Basic Instinct is a fy: 1992 American thriller/neo-noir film, directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas, starring Sharon Stone, Michael Douglas, Jeanne Tripplehorn and George Dzundza.

The film centres around police detective Nick Curran (Douglas), who is put in charge of the investigation of a brutal murder of a wealthy former singer. Beautiful, seductive and wealthy writer Catherine Tramell (Stone) could be involved; over the course of the investigation, Detective Curran becomes involved in a torrid and intense relationship with the mysterious woman--who turns out to be very dangerous.

Controversy surrounded Basic Instinct before it was even released. Gay rights activists strongly criticized the film and its depiction of homosexual relationships, especially the depiction of lesbian and bisexual women as psychopathic serial killers. In addition, the film reawakened arguments about censorship in the United States. It was initially given an NC-17 rating by the MPAA for its graphic content. However, the 1992 theatrical release was cut by about one minute in order to gain an R rating. The film was subsequently re-released in its uncut format on video and later on DVD.

Despite, or because of, its controversy, Basic Instinct was a major hit and became one of the best box office performers of 1992, collecting nearly $353 million worldwide and becoming one of the most well-known films of the 1990s. While receiving major commercial attention, it was also critically commended,Basic Instinct at Rotten Tomatoes; accessed November 5, 2007. receiving two Academy Award and two Golden Globe nominations—Jerry Goldsmith, the composer, was nominated for both awards for his original score, while Frank Urioste was nominated for an Academy Award for his editing and Sharon Stone was nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Actress. The success of the film was followed by a long-awaited release of a sequel, Basic Instinct 2'' (2006), which was poorly received critically and commercially. Multiple versions of the film have been released including a director's cut, the most recent release being in 2006.

Plot

In San Francisco, a down-and-out, recovering alcoholic detective, Nick Curran (Michael Douglas), has been involved in a turbulent relationship with Beth Garner (Jeanne Tripplehorn), a psychologist whose work for the police department includes reviewing Nick's own case.

When a wealthy former rock star named Johnny Boz is brutally stabbed to death with an ice pick while having sex with a blonde woman, Nick is sent to investigate. The only suspect they have is Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), a crime novelist last seen with Boz on the night he died.

Nick and his partner, Gus Moran (George Dzundza), visit a Pacific Heights mansion, but there they find only Tramell's lesbian lover, Roxy, at home. Roxy sends them to Tramell's Stinson Beach beach house, where they find her on a deckchair by the ocean. They ask about her dating relationship with Boz, and she replies, "I wasn't dating him, I was fucking him." She shows very little remorse at hearing he is dead. (Curran: "Are you sorry he's dead?" Tramell: "Yeah, I liked fucking him.")