На чтение 12 мин. Просмотров 8.1k. Опубликовано 21.11.2022
Страна: США, Франция
Жанр: триллер, драма, детектив
Год производства: 1992
Режиссер: Пол Верховен
Актеры: Майкл Дуглас, Шэрон Стоун, Джордж Дзундза
Слоган: «Flesh seduces. Passion kills»
Награды и номинации: В 1993 году фильм получил 2 номинации на премию “Оскар”.
Один из самых известных фильмов Пола Верховена в свое время наделал немало шума, а спустя время получил культовый статус. Сюжет и смысл фильма «Основной инстинкт» нельзя назвать оригинальными, но все-таки это удивительная картина. До сих пор она будит воображение и заставляет задумываться.
Содержание
- Сюжет фильма
- Объяснение концовки
- Кто убийца?
- Смысл фильма
- Похожие фильмы
Сюжет фильма
Краткое описание содержания фильма “Основной инстинкт” с Шэрон Стоун. США, 90-е годы. У детектива Ника Каррэна полно проблем: случайно застрелив двоих туристов, он впадает в депрессию и начинает злоупотреблять алкоголем и табаком. На работе считают, что когда-то неплохой полицейский “выгорел” и подумывают о том, чтобы отправить его на покой. Однако сам Каррэн не хочет уходить на пенсию. Чтобы справиться с депрессией и с зависимостями, он посещает сеансы полицейского психотерапевта, доктора Бер Гарнер, с которой они когда-то встречались.
Одновременно он вместе с напарником Гасом принимается за расследование жуткого убийства: популярный рок-певец Джонни Боз был заколот ножом для колки льда. Предварительное следствие установило, что преступление произошло во время интимной близости. В поле зрения детективов попадает подруга Джонни Кэтрин Трамелл (Шэрон Стоун). Писаная красавица, Кэтрин – бисексуалка и довольно известная автор детективов. Не так давно она написала роман, ставший бестселлером. В книге было описано похожее убийство. В полиции предполагают, что либо кто-то ее подставляет, либо она и есть убийца. Принимается решение допросить девушку, но та затевает игру с полицейскими и принимается активно их троллить.
Алиби у Кэтрин железное. Кроме того, она с успехом проходит проверку на детекторе лжи. Каррэн, заинтересовавшись биографией подозреваемой, выясняет, что она вращается в кругу достаточно сомнительных личностей. У многих ее друзей и приятелей были или есть проблемы с законом. А одна из близких подруг Кэтрин Рокси, похоже, психопатка – на счету у девушки двойное убийство, причем жертвами были ее двое младших братьев. Убийство она совершила еще будучи подростком…
Получив возможность лично встретиться с Кэтрин, Ник, опытнейший полицейский, вдруг понимает, что в допросе именно он играет роль интервьюируемого. Кэтрин практически открыто насмехается над ним и дает ему понять, что знает об инциденте с туристами.
Ник понимает, что подозреваемая каким-то образом получила доступ к его психологической карте, и приходит в ярость. Отправившись к Бет Гарнер, он узнает, что она была вынуждена отдать его карту шефу Нильсону, собиравшемуся уволить главного героя. Вскоре Нильсон погибает и главным подозреваемым в его деле становится Каррэн. Его отстраняют от дела Джонни Боза, но Ник не собирается сдаваться. К тому же его с неодолимой силой влечет к Кэтрин…
У них начинаются отношения. Ревнуя Кэтрин к Нику, ее подруга Рокси пытается убить его, но погибает сама. Оплакав подругу, Кэтрин рассказывает детективу о некоей Лизе Хоберман, с которой ее в юности связывали достаточно сильные чувства. Позже Кэтрин переросла юношескую влюбленность, а вот Лиза стала буквально одержима ей и общение пришлось прервать. Заподозрив в убийстве Боза Хоберман, Ник начинает поиски. Вдруг он с удивлением узнает, что Лиза Хоберман – это Бет Гарнер.
Он вызывает Бет насерьезный разговор, и та признает, что в студенчестве была увлечена Кэтрин. Впрочем, утверждает она, отношения были прерваны именно по ее, Бет, инициативе – ее напрягала пылкая влюбленность в нее Кэтрин.
Ника этот разговор наталкивает на еще большие подозрения. Продолжив расследование, он выясняет, что некогда Бет была замужем, но много лет назад ее супруга застрелили, а убийцу так и не нашли.
Вернувшись к Кэтрин, Кэрран обнаруживает несколько страниц из ее нового романа. Он читает их и по спине у него невольно бежит холодок: там говорится о детективе, который обнаружил в лифте мертвое тело своего напарника. Вскоре после этого Кэтрин разрывает с ним отношения.
Объяснение концовки
Объяснение концовки выглядит так. Вскоре вместе с Гасом Ник едет на встречу с одной из давних знакомых Кэтрин, чтобы узнать об истинной природе их отношений. Сам он встретиться с женщиной не может и отправляет Гаса. Когда напарник скрывается в здании, детектива внезапно осеняет догадка и он несется за ним. Помочь напарнику он не успевает: некто убивает Гаса ножом для колки льда. Бросившись на поиски преступника, он обнаруживает Бет. Полагая, что она и есть убийца, он стреляет в нее.
Чуть позже в квартире доктора Гарнер полицейские находят прямые улики, подтверждающие, что она была одержима Кэтрин и косвенные доказательства ее причастности к гибели нескольких человек, в том числе и Боза.
Смущенный и удрученный, Ник возвращается домой, где его встречает Кэтрин. После интима они, находясь в кровати, обсуждают свое будущее. А под кроватью лежит нож для колки льда. Точно зная об этом, Кэтрин как бы невзначай опускает руку…
Смысл концовки фильма «Основной инстинкт» до конца неясен: убийца не установлен, и дальнейшая судьба детектива Кэррана вызывает вопросы.
Кто убийца?
Ближе к финалу Пол Верховен дает туманный намек на то, что Кэтрин не убийца. Самой очевидной версией является причастность к жутким преступлениям доктора Бет Гарнер. Однако, это сомнительно – хотя бы потому, что обнаруженные полицейскими улики буквально кричат о ее виновности.
Вероятно, доктора просто подставили, подбросив ей практически все улики, фигурировавшие в нераскрытых делах. Ник неоднократно бывал у нее дома – в карикатурное логово сумасшедшей маньячки квартира Бет превратилась только после ее гибели. Кроме того, ее руки и одежда после гибели Гаса были абсолютно чистыми: будь она убийцей, она просто не успела бы привести себя в порядок так быстро до прихода Ника.
Интересной кажется “закадровая” трактовка о виновности Кэтрин: на это намекает нож для колки льда, который находится под кроватью в конце фильма. Сама героиня Шерон Стоун по ходу фильма буквально излучает опасность (чем и притягивает Ника). Однако у нее есть алиби…
Обычно в детективах работает парадокс: убийца тот, у кого железное алиби, и дотошный сыщик обязательно это доказывает. Но Ник не стал тем самым дотошным сыщиком – он очарован Кэтрин и ослеплен ею. В картине дан сильный намек на то, что даже если она и убийца, его это не особенно волнует – его привлекает возможность игры со смертью.
В своих разборах некоторые зрители полагают, что разгадка “Основного инстинкта” заключается в том, что настоящий убийца остался за кадром. Вполне интересной кажется и идея, что Кэтрин могла быть заказчиком всех убийств, а некто, оставшийся неизвестным – исполнителем.
Смысл фильма
Смерть в искусстве почти всегда изображали однозначно – как жуткий скелет с косой. Разве что скандинавская повелительница мертвых Хель являет собой пример удивительной двойственности: одна половина ее лица чудовищно уродлива, а другая – холодна, но чарующе прекрасна.
Зигмунд Фрейд некогда открыл либидо и в общих чертах описал законы его функционирования. Ближе к концу земного пути он неожиданно для самого себя обнаружил еще одну психическую инстанцию – мортидо. Либидо стремится к активности и жизни, мортидо же представляет собой деструктивный инстинкт. Смысл проблемы заключен в том, что, несмотря на кажущуюся очевидность, непонятно, какой из этих двух инстинктов является основным…
Картина Пола Верховена никогда не полюбилась бы зрителям, если бы в ней рассказывалось только о детективе Нике Каррэне – человеке, безмерно уставшем от брака и увлекшемся “роковой” женщиной.
Главная “перчинка” “Основного инстинкта” заключается в другом. В какой-то момент повествование перестает быть линейным и фильм скользит по поверхности смысла и истины. Одновременно зрителю предлагается сладкая вишенка на торте – образ Кэтрин.
Загадочная, необычная, она являет собой воплощение соблазна. Ник, человек до мозга костей рациональный, точно мотылек на пламя, летит на ее зов. Балансируя на грани реальности и вымысла, словно служа объективацией тайной фантазии, она постепенно заманивает его в холодный капкан реальности. Вероятно, именно в их отношениях и можно попытаться найти скрытый смысл фильма.
Он заключается в том, что мужское начало детектива Каррэна (а потом и весь повествовательный дискурс “Основного инстинкта”) оказывается побеждено стихийной прелестью женственной сексапильности. Высшим апогеем всего этого является смерть…
Впрочем, если бы “Основной инстинкт” снимал не Верховен, он стал бы типичным фильмом категории R. Однако, рассуждая о либидо и мортидо, именитый европейский режиссер не может сдержать улыбки. Градус серьезности его ленты снижает финальная сцена.
Вроде бы убийца найден и мотивы его раскрыты. Однако до самых финальных титров у зрителя остаются сомнения. Верховен осознанно идет на эту провокацию: то, что после просмотра “Основного инстинкта” остается эффект незавершенности, это совершенно нормально.
Нож для колки льда под кроватью. Зачем он нужен? Неужели Кэтрин – действительно психопатка, способная на убийство?
Нет, она не психопатка. Она исследователь. Она живет, как хочет и именно этой своей внутренней свободой привлекает зажатого со всех сторон Ника. Он внезапно понимает, что быть самим собой – раскованным, инстинктивным, естественным, он может только рядом с ней. Вероятно, в этом и заключается суть фильма: основной инстинкт – это внутренняя свобода. Правда, то, как понимают ее главные герои картины, заставляет серьезно задуматься.
Изначально несвободный Ник находится во власти собственной аддикции. Он даже не понимает, как это – быть свободным. Его стремление вырваться из рамок сводится к банальному желанию вседозволенности и отсутствию каких-либо ограничений. Красавица Кэтрин, являясь антиподом Бет, которая (вольно или невольно) подавляет его, позволяет ему удачно утилизировать все свои деструктивные импульсы.
Верховен – гениальный обманщик. Он (в виде Кэтрин) обманывает Ника. Каррэн был единственным человеком, знавшим, что сцена убийства Гаса была написана раньше, чем случилась в реальности. Понимая, что застрелил невиновную в убийствах Бет, он покорно отдает себя в руки судьбы. А у нее для него уготованы только два варианта: поймать за руку убийцу, или погибнуть самому…
Обман Верховеном зрителя заключается в том, что он заставил зрителя поверить в то, что “Основной инстинкт” под завесой эротической ауры рассказывает страшную детективную историю.
Это и в самом деле жуткое кино. Но вопрос, кто убийца, не так уж и важен. Этот фильм, ставший родоначальником эротических триллеров, повествует прежде всего о разрушающем эффекте либидо: поддавшись безрассудной страсти, человек становится легкой добычей смерти.
Похожие фильмы
Вот несколько картин, похожих по смыслу на “Основной инстинкт” с Шерон Стоун:
- “Роковое влечение” (США, 1987 год). Дэн Галлагер и представить себе н мог, чем обернется для него мимолетная интрижка с новой сотрудницей. Не сумев смириться с расставанием, девушка объявила на него настоящую охоту;
- “9 1/2 недель” (США, 1985 год). Страстный роман Джона и Элизабет потихоньку превращается в ненормальную, страшную игру;
- “Убей меня нежно” (США, 2001 год). Безумно влюбившись в Адама, Элис полагает, что нашла в нем достойного спутника жизни. Она жестоко ошибается.
Киноман, сериаломан, писатель. Любит искать скрытый смысл даже в самых простых вещах. Пишет странные сказки, обожает сериалы про шпионов и Искусственный Интеллект.
Кэтрин убьет Ника.
30.57%
Кэтрин не убьет Ника, она просто психопатка, которая наслаждается своей властью.
38.57%
Кэтрин не маньячка, нож под кроватью — просто провокация режиссера.
28.57%
Другое (напишу в комментариях).
2.29%
Проголосовало: 350
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- Автор сценария:
- Джо Эстерхас
-
- Режиссер:
- Пол Верховен
Эротический триллер, сделавший Шэрон Стоун секс — символом Америки 90-х. Писательницу, автора шокирующих романов, подозревают в многочисленных и жестоких убийствах. Агент ФБР, ведущий расследование, быстро попадает в ее сети и не может преодолеть в себе инстинкта, который режиссер Пол Верховен и большинство населения нашей планеты справедливо считает основным…
СКАЧАТЬ
BASIC INSTINCT
by
Joe Eszterhas
BASIC INSTINCT
INT. A BEDROOM - NIGHT
It is dark; we don't see clearly.
a man and woman make love on a brass bed. There are
mirrors on the walls and ceiling. On a side table, atop a
small mirror, lines of cocaine. A tape deck PLAYS the
Stones: "Sympathy for the Devil."
Atop him... she straddles his chest... her breasts in his
face. He cups her breasts. She leans down, kisses him...
JOHNNY BOZ is in his late 40's, slim, good-looking. We don't
see the woman's face. She has long blonde hair. The CAMERA
STAYS BEHIND and to the side of them.
She leans close over his face, her tongue in his mouth...
she kisses him... she moves her hands up, holds both of his
arms above his head.
She moves higher atop him... she reaches to the side of the
bed... a white silk scarf is in her hand... her hips above
his face now, moving... slightly, oh-so slightly... his
face strains towards her.
The scarf in her hand... she ties his hands with it...
gently... to the brass bed... his eyes are closed...
tighter... lowering hips into his face... lower... over his
chest... his navel. The SONG plays.
He is inside her... his head arches back... his throat
white.
She arches her back... her hips grind... her breasts are
high...
Her back arches back... back... her head tilts back... she
extends her arms... the right arm comes down suddenly...
the steel flashes... his throat is white...
He bucks, writhes, bucks, convulses...
It flashes up... it flashes down... and up... and down...
and up... and...
EXT. A BROWNSTONE IN PACIFIC HEIGHTS - MORNING
Winter in San Francisco: cold, foggy. Cop cars
everywhere. The lights play through the thick fog. Two
Homicide detectives get out of the car, walk into the
house.
2.
NICK CURRAN is 42. Trim, good-looking, a nice suit: a face
urban, edged, shadowed. GUS MORAN is 64. Crew-cut, silver
beard, a suit rumpled and shiny, a hat out of the 50's: a
face worn and ruined: the face of a backwoods philosopher.
