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Basic Instinct

Basic Instinct

List Price: $9.98
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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: The banality of soft porn
Review: "Basic Instinct" is worth a few words as being possibly the worst popular movie ever made and marketed in the good ole U.S. of A.(it's significantly worse than "Pretty Woman"). Why?
There isn't one, microparticular hint of human kindness anywhere in this production - and that's the definition of porn, which provides, at best, the cheap thrill of refined sugar. One hopes for an accidental, peripheral detail of someone waving to a friend, a dog tentatively wagging its tail once or twice; the shadow of a smile on someone's face in a bus window - but no. It's our duty as consumers to be unhappy: let's get on with it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of my favorites
Review: Basic Instinct is a guilty pleasure. I love this film, and have the Director's Cut on VHS. I bought the Collector's Edition last year and returned it because it missed quite a bit of footage. I'm waiting for the Director's Cut to be issued on DVD. Until then, Michael and Sharon are relegated to my VCR.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Grade A Entertainment
Review: Basic Instinct is an intelligent, lush, and ultimately pointless thriller. It says very little, if anything, about humanity. There is no moral lesson or altruistic "drama as teacher" plot to be found. That is, in fact, what makes it such a great movie!

The lush photography, the sizzling and controversial sex scenes, the huge, iconic performance by Sharon Stone, and a stunning, icy score all add up to a couple hours of pure, mind-bending excitement. It imposes nothing of a political or philosophical nature on the viewer--but acts as eye candy just for the sake of art.

If you find the human body offensive, or sex, then do not watch this movie. If you want an intelligently written film that does not aspire to be a moral lesson, but is intelligent and captivating just the same, then do yourself a favor and take your mind on a holiday. See what made Sharon Stone a '90s superstar. See Basic Instinct (and cross your fingers the proposed sequel will happen soon, with Stone and Ashton Kutcher.)

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Relied on erotic images to sell the film
Review: BASIC INSTINCT is easily the most over-rated film of the 90's. I didn't like it in 1992, and watching the full uncut DVD version in 2004 I still feel the same.

BASIC INSTINCT tries to be a Hitchcock type film in many ways. Firstly, it has an annoying 'suspense' music score that plays throughout the film even when a scene doesn't warrant it. Next, the film reveals the killer but attempts to leaves you wondering if he/she is the real killer. The problem with BASIC INSTINCT is that it is so obvious that Sharon Stone is the killer. Not that we really care, afterall the storyline is so sleazy, that you feel no empathy for any of the characters.

The film relied on lots of erotic images to sell the film, and there is a reason for that. The Director must have realised from the begining that it was very ordinary storyline, and needed something to make it appealing. Problem solved: include lots of erotic images and a naked Sharon Stone ... and people will go to and see it for that alone. Clever marketing.

DVD SUMMARY: Basic Instinct has been released three times now on DVD, its first release way back in 1997. The version I saw was the second version which sports a DTS soundtrack, and some interesting special features. These include a "comparison with TV and Uncut version", and a documentary on the "making of" which reveals the problems that plagued the film set in San Fran. The DVD copy I have has a very soft film print which I would consider similar to VHS quality (it's that bad), however it is in Widescreen (five points for that).

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Relied on erotic images to sell the film
Review: BASIC INSTINCT is easily the most over-rated film of the 90's. I didn't like it in 1992, and watching the full uncut DVD version in 2004 I still feel the same.

BASIC INSTINCT tries to be a Hitchcock type film in many ways. Firstly, it has an annoying 'suspense' music score that plays throughout the film even when a scene doesn't warrant it. Next, the film reveals the killer but attempts to leaves you wondering if he/she is the real killer. The problem with BASIC INSTINCT is that it is so obvious that Sharon Stone is the killer. Not that we really care, afterall the storyline is so sleazy, that you feel no empathy for any of the characters.

