Basic Instinct

Year:

1992

Duration:

127 min | USA:128 min (unrated version)

Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

IMDB rate:

6.9

Director:

Paul Verhoeven

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 16 nominations

Details

Country: France

Release Date: 1992-03-20

Filming Locations: 1158 Montgomery Street, Telegraph Hill, San Francisco, California, USA

Earnings

Budget: $49,000,000

Opening Weekend: $15,129,385 (USA) (22 March 1992)

Gross: $117,727,000 (USA)£15,480,000 (UK)

Cast

Actor

Character

Leilani Sarelle

Basic Instinct

Michael Douglas

Detective Nick Curran

Sharon Stone

Catherine Tramell

George Dzundza

Gus

Jeanne Tripplehorn

Dr. Beth Garner

Denis Arndt

Lieutenant Walker

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

Internal Affairs Investigator

Mitch Pileggi

Internal Affairs Investigator

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

Nurse

Adilah Barnes

Nurse

Irene Olga López

Maid (as Irene Olga Lopez)

Juanita Jennings

Receptionist

Craig C. Lewis

Bartender - Police Bar

Michael David Lally

Detective

Peter Appel

Detective

Michael Halton

Bartender - Country Western Bar

Keith McDaniel

Featured Dancer (as Keith A. McDaniel)

Eric Poppick

Coroner's Guy

Ron Cacas

Policeman

Kayla Blake

Roxy's Friend (as Elsie Sniffen)

Ken Liebenson

Doo Wah Riders

Lindy Rasmusson

Doo Wah Riders

Byron Berline

Doo Wah Riders

Eddie Dunbar

Doo Wah Riders

Tod McKibbin

Doo Wah Riders

Julie Bond

Hand Puppet Model

Jeanne Basone

(unconfirmed)

Doreen Foo Croft

(unconfirmed)

Marla Gibbs

Florence Johnston in The Jeffersons (archive footage) (uncredited)

Sherman Hemsley

George Jefferson in The Jeffersons (archive footage) (uncredited)

Patricia Anne Isgate-Hayward

Classmate (uncredited)

Dave LaBrucherie

Driver (uncredited)

Anne Lockhart

Disco Patron (uncredited)

Andy Rolfes

Police Officer (uncredited)

Bob Sallese

Internal Affairs Detective (uncredited)

Theodore Carl Soderberg

Disco bartender (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

Director Paul Verhoeven previously directed actor Miguel Ferrer in Robocop (1987). Leilani Sarelle (Roxy) was married to Ferrer from 1991-2003.

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The movie completely ignored DNA, which had been used in criminal investigations since the mid-1980s. The film was set in the year of its release (1992), by which time DNA was constantly being used for crime investigations.

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Paul Verhoeven briefly considered Peter Weller for the role of Nick Curran.

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Goofs

When wheels on the black Lotus are different when it crashes through the barricade.

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A scene where Nick is at Catherine's to question her about Hazel Dobkins, he is looking through news clippings on himself on the accidental shootings when he was on vice. When Catherine reveals to him she is using him as a reference for the Detective in her novel he comes across a newspaper clipping headlined "Grand Jury Probe Continues" with a his picture in a specific pose to the camera. He displays the same exact (or eerily similar) pose in the next shot when he reacting to this news.

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The blonde woman murderer in the opening scene has a clearly visible scar on her left shoulder. Later in the film, the same scar can be seen on Catherine Tramell's left shoulder. This gives away the whole story, since the point of the film is to figure out who the killer is.

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Quotes

Beth Garner: Sometimes I hate you.

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Beth Garner: [Nick finds out that Beth and Catherine had slept together in college] What was I supposed to say? "Hey, guys, I'm not gay, but I did fuck your suspect"?

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Dr. Myron: Do you believe Lieutenant Nilsen deserved to die?

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Faq

Q

What is the film playing in the background on TV that Nick is watching?

A

Hellraiser (1987).

Q

How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?

A

For detailed information about the amounts and types of (a) sex and nudity, (b) violence and gore, (c) profanity, (d) alcohol, drugs, and smoking, and (e) frightening and intense scenes in this movie, consult the IMDb Parents Guide for this movie. The Parents Guide for Basic Instinct can be found here.

Q

What is the basic instinct?

A

An instinct is defined as 'an inborn pattern of activity or tendency common to a given biological species,' such as the monarch butterflies' instinctual drive to overwinter in specific areas in Mexico. In most animal species, the most basic instinct is to survive. In the film, the basic instinct is to mate.

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