INT. THE BROWNSTONE
There's money here -- deco, clean, hip -- That looks like a
Picasso on the wall. They check it out.
GUS
Who was this fuckin' guy?
NICK
Rock and roll, Gus. Johnny Boz.
GUS
I never heard of him.
NICK
(grins)
Before your time, pop.
(a beat)
Mid-sixties. Five or six hits.
He's got a club down in the
Fillmore now.
GUS
Not now he don't.
Past the uniformed guys... nods... waves... past the
forensic men... past the coroner's investigators... they
get to the bedroom.
INT. THE BEDROOM
They walk in, stare -- it's messy.
It's like a convention in here. LT. PHIL WALKER, in his
50's, silver-haired, the Homicide guys: JIM HARRIGAN, late
40's, puffy, affable; SAM ANDREWS, 30's, black. A
CORONER'S MAN is working the bed.
LT. WALKER
(to Nick and Gus)
You guys know Captain Talcott?
They nod.
GUS
What's the Chief's office doin'
here.
CAPT. TALCOTT
Observing.
3.
LT. WALKER
(to the Coroner's
Guy)
What do you think, Doc?
THE CORONER'S GUY
The skin blanches when I press it --
this kind of color is about right
for six or eight hours.
LT. WALKER
Nobody say anything. The maid came
in an hour ago and found him.
She's not a live-in.
GUS
Maybe the maid did it.
LT. WALKER
She's 54 years old and weighs 240
pounds.
THE CORONER'S GUY
(deadpan)
There are no bruises on his body.
GUS
(grins)
It ain't the maid.
LT. WALKER
He left the club with his
girlfriend about midnight. That's
the last time anybody saw him.
NICK
(looks at body)
What was it?
THE CORONER'S GUY
Ice pick. Left on the coffee table
in the living room. Thin steel
handle. Forensics took it
downtown.
HARRIGAN
There's come all over the sheets --
he got off before he got offed.
GUS
(deadpan)
That rules the maid out for sure.
CAPT. TALCOTT
This is sensitive. Mr. Boz was a
major contributor to the mayor's
campaign. He was Chairman of the
Board of the Palace of Fine Arts --
4.
GUS
(to Nick)
I thought you said he was a rock
and roll star.
LT. WALKER
He was a retired rock and roll
star.
CAPT. TALCOTT
A civic-minded, very respectable
rock and roll star.
GUS
What's that over there?
We see the white powder laid out in lines on the small
mirror on the side table.
NICK
(deadpan)
It looks like some civic-minded,
very respectable cocaine to me,
Gus.
CAPT. TALCOTT
(evenly, to Nick)
Listen to me, Curran. I'm going to
get a lot of heat on this. I don't
want any... mistakes.
Nick and Talcott look at each other a beat, then --
NICK
Who's the girlfriend?
Lt. Walker looks at the notepad in his hand.
LT. WALKER
Catherine Tramell, 162 Divisadero.
Nick writes it down. He and Gus turn, leave. Captain
Talcott watches them. He looks disturbed.
INT. THE LIVING ROOM
as they head out --
NICK
Talcott doesn't usually show up at
the office 'till after his 18
holes. What are they nervous
about?
GUS
They're executives. They're
nervous about everything.
5.
LT. WALKER (O.S.)
Nick!
He stops, turns, sees Walker behind them. Walker comes up
to them.
LT. WALKER
(to Nick)
Keep your three o'clock.
NICK
Do you want me to work the case,
Phil, or do you want me to --
LT. WALKER
I said keep it.
EXT. A VICTORIAN ON DIVISADERO - DAY
It is more a mansion than a house. They ring the bell. An
Hispanic MAID answers. They flash their badges.
NICK
I'm Detective Curran, this is
Detective Moran. We're with the
San Francisco Police Department.
We'd like to speak to Ms. Catherine
Tramell.
THE MAID
(after a beat, an
accent)
Just moment. Come in.
She leads them into a lavish, beautifully done living room
that offers a sweeping view of the Bay.
THE MAID
(continuing)
Sit, please. Just moment.
They look around, impressed. There is a Picasso on the
wall here, too.
GUS
Ain't that cute? They got his and
her Pig-assos, son.
NICK
(smiles)
I didn't know you knew who Picasso
was, Gus.
6.
GUS
(grins)
I'm a smart sonofabitch. I just
hide it.
Nick smiles -- and at that moment a beautiful BLONDE walks
into the room. She looks like she has been asleep. She is
in her early 20's. She wears a very sheer robe.
NICK
We're sorry to disturb you, we'd
like to ask you some --
THE WOMAN
Are you vice?
GUS
(after a beat)
Homicide.
THE WOMAN
What do you want?
THE WOMAN
(continuing)
Is he dead?
NICK
(after a beat)
Why do you think he's dead?
THE WOMAN
You wouldn't be here otherwise,
would you?
GUS
Were you with him last night?
THE WOMAN
You're looking for Catherine, not
me.
NICK
Who are you?
THE WOMAN
I'm Roxy.
(a beat)
I'm her -- friend.
She looks at them a beat.
7.
ROXY
She's out at the beach house at
Stinson. Seadrift. 1402.
NICK
Thanks.
They start to head out.
ROXY
You're wasting your time. Catherine
didn't kill him.
A beat, they look at her, and go...
EXT. SEADRIFT - STINSON BEACH - DAY
Foggy. Cold. It is an expensive spit of land on the
ocean. Multi-million dollar "beach houses" with gardens
and swimming pools. There are two Ferraris in the
driveway -- one black, one white.
They get out of the car in front of the house. They see a
woman in back of the house, sitting on a deck chair,
staring at the sea, a blanket around her.
As they get to her --
NICK
Ms. Tramell?
She takes a long look a Nick, then looks away.
CATHERINE TRAMELL is 30 years old. She has long blonde
hair and a refined, classically beautiful face. She is not
knockout gorgeous like Roxy; there is a smoky kind of
sensuousness about her.
NICK
(continuing)
I'm De--
CATHERINE
(evenly)
I know who you are.
She doesn't look at them. She looks at the water.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
How did he die?
GUS
He was murdered.
CATHERINE
Really. Maybe that's why you're
from Homicide. How?
Nick glances at Gus.
8.
NICK
With an ice pick.
She closes her eyes a beat and then, still staring out, we
see a thin smile. They see it, too, and glance at each
other.
NICK
(continuing)
How long were you dating him?
CATHERINE
I wasn't dating him. I was fucking
him.
They glance at each other again.
GUS
What are you -- a pro?
Catherine looks at him -- that thin smile again.
CATHERINE
No. I'm an amateur.
She looks away.
NICK
How long were you having sex with
him?
CATHERINE
About a year and a half.
NICK
Were you with him last night?
CATHERINE
Yes.
NICK
Did you leave the club with him?
CATHERINE
Yes.
NICK
Did you go home with him?
CATHERINE
No. We had a drink at the club.
We left together. I came here. He
went home.
NICK
Was there anyone with you last
night?
9.
CATHERINE
(looks at Nick)
No. I wasn't in the mood to have
sex with anyone last night.
They look at her a beat.
NICK
Let me ask you something, Ms.
Tramell? Are you sorry he's dead?
Catherine looks at him.
CATHERINE
Yes. I liked fucking him.
They stare at her. She looks out at the water.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
I don't really feel like talking
anymore.
GUS
listen, lady, we can do this
downtown if you --
CATHERINE
Read me my rights and arrest me and
I'll go downtown.
She doesn't even look at them.
CATHERINE
(continuing;
quietly)
Otherwise, get the fuck out of
here. Please.
A long beat as they look at her.
INT. A CORRIDOR - POLICE HEADQUARTERS
The door says: Dr. Elizabeth Gardner, Counseling. Nick
opens the door, peeks in. The receptionist is not there.
A clock says 3:15.
INT. THE COUNSELING OFFICE
He walks in -- sees the inner door open, walks in.
NICK
I'm sorry, Beth. I -- I got hung
up in Stinson.
10.
DR. ELIZABETH GARDNER, the police psychologist, is a very
good-looking, dark-haired woman. She is 30.
BETH
(smiles)
How are you, Nick?
NICK
I'm fine. Come on, Beth! You know
I'm fine! How the hell long do I
have to keep doing this?
BETH
As long as Internal Affairs wants
you to, I suppose. Sit down, Nick.
NICK
It's bullshit. You know it is.
BETH
(smiles)
I know it is -- but sit down anyway
so we can get it over with, okay?
He sits down.
BETH
(continuing)
So -- how are things?
NICK
(after a beat)
Things are fine. I told you.
They're fine.
She watches him closely.
BETH
(after a beat)
How is your -- personal life?
NICK
My sex life is fine.
(a beat)
My sex life is pretty shitty
actually since I stopped seeing you
-- maybe I should think about my
Electrolux again.
That embarrassed her; she looks away from him.
NICK
(continuing; after a
beat)
Sorry.
She shrugs. A beat.
11.
BETH
How about the booze?
NICK
It's been three months.
BETH
(after a long beat)
How about the coke?
NICK
No.
BETH
No?
NICK
(hard)
No! I'm working my tail off. I'm
off the sauce, I'm not even smoking
anymore.
She smiles.
BETH
How's not smoking?
NICK
It's fucked -- now will you please
tell I.A. that I'm just you average
healthy totally fucked-up cop and
let me get out of here?
BETH
(after a beat;
smiles)
Yes.
NICK
Thank you.
And he starts heading out.
BETH
(behind him)
I still miss you, Nick.
He doesn't even turn, pretends he didn't hear.
INT. THE DETECTIVE BUREAU
He walks in. Gus Moran gets up from his desk as soon as he
sees him.
GUS
Talcott's in there. They're
waiting.
They start heading for Lt. Walker's office.
12.
GUS
(continuing)
How'd it go, son?
NICK
She misses me.
GUS
(grins)
Hallelujah.
INT. LT. WALKER'S OFFICE
He and Gus sit there with Lt. Walker, Harrigan, Andrews and
Captain Talcott.
HARRIGAN
Sixteen stab wounds to the chest
and neck. No usable prints, no
forcible entry, nothing missing.
No prints on the ice pick, either --
it's available at any Safeway.
The scarf is Hermes, expensive --
they sell about 20,000 a year
worldwide.
ANDREWS
The powder was cocaine, high-
quality, high-content. He inhaled
it; there were minute quantities on
his lips and penis. Mr. Boz leaves
five million dollars, no insurance,
no direct survivors. He liked his
coke, he liked his girls, and he
liked rock and roll.
NICK
He liked the mayor, too, right?
Talcott gives him a look.
GUS
What about his girlfriend?
TALCOTT
Is she relevant here? I didn't
know she was a suspect.
LT. WALKER
She's a suspect.
TALCOTT
On what basis?
LT. WALKER
(looks a notes)
Catherine Tramell. Age 30.
13.
LT. WALKER
(continuing)
No priors, no convictions. Double
major, magnum cum laude, Berkeley,
1980. Literature and Psychology.
Daughter, sole survivor -- Marvin
and Elaine Tramell, killed in a
boating accident, 1978, Catherine
Tramell sole heir. Estimated
assets: $110 million.
It hangs there.
NICK
Are you kidding me?
LT. WALKER
(continues)
Formerly engaged to Roberto
Vasquez, deceased --
ANDREWS
Bobby Vasquez?
LT. WALKER
Bobby Vasquez, former middleweight
contender, killed in the ring
Atlantic City, 1984.
NICK
(smiles)
I love it. She's got a hundred
million bucks. She fucks fighters
and rock and roll stars. And she's
got a degree in screwing with
peoples' heads.
LT. WALKER
You forgot her degree in
literature. She's a writer. She
published a novel last year under a
pen name. Do you want to know what
it's about?
They just stare at him.
LT. WALKER
(continuing)
It's about a retired rock and roll
star who is murdered by his
girlfriend.
It hangs there a long beat.
INT. NICK'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
His apartment is very bare -- very few things -- with wide
open spaces. There is a lot of chrome.
14.
He sits on the couch, reading a book. It is a paperback.
We see the title -- Love Hurts, by Catherine Adams. He
puts the book down a beat, then picks the phone up, dials.
NICK
Page 67, pop. Do you know how she
does the boyfriend? With an
icepick, in bed, his hands tied
with a white silk scarf.
INT. A POLICE DEPARTMENT CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
Nick, Gus, Lt. Walker, Harrigan, Andrews, Captain Talcott --
and Beth Gardner. With them is an older, white-haired
man, DR. ANDREW LAMOTT. There are copies of "Love Hurts"
around the table.
LT. WALKER
Dr. Gardner?
BETH
I've asked Dr. Lamott to consult
with us. This isn't really my
turf. Dr. Lamott teaches the
psycho-pathology of psychopathic
behavior at Stanford and is also a
member of the Justice Department's
Psychological Profile team. Dr.
Lamott?
DR. LAMOTT
There are two possibilities. One:
The person who wrote this book is
your murderer and acted out the
killing described in ritualistic,
literal detail. Two: Someone who
wants to do the person who wrote
this book harm read the book and
enacted the killing described to
incriminate the writer.
NICK
(after a long beat)
What if the writer did it? What
are we dealing with?
DR. LAMOTT
You're dealing with a devious,
diabolical mind. This book must
have been written at least six
months, maybe years before it was
published. That means the writer
planned the crime, at least in the
subconscious, back then.
15.
DR. LAMOTT
(continuing)
The fact that the writer carried it
out indicates psychopathic
obsessive behavior in terms not
only of the killing itself but in
terms of applied advance defense
mechanism.
A long beat.
GUS
Most times I can't tell shit from
shinola, Doc. What was all that
you just said?
Some grins, titters.
BETH
She anticipates the book to be her
best alibi.
DR. LAMOTT
Correct.
BETH
She's going to say: Do you think
I'd be dumb enough to kill anyone
in the exact way I've described in
my book? I wouldn't do that
because I'd know I'd be a suspect.
A long beat -- as they think about it.
NICK
What if it's not the writer? What
if it's someone who read the book?
DR. LAMOTT
You're dealing then with someone so
obsessed that he or she is willing
to kill an irrelevant and innocent
victim to place the blame on the
person who wrote this book. We are
talking about deep-seated,
obsessional hatred; an utter lack
of sense of proportion or
perspective.
GUS
We've got a top-of-the-line, once-
in-a-lifetime loony-tune either way
you cut it -- that's what you're
saying, right, Doc?
DR. LAMOTT
You're dealing with someone very
dangerous and very ill.
16.
INT. THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE - DAY
PROSECUTOR JOHN CORRIGAN, a big man in his 50's, with
Captain Talcott, Lt. Walker, Nick, and Gus.
Corrigan is reading a file. He gets up, yawns, goes to his
window, looks out.
CORRIGAN
Come on, you know there's no case
here. There's no physical
evidence -- okay, she doesn't have
an alibi: but there's no motive.
