Basic Instinct (1992)

Country of Origin: USA / France
Year of Production: 1992
Running Times: 122 mins (UK)     123 mins (USA)     128 mins (unrated version)
Format: Technicolor     35mm     Panavision (anamorphic)
Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound: Dolby SR     LC-Concept Digital Sound

(Full credits)

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Carolco / Studio Canal+
Executive Producer: Mario Kassar
Producer: Alan Marshall
Associate Producers: William S. Beasley, Louis D'Esposito

SCRIPT
Script: Joe Eszterhas

DIRECTION
Director: Paul Verhoeven
2nd Unit Director: M. James Arnett

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Jan DeBont
2nd Unit Director of Photography: Michael Ferris

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Frank J. Urioste

MUSIC
Music: Jerry Goldsmith
Songs: Jeff Barry, Janet DuBois (Movin on Up); Van Lierop, Khan, Adams (Rave the Rhythm); Ken Liebenson (Glowing in the Ashes); Chris Rea (Looking For the Summer); LaTour (Blue)
Songs Performed By: Channel X (Rave the Rhythm); The Doo Wah Riders (Glowing in the Ashes); Chris Rea (Looking For the Summer); LaTour (Blue)

SOUND
Production Sound Supervisor (Los Angeles): Nelson Stoll
Sound Recordists: Fred Runner, Daniel Sharp, John W. Brilhante
Re-Recording Mixers: Michael J. Kohut, Carlos de Larios, Aaron Rochin

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Make Up (Los Angeles): David Craig Forrest
Body Make Up: Laura De'Atley
Hair (Los Angeles): Paul Le Blanc
Additional Hair: Virginia G. Hadley
Costume Designer: Ellen Mirojnick

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Special Make Up Effects Designer /Creator: Rob Bottin

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects Co-Ordinator (Los Angeles): John Frazier

VISUAL EFFECTS
Special Visual Effects: Rob Bottin
Visual Effects Crew: Fernando Favila, Henry Alvarez, James Clark, Gunner Ferdinandsen, Art Pimentel, Margaret Prentice, Vincent Prentice, Tom Prosser, Sam Sainz, Russ Shinkle, Dawn Shirlock, Loren Soman, Wayne Strong, Todd Weslow

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Terence Marsh
Art Director (San Fransisco): Mark Billerman
Set Designer: Steve Berger
Set Designer (San Fransisco): Barbara Mesney

LOCATIONS
Studio: Warner Hollywood Studios, California, USA
Locations: Carmel, California, USA; Rohnert Park, California, USA; San Francisco, California, USA
Location Manager (San Fransisco): Ellen Winchell

STUNTS
Stunt Coordinator: M. James Arnett, Charles Picerni
Stunts: Seth Arnett, Janeen Best, Janet Brady, Rocky Capella, Steve Chambers, Mike DeLuna, Justin DeRosa, Gary Epper, John Epstein, Marian Green, Tom Huff, Maria Kelly, Janet Orcutt, Randy Peters, Manny Perry

CASTING
Casting: Howard Feuer
Casting (San Fransisco): Judith Bouley

CAST
Michael Douglas (Detective Nick Curran)
Sharon Stone (Catherine Trammell)
George Dzundza (Gus)
Jeanne Tripplehorn (Dr Beth Garner)
Denis Arndt (Lieutenant Walker)
Leilani Sarelle (Roxy)
Bruce A. Young (Andrews)
Chelcie Ross (Captain Talcott)
Dorothy Malone (Hazel Dobkins)
Wayne Knight (John Correli)
Daniel Von Bargen (Lieutenant Nilsen)
Stephen Tobolowsky (Dr Lamott)
Benjamin Mouton (Harrigan)
Jack McGee (Sheriff)
Bill Cable (Johnny Boz)
Stephen Rowe, Mitch Pileggi (Internal Affairs investigators)
Mary Pat Gleason (juvenile officer)
Freda Foh Shen (Berkeley registrar)
William Duff-Griffin (Dr Myron)
James Rebhorn (Dr McElwaine)
David Wells (polygraph examiner)
Bradford English (campus policeman)
Mary Ann Rodgers, Adilah Barnes (nurses)
Irene Olga Lopez (maid)
Juanita Jennings (receptionist)
Craig C. Lewis (bartender in police bar)
Michael David Lally, Peter Appel (detectives)
Michael Halton (bartender in Country and Western bar)
Keith A. McDaniel (featured dancer)
Eric Poppick (coroner's guy)
Ron Cacas (policeman)
Elsie Sniffen (Roxy's friend)
Ken Liebenson, Lindy Rasmusson, Byron Berline, Eddie Dunbar, Tod McKibbin (Doo Wah Riders)
Julie Bond (hand puppet model)

