Post by StevePulaski on Apr 25, 2016 12:52:10 GMT -5
Basic Instinct (1992)
Directed by: Paul Verhoeven
Directed by: Paul Verhoeven
Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct.
Rating: ★★★
Paul Verhoeven's Basic Instinct opens with the vicious murder of a retired rock star during sex by an unidentified blonde women, resulting in a blood-soaked, ejaculate-soaked crime-scene - a perfect mixing of bodily fluids for any erotic thriller. Assigned to the case is Detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas), a veteran in his field, who immediately suspects author Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), the musician's girlfriend who penned a novel about killing a rock star with an ice-pick during sex. Catherine's innocence is only assisted by the thought that committing a homicide identical to that in her novel would be senseless and would fault any attempt at an alibi.
Nick believes from the get-go she is guilty, but her manipulative, smooth-talking ways that ooze sensuality and incite arousal make any conviction about her hard to maintain. Catherine begins playing mind-games with Nick, emphasizing the time that Nick shot two tourists while high on cocaine, something he is still going to counseling for and a memory he'll never forget. His counselor is psychologist Dr. Beth Garner (Jeanne Tripplehorn), who Nick also had an affair with before his wife's death, all fuel for Catherine's fire in order to get him to go mad. It doesn't help that Catherine knows how to use her beauty and her caress as a means of master manipulation to the point where Nick begins to fall in love with her, the only thing that could truly distract from his detective work.
Basic Instinct is a well-done erotic thriller largely because it has both - a great deal of events that effectively arouse and provoke the sexual senses and a compelling mystery that provokes the part of the brain that demands answers. With all that, Douglas winds up being a strong presence throughout the film; a great leading man who is tasked with being emotionally unstable, in love, a competent worker, and a man bogged down by the many possibilities and alternate paths of a case that initially seemed cut, dry, and solved.
But the star here is Stone, and Verhoeven, writer Joe Eszterhas, and Douglas all know it. Her ability to embody such a devious but admirably sinister character leaves her with the most power and the most character interest. Stone is also a terrific screen presence when it comes to being believably controlled and collected when everyone around her is progressively growing madder, particularly Nick, who began as level-headed and calm but rapidly descended into being a loose-cannon. The slow, methodical progression of Basic Instinct's characters winds up being one of the most interesting things to watch over the course of the film, and with a liberal two hours to kill, Verhoeven and Eszterhas can just sit and observe the characters rather than rushing them into any kind of conclusion or state.
The sex here is detailed and graphic, as it should be for the genre. Verhoeven's love for the human form is communicated here damn-near as well as it would be in Showgirls three years later. Verhoeven has always been an appreciator for sex in cinema and examining such a vice as a way of business and unadulterated pleasure and having a character that oozes sex and mystery puts him in top form. He directs the sex scenes in Basic Instinct with a sense of vulnerability and danger, where both characters find themselves opening up to someone they shouldn't have or allowing themselves to be touched and caressed by someone who might hurt them in the future. Sex kills more than it does sell in this film.
Basic Instinct has been called Hitchcockian in its form and aesthetic, and some have even asserted that it borrows from the Hitchcock classic Vertigo. While remaining stylish and sexy throughout the entire film, Verhoeven doesn't so much as channel Hitchcock as he does mimic him, and when he does, he's not as polished or as narratively inventive as he was either. Admittedly few are, but the ending in Basic Instinct feels all too cleanly wrapped up and Catherine's rapid and successful manipulation of Nick feels a bit too easily accepted on Nick's end, something I wouldn't necessarily expect from a seasoned detective. If it was the sex and the beauty of Catherine that had Nick mesmerized and nothing else, I would have a much easier time believing the story, but being that mind games, manipulation, and Catherine's extensive prior knowledge on Nick indicates otherwise, Verhoeven and Eszterhas makes mind games a bit too easy to be believed and fallen for here.
Most importantly however, Basic Instinct winds up being a successful erotic thriller that goes most of the full mile without copping out in either department. This is so important as it is so rare in the modern day to see a film of this genre, let alone a successful one that doesn't lean to far towards softcore porn or full-blown murder-mystery/crime-drama. Eszterhas's gentle screenwriting hand that allows for the narrative to build and Verhoeven's unmistakable visual style of elegance and danger, coupled with two strong leading performances, make Basic Instinct a commendable success, shortcomings and all.
Starring: Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and Wayne Knight. Directed by: Paul Verhoeven.