Her defense would just beat us to
death with the copycat thing.
Anybody who read the book could
have done it.
A long beat; no one says anything.
NICK
So what do we do -- nothing?
LT. WALKER
(after a beat)
We bring her in for questioning.
TALCOTT
She's got enough money to burn this
whole department down.
LT. WALKER
She was the last person seen with
the guy -- I'll take the
responsibility.
TALCOTT
It's yours.
CORRIGAN
It won't do any good. She'll come
in with Lee Bailey and Mel Belli
trailing behind her on a solid gold
chain from Tiffanys.
TALCOTT
Yes she will.
NICK
(after a beat)
No she won't.
They look at him.
17.
NICK
(continuing; smiles)
I don't think she's going to hide
behind anybody. I don't think
she's going to hide at all.
TALCOTT
(after a beat)
I think you're as crazy as she
probably is, Curran.
Nicks says nothing.
GUS
You know what they say: It takes
one to know one.
Nick looks a Gus, grins.
EXT. HER HOUSE IN STINSON - DAY
They walk from the car to the door of the big beach house.
They ring the bell. They hear typing inside. The typing
stops. She comes to the door in jeans and a tight-fitting
sweatshirt.
NICK
Ms. Tramell, we'd like you to come
downtown and answer some questions
for us.
CATHERINE
Are you arresting me?
NICK
If that's the way you want to play
it.
They look at each other a beat.
CATHERINE
(smiles)
Can I change into something more
appropriate? It'll just take a
minute.
He nods.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
Come in.
INT. THE HOUSE
It is beautifully done in a Santa Fe motif. She goes to a
bedroom of the living room.
18.
Nick sits down on a couch facing the bedroom she's walked
into. Gus sits across from him, his back to the bedroom.
There is a coffee table between them. She leaves the
bedroom door halfway open.
An old newspaper is on the coffee table them. Nick reaches
for it. The headline says: VICE COP CLEARED IN TOURIST
SHOOTINGS. A headline underneath says: GRAND JURY SAYS
SHOOTINGS ACCIDENTAL. There is a photograph of Nick.
He stares at the paper.
CATHERINE (O.S.)
How long will this take?
Nick puts the paper down on the coffee table. He is lost
in his thoughts. Gus picks the paper up.
NICK
(looks up)
I don't know.
Nick, facing the half open bedroom door, sees a mirror near
the wall of the bedroom. The mirror reflects her in the
other corner of the bedroom. She is taking her clothes
off. He stares. She strips down. He sees her back. She
has a beautiful body. Naked, she puts a dress on. She
doesn't put any underwear on.
NICK
(continuing)
Do you always keep old newspapers
around?
CATHERINE (O.S.)
Only when they make interesting
reading.
And she is suddenly out of the bedroom. She stands there,
smiles. They look at each other a long beat.
CATHERINE
(finally)
I'm ready.
They get up, head out.
GUS
You have the right to an attorney.
CATHERINE
Why would I need an attorney?
INT. THE CAR - DAY
They sit in the front; she is in the back. The car goes
over the winding, two-lane Mt. Tamalpais road.
19.
The fog is heavy. It's starting to rain. We see the beach
far below.
CATHERINE
Do you have a cigarette?
NICK
I don't smoke.
CATHERINE
Yes you do.
NICK
I quit.
She smiles, looks at him. A beat, and he turns away.
Another beat, and she lights a cigarette up.
NICK
(continuing)
I thought you were out of
cigarettes.
CATHERINE
I found some in my purse; would you
like one?
He turns back to her.
NICK
I told you -- I quit.
CATHERINE
It won't last.
A beat, as she looks at him, and then he turns away.
GUS
You workin' on another book?
CATHERINE
Yes I am.
GUS
It must really be somehtin' --
makin' stuff up all the time.
He watches her in the rearview mirror.
CATHERINE
It teaches you to lie.
GUS
How's that?
20.
CATHERINE
You make it up, but it has to be
believable. They call it
suspension of disbelief.
GUS
I like that. "Suspension of
Disbelief."
He smiles at her in the mirror.
NICK
What's your new book about?
CATHERINE
A detective. He falls for the
wrong woman.
He turns back to her.
NICK
What happens to him?
She looks right into his eye.
CATHERINE
She kills him.
A beat, as they look at each other, and then he turns away
from her. Gus watcher her in the rearview mirror.
INT. A POLICE INTERROGATION ROOM - DAY
It is large, fluorescent-lighted, antiseptic.
She walks in with Nick and Gus. In the room are prosecutor
John Corrigan, Lt. Walker, Captain Talcott, Harrigan, and
Andrews. There is a police stenographer: a plain young
woman in her 20's.
As soon as she comes in --
CORRIGAN
I'm John Corrigan. I'm an
assistant district attorney, Ms.
Tramell. Can we get you anything?
Would you like some coffee?
CATHERINE
No thank you.
TALCOTT
Are your attorneys --
NICK
(hiding a smile)
Ms. Tramell waived her right to an
attorney.
21.
Corrigan and Talcott glance at Nick. She sees the look.
CATHERINE
(smiles)
Did I miss something?
NICK
I told them you wouldn't want an
attorney present.
LT. WALKER
Why have you waived your right to
an attorney, Ms. Tramell?
CATHERINE
(to Nick)
Why did you think I wouldn't want
one?
NICK
I told them you wouldn't want to
hide.
CATHERINE
I have nothing to hide.
The two of them keep their eyes on each other.
She sits down. They sit around her. Nick sits directly
across from her. She lights up a cigarette. They watch
her. She is poised, cool, in complete command of herself.
CORRIGAN
There is no smoking in this
building, Ms. Tramell.
CATHERINE
What are you going to do? Charge
me with smoking?
Ever so casually, she blows her smoke across at Nick.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. THE INTERROGATION ROOM - LATER
CORRIGAN
Would you tell us the nature of
your relationship with Mr. Boz?
CATHERINE
I had sex with him for about a year
and a half. I liked having sex
with him.
22.
She has control of the room: she looks from one man to the
other as she speaks.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
He wasn't afraid of experimenting.
I like men like that. I like men
who give me pleasure. He gave me a
lot of pleasure.
A beat, as they watch her. She is so matter-of-fact.
CORRIGAN
Did you ever engage in sado-
masochistic activity with him?
CATHERINE
(smiles)
Exactly what do you have in mind,
Mr. Corrigan.
CORRIGAN
(after a beat,
little flustered)
Did you ever tie him up?
CATHERINE
No.
ANDREWS
You never tied him up.
CATHERINE
No. Johnny liked to use his hands
too much. I like hands and fingers.
They stare at her.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. THE INTERROGATION ROOM - LATER
LT. WALKER
You describe a white silk scarf in
your book.
CATHERINE
I've always had a fondness for
white silk scarves.
(she smiles)
I have a very vivid imagination.
NICK
But you said you liked men to use
their hands.
23.
CATHERINE
No. I said I liked Johnny to use
his hands.
(she smiles)
I don't give any rules, Nick. I go
with the flow.
They have their eyes on each other.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. THE INTERROGATION ROOM - LATER
CORRIGAN
Did you kill Mr. Boz, Ms. Tramell?
CATHERINE
I'd have to be pretty stupid to
write a book about a killing and
then kill him the way I described
in my book. I'd be announcing
myself as the killer. I'm not
stupid.
She smiles.
TALCOTT
We know you're not stupid, Ms.
Tramell.
LT. WALKER
Maybe that's what you're counting
on to get you off the hook.
NICK
Writing a book about it gives you
an alibi for not killing him.
CATHERINE
Yes it does, doesn't it?
She holds his eyes a second, then --
CATHERINE
(continuing)
The answer is no. I didn't kill
him.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. THE INTERROGATION ROOM - LATER
GUS
Do you use drugs, Ms. Tramell?
CATHERINE
sometimes.
24.
HARRIGAN
Did you ever do drugs with Mr. Boz?
CATHERINE
Sure.
GUS
What kind of drugs?
CATHERINE
Cocaine.
She looks directly at Nick.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
Have you ever fucked on cocaine?
(she smiles)
It's nice.
He watches her.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. THE INTERROGATION ROOM - LATER
NICK
You like playing games, don't you?
CATHERINE
(smiles)
I've got a degree in psych. It
goes with the turf. Games are fun.
They are holding each other's eyes.
NICK
How about boxing? That's a game.
Was that fun for you?
They don't take their eyes off each other for a second.
TALCOTT
I think that's irrelevant to this
inquiry.
CATHERINE
(to Nick)
Yes it was. Bobby died.
NICK
How did you feel when he died?
CATHERINE
I loved him. I hurt.
Their eyes are still on each other.
25.
NICK
How did you feel when I told you
Johnny Boz had died -- that day at
the beach.
CATHERINE
I felt somebody had read my book
and was playing a game.
NICK
But you didn't hurt --
CATHERINE
No.
NICK
Because you didn't love him --
CATHERINE
That's right.
Their eyes are digging into each other.
NICK
Even though you were fucking him.
CATHERINE
(after a beat)
You still get the pleasure. Didn't
you ever fuck anybody else while
you were married, Nick?
A bet; he stares at her, expressionless.
LT. WALKER
How did you know he was married?
CATHERINE
(watching Nick)
Maybe I was guessing. What
difference does it make?
She lights a cigarette. He stares at her.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
Would you like a cigarette, Nick?
He just stares at her, expressionless.
CORRIGAN
Do you two know each other?
NICK
No.
CATHERINE
No.
26.
INT. THE INTERROGATION ROOM - LATER
ANDREWS
How did you meet Mr. Boz?
CATHERINE
I wanted to write a book about the
murder of a retired rock star. I
went down to his club and picked
him up. Then I had sex with him.
LT. WALKER
You didn't feel anything for him.
You just had sex with him for your
book.
She looks at Nick.
CATHERINE
In the beginning. Then I got to
like what he did for me.
GUS
That's pretty cold, ain't it, lady?
CATHERINE
I'm a writer, I use people for
what I write. You write what you
know. Let the world beware.
She and Nick have their eyes on each other, then --
CATHERINE
(continuing; to
Corrigan, smiles)
Would you like me to take a lie
detector test?
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. THE POLICE BUILDING - NIGHT
We see her in a glass-enclosed cubicle with a polygraph
EXAMINER. Nick stands outside watching her with Gus and
Lt. Walker. Her back is to them. The Examiner shuts the
machine down, gathers rolls of papers, and comes out of the
cubicle.
THE EXAMINER
No blips, no blood pressure
variations, no pulse variance.
Either she's telling the truth or
I've never met anyone like her.
A long beat, then --
27.
LT. WALKER
Well, I guess that's it.
A long beat, Nick watches her as she sits inside.
NICK
How does somebody beat this machine?
THE EXAMINER
Ninety-nine point nine percent of
the cases, they don't. You'd have
to be able to mask the truth from
your own central nervous system,
your circulatory system, your
adrenal glands. In my opinion,
this woman is telling the truth.
The Examiner walks away. They stand there. Catherine
stands at the door of the cubicle behind them --
CATHERINE
Can I go now?
LT. WALKER
(after a beat)
Yes. Thanks for coming in, Ms.
Tramell. I'm sorry to
inconvenience you.
She says nothing, has a thin smile.
CATHERINE
Can I ask one of you for a ride?
They look at her a beat.
NICK
Sure.
CATHERINE
(smiles)
Thanks.
And he and Catherine walk away. Gus and Walker watch them.
INT. HIS CAR - NIGHT
It is an old, mint-condition silver Porsche.
It is pouring rain; the wind is blowing: a San Francisco
winter storm.
Nothing is said a long beat as he drives. She yawns.
Stretches. He looks at her.
28.
CATHERINE
(smiles)
I'm tired.
NICK
It's got to be tiring to beat that
machine.
She looks at him and looks away. A beat.
CATHERINE
If I were guilty, and if I wanted
to beat that machine, it wouldn't
be tiring. It wouldn't be tiring
at all.
NICK
Why not?
CATHERINE
Because I'm a professional liar. I
spend most of my waking hours
dwelling on my lies.
(a beat)
For my writing.
He looks at her.
CATHERINE
(continuing; smiles)
I love the rain, don't you?
He says nothing, doesn't look at her.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
You took a polygraph after you shot
those two people, didn't you?
He looks at her now.
NICK
I passed.
CATHERINE
You see? We're both innocent, Nick.
He pulls up in front of her house on Divisadero, stops. He
sees the white Ferrari in the driveway.
NICK
How do you know all this stuff
about me?
CATHERINE
You know all about me.
29.
NICK
I don't know anything that isn't
police business.
CATHERINE
(after a beat)
You know I don't like to wear any
underwear, don't you, Nick?
They look at each other a beat.
CATHERINE
(continuing; smiles)
Thanks for the ride.
And she's out of the car. He watches her as she hurries in
the rain -- his eyes on her until the moment she opens the
door and is inside.
INT. THE TEN-FOUR - NIGHT
It is a police bar, San Francisco style. Ferns Joe
Montana and Will Clark posters. The jukebox has a lot of
Tony Bennett.
He walks in. He sees Lt. Walker at a back booth with Gus,
goes to them, sits down.
LT. WALKER
What is all this "Nick" stuff --
Nick would you like a cigarette.
Nick can you give me a ride.
NICK
She didn't ask me for the ride.
She asked anybody.
LT. WALKER
And you volunteered.
A BARTENDER stays behind the bar, but yells to him.
THE BARTENDER
Perrier, Nick?
NICK
Double Black Jack rocks, Harry.
GUS
(with concern)
What you doin', son?
NICK
It's my first drink in three
months. That okay with you, pop?
(to Lt. Walker)
She doesn't know me. I never saw
her before Gus and I talked to her.
30.
THE BARTENDER
Here you go, Nick.
He gets up, gets his drink --
NICK
Thanks, Harry.
He sits back down. He takes a big slug. They watch him.
LT. WALKER
You sure?
NICK
I'm sure.
He takes another big slug.
NICK
(continuing)
Now what?
LT. WALKER
What now what? Now nothing. She
passed the polygraph. That's it.
NICK
She knew she could beat it. That's
why she asked to take it.
LT. WALKER
How the fuck do you know? What is
it with you and this broad anyway?
NICK
Come on, Phil. You're not gonna
let this slide. What about her
parents? What about what else
she's published? At least we
should get the stuff to see if we
find anything else that's an
amazing real-life coincidence.
LT. WALKER
Her parents died in an accident. I
don't care what else she's written.
What are you -- a book critic?
NICK
How did they die? Was there an
investigation?
LT. WALKER
How you're saying she killed her
parents? Did she kill Bobby
Vasquez, too?
31.
GUS
Not unless she got up in the ring
and turned into one mean
sonofabitch.
LT. WALKER
Maybe she did, Gus. Maybe she grew
herself an Afro and learned a left
hook and put shoe polish on her
face. Let's polygraph her again
and ask her about it.
