Basic Instinct (1992)

My Review

Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone starred in the popular crime drama “Basic Instinct” back in 1992. The film did have some thrilling moments due to capable direction by Paul Verhoeven (“Total Recall” 1990) and a well-penned screenplay by Joe Eszterhas. Douglas plays a police detective who investigates the brutal murder of a famous rock star. Along the way, he becomes involved in an affair with Stone, a writer who is also the prime suspect.

However, the frequent use of strong violence, excessive bad language, graphic nudity and sex scenes, and drug use make this R-rated movie something akin to soft porn. Stone’s famous leg-crossing scene generated an enormous amount of controversy at the time. The supporting cast includes Jeanne Tripplehorn, George Dzundza, Wayne Knight, James Rebhorn, Denis Arndt, Bill Cable, Jack McGee, and Dorothy Malone in her final movie appearance in a career that began in 1943.

“Basic Instinct” was the fourth highest grossing film of 1992 for Carolco Pictures, Le Studio Canal+, and TriStar Pictures. It was filmed primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area. The film received three Golden Raspberry Awards nominations, including Worst Actor (Michael Douglas), Worst Supporting Actress (Jeanne Tripplehorn), and Worst New Star, which they described as “Sharon Stone’s tribute to Theodore Cleaver.”