Basic Instinct is a 1992 erotic thriller film
directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas, and starring
Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone. The film follows a police detective,
Nick Curran (Douglas), who is investigating the brutal murder of a
wealthy rock star. During the investigation Curran becomes involved in a
torrid and intense relationship with the prime suspect, Catherine
Tramell (Stone), an enigmatic writer.
Even before its release, Basic Instinct generated heated controversy due
to its overt sexuality and graphic depiction of violence. It was
strongly opposed by gay rights activists, who criticized the film's
depiction of homosexual relationships and the portrayal of a bisexual
woman as a murderous narcissistic psychopath. In a 2006 interview, Stone
alleged that the infamous leg-crossing scene in which her vulva was
exposed was filmed without her knowledge.
Despite initial critical negativity and public protest, Basic Instinct
became one of the most financially successful films of the 1990s,
grossing $352 million worldwide. Several versions of the film have been
released on videocassette, DVD, and Blu-ray including a director's cut
with extended footage previously unseen in North American
cinemas.[citation needed] The film has contemporarily been recognized
for its groundbreaking depictions of sexuality in mainstream Hollywood
cinema, and has been referred to by scholars as "a neo-noir masterpiece
that plays with, and transgresses, the narrative rules of film noir." A
2006 sequel, Basic Instinct 2 starring Stone was made without
Verhoeven's involvement and received negative reviews from critics,
performing poorly at the box office.
Plot
A retired rock star, Johnny
Boz, is stabbed to death with an ice pick during sex by a mysterious
blonde woman at his apartment. Homicide detective Nick Curran
investigates, and the only suspect is Catherine Tramell, Boz's bisexual
girlfriend and a crime novelist who has written a novel that mirrors the
crime. It is concluded that either Catherine herself did it or someone
trying to frame her out of spite. Tramell is uncooperative and taunting
in the investigation, smoking in the interrogation room and exposing her
bare genitalia in front of the officers. She presents alibis and passes
a lie detector test. Nick discovers that Catherine has a habit of
befriending murderers, including her girlfriend Roxy, who is later shown
to have murdered several young boys on impulse, and Hazel Dobkins, who
murdered her family.
Nick, who accidentally shot two tourists while high on cocaine, attends
counseling sessions with police psychologist Dr. Beth Garner, with whom
he has had a sexual affair. Nick discovers that Catherine plans on using
him as a fictional detective in her latest book, wherein his character
is murdered after falling for the wrong woman. Catherine becomes aware
of Nick's past after paying Lt. Nielsen to look into Nick's psychiatric
file; Beth gives it to him after Nielsen recommends Nick's termination.
Nick publicly assaults Nielsen in his office and later becomes a prime
suspect after Nielsen is killed. Nick suspects Catherine, and when he
joins in her behavior in front of his co-workers, he is put on leave.
A torrid affair between Nick and Catherine begins with the air of a
cat-and-mouse game. Nick shows up at a club and witnesses her sniffing
coke in a bathroom stall along with Roxy and another man. Nick and
Catherine begin to dance and make out at a club. Later, observed by
Roxy, they have sex in a bed. Roxy, jealous of Nick, attempts to run him
over with Catherine's car, but dies in a crash when the car goes off
the edge of the road. Catherine is saddened by Roxy's death and reveals
to Nick that a previous lesbian encounter at college went awry when the
girl, Lisa Hoberman, became obsessed with her, causing him to believe
that she may not have killed Boz. Nick identifies the girl as Beth
Garner, who acknowledges the encounter, but claims Catherine was the one
who became obsessed.
Nick discovers the final pages of Catherine's new book in which the
fictional detective finds his partner lying dead with his legs
protruding between the doors of an elevator. Catherine breaks off their
affair; Nick becomes upset and suspicious. Nick later meets his partner
Gus, who has arranged to meet with Catherine's college roommate at an
office building to find out what really went on between Catherine and
Beth. As Nick waits in the car, Gus is stabbed to death with an ice
pick. Nick runs into the building, but is too late; he finds Gus' legs
protruding from the doors of the elevator. Beth, standing in the
hallway, explains that she received a message to meet Gus. Nick suspects
she murdered Gus and when he believes she is reaching for a gun, he
shoots her only to find that Beth was only fingering an ornament on her
key chain.
A search of the scene and Beth's apartment turns up the evidence needed
to identify her as the killer. Despite knowing Catherine's foreknowledge
of Gus' death, that she must actually have been the killer, and that
she must have set up Beth, Nick tells no one. He returns to his
apartment where Catherine meets him. She explains her reluctance to
commit to him and the two have sex. As they discuss their future, an ice
pick is revealed to be under the bed.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_Instinct