A violent police detective investigates a brutal murder that might involve a manipulative and seductive novelist.

Credits: TheMovieDb.

Film Cast:

• Det. Nick Curran: Michael Douglas
• Catherine Tramell: Sharon Stone
• Gus Moran: George Dzundza
• Dr. Beth Garner: Jeanne Tripplehorn
• Roxy: Leilani Sarelle
• Lt. Philip Walker: Denis Arndt
• Andrews: Bruce A. Young
• Capt. Talcott: Chelcie Ross
• Hazel Dobkins: Dorothy Malone
• John Correli: Wayne Knight
• Lt. Marty Nilsen: Daniel von Bargen
• Dr. Lamott: Stephen Tobolowsky
• Harrigan: Benjamin Mouton
• Sheriff: Jack McGee
• Johnny Boz: Bill Cable
• Internal Affairs Investigator: Stephen Rowe
• Internal Affairs Investigator: Mitch Pileggi
• Juvenile Officer: Mary Pat Gleason
• Berkeley Registrar: Freda Foh Shen
• Dr. Myron: William Duff-Griffin
• Dr. McElwaine: James Rebhorn
• Polygraph Examiner: David Wells
• Nurse: Mary Ann Rodgers
• Nurse: Adilah Barnes
• Maid: Irene Olga López
• Receptionist: Juanita Jennings
• Bartender / Police Bar: Craig C. Lewis
• Detective: Michael David Lally
• Detective: Peter Appel
• Bartender / Country Western Bar: Michael Halton
• Featured Dancer: Keith McDaniel
• Coroner’s Guy: Eric Poppick
• Policeman: Ron Cacas
• Roxy’s Friend: Kayla Blake
• Campus Policeman: Bradford English
• Body Double: Ashlyn Gere
• (unconfirmed): Jeanne Basone
• (unconfirmed): Doreen Foo Croft
• Disco Patron (uncredited): Christa Connor
• Disco Patron (uncredited): Anne Lockhart
• Classmate: Patricia Anne Isgate-Hayward
• Doo Wah Riders: Ken Liebenson
• Doo Wah Riders: Lindy Rasmusson
• Doo Wah Riders: Byron Berline
• Doo Wah Riders: Eddie Dunbar
• Doo Wah Riders: Tom McKibbin
• Hand Puppet Model: Julia Bond
• Driver (uncredited): Dave LaBrucherie
• Mrs. Rollins (uncredited): Pui Fan Lee
• Police Officer (uncredited): Andy Rolfes
• Internal Affairs Detective (uncredited: Bob Sallese
• Disco Bartender (uncredited): Theodore Carl Soderberg
• Disco Patron (uncredited): Damon Stout
• Disco Patron (uncredited): Chase Watson

Film Crew:

• Casting: Howard Feuer
• Original Music Composer: Jerry Goldsmith
• Orchestrator: Alexander Courage
• Director of Photography: Jan de Bont
• Production Design: Terence Marsh
• Presenter: Mario Kassar
• Costume Design: Ellen Mirojnick
• Director: Paul Verhoeven
• Screenplay: Joe Eszterhas
• Producer: Alan Marshall
• Editor: Frank J. Urioste
• Art Direction: Mark Billerman
• Art Direction: William Cruse
• Set Decoration: Anne Kuljian
• Foley Editor: Dean Beville
• Special Effects Coordinator: John Frazier
• Second Unit Director: M. James Arnett
• Stunts: Seth Arnett
• Assistant Art Director: Roy Barnes
• Key Grip: Dave Childers
• Location Manager: Ellen Lent
• Supervising Dialogue Editor: Scott Hecker
• Music Editor: Kenneth Hall
• Sound Effects Editor: Ron Bartlett
• First Assistant Editor: Derek Brechin
• Associate Producer: William S. Beasley
• Costume Supervisor: Michael Dennison
• Title Designer: Wayne Fitzgerald
• First Assistant Director: Louis D’Esposito
• First Assistant Camera: Steve Adcock
• Second Second Assistant Director: Michael Viglietta
• ADR Supervisor: Norman B. Schwartz
• Makeup Effects Designer: Rob Bottin
• Set Designer: Stephen Myles Berger
• Foley Recordist: Nerses Gezalyan
• Supervising Sound Effects Editor: Stephen Hunter Flick
• Steadicam Operator: Larry McConkey
• Production Assistant: Nicole Boxer
• Aerial Coordinator: Robert ‘Bobby Z’ Zajonc
• Makeup Artist: David Forrest
• Propmaker: Randy L. Childs
• Script Supervisor: Trudy Ramirez
• Visual Effects: Al Magliochetti
• Still Photographer: Ralph Nelson Jr.
• Casting Assistant: Jakki Fink
• Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Carlos Delarios
• Foley Mixer: Greg Orloff
• Hairstylist: Audrey L. Anzures
• Dialogue Editor: David A. Arnold
• Swing: Jonathan Bobbitt
• Second Assistant Camera: Jeffrey Greeley
• Camera Operator: Kim Marks
• Gaffer: Leslie J. Kovacs
• Dolby Consultant: Douglas Greenfield
• Editorial Production Assistant: Douglas Kunin
• Property Master: Dennis J. Parrish
• Special Sound Effects: John Pospisil
• ADR Editor: Nicholas Korda
• Musician: Perry Montague Mason
• Stunt Double: Sandy Berumen
• Production Illustrator: David Lowery
• Special Effects Technician: Bruce Y. Kuroyama
• Publicist: Lauren Beth Strogoff
• Public Relations: Allen Burry
• Carpenter: Gregory Lynch Jr.
• Music Coordinator: Robin Glenn
• Electrician: Miles Anderson
• Cableman: Mauriece Jacks Jr.
• Sound Recordist: Fred Runner
• Color Timer: Bob Putynkowski
• Set Production Assistant: Robin Allen
• Construction Foreman: Chris Chichotka
• Production Accountant: Jim Davidson
• Transportation Coordinator: Randy Burke
• Best Boy Grip: Robert J. Babin
• Key Set Production Assistant: Catherine Marie McDonald
• Choreographer: Bill Landrum
• Production Coordinator: Christine A. Johnston
• Music Supervisor: Harry Shannon
• Rigging Grip: Paul Threlkeld
• Assistant Dialogue Editor: Doug Kent
• Best Boy Electric: Benny McNulty
• Post Production Supervisor: Michael R. Sloan
• Rigging Gaffer: E. Christopher Reed
• Transportation Captain: Candace Wells
• ADR Mixer: Thomas J. O’Connell
• Scenic Artist: B.J. Fredrickson
• Standby Painter: Jennifer Clinard
• Painter: Craig T. Shordon
• Special Effects Assistant: Harold Selig
• Extras Casting: Mariann H.W. Lee
• Construction Coordinator: Richard W. Clot
• Leadman: Gary E. Roloff
• Set Dressing Artist: J. Michael Davis
• Grip: Don Estes
• Casting Associate: Aslihan Coker
• Location Scout: Jim Baldwin
• Driver: Homer Albin
• Transportation Co-Captain: Daniel B. Briggs
• Craft Service: Frank Cunha
• Set Medic: Christopher Desmond
• Projection: Mike Kaufman
• Stand In: Ron Roggé
• Driver: James Marett
• Assistant Property Master: Gary F. Kieldrup
• Art Department Assistant: Stephen Hessel
• Dolly Grip: Joseph Graham
• Location Assistant: Scott Beatty
• Assistant Accountant: Jeff Ledbetter
• Assistant Production Coordinator: Tim August
• Production Secretary: Craig Dietrich

