Basic Instinct (1992) dir. Paul Verhoeven
Starring: Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzunza, Jeanne Tripplehorn

***1/2

In 1992, Paul Verhoeven shifted gears away from his previous two action films, “Robocop” and “Total Recall” to shoot a beguiling investigative slasher picture which was already famous for being the most expensive scripts ever sold in Hollywood. "Basic Instinct" is now a naughty and notorious classic. It’s b-movie material but with an ultra-slick gloss provided by the moody/serious Hitchcockian tone and Jan De Bont’s luscious cinematography. Now, arguably “Basic Instinct” is the quintessential erotic thriller.

Fans of Verhoeven’s work in Holland will instantly recognize thematic and genre similarities with his early Dutch film “The Fourth Man” (1983). Like “Basic Instinct”, the protagonist is a man who is seduced by a multiple-widowed sex-pot angling for another victim. Some of the action and violence is identically staged, specifically one sex scene where instead of an icepick Sharon Stone’s equivalent does her nasty work with a pair of scissors.

“The Fourth Man” is great practice for creating the erotic thriller to beat them all. Michael Douglas plays Nick Curran, a cop currently under investigation by internal affairs. He’s assigned to the case of a dead rock star who has been stabbed to death with an icepick. The chief suspect is Catherine Trammell (Sharon Stone) a paperback novelist with a degree in psychology, or as the police captain says, "a degree in fucking with people's heads". Catherine does just that, and seduces Nick with gradually increasing sexual teasing. As Nick gets closer to Catherine, the more he’s convinced she didn’t do it. Before long Nick is caught in a deadly web of death with him as the next intended victim.

Jan De Bont has a lot to do with the success of the film. He was one of Verhoeven's two favoured DOPs from his native land. His two action films were both lensed by Jost Vacano, who had a style completely wrong for this different kind of film. The erotic noir genre calls for a different skill set and Jan de Bont’s classic big screen Hollywood style was the right kind of gloss needed. Unfortunately it would de Bont’s second last feature as DOP. Of course, he would go on to direct some major blockbusters ("Twister" and "Speed"), but it’s a shame, because we’ve also missed on some great collaborations.

The late Jerry Goldsmith, one of the great music composers in Hollywood - ever - provides a wonderful swooning music score. He injects just the right amount of Bernard Herrman to compliment the Hitchcockian feel, without resorting to complete theft.

From the San Francisco locale, to the psychoanalytical themes, to the camera work, "Basic Instinct" is one of the best Hitchcock-influenced films, and perhaps a film Brian DePalma should have made - it even features an elevator-death climax. The DVD features a great commentary by Paul Verhoeven and Jan de Bont revealing all the Hitchcockisms they injected in the film. Rediscover this naughty 90's classic. Enjoy.

I wander if we’ll ever see a film like “Total Recall” again. The film was major Hollywood blockbuster starring the biggest international movie star at the time. In today’s cinema environment “Total Recall” would be a tent pole film, written for the widest possible audience, and designed to generate a sequel or two, a TV series and a theme park.

Let’s go back in time. According to Wikipedia, "Total Recall" had the largest authorized production budget for a Hollywood film. Arnold Schwarzenegger was major star, but not yet at his height of stardom (next summer's blockbuster T2 would confirm that). Director Paul Verhoeven was coming off “Robocop” – a sci-fi/action/satire and one of the most violent films ever made. Despite no stars and an R rating, the unexpected success of “Robocop” allowed him to make “Total Recall”.

1990 is different than 2008, and a filmmaker like Paul Verhoeven would rarely be allowed carte blanche with the biggest star and biggest budget in Hollywood to make a film one of the most eye-popping over-the-top violent, politically incorrect, lewd and bad taste films ever made. It was a different time then, politics were different, prevailing cultural attitudes were different. Look at some of the films made in the late 80’s, early 90’s – perhaps the glory days of the action violence – “Robocop”, “Rambo III”, “Commando”, “The Last Boy Scout”, "Extreme Prejudice" and all those Steven Seagal films - it was a different era. In today’s Hollywood cinema it’s rare for a mainstream film to show even a blood squib (a bloodless “Iron Man” helped it succeed in the box office).

“Total Recall” is the height of a unique era in cinema we may never see again - a true masterpiece of mainstream crass and indecency.

“Total Recall” deserves to be celebrated. If it were made today we most certainly would have missed out on these classic moments:

"Baby, you make me wish I had three hands!"

When Quaid first enters "Venusville" - the redlight district of Mars, he is approached by perhaps cinema's most audacious sexual fetish - a three titted lady!

Kuato Lives!

One of the mysteries of the story is 'Who is Kuato?" - the mythical leader of the Martian revolution. Kuato is dramatically revealed to us to be a mutant growing out of Marshall Bell's body.

Human Shield

Cudos to our hero Quaid who uncaringly using an innocent bystander’s dead body as a human shield to protect himself against rapid gunfire. Come on - that is totally awesome. Would Jason Bourne even attempt that? No way!

Richter’s Arms

After the dramatic elevator fight between Quaid and Richter, Quaid ultimately wins out crushing his opponent to death under an elevator platform leaving Richter's two maimed arms in his hands as souvenirs. "See you at the party Richter!"

Kuato Dies!

Special effects designer Rob Bottin was part and parcel with Verhoeven's ultraviolent streak from "Robocop" to "Basic Instinct". He was a master at organic body and creature effects. And Kuato's 'bullet to the head' slo-motion close-up must surely be on his reel.

Arnie shooting Edgemar in the head

Again, whenever will a hero so callously blow an unarmed man's head off without pause? In fact, Quaid does pause thinking he's not a human - but kills him because he is.

Dwarf brandishing a machinegun

OK, it's not crass, but even dwarves and mutants can kick ass in Verhoven's films. How awesome is that!

Stepping on a Dead Body

After the awesome escalator shootout Quaid escapes and the bad guys run to follow. Paul Verhoeven takes the time to shoot and edit in a cutaway of Richter actually stepping on the bullet ridden chest of a dead body - presumably that poor sap that Arnie used as a human shield.

"Total Recall" would go on to earn $120million in the US box office, good for seventh best that year. But what if “Total Recall” were made today? Well, it likely turn out to be “Minority Report” which interestingly enough was originally written as “Total Recall 2” with Quaid as the cop who solves crime in the future.