Stephen-Tobolowsky Movie Reviews

Jeff Daniels and Melanie Mayron are brillant in this very funny movie about dying...mortality....and finally living your life to the fullest.

This was a superb film, seemingly about death but truly about life, it's there to be enjoyed, much like this film (sorry that sounds so cheesy but thats a fact)

I'm giving a higher mark to this film because there are several things that make this an above-par effort. The story will definitely hold your interest, the cast is mature and the acting is with enough conviction, and it gives a nice B-movie feel without resorting to bad CGI effects for a creature.

It has the classic cliche elements for a perfect B flick: a mysterious misunderstood child, a town with a secret, and an alien. While not a direct remake of The Day The World Ended, it utilizes the original film by showing segments on a TV in the story and showing the vhs video box cover as part of the child's interest in aliens. High production values combined with B movie flair work just enough to be passable entertainment for some, but if you enjoy the *wink-wink* of its intended fun, it comes out a winner. It has the look and feel of a good X-Files episode with more psychological horror elements of the newer Outer Limits. That's not bad at all, considering.

Younger audiences may not give this a chance as the cast (except for the child) is well over 40, but I welcomed that element gladly, as the older classic sci-fi/horror films used a mature cast as well. They cast who would work well with the story, not who was young and hot at the moment. By casting the way they did, this film will hold up better in years to come than by choosing a teen-looking cast that will obviously date it when those stars have faded from the spotlight. Randy Quaid and Nastassia Kinski both give convincing performances, and Stephen Toblowsky adds just enough humour to his role as the principal.

The creature itself is hit-or-miss: in some scenes it looks fine,
in others it doesn't. But the fact that that it was actually part person/puppet/mechanics helps a lot even if it's not entirely convincing, as these days too many films just use computer animation which becomes distracting like watching cheap animation mixed in with live action.

Yes, this is a B movie. But it's a fun one, just like the old classics but with a bit more cussing and violence. Don't let the R-rating keep you back on that part, as it's not gratuitous and in just the right doses. As for the MPAA's warning of a "sex scene"....it's so brief, rather awkward, and basically humorous that it's not even worth fretting over. Otherwise, those looking for sex and breasts better look elsewhere, this film concentrates on the story and its stronger pyschological horror.

Those who are collectors of (particularly ones that are homages to) old B films will be quite satisfied and not worry that the DVD has just the basics to offer, plus some inside views from Stan Winston and Shane Mahan on a commentary. Others just looking to pass the time might not find the price worth it. I personally think this will be one that years from now will still entertain. It's good enough, smart enough, and doggone it -- just creepy enough that people will like it. I know I've enjoyed this one a heck of a lot more than most recent theatrical yawners, so give this one a try with a big bowl of popcorn and enjoy!

Dr. Jennifer Stillman is a New York therapist that decides that taking a job as an elementary psychiatrist in the backwaters of Nevada (Sierra Vista) would be a good idea. So, packing up the Volkswagen, she enters the town that time seems to have forgotten, one filled with all the wonderful elements of a cozy little place that includes, among other things, suspicious leering and a sea of faces brimming with undertones of almost openly thriving hate. Still, Jennifer doesn't let the fact that she's constantly jeered at by the yokel elements of the town get to her, finding herself harassed not only by some of the residents but also by the local sheriff, thinking that this will all pass with time. Little does she suspect that the townsfolk have other motives meshed within their distrust, ones reflecting a murderous undertone and that lie buried in the head of a very strange, very gifted, boy that she decides to try and help.

This, another of Stan Winston's creature features (Earth Vs The Spider, Teenage Caveman, She Creature, and How to Make a Monster being the other releases thusfar), was actually one of the reasons I started picking up the series in the first place. Besides having not only the effects mastermind himself behind the creation of the creature (one I thought looked pretty good and offered a bit of a horror feel up with) involved in this film, there is also another element, one that manages to hinge a strange plot on events that reek of human dismemberment and the forgotten art of facepeeling. That, in and of itself, makes this a treat for the overindulgent eye.