Movie Reviews:

• talisencrw: Controversy aside, in regards both to Sharon Stone’s quintessentially-provocative noirish femme fatale (talk about a queen bee or alpha female!) and the backlash that the film portrayed lesbians as crazed psychos, Verhoeven both played a striking tribute to Sir Alfred Hitchcock, particularly San Francisco’s based Vertigo and in use of the blonde bombshell, and simply continued his style of storytelling that had become his trademark in his pre-Hollywood, formative days in the Netherlands. Though it’s not mentioned in the interviews of either star or director, the wonderful car chase brought to mind that ‘other’ car chase Frisco Bay movie, ‘Bullitt’. But given the remarkable landscape of the area, why not? One would be a fool not to push the stylistic envelope as far as the censors will allow. A film that would have made The Master of Suspense proud, methinks, and one that he himself perhaps would have done, had Joe Eszterhas’ very fun script been around, during, say, the time of ‘Frenzy’, when Hitchcock was at his cheekiest. A fantastic date movie too, by the way…
• John Chard: I’d have to be pretty stupid to write a book about killing and then kill him the way I described in my book. I’d be announcing myself as the killer. I’m not stupid.

  Basic Instinct is directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhaz. It stars Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Denis Arndt and Leilani Sarelle. Music is scored by Jerry Goldsmith and cinematography by Jan de Bont.

  Nick Curran (Douglas) of the SFPD is strung out and under investigation by Internal Affairs, last thing he needs is to be drawn into a dangerous relationship with a sex crazed blonde who may be a murderess…

  Time hasn’t been kind to Verhoeven’s soft-core porn thriller, where once was shock and awe killings (the film opening with a brutal mini ice-pick murder), steamy love scenes and a famed and controversial crotch shot, now is ludicrous orgasms, iffy effects and Michael Douglas’ unappetising ass! Hell there was even protests during the film’s initial theatre run as the gay community went up in arms about the portrayal of bisexuals possibly being mad murderers?

  Yet for all of its taming over the years, Basic Instinct can at least now been seen as the hugely efficient mystery thriller that it is, one that is propelled by some very good performances by the principal actors. The strength in the story is not in the sex or blood, but in the character arcs of Nick Curran and Catherine Tramell (Stone). Curran is a man perched on the edge of doom who is controlled totally by the women around him. He is by definition a quintessential film noir protagonist, in so deep he ultimately will be resigned to his fate. Catharine Tramell is a ultimate femme fatale, beautiful and seductive, she’s always in control, leading all male characters where she wants them to go. There’s a delicious kink to the narrative, with Verhoeven gleefully pulling the strings, a smirk no doubt etched onto his face.

  This is very good story telling, with a plot of substantial twists and turns. True, it does carry some soft-core baggage that can steer the restless away from the character strengths within, but for the neo-noir crowd there is much to enjoy here. 7.5/10