The film relied on lots of erotic images to sell the film, and there is a reason for that. The Director must have realised from the begining that it was very ordinary storyline, and needed something to make it appealing. Problem solved: include lots of erotic images and a naked Sharon Stone ... and people will go to and see it for that alone. Clever marketing.

DVD SUMMARY: Basic Instinct has been released three times now on DVD, its first release way back in 1997. The version I saw was the second version which sports a DTS soundtrack, and some interesting special features. These include a "comparison with TV and Uncut version", and a documentary on the "making of" which reveals the problems that plagued the film set in San Fran. The DVD copy I have has a very soft film print which I would consider similar to VHS quality (it's that bad), however it is in Widescreen (five points for that).

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Base Instinct
Review: Basically, I think this movie is fairly offensive. I don't mean the sex. Good grief. At this point who cares? We've had actors grunting and groaning since the 70's. I think we're used to it.

What's shocking isn't the nudity or gymnastic sex ("I think she stuck that one, Brad"). What's shocking is the lack of any humanity. I mean its so mean spirited. Let me give you an example. I recently saw and reviewed "Unfaithful." Those people had feelings. They were confused. But there was love, sometimes impeded love, love with obstacles in the way. Sometimes misdirected love. But the folks, kids, husbands, wives all had some heart. I mean they cooked dinner for eachother.

Here, Douglas and Stone were . . . heartless. The picture was regarded as a powerful statement of the 90's. What powerful statement? That some women don't wear [...]? How did we get along without this information? Or did we know it and it really didn't mean that much?

To quote the bard, 'much ado about nothing.' It's kind of like the 'emperors clothes.' A whole bunch of people say 'This is a really great movie." Who's saying that? It's [...] that got by without the X rating. Does that make it bad? Not necessarily. Just call it what it is. What it's not is art. 2 stars. Larry Scantlebury

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Basic Crap
Review: I bought the unrated version of Basic Instinct, and there is nothing extra on it, except for Director Commentary, a documentary, and an extra 2 minutes of Sharon Stone and Michael Douglas having sex, but nothing explicit.

This movie is as bad as Showgirls. Joe Eszterhas is talentless, and Sharon Stone is a whore. Why would any woman in their right sober mind, allow themselves to be exposed for a couple seconds on camera? That whole interrogation scene was dumb.

After a while, you get tired of seeing Sharon Stone naked, and hearing Michael Douglas use the F-word a whole bunch of times. Seeing the two of them always hopping into bed really does get routine and boring.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Eye Candy and More...
Review: I can't believe I waited so long to see this movie! It left me nearly speechless. The sex! The plot twists! The madness! How can it all be processed into words. First, the love scenes (if I can even call them that) would make Billy Bob and Hallie blush any day of the week and the famous "interrogation" was all that it was cracked up to be. By the end of the film I didn't know whether to be aroused or in complete shock. I thought I had it all figured out, but I was thrown for a loop (probably because of Stone's privates and Douglas's bottom all in my face). The last word: a must see, but not with your mother.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Eye Candy and More...
Review: I can't believe I waited so long to see this movie! It left me nearly speechless. The sex! The plot twists! The madness! How can it all be processed into words. First, the love scenes (if I can even call them that) would make Billy Bob and Hallie blush any day of the week and the famous "interrogation" was all that it was cracked up to be. By the end of the film I didn't know whether to be aroused or in complete shock. I thought I had it all figured out, but I was thrown for a loop (probably because of Stone's privates and Douglas's bottom all in my face). The last word: a must see, but not with your mother.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Brilliant trash
Review: Is this film trashy, exploitive and misogynistic?
Yes.
Is this film exciting, thrilling, titillating and fun?
Yes.
Is this film basically just a sexed-up version of Hitchcock's "Vertigo"?
Yes.
Does it work anyway?
Yes.
Did this film do us all a favor by introducing the world to Sharon Stone, who, as an actress is hit-or-miss, but as an icon and diva is one of the greatest?
Yes.
Could I go the rest of my life without ever having to see Michael Douglas' butt again?
Yes.


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