NICK
(casually)
Fuck you, Phil.
LT. WALKER
Fuck you, too Nick.
A beat, then --
NICK
(calls to the
Bartender)
Can you get me another double Black
Jack, Harry.
Gus looks at him with concern.
A man in his 50's -- LT. MARTIN NILSEN is suddenly there.
He is overweight, florid.
NILSEN
(to Nick)
Hey, shooter -- You back on the
Black Jack, Shooter?
He grins. Nick doesn't look at him.
LT. WALKER
We're discussing a case, Marty.
NILSEN
I know that. I had no doubt of
that.
THE BARTENDER
Here you go, Nick.
Nilsen takes the drink, hands it to Nick.
NILSEN
(grins)
Double, huh, Shooter?
Nick turns to him. He's sitting in the booth; Nilsen is
standing there. Nick looks like he's barely restraining
himself.
32.
NICK
I'm off-duty, Nilsen. You hear me?
I'm off-duty discussing a case.
Internal Affairs shouldn't have any
trouble with that. Maybe I should
put in for overtime.
NILSEN
(grins)
You do that, Shooter. Why don't
you send it to me? I'll give it
special attention.
A beat, and then Nick gets up, faces him.
NICK
I'm gonna tell you once more,
Nilsen --
Lt. Walker and Gus get up and hold Nick back.
Beth Gardner, the police psychologist, is suddenly there.
BETH
What's the problem?
NILSEN
(grins)
No problem, Doctor. Here comes the
Doctor just in time to save her
patient. Take care, Shooter.
And he walks away. Nick still looks like he wants to go
after him. Beth pulls him away from the booth.
BETH
You okay?
NICK
(after a beat)
Yeah.
BETH
(smiles)
You don't look so okay.
Nick looks at her a beat.
NICK
(smiles)
What are you doing here?
BETH
(smiles)
Baby-sitting.
(she shrugs)
Rookie cop.
33.
NICK
(smiles)
What else is new?
A beat. He looks at her again.
NICK
(continuing)
You want to get out of here?
She looks at him a beat.
BETH
(smiles)
Yes.
At the booth, Gus and Lt. Walker watch the two of them
leave.
GUS
Maybe it's for old-time's sake.
LT. WALKER
(watches them go
out)
Sometimes I think he started
banging her just to get himself off
the hook with Internal Affairs.
GUS
(after a beat,
smiles)
He ain't that way. He's got heart.
LT. WALKER
(smiles)
Yeah. I know.
INT. BETH'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
He is kissing her -- hard, rough. He forces her against
the wall.
BETH
Don't -- please, Nick --
We hear her dress RIP. He kisses her harder -- we hear her
panties RIP. He gets the dress off, pushes his hands under
her bra --
BETH
(continuing)
Please don't -- don't --
He puts his mouth to her shoulder, bites it -- as they move
down to the floor.
34.
INT. BETH'S LIVING ROOM - LATER
It is dark. The are still partially dressed. They are on
the floor. He lies on his back, staring at the ceiling.
She lies next to him -- the torn dress wound around her.
There is a bite mark on her shoulder. A long beat,
silence -- then --
BETH
What was she like?
NICK
Who?
BETH
Catherine Tramell.
NICK
(after a beat)
She said what you said she'd say.
She sits up, looks away. He looks at her, puts his finger
on the bite mark idly, gently. A beat, and he kisses her
shoulder gently, then lies back down.
BETH
I met her at Berkeley.
He looks at her.
BETH
(continuing)
We were in some of the same classes.
NICK
(after a beat)
Why didn't you tell me?
She looks at him.
BETH
I'm telling you.
They look at each other a long beat.
BETH
(continuing; with
difficulty)
You've never been... like that...
before.
He says nothing, looks away from her.
BETH
(continuing)
Why?
He doesn't look at her a long beat, says nothing.
35.
NICK
You're the shrink.
She keeps looking at him. He won't look at her.
BETH
You weren't making love to me.
A beat; he looks at her.
NICK
Who was I making love to?
She looks at him a long beat.
BETH
You weren't making love.
They look at each other, a long beat, then away. He lies
back down. Beth doesn't look at him, keeps sitting up.
NICK
(finally)
I need a cigarette.
BETH
(after a beat)
I thought you quit.
He says nothing.
BETH
(continuing)
Top drawer in the foyer.
(a beat)
Get it on your way out.
He looks at her; she won't look at him.
INT. THE DETECTIVE BUREAU - MORNING
He walks in. He looks hung-over. He sees Gus with
Harrigan and Andrews and Lt. Walker in Lt. Walker's glass-
enclosed office at the end of this big room.
They look at him when they see him.
LT. WALKER
You look like dogshit.
GUS
(grins)
He looks a little shrunk, that's
all.
36.
ANDREWS
(after a beat)
We got a call from Berkeley P.D.
There was a killing. A professor.
Icepick. In his bed. Multiple
stab wounds. 1977.
NICK
(a thin smile)
She was there, wasn't she?
LT. WALKER
University records say she was
there.
He and Nick look at each other a long beat, then --
LT. WALKER
(continuing;
suddenly)
Gus -- go over to Berkeley.
Harrigan -- find out what else
she's published. Andrews -- get
the files on her parents' accident.
Carbon Beth on everything. I want
some psychological input on this
one.
Andrews and Harrigan go; Nick is left there with Gus.
NICK
What about me?
GUS
You're already gettin'
psychological input, son.
LT. WALKER
(to Nick)
Go stick your head in a tub of ice
water.
(a beat; then
seriously)
See where she leads.
EXT. THE BEACH HOUSE AT STINSON - DAY
The black Ferrari is in the driveway. He sits in an
unmarked police car on a hillside above the house,
watching. It is a bleak, leaden gray day.
Catherine comes out of the house. She is dressed casually.
She gets into the Ferrari.
INT. HIS POLICE CAR
He stays behind her at a safe distance on the winding
panoramic highway -- a two-lane mountain road which leads
from Stinson Beach into Marin County.
37.
She suddenly starts speeding up on this dangerous road,
cutting in and out, passing cars very fast.
He has to start cutting around cars to keep up. This woman
really drives.
He cuts out and can barely pass a car without hitting a
Grey Lines Tour Bus head-on. Close call: sheer drops on
either side.
He looks frazzled.
INT. HIS POLICE CAR
He is behind her at a distance on a hilly Mill Valley
road -- little streets, terraced hillsides, sharp turns.
He goes slowly, looks around, thinks he's lost her. And
then he sees the black Ferrari parked in front of a house
obscured by hedges.
He parks the car a distance behind the Ferrari, sits there
a long beat. He gets out, goes carefully up to the hedges,
looks. A small, nondescript house. He watches. He can't
see anything inside the house.
A beat, he reaches over to the mailbox and opens it. He
takes an envelope out, looks at the name: Hazel Dobkins.
INT. HIS POLICE CAR - NIGHT
He watches as she comes out of the house. A frail old
woman in her 70's is with her. She hugs the old woman,
gets into the Ferrari, STARTS it up.
He waits a beat and then STARTS after her. He stays behind
her at a distance -- she is going slowly. And then she
suddenly GUNS it, cuts her lights -- her wheels SCREECH.
He GUNS his car after her. He makes a turn. She is gone.
There is a fork in the road. He turns one way, goes a few
hundred feet.
Nothing. Blackness. He stops.
NICK
(quietly)
Shit.
INT. HIS POLICE CAR - NIGHT
He pulls his car up to her house at Stinson Beach. The
black Ferrari is in the driveway.
A light goes on in an upstairs bedroom. The curtain is
drawn. He sees the outline of her body now.
38.
She starts to take her clothes off -- there in the window,
behind the curtain. He watches her body as she does an
almost languorous strip. His eyes are intense... ravishing.
INT. THE DETECTIVE BUREAU - NIGHT
He is alone, nobody else in the big room.
He sits in front of a computer. We see the screen. He has
punched in:
HAZEL DOBKINS, WF, 145 ALBION RD., MILL VALLEY.
He is waiting for a response. We see it come on screen:
NOTHING CURRENT.
A long beat, as he stares at the screen, and then we see
these words:
RELEASED, SAN QUENTIN, JULY 7, 1965.
We see him type in the words:
PRIOR ARREST RECORD.
A long beat, and then it comes up:
HOMICIDE, JANUARY 10, 1956
SAN FRANCISCO
He stares at the screen a long beat.
GUS
(behind him)
Ain't you go nothin' better to do
than to come in here and jack off
the damn machine?
NICK
(after a beat; lost
in his thoughts)
What are you doing here, Pop?
GUS
(grins)
I came in here to jack off the damn
machine.
(a beat)
One dead psychology professor.
Noah Goldstein. Dr. Noah
Goldstein. And guess what? He was
her counselor.
Nick looks at him a beat.
39.
NICK
Was she ever suspect?
GUS
No, sir. They never even got a
statement from her.
Nick sits back a long beat, his eyes off somewhere.
NICK
(slowly)
Do you remember a case -- 1956 --
Hazel Dobkins?
GUS
(grins)
Hell yes! Couldn't get it outta my
head for years. Still can't. Nice
little kids -- nice husband, wasn't
porkin' around -- no financial
problems. One day -- outta the
clear blue sky -- she does 'em.
All of 'em. Used a knife she got
for a wedding present. Didn't even
deny it. Sweet as honey. Said she
didn't know why she done it.
Nick just stares at him.
EXT. THE STINSON BEACH HOUSE - NEXT DAY
He pulls up to the house, gets out of his unmarked police
car. He stands there a beat, thinking. He walks down to
the beach entrance of the house. He hears a Rolling Stones
SONG playing inside. He stands there. The door suddenly
opens. Catherine stands there, smiles. She wears very
tight-fitting spandex leotards.
CATHERINE
Hi.
He looks at her a beat, then --
NICK
Am I... disturbing you?
CATHERINE
No. Come in.
They have their eyes on each other. A beat, and she turns
to go in.
40.
INT. THE STINSON BEACH HOUSE
She goes in ahead of him -- he follows her inside. He
watches her body. His movements are tentative, off-
balance. She turns the Stones DOWN.
On a table by the window, he sees a word processor. Spread
around it are newspaper clippings. They are all about him.
We see the headline on one: KILLER COP TO FACE POLICE
REVIEW. She sees him glancing at the clips.
CATHERINE
I'm using you for my detective. In
my book. You don't mind, do you?
She smiles. He looks at her, expressionless.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
Would you like a drink? I was just
going to have one.
NICK
No, thanks.
She goes to the bar.
CATHERINE
(smiles)
That's right. You're off the Jack
Daniels too, aren't you?
She is making herself a drink. She takes the ice out and
then opens a drawer and gets an icepick. It has a fat
wooden end. She uses the icepick on the ice, her back to
him. He watches her.
NICK
I'd like to ask you a few more
questions.
CATHERINE
I'd like to ask you some, too.
She turns to him, icepick in hand, smiles.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
For my book.
She turns back to the ice, works on it with the pick. She
raises her arm, plunges it. Raises it, plunges it. He
watches her.
NICK
(wary)
What kind of questions?
41.
She puts the icepick down, pours herself a drink, turns to
him.
CATHERINE
How does it feel to kill someone?
He looks at her a long beat.
NICK
(finally)
You tell me.
CATHERINE
I don't know. But you do.
Their eyes are on each other.
NICK
(finally)
It was an accident. They got in
the line of fire.
CATHERINE
Four shootings in five years. All
accidents.
NICK
(after a long beat)
They were drug buys. I was a vice
cop.
A long beat, as they look at each other.
NICK
(continuing)
Tell me about Professor Goldstein.
A beat.
CATHERINE
There's a name from the past.
NICK
You want a name from the present?
How about Hazel Dobkins?
She looks at him a long beat, sips her drink, never takes
her eyes off him.
CATHERINE
Noah was my counselor in my
freshman year.
(she smiles)
That's probably where I got the
idea for the icepick. For my book.
Funny how the subconscious works.
(a beat)
Hazel is my friend.
42.
NICK
She wiped out her whole family.
CATHERINE
Yes. She's helped me understand
homicidal impulse.
NICK
Didn't you study it in school?
CATHERINE
Only in theory.
(she smiles)
You know all about homicidal
impulse, don't you, shooter? Not
in theory -- in practice.
He stares at her a long beat.
CATHERINE
(continuing;
quietly)
What happened, Nick? Did you get
sucked into it? Did you like it too
much?
NICK
(after a beat)
No.
He stares at her, almost horrified.
CATHERINE
(quietly)
Tell me about the coke, Nick. The
day you shot those two tourists --
how much coke did you do?
She steps closer to him.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
Tell me, Nick.
She puts her hand softly on his cheek, He grabs her hand
roughly, holds it.
NICK
I didn't.
CATHERINE
Yes, you did. They never tested
you, did they? But Internal
Affairs knew.
They are face to face. He is still holding her roughly by
the hand.
43.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
Your wife knew, didn't she? She
knew what was going on. Nicky got
too close to the flame. Nicky
liked it.
He twists her arm back behind her -- their bodies are
pressed against each other -- their eyes digging into each
other.
CATHERINE
(continuing; in a
whisper)
That's why she killed herself?
He is twisting her arm, staring at her, pulling her against
him. We hear the DOOR behind them. A beat, and he lets
her go, turns away from her.
Roxy stands there, staring at them. Her hair is up. She
wears a black motorcycle jacket, a black T-shirt, and black
jeans and cowboy boots.
CATHERINE
(continuing;
brightly)
Hiya, hon. You two have met,
haven't you?
Roxy looks at Nick. Catherine goes to her, kisses her
briefly on the lips, stands there with her arm around her --
both of them looking at Nick.
He walks by them, opens the door to go, his face a mask.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
You're going to make a terrific
character, Nick.
He doesn't look at her; he's gone.
INT. BETH GARDNER'S OFFICE - DAY
He comes in. He looks like he's going to kill someone. A
RECEPTIONIST sits there.
RECEPTIONIST
She's on the phone -- she'll be
right with you, detective --
He sweeps by her into Beth's inner office. She hangs up
when she sees the look on his face.
NICK
Who has access to my file?
BETH
What are you talking about, Nick --
what's wrong with you?
44.
NICK
Who's got access to my goddamn file?
She gets up -- he goes closer to her; she backs away from
him.
BETH
Nobody.
He goes closer to her; she backs away.
BETH
(continuing)
It's a confidential psychiatric
record, it'd be illegal --
She backs into a wall. She looks very scared. He comes
very close to her -- puts an arm behind her to the wall.
NICK
Don't, Beth. Don't lie to me.
She says nothing, looks scared.
NICK
(continuing;
suddenly)
It's Internal Affairs, isn't it?
BETH
No, Nick, please --
NICK
(loud, hard)
Who?
BETH
(blurts it)
Nilsen.