I'm giving a higher mark to this film because there are several things that make this an above-par effort. The story will definitely hold your interest, the cast is mature and the acting is with enough conviction, and it gives a nice B-movie feel without resorting to bad CGI effects for a creature.

It has the classic cliche elements for a perfect B flick: a mysterious misunderstood child, a town with a secret, and an alien. While not a direct remake of The Day The World Ended, it utilizes the original film by showing segments on a TV in the story and showing the vhs video box cover as part of the child's interest in aliens. High production values combined with B movie flair work just enough to be passable entertainment for some, but if you enjoy the *wink-wink* of its intended fun, it comes out a winner. It has the look and feel of a good X-Files episode with more psychological horror elements of the newer Outer Limits. That's not bad at all, considering.

Younger audiences may not give this a chance as the cast (except for the child) is well over 40, but I welcomed that element gladly, as the older classic sci-fi/horror films used a mature cast as well. They cast who would work well with the story, not who was young and hot at the moment. By casting the way they did, this film will hold up better in years to come than by choosing a teen-looking cast that will obviously date it when those stars have faded from the spotlight. Randy Quaid and Nastassia Kinski both give convincing performances, and Stephen Toblowsky adds just enough humour to his role as the principal.

The creature itself is hit-or-miss: in some scenes it looks fine,
in others it doesn't. But the fact that that it was actually part person/puppet/mechanics helps a lot even if it's not entirely convincing, as these days too many films just use computer animation which becomes distracting like watching cheap animation mixed in with live action.

Yes, this is a B movie. But it's a fun one, just like the old classics but with a bit more cussing and violence. Don't let the R-rating keep you back on that part, as it's not gratuitous and in just the right doses. As for the MPAA's warning of a "sex scene"....it's so brief, rather awkward, and basically humorous that it's not even worth fretting over. Otherwise, those looking for sex and breasts better look elsewhere, this film concentrates on the story and its stronger pyschological horror.

Those who are collectors of (particularly ones that are homages to) old B films will be quite satisfied and not worry that the DVD has just the basics to offer, plus some inside views from Stan Winston and Shane Mahan on a commentary. Others just looking to pass the time might not find the price worth it. I personally think this will be one that years from now will still entertain. It's good enough, smart enough, and doggone it -- just creepy enough that people will like it. I know I've enjoyed this one a heck of a lot more than most recent theatrical yawners, so give this one a try with a big bowl of popcorn and enjoy!

Dr. Jennifer Stillman is a New York therapist that decides that taking a job as an elementary psychiatrist in the backwaters of Nevada (Sierra Vista) would be a good idea. So, packing up the Volkswagen, she enters the town that time seems to have forgotten, one filled with all the wonderful elements of a cozy little place that includes, among other things, suspicious leering and a sea of faces brimming with undertones of almost openly thriving hate. Still, Jennifer doesn't let the fact that she's constantly jeered at by the yokel elements of the town get to her, finding herself harassed not only by some of the residents but also by the local sheriff, thinking that this will all pass with time. Little does she suspect that the townsfolk have other motives meshed within their distrust, ones reflecting a murderous undertone and that lie buried in the head of a very strange, very gifted, boy that she decides to try and help.

This, another of Stan Winston's creature features (Earth Vs The Spider, Teenage Caveman, She Creature, and How to Make a Monster being the other releases thusfar), was actually one of the reasons I started picking up the series in the first place. Besides having not only the effects mastermind himself behind the creation of the creature (one I thought looked pretty good and offered a bit of a horror feel up with) involved in this film, there is also another element, one that manages to hinge a strange plot on events that reek of human dismemberment and the forgotten art of facepeeling. That, in and of itself, makes this a treat for the overindulgent eye.

I'm in the study of the video. In my movie class, anylizing it is my Homework. So ... Holly Hunter is very cuty... Mrs.Weddington was very hard in going through. In this point, this video contains the meanig of some Feminism. ... After some time... So ..Good Bye

I never knew the details of how abortion came to be legal; the actual story of what her background, circumstances, and courage brought to light. This woman went through and was put through so much, just to make her life better. Little did she know what impact her tenacity would have on us all!

