviews''; ``Social Attraction'' - a look at the cultural phenomenon of the film; ``Visual Attraction''- a behind-the-scenes production featurette; and an alternate ending with introduction by Lyne.

``Indecent Proposal'' (Paramount) lists for $24.95 on DVD and includes commentary by Lyne.

``The Man Who Wasn't There'' (USA) lists for $26.98 on DVD and includes commentary by Joel and Ethan Coen; also featuring Billy Bob Thornton; a making-of featurette; an interview with cinematographer Roger Deakins; and deleted scenes. It lists for $55.99 on VHS.

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(1 -- 2) Glenn close makes sure Michael Douglas never wants for company in director Adrian Lyne's ``Fatal Attraction,'' above, out today on a special-edition DVD; Woody Harrelson and Demi Moore, left, star in Lyne's ``Indecent Exposure,'' another film that explores temptation and commitment.