PLOT SUMMARY

In San Francisco, a former rock star is brutally murdered during sex by an ice-pick wielding blonde. Borderline psychotic cop Nick Curran is assigned to track down the culprit but is quickly taken off the case when he becomes embroiled in the mad power games of chief suspect, sex-bomb novelist Catherine Trammell. Curran, an ex-alcoholic coke addict whose wife committed suicide after he accidentally shot two tourists in the line of duty, is seduced, bedded and bemused by Trammell who's also sleeping with Roxy, a leather clad lesbian who previously murdered members of her own family.

CAPSULE REVIEW

The 'controversial' sex-and-death thriller that launched Stone's career onto a higher plane and which kept the tabloid scandal-mongers in copy for weeks. In truth, it's nowhere near as daring and shocking as it's reputation at the time made it seem and the unneccessary fuss kicked up by gay activist groups regarding the alledged mistreatment of lesbian and bisexual characters served only to give Carolco a free publicity bonanza. Stylishly filmed by Verhoeven and well acted by all involved, its a slickly produced but hollow exercise in big budget pseudo-sleaze, notable at the time, perhaps, for being one of the few mainstream flicks to feature scenes of (simulated) cunnilingus.

Argentina
Theatrical Distributor: Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International
Video Distributor: LK-TEL

Australia
Theatrical Distributor: Roadshow Film Distributors
Video Distributor: Roadshow Entertainment

Canada
Theatrical Distributor: Alliance Atlantis Communications

Germany
Video Distributor: VCL Communications GmbH
Laserdisc Distributor: Pioneer (PLFGC 30451 (1993))
DVD Distributor: MAWA Film und Medien (51918 (1998)); Kinowelt (2002)

Spain
Theatrical Distributor: Araba Films

UK
Video Distributor: Guild
Laserdisc Distributor: Pioneer (PLFEC 31191 (1993))

USA
Theatrical Distributor: TriStar Pictures
Video Distributor: Live Video
Laserdisc Distributors: Live Home Video (LD 69015 (1992)); Live Home Video (LD 69015-WS (1992)); Pioneer (PSE 93-33 (1993))
DVD Distributor: Live Entertainment (60443 (1997)); Artisan Entertainment Special Edition (12065 (2001)); Artisan Entertainment Special Edition (12112 (2001))

Argentina
Rating: 18

Australia
Rating: R

Belgium
Rating: KNT

Brazil
Rating: 16

Chile
Rating: 18

Finland
Rating: K-18

France
Rating: -16

Germany
Rating: 16

Hong Kong
Rating: III

Ireland
Rating: 18

Italy
Rating: VM14

Netherlands
Rating: 16

Norway
Rating: 18

Peru
Rating: 18

Portugal
Rating: M/18

Spain
Rating: 18

Sweden
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: 18

USA
Rating: R (theatrical version) / unrated (director's cut)

1993
Academy Awards, USA
Best Film Editing (Frank J. Urioste) - nominated
Best Music, Original Score (Jerry Goldsmith) - nominated

Awards of the Japanese Academy, Japan
Best Foreign Film - nominated

BMI Film and TV Awards, USA
Music Award (Jerry Goldsmith) - winner

Cannes Film Festival, France
Golden Palm (Jerry Goldsmith) - nominated

Golden Globes, USA
Best Original Score - Motion Picture (Jerry Goldsmith) - nominated
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture: Drama (Sharon Stone) - nominated