This is a moving account of not only one woman's individual struggle, but the integral role our justice system played. Debra Winger nailed this performance.

[I actually give this film a rating of **1/2]

Man's inhumanity against man is one of the most powerful themes in drama. It is the subject that drives "Murder in the First Degree," a film (supposedly based on real events) that tells the horrifying tale of Henry Young (Kevin Bacon), a man sent to Alcatraz for stealing five dollars.

While serving his time on the Rock, Henry suffers greatly at the hands of the sadistic Assistant Warden (Gary Oldman.) He is tortured, beaten, abused and kept in solitary confinement for three years. When he is finally reintroduced into the general prison population, Henry is so confused and frightened that he does, for him, the unthinkable: he murders another inmate.

Everyone is set for a quick trial (to be followed by an even quicker execution) until Henry's defense attorney, James Stampill (Christian Slater), comes on the scene. He is ready to fight and he will do whatever it takes, even if it means taking on Alcatraz and the entire penal system.

The plot of "Murder" is by no means a new one, nor is it even remotely unpredictable. At every turn, the savvy movie viewer will know what is coming next, even if the characters in the film do not. (The sequence with Stampill and the former prison guard is particularly weak. If he is so smart, how could he not have seen that coming?) The courtroom scenes are okay except when Stampill engages in implausible bouts of histrionics.

All the same, predictability on its own will not necessarily ruin a film. What makes "Murder" watchable are some good performances and Marc Rocco's direction. Prior to this, Rocco directed a few perfectly dreadful films, including "Dream a Little Dream" and "Where the Day Takes You." Here, though, his work is much better. His attempts at imposing a visual style are occasionally obtrusive, but he makes it work often enough to keep things interesting.

The acting by the three principals is fine. Slater is good, although he is too young and inexperienced to give his role the weight it needs. (Please don't try to argue that that is the point, either. I don't buy it.) Bacon does well in the showier part, giving a nicely modulated performance. Oldman has a tendency to go over the top (see "The Professional," for example), but here he is more restrained and his work is better because of it. He also does a perfect job of suppressing his British accent.

The main problem with "Murder" is Dan Gordon's writing, which never rises above the merely ordinary. The plot is familiar, many of the scenes are cliché and the characterizations are weak. The screenplay is certainly adequate, but that is not enough to make a good film.

MURDER IN THE FIRST begins just as an escape attempt from the maximum-security federal penitentiary at Alcatraz has failed. Two escapees are dead, a third (the informant) is returned to his cell, and a fourth, a young man named Henri Young (Kevin Bacon), is placed into a dingy, black hole underneath the ground. He remains there for three years, only visited by Associate Warden Glenn (Gary Oldman) and his vicious beatings and a spider that knows a way out.

Once he is released, Young is placed back into the prison population. With revenge consuming him, he lashes out at the informant who was responsible for landing him in confinement by running a spoon through the man's throat. Unknowing of the treatment that transformed Young from petty thief to cold-blooded killer, the government tries Young for first degree murder. Enter Christian Slater who stars as James Stamphill, an up and coming public defender who is assigned to defend Henry Young and maybe the only person in Young's life who doesn't want to just give up on the man.

While how much of the story is actually true and how much of the story has been created by Hollywood is in question, there's no doubt that MURDER IN THE FIRST is entertaining. While most of the things about Henry Young are true, I understand that some liabilities have been made with the characters played by Christian Slater and Gary Oldman. That shouldn't matter though. They are not the heart of the story. Henry Young is at the heart of the story and the fact that any of this ever happened to a man is horrific and makes it a story deserving to be told. And even if all of this had never truly happened (I wish it hadn't), and the story was a complete work of fiction by a Hollywood screenwriter it will still be a good movie and an involving look into the human psyche.

For his performance as Henry Young, Kevin Bacon should have been nominated for an Academy Award. With his haunting eyes and his unhealthy appearing weight loss alone, Bacon makes us care for the character. His performance is flawless. Christian Slater does also does well in one of the finer acting choices of his career (aside from TRUE ROMANCE and INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE). His Slaterism's are often subdued for a more relaxed, more innocent man approach, which works rather well. Gary Oldman, who I would go as far as to say is the most underrated actor in Hollywood, gives another great, over the top performance which to me comes as no surprise. I've never seen Gary Oldman once seem like the same man in anything he's ever been in. That' s got to say something for his talents.

