Basic Instinct

Basic Instinct is a 1992 erotic thriller film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas. It follows San Francisco detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas) as he investigates the murder of a rock star, only to begin an intense relationship with the prime suspect Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone). The script was developed by Eszterhas in the 1980s and became the subject of a bidding war, which Carolco Pictures won before bringing Verhoeven on board to direct. Stone was cast as Tramell after the role was rejected by several other actresses, and production was plagued by protests and intense conflict between Eszterhas and Verhoeven. Basic Instinct premiered in Los Angeles on March 18, 1992, and was theatrically released in the United States by TriStar Pictures two days later. It received mixed reviews; praise was given to the performances, score, and editing, while the script and character development were criticized. The film also generated controversy due to its depiction of sexually explicit content, violence, and homosexual relationships. Despite public protest, it was a commercial success, grossing $353 million worldwide on a $49 million budget and becoming the fourth highest grossing film of 1992. Due to its success and controversy, it inspired many imitators and has been labelled as "perhaps the quintessential erotic thriller of the 1990s". Since its release, Basic Instinct has undergone a critical reevaluation. The film has been recognized for its groundbreaking depictions of sexuality in mainstream Hollywood cinema, and was described by one scholar as "a neo-film noir masterpiece that plays with, and transgresses, the narrative rules of film noir". Numerous versions have been released on home video, including a director's cut with extended footage previously unseen. Verhoeven considers The Fourth Man as a spiritual prequel to Basic Instinct. The film was also followed by the sequel Basic Instinct 2 (2006), which starred Stone but was made without the involvement of Verhoeven or Douglas. It received negative reviews and was relatively unsuccessful.