Golden Screen, Germany
Golden Screen - winner

MTV Movie Awards, USA
Best Female Performance (Sharon Stone) - winner
Most Desirable Female (Sharon Stone) - winner
Best Male Performance (Michael Douglas) - nominated
Best Movie - nominated
Best On-Screen Duo (Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone) - mominated

Razzie Awards, USA
Worst Actor (Michael Douglas) – nominated (also for Shining Through (1992))
Worst New Star (Sharon Stone's 'Tribute to Theodore Cleaver') - nominated
Worst Supporting Actress (Jeanne Tripplehorn) - nominated

1992
March
20: USA – theatrical release

April
16: Argentina – theatrical release
30: Peru – theatrical release

May
8: France, Netherlands – theatrical release
14: Australia – theatrical release
15: Finland, Sweden – theatrical release
22: Austria – theatrical release
28: Germany – theatrical release

August
21: Spain – theatrical release

1993
August
20: UK – theatrical release

1993
March
Day Unknown: Germany - laserdisc distributor (Pioneer (PLFGC 30451)

November
Day Unknown: UK - laserdisc release (Pioneer (PLFEC 31191))

1997
September
3: USA - DVD release Live Entertainment (60443)

1998
November
1: Germany - DVD release (MAWA Film und Medien (51918)

2001
September
18: USA - DVD release (Artisan Entertainment Special Edition (12065); Artisan Entertainment Special Edition (12112))

2002
March
12: Germany – DVD release (Kinowelt)

A brutal murder. A brilliant killer. A cop who can't resist the danger.

Flesh seduces. Passion kills.

Bajos instintos - Argentinian / Peruvian title
Basic Energy - Chinese title
Basic Instinct - Istinto di base - Italian title
Basic Instinct - vaiston varassa - Finnish title
Elemi ösztön - Hungarian title
Instinto básico - Spanish title
Instinto Fatal - Portugese title
Instinto Selvagem - Brazilian title
Iskallt begär - Swedish title
Iskoldt begær - Danish title
Nagi instynkt - Polish title
Prvinski nagon - Slovenian title

SEQUEL
Basic Instinct 2 (2006)

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
AFI's 100 Years, 100 Thrills: America's Most Heart-Pounding Movies (2001)
Blonde Poison: The Making of Basic Instinct (2001)
The Celluloid Closet (1995)
A Century of Cinema (1994)

INCLUDES FOOTAGE FROM
Hellraiser (1987)
Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)

SEE ALSO
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999)
Dressed to Kill (1980)
Fatal Instinct (1993)
The Game (1997)
Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993)
Jiang jian zhong ji pian zhi zui hou gao yang (1999)
Loaded Weapon 1 (1993)
Matador (1986)
Psycho (1960)
Il silenzio dei prosciutti (1994)
Tao xue wei long zhi long guo ji nian (1993)
Vertigo (1958)
Wayne's World 2 (1993)

MAGAZINES

cinema 29 May 1992 (Germany)
review (by Bernd Teichmann); interview with Michael Douglas

Empire September 1994 p.63 (UK)
review

Entertainment Weekly no.645 (22 March 2002) p.116 (USA)
article (Sexual Dealings by Michael Sauter)

Première June 1992 p.14 (France)
review (by Jean-Jacques Bernard)

Screen International 5 July 1991 p.25 (UK)
review

Studio June 1992 p.9 (France)
review (by Denis Parent)

Studio Special Cannes 1992 p.11 (France)
review (by Christophe D'Yvoire)

NEWSPAPERS

Sunday Times 5 June 1994 pp.10:4-5 (UK)
review

BOOKS

The BFI Companion to Crime p.43
review

Svenska Dagbladet 15 May 1992 (Sweden)
review (Fördomar på gränsen till fobi by Anna Ångström)

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

bisexuality, detectives, erotica, ice picks, lesbianism, police, psychiatrists, psychologists, serial killers, sex, twist endings, writers

Last Updated: 1 January, 2009