With great performances and an endearing story, MURDER IN THE FIRST is a first-rate film. And, despite its title, it's not about a murder. It's about life.

Maybe I'm a simpleton but I liked it.

B+

MY USUAL TASTE IN FILMS RARELY INCLUDE ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF COMEDY. I USUALLY GET BORED AND UNINTERESTED IN DRAMA. THIS MOVIE IS AWESOME FROM SCENE ONE UNTIL THE CREDITS ROLL. KEVIN BACON'S PERFORMANCE SHOULD WIN HIM AWARDS FOR HIS PROTRAYAL OF HENRY YOUNG UNTIL THE END OF TIME!!!!! THE MOVIE, OVERALL, IS A GREAT PEICE OF CINEMA. I CAN WATCH THIS MOVIE EVERYDAY AND STILL STARE AT THE SCENE IN AWE. WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO DO TO GET THIS MOVIE, IT'S WORTH IT!!!!! BUTTERFLY26@VERIZON

[I actually give this film a rating of **1/2]

Man's inhumanity against man is one of the most powerful themes in drama. It is the subject that drives "Murder in the First Degree," a film (supposedly based on real events) that tells the horrifying tale of Henry Young (Kevin Bacon), a man sent to Alcatraz for stealing five dollars.

While serving his time on the Rock, Henry suffers greatly at the hands of the sadistic Assistant Warden (Gary Oldman.) He is tortured, beaten, abused and kept in solitary confinement for three years. When he is finally reintroduced into the general prison population, Henry is so confused and frightened that he does, for him, the unthinkable: he murders another inmate.

Everyone is set for a quick trial (to be followed by an even quicker execution) until Henry's defense attorney, James Stampill (Christian Slater), comes on the scene. He is ready to fight and he will do whatever it takes, even if it means taking on Alcatraz and the entire penal system.

The plot of "Murder" is by no means a new one, nor is it even remotely unpredictable. At every turn, the savvy movie viewer will know what is coming next, even if the characters in the film do not. (The sequence with Stampill and the former prison guard is particularly weak. If he is so smart, how could he not have seen that coming?) The courtroom scenes are okay except when Stampill engages in implausible bouts of histrionics.

All the same, predictability on its own will not necessarily ruin a film. What makes "Murder" watchable are some good performances and Marc Rocco's direction. Prior to this, Rocco directed a few perfectly dreadful films, including "Dream a Little Dream" and "Where the Day Takes You." Here, though, his work is much better. His attempts at imposing a visual style are occasionally obtrusive, but he makes it work often enough to keep things interesting.

The acting by the three principals is fine. Slater is good, although he is too young and inexperienced to give his role the weight it needs. (Please don't try to argue that that is the point, either. I don't buy it.) Bacon does well in the showier part, giving a nicely modulated performance. Oldman has a tendency to go over the top (see "The Professional," for example), but here he is more restrained and his work is better because of it. He also does a perfect job of suppressing his British accent.

The main problem with "Murder" is Dan Gordon's writing, which never rises above the merely ordinary. The plot is familiar, many of the scenes are cliché and the characterizations are weak. The screenplay is certainly adequate, but that is not enough to make a good film.

MURDER IN THE FIRST begins just as an escape attempt from the maximum-security federal penitentiary at Alcatraz has failed. Two escapees are dead, a third (the informant) is returned to his cell, and a fourth, a young man named Henri Young (Kevin Bacon), is placed into a dingy, black hole underneath the ground. He remains there for three years, only visited by Associate Warden Glenn (Gary Oldman) and his vicious beatings and a spider that knows a way out.

Once he is released, Young is placed back into the prison population. With revenge consuming him, he lashes out at the informant who was responsible for landing him in confinement by running a spoon through the man's throat. Unknowing of the treatment that transformed Young from petty thief to cold-blooded killer, the government tries Young for first degree murder. Enter Christian Slater who stars as James Stamphill, an up and coming public defender who is assigned to defend Henry Young and maybe the only person in Young's life who doesn't want to just give up on the man.