INT. THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS DIVISION - DAY
He storms into the big room. He sees MARTY NILSEN. He is
sitting behind his desk in his glass-enclosed office inside
this big room. About a dozen plainclothes policemen are in
the big room.
He goes by them into Nilsen's office.
INT. MARTIN NILSEN'S OFFICE
He closes the door. Nilsen sees the look on his face,
backs his chair away towards the wall.
NILSEN
What do you want, Curran?
45.
He goes to him, picks him up by his lapels, slams him
against the wall.
NICK
(out of control)
You sold her the file, didn't you?
NILSEN
(scared)
What are you talking about?
NICK
(out of control)
What'd she pay you?
He slams him against the wall again. The glass EXPLODES
behind them -- a chair comes into the room. Nick is
frozen, holding Nilsen by the throat against the wall.
ONE OF THE I.A. GUYS
Let him go, Curran. Nice and easy.
He looks back, sees two Internal Affairs men with their
guns drawn, pointed at him.
A beat, and he lets Nilsen go.
He turns calmly and starts to walk out.
NILSEN
You're on sick leave, Shooter. As
of right now. Pending the outcome
of a psychiatric evaluation.
EXT. THE POLICE PARKING LOT - DUSK
He gets into his old Porsche. He STARTS the car up. Gus
Moran comes up to the window. They look at each other a
beat.
GUS
What's goin' down, son?
NICK
Nothin'
(a beat)
I'll be okay, pop.
They look at each other a long beat.
GUS
No, sir. You won't. There's smoke
off yonder on the horizon. They're
gonna want your badge.
46.
NICK
(after a long beat)
I got tired of being played with.
GUS
(after a beat)
You sure got real conclusive ways
of demonstrating that.
They almost smile at each other, then --
NICK
(almost to himself)
She knows where I live and breathe.
She's coming after me.
GUS
(after a long beat)
What is it you got between you?
NICK
(after a beat; to
himself)
I don't know.
GUS
Somethin', though.
A beat, and then Nick looks at him.
NICK
Yeah.
(a beat)
Somethin'.
INT. HIS APARTMENT - NIGHT
He sits in front of the TV, watching a lame sitcom. A
bottle of Jack Daniels is half-empty in front of him. He
is smoking a cigarette.
BETH
(behind him)
I still have my key.
He looks at her, looks away at the sitcom.
NICK
I don't want to see you, Beth.
He keeps watching the sitcom. A long beat.
BETH
(suddenly angry)
Damnit! Don't shut me out! You
owe me more than that? 47.
He goes to the TV, shuts it off.
NICK
I don't owe you anything; you don't
owe me anything.
(he looks at her)
We went to bed -- what was it? --
ten or fifteen times?
(he smiles)
It wasn't memorable enough to carry
any obligations.
BETH
(after a long beat)
Sometimes I really hate you.
NICK
(smiles)
Yeah? Well why don't you find some
friendly therapist and work some of
that hostility out.
(a beat)
But take my advice. Put a little
more life into it than you usually
do.
A beat, and she suddenly hurls herself at him in absolute
fury, trying to claw at his face. He grabs her, blocks
her. They look at each other a long beat and then he lets
her go.
The emotion of the moment is gone now -- they turn away
from each other.
BETH
(finally)
I'm sorry... I don't usually... act
like that.
Nick looks at her a beat.
NICK
How could you let him have my file,
Beth?
A long beat, then --
BETH
(not looking at him)
He was going to recommend your
discharge: a behavioral
disability. I made a deal with
him. He could review the session
notes himself. It was the only way
I could keep you on the force.
48.
She looks at him. He looks away from her.
NICK
You did it for me.
BETH
Yes. I care about you. I did it
for you.
He turns away from her.
NICK
(quietly)
Get out of here, Beth.
(a beat)
Please?
He goes to the Jack Daniel's, pours some more. She looks
at him pour it and turns to go.
INT. HIS APARTMENT - NIGHT
He is asleep on the couch -- the TV is on to a blank
screen. The Jack Daniel's is mostly gone. The phone on
the coffee table RINGS. It RINGS again. He wakes, picks
it up, listens.
NICK
Yeah.
(a beat)
Okay.
He hangs it up. He sits there a long beat, staring. He
looks disturbed.
EXT. THE ALLEY BEHIND THE TEN-FOUR BAR - NIGHT
He walks down the alley. There are lots of police cars,
flashing lights, uniformed men, coroner's men.
As he walks down the alley, he sees Lt. Walker, Gus, and
several of the Internal Affairs men we saw earlier in
Nilsen's office. They are standing around a Lincoln Town
Car.
They look at him as he comes closer to them -- then move
aside.
He can see into the car now. Martin Nilsen lies against
the front seat. He has been shot in the head. Nick stares.
GUS
One shot. Close range. Probably
a .38 caliber revolver.
49.
Nick stares at Nilsen's body. They watch him.
LT. WALKER
Give me your gun, Nick.
A beat, and then Nick gives him his gun. Walker smells it,
shakes his head, gives it to one of the Internal Affairs
men.
NICK
(to Walker)
You think I --
GUS
I don't son, but I got the minority
opinion.
INT. POLICE INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT
He sits in the same room that Catherine sat in --
surrounded by four or five Internal Affairs men, Lt.
Walker, Gus, and Captain Talcott. Lt. Walker and Gus sort
of sit back -- I.A. is running the investigation. The same
police stenographer -- the same plain young woman -- is
sitting in the room who was there with Catherine.
NICK
Okay. I went after him. I lost my
temper.
AN I.A. MAN
Do you have any evidence that he
showed your psychiatric file to
anyone?
NICK
(after a beat)
No.
Beth Gardner comes into the room. They look at her.
AN I.A. MAN
We'll speak to you afterwards, Dr.
Gardner.
Nick gives her a look.
BETH
I'd like to sit-in if you don't
mind.
THE I.A. MAN
I'd really rather --
50.
TALCOTT
I don't see anything wrong with Dr.
Gardner sitting-in if Detective
Curran doesn't object.
Nick looks at her, shrugs.
AN I.A. MAN
Where were you tonight?
NICK
Home. Watching TV.
AN I.A. MAN
All night?
NICK
Yeah.
AN I.A. MAN
Were you drinking?
He looks at Beth.
NICK
Yeah, I was drinking.
AN I.A. MAN
When did you start drinking again?
NICK
(after a beat)
A couple days ago.
BETH
I saw Detective Curran at his
apartment around ten o'clock. He
was sober and lucid. I asked him
in my capacity as his departmental
therapist about his altercation
with Lt. Nilsen. He expressed
regret and displayed no hostility.
AN I.A. MAN
(to Beth)
How long were you at his apartment?
BETH
About fifteen minutes. I saw there
was no reason for my concern and
left.
She and Nick look at each other. He looks away and lights
a cigarette.
51.
AN I.A. MAN
There's no smoking in this building.
NICK
(after a beat)
What are you gonna do -- charge me
with smoking?
It is the exact line that Catherine used. A long beat.
LT. WALKER
I'll ask you once, Nick -- for the
record: Did you kill him?
NICK
No.
They look at him a beat.
NICK
(continuing)
Come on -- I'm going to storm into
his office in front of everybody in
the afternoon and then that night
I'm going to kill him? I'd have to
be really dumb to do that.
AN I.A. MAN
Going after him before gets you off
the hook for killing him: that's
your alibi.
LT. WALKER
Like writing a book about killing a
guy gets you off the hook for
killing him.
AN I.A. MAN
(to Walker)
I don't understand. What are you
talking about? What book?
LT. WALKER
(to Nick)
Private joke.
NICK
I don't think it's funny.
GUS
(grins)
Well, hell, son, it's got a certain
ring to it, I'll say that.
INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - NIGHT
He is by the elevators with Gus and Lt. Andrews. He spots
Beth going for the stairway.
52.
NICK
(to Lt. Andrews)
I'll get my stuff tomorrow.
INT. THE STAIRWAY
NICK
Beth.
She stops. He catches up to her. They walk down the
flights together. They speak quietly.
NICK
(continuing)
Thank you.
She looks at him, smiles. They keep walking down the steps.
BETH
It's the least I could do...
considering I got you into this
mess with those reports.
NICK
(smiles)
No. I mean it, thank you.
She looks at him, smiles.
BETH
How do you know Catherine Tramell
saw my reports?
NICK
She knows stuff about me that only
you know.
BETH
(after a beat)
She must really be something.
(she smiles)
From a clinical point of view.
NICK
What was she like in school?
BETH
I hardly knew her. She gave me the
creeps, though. I don't know why.
EXT. THE BUILDING - NIGHT
They get outside. Beth kisses him quickly, softly on the
cheek.
53.
BETH
Get some rest. Promise?
He nods. She starts walking toward her car.
NICK
Beth. I didn't mean what I said.
About --
BETH
(smiles)
Yes you did. I'm a big girl. I
can handle it.
She goes to her car.
INT. THE DETECTIVE BUREAU - NEXT DAY
He is cleaning his desk out, putting things into a duffel
bag. Only Andrews is in the room. We see Lt. Walker
sitting in his glass-enclosed office.
He closes the duffel bag, looks at the place a long beat.
Andrews is watching him. He goes up to Andrews
ANDREWS
(after a beat)
Take care, you hear?
NICK
(after a beat)
Did you find out about her parents?
ANDREWS
You're on leave, man.
(a beat)
You're on psycho leave. I'm
talking to a possible whacko here.
NICK
You know I'm whacko, Sam, what'd
you find?
A beat, and Andrews opens the file.
ANDREWS
The boat blew. There was a leak in
the gas line. There were two
previous repairs. There was a five-
mil policy on both of 'em. A real
heavy investigation. Zilch. Goose-
egg. It was an accident.
NICK
(after a beat)
Thanks. 54.
He sees Lt. Walker looking at him. He goes into Walker's
office.
LT. WALKER
I.A.'s going to talk to you more
about Nilsen. They're handling the
investigation, we're not. Stay in
touch with Dr. Gardner, it'll help
on the evaluation.
NICK
(after a beat)
She killed him.
LT. WALKER
Beth? Now you've got Beth killing
people?
NICK
Catherine Tramell. It's part of
her game.
LT. WALKER
First you've got her buying your
file. Now you've got her killing
Nilsen. Forget her, willya? Go
someplace. Sit in the sun. Get
away from this goddamn fog. Get
her out of your system.
NICK
You don't but it, do you? She knew
nobody would but it.
(he smiles)
She knew I'd say she did it. And
she knew nobody would buy it.
Lt. Walker looks at him a long beat.
LT. WALKER
She's screwing with your head,
Nick. Pretty soon you're gonna
look in the mirror and think you're
seeing her.
EXT. HIS APARTMENT
It is in the Marina District; on a street like Cervantes.
He gets out of his old Porsche; he sees her black Ferrari
there. She is sitting on the front stoop. She wears an
Indian jacket, jeans and a T-shirt. He goes up to her.
She looks at him a beat.
CATHERINE
I heard about what happened. What
good's a shooter without his gun? 55.
She smiles.
NICK
(a beat)
How exactly did you hear?
CATHERINE
(after a beat)
I have attorneys. They have
friends. I have friends. Money
buys you a lot of attorneys and
friends.
NICK
(after a beat)
I don't know about that: I don't
have any money: I don't have any
attorneys: Gus is my only real
friend.
CATHERINE
(smiles)
I wasn't talking about real
friends. Why doesn't Gus like me.
NICK
(after a beat)
I like you.
CATHERINE
Do you?
NICK
(smiles)
Yeah. Would you like to come up
and have a drink?
She looks at him a beat.
CATHERINE
I didn't think you'd ask me.
He looks at her a beat.
NICK
(smiles)
I'm not that easy to figure.
They start walking inside. She walks ahead of him. He
watches her. She turns suddenly.
CATHERINE
You're not easy to figure. I'm
just very good at figuring.
56.
NICK
(after a beat)
Don't get too cocky.
CATHERINE
Why not?
NICK
You can make a mistake.
CATHERINE
(smiles)
Not me.
And she turns, heads inside; he follows her.
INT. HIS APARTMENT - DAY
They walk in. She looks at the bareness of the place.
CATHERINE
You should put some warmth into it.
You don't want it to reflect on
your personality.
She turns, smiles at him. He looks at the bottle of Jack
Daniel's; there's not much left.
NICK
Jack Daniel's okay? It's gonna
have to be.
CATHERINE
Fine.
NICK
Ice?
CATHERINE
(smiles)
Please.
There is a palpable tension between them.
He takes the ice out, opens a drawer, takes out an icepick.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
Let me do that. You like to watch
me doing it, don't you?
She smiles; a beat and he hands her the icepick. She takes
it, starts to us the icepick, her back to him. He lights a
cigarette.
57.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
Can I have a cigarette, please? I
told you you'd start smoking again.
He watches her working on the ice.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
Light it for me, will you?
He does, steps to her. She parts her lips -- he puts it on
her lip, watches it. Their eyes are on each other.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
Thank you.
She works on the ice again, opens the cabinets for glasses.
NICK
What did you pay Nilsen?
CATHERINE
(doesn't look at
him)
Isn't he the policeman that you
shot, Shooter?
She makes the drinks.
NICK
What if I as you not to call me
Shooter?
CATHERINE
What if I call you Nicky?
NICK
(after a beat)
My wife used to call me that.
CATHERINE
(smiles)
I know, Nicky, but I like it.
She hands him his drink, holds hers.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
Cheers. My friends call me
Catherine.
NICK
What did Bobby Vasquez used to call
you? 58.
CATHERINE
Bitch mostly, but he meant it
affectionately. You don't have any
coke, do you? I love coke and Jack
Daniel's.
NICK
(after a beat)
There's Pepsi in the fridge.
CATHERINE
(smiles)
It's not the same thing, is it?
They look at each other a long beat, their eyes very
involved.
NICK
(quietly)
Where's it going? What do you want
from me?
Their faces are close together.
CATHERINE
Say -- "What do you want from me,
Catherine?"
NICK
(after a beat,
quietly)
What do you want from me, Catherine?
A beat, and she suddenly turns away.
CATHERINE
(brightly)
I brought you something.
She goes to her purse, takes a paperback book out of it.
We see it -- The First Time, by Catherine Smith. He looks
at it.
CATHERINE
(continuing; smiles)
Aren't you going to thank me?
NICK
What's it about?
CATHERINE
A boy kills his parents. They have
a plane. He makes it look like an
accident.
59.
He stares at her. A long beat, then --
NICK
Why does he do it?
CATHERINE
To see if he can get away with it.
They look at each other a beat.
NICK
When did you write it?
CATHERINE
(after a beat)
You mean did I write it before my
parents died?
NICK
Yes.
CATHERINE
No. I wrote it years afterwards.
He watches her; she has turned away from him -- and then
she turns back to him in a different mood.
CATHERINE
(continuing; smiles)
You're not going to stop following
me around now just because you're
on leave -- are you?
