Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction

Sharon Stone, David Morrissey

Hollywood is always making sequels that people don’t want to see, but this is one of the first cases of a sequel the studio didn’t want to make. Cut to the early 1990s, Michael Douglas was in the midst of playing the fragile male ego terrorized by aggressive females (The War of the Roses, Fatal Attraction, Disclosure) stage in his career when he did a thriller called Basic Instinct.  His co-star was a 34-year-old former Ford model, who despite having been in Hollywood for over a decade, had never been given the chance to star in an A-level film, but Sharon Stone was willing to do something that most 30-something women don’t want to do, check her dignity at the door, and show her mommy part.  In a scene that lasted less than a handful of seconds, she uncrossed her legs, causing male America’s jaws to swing like a rusty screen door in a stiff western wind, and then crossed them again, a star was born and the box office took in $117,727,224, which was helped incredibly by the controversy created by the protests by gay and lesbians groups.  (According to screenwriter Joe Eszterhas, Stone thanked him for his star-making script by sleeping with him, but not all the male crew-members were so pleased with her diva-like demands on the set and did some bad things to her bathtub during the shoot.) 

Sharon Stone was a sex symbol and all of Hollywood lay at her feet. But much like Bo Derek before her, she had her one big hit and would never be in a film that would make even half of what Basic Instinct took in, especially after she found her dignity again.  She wanted to be taken seriously, be respected for her acting ability instead of her body. Within 2 years, she refused to do any nudity, even claiming that she was not aware that Basic Instinct director Paul Verhoeven had a camera angle in the interrogation scene that would have made a gynecologist proud and when she found out she slapped him - not true.  To escape her bimbo image, she also began telling reporters that she had 148 I.Q. and was a member of MENSA until years later when MENSA's national marketing director stated that Ms. Stone had never been a member of the organization.  Respect might get you an Oscar, but it also kills a career if you a woman famous for showing that area where your bathing suit covers. For some unknown reason, male audiences just weren’t as interested in seeing her anymore and she would never have a film that would break the $43 million barrier again.

So what is an actor whose career is as dead as an Al Gore charisma contest to do?  If Bruce Willis and Sylvester Stallone have taught us anything, it is you do a sequel your career-making film to get things going again.  By 1999, she was in talks to return as Catherine Tramell.  The MGM had wanted to do a sequel since 1992, paying $1.75 million for the right to do such.  They had commissioned a script, even turned to Demi Moore, and later Ashley Judd, to replace Stone in what they understood to be a potential franchise, but the project lingered in developmental hell.  Finally, everything was set for 2000.  Stone had been signed, but one little problem; producers could not find a male lead.  Robert Downey Jr., who was all set to star, had to drop out due to a little drug problem.  Kurt Russell, Jude Law, and Pierce Brosnan all passed due to the amount of nudity in the script.  Little known Bruce Greenwood also came and went from the project.  The producers finally found the actor they wanted, Benjamin Bratt (LA Law).  One little problem, Stone had veto power and said no, and kept on saying no to potential actors.  With no male lead and an actors’ strike looming, the producers called off the project. Stone had a pay or play contract, and sued the production company for breach of contract.  Cut to 2004, Stone is now 45, a box office has-been, and a Grandma Moses by Hollywood standards, but she has a contract. The studio is in a catch-22.  Either they pay Stone her salary, plus whatever damages to her career the court might assess, or they make the film.  They settled for undisclosed terms and agreed to start production of Basic Instinct 2 in 2005.  Armed with a 5 page list of demands, including such items as no cigar smoking on set, Pilates equipment, 3 nannies, 2 assistants, cell phones, pagers, presidential suite, first-class travel (if a private jet is unavailable), chef, and a deluxe motor home, plus 2 other motor homes with her son and nannies and the right to keep all jewelry and wardrobe worn during filming, Stone was ready to enjoy her last moments in the sun. Still, unable to find a male lead with box office clout, little known David Morrissey (Girl with a Pearl Earring, Stoned, Spyhole) was signed to play Catherine’s newest lover and foil.

After 14 years does anyone care to see a 46-year-old woman act like a sexual vamp?  While almost every teenage boy in America has probably seen Stone’s display of her mommy part on the Internet, the average moviegoer today was still in short pants and knee-socks, eating paste, and looking forward to their afternoon naps in school when Basic Instinct was the most controversial movie in America.  While Mrs. Robinson is cool, do these kids want to see a woman older than their mothers grease the sheets, make out with other women, and whore it up on the screen, even if body doubles are used in some scenes?  Audiences who flocked to the theater in the 90s are now older, more conservative, have children, and are less likely to go to the megaplex to see a trashy little film. Does the public really want to see the adventures of aging novelist and murderess Catherine Tramell?

The sequel hits the basic broad strokes of the first film, almost too closely.  Catherine is in a battle of wits with the police again, this time Scotland Yard, after the death of her husband, a soccer superstar.  It seems the couple was engaged in a little sexual play when their car plunged into the Thames River and he drowned. Psychiatrist Dr. Michael Glass (Morrissey) is brought in to see if Catherine is able to stand trial.  After the charges are dropped due to insufficient evidence, Catherine shows up at Dr. Glass’s office, asking him to take her on as a patient.  Let the psycho-sexual games begin.   How far will Catherine push the good doctor who wants to be a bad boy? Will he discover whether she committed the murder or not?  More importantly, how many times will she show her mommy parts?

This sequel is just a repeat of the first movie, but more importantly, the world has changed amazingly in that short period of time.  With the Internet and hundreds of doppelgangers of the original film starring the likes of Joan Severance, Linda  Fiorentino, and Shannon Tweed blanketing late night cable, even including a lot of lesbianism, is not controversial anymore.  What was trashy cinema then is just kind of boring now. Unlike Bruce Willis or Arnie, returning her past is not going to help Ms. Stone get back to being an A-level star.  In 8 years she will be getting her AARP card, which makes it all rather sad.  It’s not that I am against aging actresses taking off their clothes. It can be done well like when Mimi Roger and Diane Keaton did it or it can be done like this, or when Meg Ryan did it a couple of years ago, where you can almost see in the corner of the actress’s eye that her beauty is escaping her, she is terrified, and she thinks that this in-your-face sexuality is going to make her the buzz around the water cooler and get her the best seat at whatever nightclub is hot.  The problem is there is no more mystery to Sharon Stone and uncrossing your legs doesn’t make you a star anymore.  My advice is trust your basic instinct and not go to this middle of the road film.  Mrs. Stone, are you trying to you're trying to seduce me.

Verdict:  Please Tell Me Sharon Stone’s 15 Minutes of Fame is Over