While how much of the story is actually true and how much of the story has been created by Hollywood is in question, there's no doubt that MURDER IN THE FIRST is entertaining. While most of the things about Henry Young are true, I understand that some liabilities have been made with the characters played by Christian Slater and Gary Oldman. That shouldn't matter though. They are not the heart of the story. Henry Young is at the heart of the story and the fact that any of this ever happened to a man is horrific and makes it a story deserving to be told. And even if all of this had never truly happened (I wish it hadn't), and the story was a complete work of fiction by a Hollywood screenwriter it will still be a good movie and an involving look into the human psyche.

For his performance as Henry Young, Kevin Bacon should have been nominated for an Academy Award. With his haunting eyes and his unhealthy appearing weight loss alone, Bacon makes us care for the character. His performance is flawless. Christian Slater does also does well in one of the finer acting choices of his career (aside from TRUE ROMANCE and INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE). His Slaterism's are often subdued for a more relaxed, more innocent man approach, which works rather well. Gary Oldman, who I would go as far as to say is the most underrated actor in Hollywood, gives another great, over the top performance which to me comes as no surprise. I've never seen Gary Oldman once seem like the same man in anything he's ever been in. That' s got to say something for his talents.

With great performances and an endearing story, MURDER IN THE FIRST is a first-rate film. And, despite its title, it's not about a murder. It's about life.

Maybe I'm a simpleton but I liked it.

B+

MY USUAL TASTE IN FILMS RARELY INCLUDE ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF COMEDY. I USUALLY GET BORED AND UNINTERESTED IN DRAMA. THIS MOVIE IS AWESOME FROM SCENE ONE UNTIL THE CREDITS ROLL. KEVIN BACON'S PERFORMANCE SHOULD WIN HIM AWARDS FOR HIS PROTRAYAL OF HENRY YOUNG UNTIL THE END OF TIME!!!!! THE MOVIE, OVERALL, IS A GREAT PEICE OF CINEMA. I CAN WATCH THIS MOVIE EVERYDAY AND STILL STARE AT THE SCENE IN AWE. WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO DO TO GET THIS MOVIE, IT'S WORTH IT!!!!! BUTTERFLY26@VERIZON

A San Francisco Detective (Two-Time Oscar-Winner:Micheal Douglas) invesgates the murder of a Ex-Rock Singer. The Suspect is a Attractive, Smart, Bi-Sexual novelist named Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone). The Detective find himself seduced (Repeartedly) by her.

Directed by Paul Verhoeven (Showgirls, Starship Troopers, The Hollow Man) is a well made intense erotic suspense-thriller with a fine Screenplay bu Joe Eszterhas (Jade). Stone is a Real-Light in this film. The film Oscar Nominated for Best Film Editing and Best Score by Oscar-Winner:Jerry Goldsmith. One of the highest grossing films of 1992, which have become a Cult Classic. A clever film, which is not for all tastes. DVD has an good non-anamorphic Widescreen (2.20:1) transfer (Also in Pan & Scan) and an great digitally remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. The Lastest DVD from Artisan is Digitally Remastered in the Picutre Quality and Sound with Two Commentaries Tracks by the Director and Cinematographer:Jan de Bont (Speed, Twister, The Haunted-1999) and Film Critic-Camille Pagila, Alternative Scenes for T.V., Trailers and More. Do not miss this strong Erotic Thriller. Panavision. Grade:A-.

Forget the rated version of BASIC INSTINCT. It's white-washed and missing graphic scenes of sex and violence that make the movie what it is. Sharon Stone plays the devil ... yes, Paul Verhoven admits that she is the the devil incarnate as a blonde ice-pick weilding bisexual psychotic who tempts and outsmarts every single person in the cast! Priceless here in DVD land is Camille Paglia's radical feminist take on the movie. She's fast and funny describing BASIC INSTINCT as a movie where women take back their sexual power! Come inside and check out the steamiest erotic thriller ever! Political correctness means it could never be made today. Trashy, yes! But also very well done and stylish. Sharon Stone became a star, and Michael Douglas never quite recovered. See why!