NICK
(after a beat)
No.
CATHERINE
Good. I'd miss you.
(a beat)
You can get into trouble, though.
You're not really a cop anymore.
NICK
I'll risk it.
CATHERINE
Why take the risk?
NICK
To see if I can get away with it.
She looks at him: she smiles.
NICK
(continuing)
How's your new book?
60.
CATHERINE
I'm getting deeper and deeper into
my character.
They look at each other a long beat.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
Thanks for the drink.
He nods, say nothing as she goes to the door --
CATHERINE
(continuing)
I'm leaving the house around
midnight. In case you're going to
follow me.
(a beat)
I'm going down to Johnny's club.
NICK
(after a beat)
I'll meet you there.
She looks at him a long beat; and she's gone.
INT. THE STAIRWAY
As she is going down the stairs, Gus Moran is coming up.
He does a real double-take as he goes by her.
CATHERINE
(smiles)
Hi, Gus.
He looks at him a long beat, and he goes upstairs, into
Nick's apartment.
INT. NICK'S APARTMENT
Nick stands at the window, watching her outside. A long
beat, and he looks at Gus.
GUS
(after a beat)
Forgive me for askin', son, and I
don't mean to belabor the obvious,
but why is it that you've got your
head so far up your own ass?
NICK
(after a beat)
She want to play? Fine. I can
play.
GUS
(after a beat)
Everybody that she plays with dies.
61.
NICK
(after a beat,
quietly)
I know what that's like.
INT. JOHNNY BOZ'S CLUB - NIGHT
It is dark, cavernous: there are a thousand people in
here. The MUSIC is ear-splitting, pulsing. Lights flash.
The floor is huge. At one time, this club was a church.
He walks around the sides, a drink in his hand, looking for
her. He doesn't see her.
The he catches a glimpse of Roxy. She is dancing with
another woman. He watches her. She is wearing pants and a
jacket, her hair off to the side. She looks very masculine
tonight.
Roxy laughs at the other woman, leaves her on the floor,
starts moving through the sea of dancers. He follows her
through the press of bodies. She goes towards the men's
room. She walks in.
INT. THE MEN'S ROOM
It is large, dark, shadowy: It was once the sacristy.
A crowd scene: men and women. Roxy presses through them.
A haze of crack smoke; we see people doing poppers.
She opens the door to a toilet stall, walks in. Nick is
behind her. As the door opens, he sees Catherine.
She wears a black motorcycle jacket, a very short skirt,
stiletto heels. Her hair is up. He make-up is severe, I
the darkness, in the shadows she looks about 19. A hot 19.
A hot flash-trash 19.
She is in there with two men -- one of them is a big, body-
built black guy. She has a vial of something near her face.
She sees Nick watching her. She whispers something to the
tall black guy. He looks at Nick, smiles a condescending
smile. The door to the stall closes
INT. THE CLUB
He is walking along the side, watching the floor, a drink
in his hand. The song ends and it seques right into the
Stones's "Miss You."
He sees her. Her black leather jacket is off.
62.
She wears a very tight, flimsy top, the short skirt, the
heels. She is dancing with Roxy and the black guy. He
watches her move... watches her body.
She turns, sees him, dances, watches him... gets between
Roxy and the black guy... they sandwich her with their
bodies... keeps moving, turning... eyes on him... playing
to him with her body. He watches.
A long beat, and he goes up to them. His movements are
almost trance-like. They look at each other. A long beat.
Catherine stops dancing. he reaches for her. She moves
away. A beat: their eyes are on each other. She moves a
step towards her. A beat, as they look at each other...
and they start to move together.
Their eyes are on each other as they move, the eyes
burning... the movements tighter, hotter... and he suddenly
grabs her and kisses her... as they keep moving... the song
seques into the Stones's "Gimme Shelter."
She is melting into him now, kissing him... Tex watches,
expressionless... the black guy is gone... he holds her by
the back of the neck, kissing her... their bodies pressed
into each other... his hands are on her butt now, pulling
her into him now, almost holding her up now... and then
under her skirt, under her panties... as he kisses her neck.
People around them stare... he moves his hands under her
top as she keeps moving with the song, her head back, her
back almost arching... cups her breasts now... she keeps
moving... the song sweeping them into its rhythm: "it's
just a shot away, it's just a kiss away, a kiss away..."
They devour each other. Right there on the floor. Barely
able to hold it back. As Tex watches expressionless. As
people stop dancing and stare.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HER BEDROOM
It is dark. We can't see clearly. A side table, lines of
cocaine on a small mirror. A CD player: The Stones play
"Love In Vain."
There are mirrors all over the walls and ceiling. They are
in bed. The bed is big and brass.
Atop her... he kisses her neck... his hands under her,
raising her... he moves down, kisses her breasts... puts
his mouth around a breast... she arches, moves... he
kisses her shoulder... biting into it... she opens her
mouth... we hear no cry... we hear the Stones.
DISSOLVE TO: 63.
INT. HER BEDROOM - LATER
The Stones play "Monkey Man."
Atop him... she kisses his chest, licks it, lowers her
head... lower... lower... he arches his back... her mouth
comes up... her mouth on his lips again... he turns her.
Atop her... he moves her legs apart... (the CAMERA is
behind them)... she holds his back... digs in her nails...
rakes his back with them... digs in again... his back
bleeds... he moves inside her... harder... the nails dig...
blood trickles down his back.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HER BEDROOM - LATER
The Stones play "Wild Horses."
He is behind her... she is on her stomach... he rises her
by her hips... kisses her back... races her spine with his
tongue... traces her lower back... he kneels... moves into
her... kisses her neck... his fingers are in her mouth...
as he moves.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HER BEDROOM - LATER
The Stones play "Sympathy for the Devil."
Atop him... she leans close over his face, her tongue in
his mouth... kneeling over him... she moves his arms above
his head... moves higher atop him... her breasts in his
face... she reaches over to the side... a white silk scarf
is in her hand... she moves higher above him... kneeling
over his face... moving oh-so-slightly... his face strains
towards her.
The scarf in both hands now... she starts to tie his hands
with it... his eyes are open, watching her... she ties it
loosely, gently... it isn't tight... but his hands are tied
to the brass bed.
She kisses him... moving her hips lower now... over his
chest... lower...
And he is inside her... her arms above him... his eyes
open... she kisses his neck... bites but not hard...
moves... grinding hard against him now.. she is on her
knees... head arches back.. her breasts high.. still
grinding.
64.
Her back arches, strains... he strains toward her... she
holds her arms high... she comes out of the arch...
shivering... falling over him... the scarf loosens... his
arms come forward and hold her close.. closer... closer...
as she moves with slight... shivery... movements.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HER BEDROOM - NIGHT
It is dark, quiet. Pindrop quiet. He is sitting on the
side of the bed, his head down... his back a line tracing
of dried blood. She is asleep nest to him, naked.
He looks around the room. The white scarf around the
bedpost... the coke on the side-table... clothes all over
the floor.
He gets up, walks into the bathroom.
INT. HER BEDROOM - NIGHT
The light is too bright. He looks at himself in the
mirror. He pours the water, lowers his head, puts cold
water on his face. A long beat, he comes back up, opens
his eyes. Roxy is in the mirror behind him. She startles
him.
He looks at her in the mirror a long beat, doesn't turn.
She is expressionless; she wears the same thing she wore at
the club.
He lowers down into the basin again, puts more water on his
face, comes back up, uses a towel this time, finishes with
the towel. She is still looking at him in the mirror the
same way. He looks at her in the mirror, doesn't turn.
ROXY
(quietly)
If you don't leave her alone, I'll
kill you.
He looks at her a beat, then turns --
NICK
Tell me something, Rocki. Man-to-
man.
(he smiles)
I think she's the fuck of the
century, don't you?
For a second, she looks like she's going to spring at him,
then controls it and turns to go.
65.
NICK
(continuing)
How long you been here, Rock? You
like to watch, do you?
ROXY
(after a beat,
looks at him)
She likes me to watch.
And she turns and she is gone.
INT. HER BEDROOM - NIGHT
He lies on the bed in the dark, quiet room. He is on his
back, his eyes open. He has his arm around her. She is
asleep.
CATHERINE
(murmurs)
Nicky.
He looks at her.
INT. HER BEDROOM - MORNING
He wakes up. She is not there. He looks around. The
white scarf is gone. The coke on the side table is gone.
In its place, a scrawled note: "The Beach -- C."
EXT. HER STINSON BEACH HOUSE - DAY
A cold and foggy day. He gets out of his old Porsche,
walks down the driveway. He sees her out on the beach by
the water. A small bonfire is near her. He walks towards
her.
Roxy watches him, expressionless, from an upstairs window
of the house. He doesn't see her.
He walks up to Catherine. She has an Indian blanket over
her and is wearing a black felt English derby hat, her hair
loose underneath.
NICK
(expressionless)
'Morning.
She doesn't look at him -- he smiles slowly. She doesn't
smile and she doesn't seem to like his smile, either. She
walks along the beach. He walks with her. A long beat.
NICK
(continuing)
I think Roxy got jealous.
She looks at him. He looks like he is trying to hide a
smile.
66.
CATHERINE
(after a beat)
She's seen me fuck plenty of other
guys.
That wipes the hidden smile off his face.
He looks at her, walks with her. A long beat.
NICK
Maybe she saw something she didn't
see before.
CATHERINE
She's seen everything before.
She looks at him: he's smiling now.
NICK
She's never seen us before.
He's serious. She looks at him. She smiles slowly.
CATHERINE
Did you think it was so special?
NICK
I told her it was the fuck of the
century.
He can't hide his smile anymore. She says nothing, keeps
walking.
NICK
(continuing; after
a beat)
What did you think?
CATHERINE
I thought it was a pretty good
beginning.
They look at each other. They keep walking. A long beat.
NICK
How about Roxy? Is she a fuck to
the century, too?
CATHERINE
(after a beat)
Do you want her to join us sometime?
He looks at her: she's serious.
NICK
I didn't mean for me -- I meant for
you.
67.
She looks at him.
CATHERINE
I'm not as judgmental about women
as I am about men.
They keep walking. A long beat.
NICK
How's your shoulder?
CATHERINE
Fine. How's your back?
NICK
It hurts.
She stops, looks at him. A long beat.
CATHERINE
We're alike, you know.
A beat, he looks at her --
NICK
Are you kidding? You think this is
my idea of morning-after
conversation?
CATHERINE
(keeps walking)
Do you want personal insights and
adolescent secrets? I don't do
those.
The keep walking.
NICK
You mean getting inside you isn't
going to get me any deeper into
your character.
She looks a him. A beat. She smiles slowly.
CATHERINE
Not unless you confuse my character
with my body parts.
They keep walking. A long beat.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
Were you frightened, Nicky?
He looks at her.
68.
NICK
(after a beat)
I thought that business with the
scarf was pretty nifty.
CATHERINE
I told you I had a vivid
imagination.
They look at each other. A long beat.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
You shouldn't play this game.
NICK
(after a beat)
I don't have a choice.
Their eyes are into each other.
CATHERINE
(after a beat)
You're in over your head.
NICK
(after a beat)
I know.
A long beat. They look at each other.
CATHERINE
I've got a book to write. I'll see
you around, Shooter.
A beat, and she walks away towards the house. He watches
her.
INT. A COUNTRY AND WESTERN BAR - NIGHT
Nick walks in. Waylon Jennings is on the JUKEBOX. Gus is
sitting at the bar wearing jeans, a cowboy shirt, and a
cowboy hat.
Nick goes, sits next to him.
NICK
(grins)
What is this place? Hillbilly
heaven?
He glances around.
GUS
(loud)
Where in the fuck you been? I went
over to your place.
69.
He is drunk, slurring. Nick sees it.
NICK
Easy there, partner -- I wasn't
there.
GUS
I went over last night, too.
NICK
(grins)
I wasn't there last night, either.
Gus takes a long, drunken look at him.
GUS
You... fucked her! Goddamn dumb
sonofabitch... You fucked her!
Goddamn, you are one dumb
sonofabitch --
NICK
(trying to quiet
him)
I'm not gonna get AIDS, pop --
don't worry about it. I always use
a rubber.
GUS
(loud)
I don't give a... flyin'... chili-
bean... fart about AIDS!
NICK
(grins; quietly)
You oughta use a rubber, pop. You
really should.
GUS
(loud)
What in the hell for? You think
I'm gettin' any at my age? I don't
like blue-haired women. I don't
like 'em.
NICK
(straight)
You don't like punk rockers?
GUS
(loud)
Say what?
INT. A DINER - NIGHT
Gus is eating chili, drinking coffee. Hick keeps pouring
him more coffee.
70.
NICK
(grins)
You feeling better?
GUS
(loud)
I feel fine!
Nick pours him more coffee; Gus guzzles it.
GUS
(continuing; loud)
How could you fuck her?
It gets some looks from the other people in her -- Nick
shushes him, pours him more coffee. He drinks it.
GUS
(continuing;
quietly)
You wanna die, son? What is it --
those goddamn tourists -- you still
feel so bad about that you're
wigglin' your way into an icepi --
(suddenly louder)
We got too many goddamn tourists
comin' here anyway -- plenty more
goddamn tourists where they goddamn
came from.
Some people here really give him the looks now. Gus looks
angrily away from them, drinks more coffee.
NICK
(after a beat;
quietly)
I'm not afraid of her.
GUS
(loud)
Why the hell not?
NICK
I don't know. I'm just not.
GUS
(loud)
That's her pussy talkin' --
He gets a real nasty look from a very fat woman eating a
cheeseburger. He winks at her. The woman looks away from
him, shaking her head.
GUS
(continuing;
smiles; to Nick)
It ain't your brain.
71.
They look at each other a long beat. Gus drinks more
coffee. He sits back, pulls his cowboy hat over his eyes.
A long beat.
GUS
(continuing;
quietly)
I.A. done did a track on Lt. Martin
D for Dickhead Nilsen. They found
a safety deposit box with fifty-
thousand dollars in it, taken out
three months ago, used that one
time.
He looks at the fat woman again -- leers at her obscenely.
She looks away.
NICK
(after a long beat)
It doesn't make sense. She didn't
know me three months ago.
GUS
Maybe it wasn't her that paid him.
Maybe the money was for somethin'
else. How the fuck do I know? I'm
just an old city cowboy tryin' not
to fall outta his saddle.
Nick looks at him and smiles a thin smile; he's not there,
he's completely preoccupied.
INT. A CAR - NIGHT
Someone is watching as he and Gus come out of the diner.
EXT. THE STREET - NIGHT
He stands by Gus as Gus gets into his battered, rusted,
vintage Cadillac.
NICK
You all right, pop? You want me to
drive you?
GUS
In that little pissant car of
yours? Hell, no. I ain't gettin'
no back pain disability
retirement -- I'm gettin' me a full
pension and a real gold-plate Seiko
watch.
