What classics did you see last week ? (23 Dec - 29 Dec 2018)
Jan 2, 2019 16:36:24 GMT
wmcclain likes this
Post by hitchcockthelegend on Jan 2, 2019 16:36:24 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)
Basic Instinct. When it first hit the picture houses here in the UK the furore and hype was incredible, and while it was a very electrifying experience at the theatre (more on that when I hopefully host a thread next week about theatre visits), it didn't hit the mark for me as a genre piece of work that has to be seen.
Since then, though, I have long become a fan of Verhoeven's work, very much so. Basic Instinct hasn't aged at all well, but what can be seen now, away from the shock and schlock, is a hugely accomplished Neo-Noir thriller mystery. >
I'd have to be pretty stupid to write a book about killing and then kill him the way I described in my book. I'd be announcing myself as the killer. I'm not stupid.
Basic Instinct is directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhaz. It stars Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Denis Arndt and Leilani Sarelle. Music is scored by Jerry Goldsmith and cinematography by Jan de Bont.
Nick Curran (Douglas) of the SFPD is strung out and under investigation by Internal Affairs, last thing he needs is to be drawn into a dangerous relationship with a sex crazed blonde who may be a murderess...
Time hasn't been kind to Verhoeven's soft-core porn thriller, where once was shock and awe killings (the film opening with a brutal mini ice-pick murder), steamy love scenes and a famed and controversial crotch shot, now is ludicrous orgasms, iffy effects and Michael Douglas' unappetising ass! Hell there was even protests during the film's initial theatre run as the gay community went up in arms about the portrayal of bisexuals possibly being mad murderers?
Yet for all of its taming over the years, Basic Instinct can at least now been seen as the hugely efficient mystery thriller that it is, one that is propelled by some very good performances by the principal actors. The strength in the story is not in the sex or blood, but in the character arcs of Nick Curran and Catherine Tramell (Stone). Curran is a man perched on the edge of doom who is controlled totally by the women around him. He is by definition a quintessential film noir protagonist, in so deep he ultimately will be resigned to his fate. Catharine Tramell is a ultimate femme fatale, beautiful and seductive, she's always in control, leading all male characters where she wants them to go. There's a delicious kink to the narrative, with Verhoeven gleefully pulling the strings, a smirk no doubt etched onto his face.
This is very good story telling, with a plot of substantial twists and turns. True, it does carry some soft-core baggage that can steer the restless away from the character strengths within, but for the neo-noir crowd there is much to enjoy here. 7.5/10
