Post by wmcclain on Jan 2, 2019 14:46:16 GMT
Backfire: I didn't follow the plot very well. I could have concentrated more, but there are a lot of characters and named characters who don't appear for a while.
Basic Instinct: I rewatched this because I was told Camille Paglia's commentary track on the Blu-ray was a "hoot". Recently I enjoyed her book on The Birds. She loves this film.
I saw it back when and remember thinking it terribly overblown. It was supposed to be thrilling and sexy, but wasn't. Controversial for being offensive to gays and it wasn't that either.
I never got the idea of Catherine Tramell as this irresistible lamia who clouds men's minds.
This time: well, Verhoeven is not a subtle director but this is perhaps his most polished work (even with the blood splatter). The leads do good work. Paglia did get me thinking about the design and how it plays off traditional Hollywood material.
Apart from that, I hope all fans of Technicolor musicals have seen:
The Harvey Girls (1946)