1992's "Basic Instinct" followed what was becoming a trend in "erotic thriller" films. Earlier in 1987, Michael Douglas portrayed the subject of Glen Close's obscession in "Fatal Attraction" and he would again be the victim of a sexual assault by Demi Moore in 1994's "Disclosure". Basic Instinct is a well written movie with great performances by the lead actors. It is one of those gripping films full of suspense and very steamy sex scenes. The film follows the career of a San Francisco police detective (Michael Douglas) who investigates a murder. Sharon Stone plays the suspect, a wild and beautiful writer of murder mysteries and thrillers. It is quite evident by Sharon Stone's performance that she is herself the murderess and responsible for the subsequent murders in the film. Sharon Stone sizzles the screen with the famous Interrogation Scene and later her highly sexual scenes with Michael Douglas. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Sharon's character has a dark and dangerous end. Everything she writes about in her books begin to come true - her parents she might have killed herself, her friends and lovers are each murdered. Furthermore, the sensationalistic character is enhanced by making her a bisexual woman. She lures Michael Douglas into her seductive web and before you know it, Michael Douglas is no longer investigating the serial killer..becuse we assume at this point he is romantically involved with the murderess herself, though he does not know it. The closing scene shows an ice-pick (the weapon of choice by the killer) underneath Sharon Stone's bed. A film full of suspense, plenty of frightening moments and a seductive psychopath. Five stars.

A San Francisco Detective (Two-Time Oscar-Winner:Micheal Douglas) invesgates the murder of a Ex-Rock Singer. The Suspect is a Attractive, Smart, Bi-Sexual novelist named Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone). The Detective find himself seduced (Repeartedly) by her.

Directed by Paul Verhoeven (Showgirls, Starship Troopers, The Hollow Man) is a well made intense erotic suspense-thriller with a fine Screenplay bu Joe Eszterhas (Jade). Stone is a Real-Light in this film. The film Oscar Nominated for Best Film Editing and Best Score by Oscar-Winner:Jerry Goldsmith. One of the highest grossing films of 1992, which have become a Cult Classic. A clever film, which is not for all tastes. DVD has an good non-anamorphic Widescreen (2.20:1) transfer (Also in Pan & Scan) and an great digitally remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. The Lastest DVD from Artisan is Digitally Remastered in the Picutre Quality and Sound with Two Commentaries Tracks by the Director and Cinematographer:Jan de Bont (Speed, Twister, The Haunted-1999) and Film Critic-Camille Pagila, Alternative Scenes for T.V., Trailers and More. Do not miss this strong Erotic Thriller. Panavision. Grade:A-.

Forget the rated version of BASIC INSTINCT. It's white-washed and missing graphic scenes of sex and violence that make the movie what it is. Sharon Stone plays the devil ... yes, Paul Verhoven admits that she is the the devil incarnate as a blonde ice-pick weilding bisexual psychotic who tempts and outsmarts every single person in the cast! Priceless here in DVD land is Camille Paglia's radical feminist take on the movie. She's fast and funny describing BASIC INSTINCT as a movie where women take back their sexual power! Come inside and check out the steamiest erotic thriller ever! Political correctness means it could never be made today. Trashy, yes! But also very well done and stylish. Sharon Stone became a star, and Michael Douglas never quite recovered. See why!

