Description

This week the dads tackle Paul Verhoeven's infamous erotic thriller — the fourth highest-grossing film of 1992 and quite possibly the most rewound VHS tape in rental shop history. Basic Instinct turns 33 this year, and it's still just as wild as you remember.

In this episode:

• The legendary interrogation scene and the great Wayne Knight sweating debate
• Whether Sharon Stone knew — and whether Paul Verhoeven is telling the truth
• Nick Curran: the "anti-Columbo" and arguably cinema's least heroic hero
• Why Michael Douglas was paid $14 million and Sharon Stone got half a million
• Verhoeven's Hitchcock obsession and the Vertigo parallels hiding in plain sight
• The ambiguous ending, the ice pick under the bed, and whether the sequel tells us anything
• LGBTQ+ representation and the bisexual villain problem
• The 2001 collector's edition DVD that came with a replica ice pick
• Sharon Stone's Barbie film pitch, and why it never happened

Verdict: Strong recommend. Ludicrous, overwrought, problematic in places — and still absolutely compelling.

Films mentioned: Basic Instinct (1992), Basic Instinct 2 (2006), Vertigo (1958)

Cast & crew discussed: Sharon Stone, Michael Douglas, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Wayne Knight, Paul Verhoeven, Jerry Goldsmith

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Until next time, we remain...
 
Bad Dads