NICK
Come on, I'll drive you in this
thing. 72.
GUS
You think I'd let you drive my
Cadillac car? I ain't lettin' no
hear-up-his-ass person drive my
Cadillac car.
And he steps on the gas and ROARS out of there, forcing
Nick to get out of the way. Nick looks after him a long
beat, shakes his head.
INT. A CAR - NIGHT
Someone is following him slowly as he walks down the
street. He turns a corner, walks down the alley towards
his Porsche, parked behind the country and western bar.
The car suddenly speeds up -- ROARS down on him from the
back, full bore.
EXT. THE ALLEY
He hurls himself across the Porsche's hood... barely
avoiding the car. He sees the car at the end of the alley,
turning out: It is a black Ferrari.
INT. HIS PORSCHE
He GUNS it down the alley, makes a wild turn in the
direction the Ferrari turned.
EXT. THE STREET
The Porsche dodges around cars very fast, almost side-
swiping them, looking almost out of control, its MOTOR
screaming.
INT. THE PORSCHE
He sees the Ferrari turn ahead. When he gets to where it
turned, he turns wildly.
EXT. THE STREET
The Ferrari is making fast, wild turns into little streets
in North Beach, its MOTOR screaming -- the Porsche is
gaining ground behind it, making turns.
INT. THE PORSCHE
The Ferrari is up ahead and makes a wild right turn onto a
road going up a hillside. He yanks the wheel hard.
EXT. THE STEPS
The Porsche rockets up the steps -- bouncing high into the
air, almost out of control.
73.
INT. THE PORSCHE
As it crests the steps and gets to the street. Nick GUNS
it and it looks like it flies high down the hill-side into
blackness.
EXT. THE STREET
But it lands on more steps -- heading downward -- bucking,
almost spinning, it bounces onto the next street.
INT. THE PORSCHE
Another set of steps leading up: he GUNS it, it rockets
up, ROARS, bucking --
EXT. THE STREET
And lands on the next street. Nick makes a wild right turn
onto the street. And the black Ferrari appears from around
a curve to the right, heading right for him.
INT. THE PORSCHE
Nick steps on the GAS and heads head-on for the Ferrari.
The Ferrari SCREAMS head-on for him.
EXT. THE STREET
And at the last moment, in the game of chicken, the Ferrari
tries to swerve around him on this narrow road, goes out of
control and over the side, turning over and over as it
rolls down the hillside.
EXT. THE HILLSIDE
The Ferrari has landed right-side up.
He runs down the hillside and gets to it. A beat, and he
opens the car door.
Roxy lies hunched over the wheel, her eyes open. Her neck
is broken. She is dead.
EXT. THE HILLSIDE - NIGHT
Police lights have been set up. He stands there with Lt.
Walker and several of the Internal Affairs men.
LT. WALKER
Tell me again. I want to hear you
say it again. 74.
NICK
(after a beat;
sheepish)
It was an accident.
LT. WALKER
You're driving around North Beach
for no particular reason and this
car won't get out of the way --
NICK
I don't think she meant to go off
the hill, do you?
LT. WALKER
(quietly)
Don't fuck with me, Nick. I don't
need a reason to put your ass in a
sling.
He and Nick look at each other a long beat. Andrews comes
up to them with a piece of paper in his hand.
ANDREWS
Full name, Roxanne Hardy. Last
address -- Cloverdale, California.
No priors, no convictions. The car
is registered to Catherine Tramell.
Lt. Walker looks at Nick like he's going to kill him. Nick
looks calmly away.
LT. WALKER
You knew her, didn't you?
NICK
Gus and I talked to her at
Tramell's house. All we did was
write her name down.
LT. WALKER
(after a beat)
I told you to stay away from
Tramell.
NICK
(after a beat;
smiles)
Yeah. But you didn't tell me to
stay away from her car.
Walker looks at him in absolute disbelief.
AN I.A. MAN
I want you in Dr. Gardner's office
at nine o'clock. You're out of
control, Curran.
75.
NICK
(to the I.A. Man)
Who are you guys gonna sell my file
to this time?
They stare at him. He watches as Roxy's body is taken away.
INT. A POLICE CONFERENCE ROOM -DAY
He walks in. He looks good, in control. Beth Gardner is
sitting there with two middle-aged MEN, both of them
wearing suits, who smile and scrutinize him the instant he
walks in the door.
BETH
Hello, Nick. This is Dr. Myron and
R. McElwaine. They've been asked
to consult with me on this
evaluation.
They shake hands with him.
DR. MYRON
Sit down, Nick.
Nick gives him a look: What did he think he was going to
do -- stand there?
He sits down, looks at them. A beat, as they look at him,
then --
DR. McELWAINE
(courtly)
Nick -- when you recollect your
childhood, are your recollections
pleasing to you?
Nick looks at them a long beat in disbelief.
NICK
(calmly, directly)
Number one: I don't remember how
often I used to jack off, but it
was a lot.
Number two: I didn't get pissed
off at my dad -- even after I was
old enough to know what he and mom
were doing in the bedroom.
Number three: I don't look in the
toilet before I flush it.
Number four: I don't wet the bed
and haven't for some time.
Number five: You can go fuck
yourselves because I'm out of here.
76.
INT. THE CORRIDOR
He is walking away quickly. Beth is with him, trying to
keep up. She is very angry.
BETH
What is your problem? I'm trying
to help you. Why won't you let me
help you?
NICK
I don't need any help.
BETH
Yes you do. Something's on with
you.
(a beat)
You're sleeping with her, aren't
you?
A beat, he stops looks at her, then keeps walking.
NICK
What is this interest you've got in
her?
BETH
My interest is in you, not in her.
She seduces people, she
manipulates --
NICK
I thought you hardly know her.
BETH
I know the type. I'm a
psychologist.
He stops, looks at her.
NICK
(after a beat)
That means you manipulate people
too, doesn't it, Beth? You're a
practicing psychologist -- that
means you're better at it than she
is.
She looks at him a long beat.
BETH
(quietly)
I feel sorry for you, Nick
A beat, and she turns and walks away.
77.
EXT. ROAD TO STINSON HOUSE - DAY
Nick is driving down winding road to Stinson house. He is
driving very fast, passing other cars on the winding and
twisting road.
INT. THE STINSON BEACH HOUSE - DAY
Nick enters and shuts door. Looking around, he does not
see her.
NICK
Catherine!
(after a beat)
Catherine!
Finally he sees her sitting by the window. He walks over
to her.
CATHERINE
(near tears)
I should have known. I came into
the house when you were down on the
beach. She looked at me so
strangely. She left right after
you.
(a beat)
I shouldn't have let her watch us.
She wanted to watch me all the
time. She tried to kill you,
didn't she?
NICK
(a beat)
Did you like her to watch?
CATHERINE
(a long beat)
Do you think I told her to kill You?
NICK
(softly, with
intensity)
No.
CATHERINE
(after a beat, near
tears)
Everybody that I care about dies.
She is about to break into uncontrolable sobbing. Nick
puts his arms around her.
78.
NICK
(soothing)
It's OK. It's OK.
CATHERINE
(quietly, almost
begging)
Make love to me.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
They are seen rolling and turning around on each other.
Their love making is sensual, sincere.
Later in bed.
NICK
(calmly, but
seriously)
Do you think she killed Johnny Boz?
CATHERINE
(surprised,
startled)
For what... to set me up? She
loved me she wouldn't frame me.
NICK
(a beat)
Maybe she got jealous of Johnny
Boz, too.
CATHERINE
(after a beat)
No, she didn't... she never got
jealous before... she got excited.
(a beat)
I don't have luck with women.
There was this girl I met while I
was in college. I slept with her
once. She started following me
around, taking my picture. She
dyed her hair, copied my clothes.
Lisa something... Oberman. It was
awful.
79.
A long beat, he looks at her.
NICK
I thought you didn't do adolescent
secrets.
CATHERINE
(after a beat)
I never have before.
EXT. THE DECK - MORNING
It is a bright, sunshiny day. He is out there looking at
the water. She comes up behind him, hugs him.
CATHERINE
(full of life)
Isn't it just beautiful? I love it
here like this.
He looks at her.
NICK
(cold)
We're still playing games, aren't
we?
She looks hurt.
CATHERINE
No.
NICK
(cold)
No?
CATHERINE
No more games, Nick. I'm tired of
playing games!
They have their eyes on each other.
NICK
Then tell me about Nilsen.
She turns away from him. He watches her.
CATHERINE
You won't believe me.
NICK
Try me.
A beat, she looks at him.
80.
CATHERINE
I paid him $50,000 in cash for your
psychiatric file.
NICK
(after a beat)
When?
CATHERINE
About three months before I met you.
NICK
Why?
She turns away from him.
CATHERINE
I'd read about your shootings in
the papers. I decided to write a
book about a detective. I wanted
to know my character.
NICK
You paid $50,000 for your character?
CATHERINE
I would've paid more. I wanted to
know everything about you. Then
you came down here after Johnny got
killed... it gave me a chance to
get to know my character better.
NICK
(after a long beat)
What about the other night. What
about last night? Was that to get
to know your character?
CATHERINE
(after a beat)
Maybe I'm losing interest in my
book.
Their eyes are on each other.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
Do you believe me?
NICK
(after a beat)
I don't know.
CATHERINE
I'll convince you.
81.
And she kisses him slowly, with more and more heat, on the
lips.
The cordless phone on the deck table goes off. It keeps
RINGING. She breaks finally from the kiss, picks it up.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
Hello?
She listens a beat, then hands him the phone.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
It's Gus-who-doesn't-like-me.
He takes the phone.
NICK
Catherine says you don't like her.
INT. THE DETECTIVE BUREAU - DAY
GUS
(on the phone)
She's right. You got an icepick in
you yet?
EXT. HER DECK - STINSON
Catherine sees him smile.
CATHERINE
What did he say?
NICK
He asked if I had an icepick in me
yet.
CATHERINE
(smiles)
Funny.
INT. THE DETECTIVE BUREAU - DAY
GUS
(on the phone)
You know that stuff they say about
how you can judge people by their
friends?
EXT. HER DECK
NICK
I don't believe it.
82.
INT. THE DETECTIVE BUREAU - DAY
GUS
Why not?
NICK
(smiles)
You're my friend, Gus.
She watches him.
INT. THE DETECTIVE BUREAU - DAY
GUS
(seriously)
I'm gonna make you believe in it,
friend.
INT. CLOVERDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT - DAY
In CLOSEUP: We see a large, glossy photograph of Roxy.
She looks about thirteen. She has braces in her teeth.
Nick is looking at the photo -- it is in a file in his
hands. He sits there with Gus in front of a woman juvenile
officer.
He turns the file and we see a glossy of a little boy in a
pool of blood.
Nick looks up at the woman.
NICK
(after a beat)
How old was she when this happened?
THE WOMAN
Fourteen. We seal juvenile records
until they're deceased. That's why
you didn't find it in your computer.
GUS
What was the motive?
THE WOMAN
She said she didn't know herself,
just sort of did it on impulse.
(she shrugs)
The razor just happened to be there.
They stare at her.
THE WOMAN
(continuing)
That's what she said.
83.
INT. CLOVERDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT - DAY
It is a small, old, rural building: a lot of Four-H type
stuff on the walls.
NICK
I don't understand what the hell's
going on here, pop.
GUS
Ain't that hard, son. This young
farmgirl, she got tired of all that
attention goin' to her little
brothers -- she fixed 'em. Just
like 'ole Hazel Dobkins fixed her
whole family -- except young Roxy
here, she didn't use a wedding
present. She used Daddy's razor.
EXT. THE CLOVERDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT
They are going to their cars, parked side by side. The
Porsche looks pretty badly banged up.
GUS
It sure makes you wonder what they
talked about when they set
themselves down in front of the
campfire at night. You ever met
any of her friends who hasn't
killed somebody.
Nick looks at him.
GUS
(continuing)
It musta beat your ordinary
everyday girl talk.
Nick get into his car, sits there a beat.
NICK
I'm not sure anymore she did it.
GUS
(after a beat)
Which one you talkin' about now,
son? We know ole Hazel did it; we
know young Roxy did it -- and the
other one: Well, hell, she's got
that magna come lawdy pussy on her
that done fried up your brain.
Nick looks at him.
84.
INT. THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE - U.C. BERKELEY
A young woman is checking a computer. Nick is with her.
THE WOMAN
Anderson. Jack W. Donald M. I'm
sorry. No Lisa.
NICK
Did you check all four years?
THE WOMAN
Yes I did.
NICK
(in disbelief)
Can you check again?
She gives him a look, but punches it in again.
THE WOMAN
No Lisa Anderson, detective.
NICK
(after a beat)
Can there be some mistake?
THE WOMAN
(straining patience)
Only if you're making it.
He looks at her.
EXT. CATHERINE'S HOUSE ON DIVISADERO - DAY
He gets out of the Porsche, starts to go in. He looks
disturbed
Catherine comes out of the house with Hazel Dobkins, the
old woman we saw with her in Mill Valley. Nick watches
them a beat, then goes up to them.
CATHERINE
Hazel , this is Nick. I told you
all about him. This is Hazel
Dobkins.
HAZEL
(smiles)
You're the Shooter, aren't you?
How are you?
NICK
(after a beat)
Fine. Thank you.
85.
He looks at her sort of warily.
NICK
(continuing; to
Catherine)
Can I talk to you a minute?
CATHERINE
(to Hazel)
Honey, why don't you go in the car?
I'll be right there.
The old woman starts going to the Ferrari.
HAZEL
(brightly)
Goodbye, Shooter.
Nick looks at Hazel a beat, then at Catherine.
NICK
You like to hang out with murderers
or what? Did you know Roxy --
CATHERINE
Of course I knew.
He looks at her a long beat.
CATHERINE
(continuing;
casually)
Look. Sometimes when I do my
research, I get involved with
people. It happened with you, too.
She smiles. He looks at her, doesn't know what to say.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
Killing isn't like smoking. You
can quit.
He looks at her: What did she say?
CATHERINE
(continuing;
preoccupied)
I've go to go. I promised to get
her home by six o'clock. She just
loves "America's Most Wanted."
America's Most Wanted? She turns to go.
NICK
There was no Lisa Anderson at
Berkeley when you were there.
86.
She stops, looks at him a beat.
CATHERINE
What were you doing, checking up on
me? What for?
He says nothing. A long beat, she looks hurt.
CATHERINE
(continuing; after
a beat)
Henderson.
And she's gone.
INT. A PHONE BOOTH - DAY
He is on the phone.
NICK
Henderson. Lisa Henderson. With
an H.
He waits.
NICK
(continuing)
You do?
INT. THE DETECTIVE BUREAU - NIGHT
He sits in front of a computer screen with Andrews.
ANDREWS
I can get my butt kicked for this.
You're not supposed to be in here.
NICK
It's not gonna take long, Sam.
