History Film / BasicInstinct

* GoingCommando: Catherine, most famously in the interrogation scene.

* MurderByProxy: One possible interpretation is that Catherine Tramell drives other people into becoming murderers rather than (or in addition to) being one herself. At the end of the second movie ''Risk Addiction'', she explicitly tells [[spoiler:the protagonist]] that she manipulated him into committing all the murders, and in the first movie, it is possible that [[spoiler:Beth]] became a murderer under Tramell's influence.

It was followed by a sequel, ''Film/BasicInstinct2'', released [[SequelGap fourteen years later]], that was panned by critics and spectacularly bombed at the box office.

* DoesNotLikeShoes: Catherine is usually barefoot at her house.

** When Beth comes into Nick's apartment, the opening theme song from ''Series/The Jeffersons'' can be heard on the television and as she is leaving after a verbal altercation.

* ADateWithRosiePalms: Nick admits to doing this to deal with his frustrations of not seeing Beth.
-->'''Nick:''' My sex life's actually pretty shitty since I stopped seeing you. ''(Holds up left hand)'' Started developing calluses.

* ForcedToWatch: Inverted. Catherine likes having her lesbian lover Roxy watch her have sex with other men and encourages Roxy to watch her while she and Nick are having sex.

Its SignatureScene also spawned its own trope. See BasicInstinctLegsCrossingParody.

The film centers around police detective Nick Curran (Douglas), who is put in charge of the investigation of the brutal murder of a wealthy former rock star. Beautiful, seductive and wealthy writer Catherine Tramell (Stone) could be involved; over the course of the investigation, Detective Curran becomes involved in a torrid and intense relationship with the mysterious woman -- who turns out to be very dangerous.

It was followed by a sequel, ''Film/BasicInstinct2'', released [[SequelGap 14 years later]], that was panned by critics and spectacularly bombed at the box office.

** [[spoiler: Take a good look at the woman's body in the opening sequence and at Catherine's body during her sex scenes with Nick. Certain physical characteristics will confirm that she's the killer]]

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Nick clearly doesn't have much longer to live. Gus dies. Beth is framed by Catherine and is then killed by the man she loved. And the film's ending implies that Catherine plans to kill Nick.]]

''Basic Instinct'' is a 1992 American erotic thriller/neo-noir film, directed by Creator/PaulVerhoeven and written by Creator/JoeEszterhas, starring Creator/SharonStone, Creator/MichaelDouglas, Creator/JeanneTripplehorn and Creator/GeorgeDzundza, and also featuring Creator/StephenTobolowsky and Creator/JamesRebhorn.

* DeathBySex: The killer's modus operandi.

* GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex: Subverted when Nick has sex with Beth as it comes off as being date-rape. When Nick sleeps with the villainess Catherine however, it's portrayed as passionate and sensual albeit deadly.

''Basic Instinct'' is a 1992 American erotic thriller/neo-noir film, directed by Creator/PaulVerhoeven and written by Creator/JoeEszterhas, starring Creator/SharonStone, Creator/MichaelDouglas, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Creator/GeorgeDzundza, and also featuring Creator/StephenTobolowsky and Creator/JamesRebhorn.

** [[spoiler: As Nick and Catherine resume making love, the camera slowly pans down to show what she was reaching for under the bed: an ice pick.]].
** [[spoiler: When Nick checks the computer system for Lisa Hoberman and Dr. Beth Gardner's picture pops up instead]].
** The blonde wig Nick finds on the floor [[spoiler: just after killing Beth]].

* FatalAttraction: Most of the drama comes from Nick's attraction to FemmeFatale Catherine.

* AllThereInTheManual: According to the original screenplay, the character of Gus (George Dzundza) was supposed to be sixty-four.

* BastardBoyfriend: Nick is this to Beth, verbally abusing her, forcing himself on her and eventually [[spoiler: shooting her when he believes her to be the killer.]]

* ADateWithRosiePalms: Nick admits to doing this to deal with his frustrations of not seeing Beth.
-->'''Nick:''' My sex life's actually pretty shitty since I stopped seeing you. ''(Holds up left hand)'' Started developing calluses.

->''"And then I come to find out that all of the lesbian sex scenes got cut out of that movie because a test audience was, uh...'turned off' by them. Boy, is ''my'' thumb not on the pulse of America... If ''I'' had been in that test audience, the only one out front protesting would've been Creator/MichaelDouglas demanding that his part be put back in!"''
-->-- '''Creator/BillHicks'''

* {{Gayngst}}: Nick argues this theory with Gus on [[spoiler: why Beth would want to kill someone]].

[[quoteright:275:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_1936full-basic-instinct-poster_6979.jpg]][[caption-width-right:275:''[[TagLine A brutal murder. A brilliant killer. A cop who can't resist the danger.]]'']]

The film centres around police detective Nick Curran (Douglas), who is put in charge of the investigation of the brutal murder of a wealthy former rock star. Beautiful, seductive and wealthy writer Catherine Tramell (Stone) could be involved; over the course of the investigation, Detective Curran becomes involved in a torrid and intense relationship with the mysterious woman--who turns out to be very dangerous.

''Basic Instinct'' is a 1992 American erotic thriller/neo-noir film, directed by Creator/PaulVerhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas, starring Creator/SharonStone, Creator/MichaelDouglas, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Creator/GeorgeDzundza, and also featuring Creator/StephenTobolowsky and Creator/JamesRebhorn.

* NotSoDifferent: When Nick asks Beth how she knows so much about Catherine [[spoiler: still unaware of their previous relationship]], Beth claims that she knows the type because she's a psychologist. Nick points out that as a ''practicing'' psychologist (Catherine majored in it in college but presumably did not pursue it further), Beth is probably even ''better'' at manipulating people.

* OnlyBadGuysCallTheirLawyers: As the cops prepare to take Catherine to the station for questioning, she is asked several times if she wants an attorney present. She brushes off the suggestion, saying she doesn't need one. Earlier, she refuses to come to the station with them, knowing that she doesn't have to unless she's under arrest. It's clear that she's guilty as sin, she's just making a show of trying to appear assured of her ability to get away with it.

* AllMenArePerverts: What gets Nick into so much trouble. Every single man can't stop thinking about sex, specifically sex with Catherine.

* TheAlibi: Catherine is accused of committing the same crimes in the same manner as depicted in her book, and she uses it as an Alibi.