Basic Instinct [Blu-ray]

Remember way back in 1991 when Basic Instinct was released in cinemas. All the buzz surrounding the infamous beaver shot and the strong sex scenes. I remember going to the cinema to see the film but had to sneak in because I was too young for it's 18 certificate rating. Now you may think that I just wanted to go and see it on the big screen to see that mott shot a pull my pud at the back of the cinema. No, the reason I wanted to see it was because I was and still am a big fan of Michael Douglas.Michael Douglas plays San Francisco detective, Nick Curran who is assigned a case to investigate a gruesome murder of an ex rock star who was found stabbed to death with an ice pick, with his dick out, in bed covered in blood and man fat! The prime suspect is Cathereen Tramell played by Sharon "I can't stop getting my jugs out" Stone. Tramell is rich chick writter who loves a bit of fleshy pleasure and is very keen on being finger bombed at any opportunity. Any way, she ends up getting arrested and questioned at the station. That is when she shows us her growler when she crosses her legs in the full view of the cops. And you know what, it is a growler, not a nice neat landing strip you would expect from a woman like that. I mean come on love, get thing trimmed, it looks like a tramps beard down there! This is made even more obvious when we see her take off her dress in another scene and get a side view of this unkept pubic mound.Curran gets involved with Tramell after he suspended from the force and basically gives her a right good seeing to. For a sex scene it's pretty good and sort of serves a purpose in the film. I am not really a fan of nudity in films but this one is OK because it's not cheesy and we dont get sax music playing over it like most. Colour Of Night springs to mind, butbwhile being a great movie, it has a terriable way over the top sex scene and shows unessasary shots of a limp penis. No need for it!!!! Put ya cock away!!!! There is also a semi rape scene involving Curran and the Doc who is evaluating him. The thing is though is that he shoots his fat after only three thrusts. And there has always been the question. Was it the back or the front door he smashes in??When you see the main sex scene between Douglas and Stone it does make you wonder how they did it. It's well put together and does not offend despite being totally in the nude. There is even a shot of a bit of oral! I bet her clit looked like a stubbed toe afterwards! Enough about the eroticness and on with the review. Basic Instict is a very well made tense thriller filmed in a very noir style, even down to the window blinds reflecting in the night light on the wall. There is a pretty good car chase through the streets of San Fransisco and performances from everybody are spot on. I will however point out a few things I noticed. I have been to San Fran many times and know the city well. Its the best city in the world in my book. Curran works in the city which is clear but Tramells gaff is on the coast. We do see Curran driving out of the city on Highway 1 which is a beautiful drive and I urge everyone to do it. However in the film he is seen driving in the opsite direction to either the city or back. Also he is seen driving towards Napa valley which is on the opposite side of the Golden Gate bridge to the city when he is supposed to be on his way back. That's fine, he was probably on his way to one of the fantastic wine tours they do in Napa.So to conclude, this film is excellent and holds up well today. Its part of the Douglas sex trilogy which also includes Fatal Attraction and Disclosure which are also both very very good. Douglas has gone on to make great films but Stone I am affraid is a different story. Yeah I except her roles in The Specialist and Casino are good but apart from that no. Unless you costantly want to see her Sunday jugs in every film that is. God she has been had that much action it must sting when she goes to the toilet. And if the back door has had the same hammering as the front that that will probably resemble a blood orange!Sadly no special features on the Bluray but you can get a really good ltd edt steel book from Zavvi which is limited to 2000 copies which I have. And the R1 version of the DVD has loads of features and you can get it in a ltd edt ice box case with a pen that resembles an ice pick. I have had this for some time now so I don't know how easy it will to get you hands on. What ever you decide to buy, get a copy with the special features on because they are brilliant.

I like Sharon Stone films.

OK - I'm a huge Verhoeven fan and I was only ever interested in upgrading my copy of Basic Instinct if I was getting the almighty director's original cut as opposed to the (admittedly slightly) tampered-with US version.Needless to say that, as usual, Optimum have released yet another fantastic release on Blu-Ray in the UK.Firstly we have the director's cut in all its gory glory as Verhoeven originally intended the audience to see it.Secondly the UK Blu-ray release sports a superior transfer over any previous DVD versions and (rumour has it) even the US Blu-Ray version.Lastly, the audio is an improvement presented here in a lossless 5.1 DTS Master Audio mix.I always enjoyed Basic Instinct for its unflinching honesty towards sex and violence. Verhoeven brings out the best and ultimately worst in all of the characters in his homage to Hitchcock. In another director's hands this could easily have ended up a mess; look at the sequel for proof.The photography is stunning and not just for those masters of 'bation' among us (see previous childish reviews), but mainly for the shots of LA, Tramell's sea-view house and the night-club scene to name only a few. The car chase that takes place on roads carved into the side of mountain looks and sounds great on Blu-Ray and is still my favourite scene in the film for reasons I can't quite explain!Gerry Goldsmith's stunning score (surely a career highlight?) breathes free and easy on Blu and thanks to the film's age is given a full overture during the opening credits setting the scene for what is to come.I am incredibly pleased with this Blu-Ray release of Basic Instinct, my only complaint is that there are absolutely no special features. Now, as a student of Verhoeven I do not need things explaining, but the director/writer's commentary would surely have been possible? Verhoeven is open and honest in all of his commentaries and for that alone to have been added to this release would have made it five out of five stars for me.Thank you Optimum for releasing another excellent quality release and for using the director's cut.TS