1992's "Basic Instinct" followed what was becoming a trend in "erotic thriller" films. Earlier in 1987, Michael Douglas portrayed the subject of Glen Close's obscession in "Fatal Attraction" and he would again be the victim of a sexual assault by Demi Moore in 1994's "Disclosure". Basic Instinct is a well written movie with great performances by the lead actors. It is one of those gripping films full of suspense and very steamy sex scenes. The film follows the career of a San Francisco police detective (Michael Douglas) who investigates a murder. Sharon Stone plays the suspect, a wild and beautiful writer of murder mysteries and thrillers. It is quite evident by Sharon Stone's performance that she is herself the murderess and responsible for the subsequent murders in the film. Sharon Stone sizzles the screen with the famous Interrogation Scene and later her highly sexual scenes with Michael Douglas. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Sharon's character has a dark and dangerous end. Everything she writes about in her books begin to come true - her parents she might have killed herself, her friends and lovers are each murdered. Furthermore, the sensationalistic character is enhanced by making her a bisexual woman. She lures Michael Douglas into her seductive web and before you know it, Michael Douglas is no longer investigating the serial killer..becuse we assume at this point he is romantically involved with the murderess herself, though he does not know it. The closing scene shows an ice-pick (the weapon of choice by the killer) underneath Sharon Stone's bed. A film full of suspense, plenty of frightening moments and a seductive psychopath. Five stars.

A San Francisco Detective (Two-Time Oscar-Winner:Micheal Douglas) invesgates the murder of a Ex-Rock Singer. The Suspect is a Attractive, Smart, Bi-Sexual novelist named Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone). The Detective find himself seduced (Repeartedly) by her.

Directed by Paul Verhoeven (Showgirls, Starship Troopers, The Hollow Man) is a well made intense erotic suspense-thriller with a fine Screenplay bu Joe Eszterhas (Jade). Stone is a Real-Light in this film. The film Oscar Nominated for Best Film Editing and Best Score by Oscar-Winner:Jerry Goldsmith. One of the highest grossing films of 1992, which have become a Cult Classic. A clever film, which is not for all tastes. DVD has an good non-anamorphic Widescreen (2.20:1) transfer (Also in Pan & Scan) and an great digitally remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. The Lastest DVD from Artisan is Digitally Remastered in the Picutre Quality and Sound with Two Commentaries Tracks by the Director and Cinematographer:Jan de Bont (Speed, Twister, The Haunted-1999) and Film Critic-Camille Pagila, Alternative Scenes for T.V., Trailers and More. Do not miss this strong Erotic Thriller. Panavision. Grade:A-.

Forget the rated version of BASIC INSTINCT. It's white-washed and missing graphic scenes of sex and violence that make the movie what it is. Sharon Stone plays the devil ... yes, Paul Verhoven admits that she is the the devil incarnate as a blonde ice-pick weilding bisexual psychotic who tempts and outsmarts every single person in the cast! Priceless here in DVD land is Camille Paglia's radical feminist take on the movie. She's fast and funny describing BASIC INSTINCT as a movie where women take back their sexual power! Come inside and check out the steamiest erotic thriller ever! Political correctness means it could never be made today. Trashy, yes! But also very well done and stylish. Sharon Stone became a star, and Michael Douglas never quite recovered. See why!

1992's "Basic Instinct" followed what was becoming a trend in "erotic thriller" films. Earlier in 1987, Michael Douglas portrayed the subject of Glen Close's obscession in "Fatal Attraction" and he would again be the victim of a sexual assault by Demi Moore in 1994's "Disclosure". Basic Instinct is a well written movie with great performances by the lead actors. It is one of those gripping films full of suspense and very steamy sex scenes. The film follows the career of a San Francisco police detective (Michael Douglas) who investigates a murder. Sharon Stone plays the suspect, a wild and beautiful writer of murder mysteries and thrillers. It is quite evident by Sharon Stone's performance that she is herself the murderess and responsible for the subsequent murders in the film. Sharon Stone sizzles the screen with the famous Interrogation Scene and later her highly sexual scenes with Michael Douglas. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Sharon's character has a dark and dangerous end. Everything she writes about in her books begin to come true - her parents she might have killed herself, her friends and lovers are each murdered. Furthermore, the sensationalistic character is enhanced by making her a bisexual woman. She lures Michael Douglas into her seductive web and before you know it, Michael Douglas is no longer investigating the serial killer..becuse we assume at this point he is romantically involved with the murderess herself, though he does not know it. The closing scene shows an ice-pick (the weapon of choice by the killer) underneath Sharon Stone's bed. A film full of suspense, plenty of frightening moments and a seductive psychopath. Five stars.