We see the computer screen. The screen says:
LISA HENDERSON DMV LICENSE CHECK
We wait and then we see the words:
1983 RENEWAL -- ELIZABETH GARDNER, 147
QUEENSTON DRIVE, SALINAS, CAL.
Nick stares at the screen.
NICK
(continuing)
Bring it up, will you, Sam?
A beat, and then we see the license itself: It is Beth
Gardner on the photo. Nick stares.
87.
ANDREWS
Hey, that's Dr. Gardner, isn't it?
NICK
Bring 1976 up.
A beat, and the license comes up. We see a young Beth
Gardner on the photo. She has blonde hair.
Nick stares.
INT. BETH GARDNER'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
She walks in. The apartment is dark.
NICK (O.S.)
You shouldn't leave your door open.
She is startled.
BETH
(after a beat)
I didn't. Something's wrong with
my lock.
A beat, she looks at him.
BETH
(continuing; cold)
What do you want, Nick?
NICK
(quietly)
Tell me about Catherine.
She looks at him a long beat, then turns away --
BETH
She told you, didn't she?
NICK
(after a beat)
What did she tell me, Beth?
BETH
(after a long beat)
I slept with her once in school.
(a beat)
I was just a kid. I was
experimenting. It was just that
one time.
(a beat)
She developed a... fixation... on
me. She styled her hair like mine.
She wore the same kind of clothes I
did. It scared me.
88.
She looks at him, sees his look.
BETH
(continuing)
Isn't that what she told you?
He looks at her a long beat.
NICK
She told me it was you. You wore
the same kind of clothes. You dyed
your hair blonde.
A long beat as they look at each other.
BETH
I did dye my hair. It didn't have
anything to do with her. I was a
redhead for a while, too.
NICK
(after a beat)
Did you know Noah Goldstein?
BETH
I had him in two classes.
NICK
You saw all the reports, Beth!
Phil had you copied. You never
said anything!
BETH
(after a beat)
What do I say -- Hey, listen, guys,
I'm not gay, but I did fuck your
suspect.
(she turns away)
I was embarrassed. It's the only
time I've been with a woman.
She turns to him.
BETH
(continuing)
She's really sick you know. Don't
you know what she's doing? She
knows I went to Berkeley. She
knows I knew Noah. She makes up
that story about me. She's handing
you somebody who's obsessed with he
her.
NICK
She didn't hand you to me. She
doesn't even know who you are. She
told me about Lisa Henderson.
89.
BETH
She knew you'd find out who Lisa
Henderson is. You're a good cop --
what did she do? Tell you casually
and make it seem irrelevant?
(she smiles)
Did she tell you in bed, Nick?
That's how I'd do it.
Nick looks at her a long beat.
NICK
Why did you change your name?
BETH
I got married.
(a beat)
He was on staff at the clinic. I
was down in Salinas. It didn't...
last long.
He gets up. He looks at her a long beat.
BETH
(continuing)
Nick -- Do you really think I...
that I could kill someone... I
never even met Johnny Boz. What
about Nilsen? What possible motive
would I have to kill him?
He turns to go.
NICK
You should do something about this
lock.
BETH
She's evil. She's brilliant. Be
careful, Nick.
He looks at her.
EXT. HIS APARTMENT - NIGHT
He gets out of his Porsche. He walks toward the door.
INT. HIS APARTMENT HOUSE - THE STAIRWAY
He starts going up the dark stairway. There is a hand on
his neck. He spins.
CATHERINE
(smiles)
Do I scare you, Nick?
90.
He looks at her, doesn't say anything.
CATHERINE
(continuing; smiles)
I just thought I'd surprise you.
(a beat)
What's the matter?
NICK
(after a beat)
I found Lisa Henderson.
CATHERINE
Did you? What's she doing?
He looks at her, doesn't say anything.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
You're not going to tell me what
she's doing.
(a beat)
I thought we weren't playing games
anymore.
NICK
(after a beat)
I did, too.
(a beat)
She told me it was backwards -- she
said you even styled your hair the
way she did.
Catherine looks at him a beat, then smiles.
CATHERINE
And you believed her? I even went
down to the campus police and made
out a report about her.
He just looks at her.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
You still think I kill people,
don't you?
NICK
(after a beat)
No.
CATHERINE
Liar.
And she's gone.
91.
INT. CAMPUS POLICE RECORDS ROOM - BERKELEY - DAY
He stands with an old CAMPUS COP. He is going through
files.
CAMPUS COP
Who'd you say you were with?
NICK
Homicide. San Francisco.
He stops at a file, opens it.
CAMPUS COP
Don't you guys communicate over
there? You must be the same way we
are.
Nick doesn't get it.
CAMPUS COP
(continuing)
There was a report about Lisa
Henderson -- January, 1977 -- the
file's not here.
NICK
What do you mean it's not here?
CAMPUS COP
San Francisco P.D. Detective
Nilsen. Internal Affairs. You
know him? Tell him we want it
back. He's had it a whole year.
Nick says nothing.
INT. HIS APARTMENT - DAY
He and Gus sit there -- they look tired, upset.
GUS
So Nilsen had a report on her -- so
what. You don't know what the hell
was in it?
NICK
Catherine told me what was in it.
GUS
If she's telling you the truth.
NICK
Don't you get it, Gus? If Beth
killed Johnny Boz to frame
Catherine -- she wouldn't want
anyone to know what happened at
Berkeley. It gives her the motive
to kill Nilsen.
92.
GUS
How did she know Nilsen knew about
it -- if it happened?
NICK
He was I.A. He probably asked her
about it.
Gus thinks about it.
GUS
She'd have to be nuttier than a
twenty-pound Christmas fruitcake.
She's not the one who hangs out
with multiple murderers -- your
girlfriend is.
NICK
She's a writer -- it's part of what
she does.
GUS
(irate)
Goddamn writers -- all they do is
use up trees and ruin people's eyes.
(a beat)
There's gotta be somebody at
Berkeley who knows what the hell
happened.
NICK
I know what happened. Catherine
told me what happened.
GUS
(after a beat,
quietly)
You got goddamn tweety-birds
flutterin' around your head, that's
what you got. You think you're
gonna fuck like minks, raise
rugrats, and live happily ever
after? Oh, man.
INT. THE STAIRWAY - HIS APARTMENT HOUSE - NIGHT
He has his key out to open his door. He hears MUSIC
inside. A beat, and he opens the door.
INT. HIS APARTMENT
It is dark. We hear a Rolling Stones SONG. He sees
Catherine standing by a window, watching him. She wears
black jeans and the black motorcycle jacket.
93.
They look at each other a long beat.
NICK
How'd you get in here?
CATHERINE
I decided to give you one more
chance.
(a beat)
I missed you.
NICK
You didn't not see me long enough
to miss me.
CATHERINE
Did you miss me?
NICK
No.
CATHERINE
Come over here and tell me no.
He walks up close to her.
NICK
No.
She unzips her motorcycle jacket slowly. She wears nothing
underneath it.
NICK
(continuing)
That's below the belt.
She reaches for him.
CATHERINE
Not yet it isn't.
She pulls him close.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
But we're getting there.
INT. HIS LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
They sit in the window seat, naked. His back is against
the wall. She sits against him. He has his legs around
her. They don't look at each other. She is smoking.
NICK
I have to do some research tomorrow.
94.
I'm very good at research. I'll help you.
NICK
(continuing)
No thanks.
CATHERINE
What are you researching?
NICK
I'm writing a book.
CATHERINE
(smiles)
Really. What are you writing about.
NICK
A detective. He falls for the
wrong girl.
CATHERINE
(smiles)
What happens to them?
NICK
(after a beat)
They fuck like minks, raise
rugrats, and live happily ever
after.
CATHERINE
(after a beat)
It won't sell.
NICK
Why not?
CATHERINE
(after a beat)
Somebody has to die.
NICK
Why?
CATHERINE
Somebody always does.
EXT. THE SALINAS CLINIC - DAY
He walks in; it is a small valley hospital. He goes up to
the desk. There are two women there.
NICK
Hi, I'm looking for a Dr. Gardner?
95.
ONE WOMAN
(after a beat)
We don't have a Dr. Gardner on
staff here.
THE OTHER WOMAN
Dr. Joseph Gardner?
NICK
(after a beat)
Yeah.
THE WOMAN
He died -- about five or six years
ago.
NICK
(after a beat)
He was shot.
INT. SALINAS SHERIFF'S OFFICE - DAY
Nick sits with a sheriff's DETECTIVE.
DETECTIVE
He was walking home from work.
They only lived a coupla blocks
from the clinic. Somebody drove by
and shot him.
NICK
What was the weapon?
DETECTIVE
.38 revolver. Never recovered.
NICK
Were there ever any suspects?
DETECTIVE
No suspects, no motive. Unsolved.
NICK
(after a beat)
Was his wife ever a suspect?
DETECTIVE
(after a beat)
I had another one of you guys down
here from Frisco -- about a year
ago -- he asked me the same
question. What's this about anyway?
96.
NICK
Routine.
DETECTIVE
Yeah, he said it was routine too.
Now it's two guys saying it's
routine.
NICK
Do you remember his name?
DETECTIVE
(after a long beat)
Nope, can't say that I do.
NICK
Nilsen?
DETECTIVE
That's him.
A long beat, then --
NICK
Was she ever a suspect?
DETECTIVE
Nope.
(a beat)
There was some talk; it never
panned.
NICK
What kind of talk?
DETECTIVE
The usual -- a girlfriend.
NICK
He had a girlfriend?
DETECTIVE
Nope. She did.
(a beat)
Like I say. It never panned.
NICK
(after a beat, gets
up)
Thanks.
DETECTIVE
I hope I helped you out.
NICK
(after a beat)
You did.
97.
EXT. HER HOUSE IN STINSON - AFTERNOON
He walks around the house; he sees her sitting out on the
deck, a portable word-processor in front of her. She is
smoking.
He goes up to her.
NICK
(smiles)
Hi. I missed you. I finished my
research.
He moves toward her. She moves away, kills her cigarette.
CATHERINE
I finished my book.
NICK
How did it end?
CATHERINE
(after a beat)
I told you. She kills him.
They look at each other a long beat.
CATHERINE
(continuing;
quietly)
Goodbye, Nick.
He stares at her. A long beat.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
I finished my book.
(a beat)
Didn't you hear me?*
(a beat)
Your character's dead.
(a beat)
Goodbye.
He stares at her. He can't believe what she is saying.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
What do you want, Nick? Flowers?
I'll send you some flowers.
NICK
(after a beat)
What is this -- some kind of...
Joke?
(a beat; he almost
smiles)
Are we playing games again?
98.
CATHERINE
(after a beat)
The games are over. You were
right. It was the fuck of the
century, Shooter.
He stares at her.
A VOICE INSIDE
Catherine?
Nick looks -- Hazel Dobkins is there.
Catherine still has her eyes on him.
CATHERINE
Right there.
A beat, and then she turns to go inside. Hazel Dobkins
smiles slowly at him.
EXT. THE POLICE PARKING LOT - DUSK
He sits in his Porsche, staring ahead. He is parked next
to Gus' Cadillac. Gus is suddenly there, onway to his car.
GUS
(excited)
Catherine Tramell's roommate her
freshman year. I got a call from
her. I've been calling people who
were in her dorm all day. She
must've heard I was trying to talk
to her. She says she knows all
about Catherine and Lisa Henderson.
She's over in Oakland. You wanna
come with me?
Nick just stares ahead.
GUS
(continuing)
You look like you seen a ghost, son?
Nick looks at him.
INT. GUS' CADILLAC - NIGHT
Gus drives.
GUS
(excited)
Johnny Boz's psychiatrist has an
office on Van Ness. Guess who he
shares office space with? Dr.
Elizabeth Gardner.
99.
Nick doesn't even respond. Gus looks at him.
GUS
(continuing)
What in hell's the matter with you?
Nick doesn't say anything, stares ahead.
EXT. AN OFFICE BUILDING - OAKLAND - NIGHT
Gus gets out with Nick. It is an old building.
GUS
Where the hell you goin'?
NICK
(after a beat)
I'm going with you.
GUS
She said alone -- suite 405. It
ain't gonna take long.
A beat, and Nick gets back in the car.
INT. THE OFFICE BUILDING - NIGHT
Gus is on the first floor. There is no one around. He
hits the elevator button. A beat, and it comes. He steps
in.
INT. THE ELEVATOR - NIGHT
He hits the button for the fourth floor.
The elevator rises a floor, stops. The door opens. There
is no one there. Then it starts going up again. It rises
to the third floor. It stops. The door opens. There is
no one there. Then it starts to rise again.
EXT. GUS' CADILLAC - NIGHT
Nick sits there, staring ahead.
NICK
(suddenly,
screaming)
Gus!
INT. THE ELEVATOR
As it goes up. It stops. The door starts to open. As it
does -- a figure in a hooded raincoat sweeps into the
elevator. It happens very fast. We see blonde hair around
the face.
100.
But we don't see the face itself -- the head is down, the
hood up. There is an icepick in the figure's hand. The
figure explodes into Gus. The icepick goes into his neck.
INT. THE STAIRWAY
Nick tears desperately up the stairway -- he hits the
fourth floor door. It explodes open.
INT. THE FOURTH FLOOR
He stands there a beat, sees the elevator door open. He
runs there, He sees Gus, crumpled into the corner of the
elevator.
INT. THE ELEVATOR
He goes into the elevator -- holds Gus. He is dead. A
long beat. He sees the gun in Gus' hand -- he takes the
gun out of his hand. He runs out of the elevator.
INT. THE FOURTH FLOOR
He hears something. Gun in hand, he runs towards the
SOUND. He stops, gun in hand, listens again. He runs
again, hears nothing.
Behind him, we see a figure.
He spins suddenly, gun, in hand. Beth Gardner is there.
She wears a windbreaker. She has her hands in the pockets.
BETH
What are you doing here?
NICK
(screaming)
Put your hands up!
She stares at him.
NICK
(continuing;
screams)
Put your fucking hands up! Don't
move.
BETH
I got a message on my machine to
meet Gus here. Where is he?
She smiles a strange smile. She takes a step toward him.
101.
NICK
(screams)
Don't!
(a beat)
I know about your husband. You
still like girls, Beth?
BETH
What?
She smiles strangely again, takes a step toward him.
NICK
(screams)
Take your hands out of your pockets!
She moves a hand in a pocket and moves towards him fast --
BETH
What is wrong with you?
And he FIRES the gun. She is hit in the chest, goes down.
A long beat, and then he goes to her. He gets down on the
ground. Her eyes are open. He empties the pockets of the
windbreaker -- first one, then the other: the pockets are
empty.
BETH
(continuing; in a
whisper)
I loved you.
And she dies.
INT. THE FOURTH FLOOR - LATER
A lot of policemen, coroner's guys, photos being taken.
Nick stands there with Lt. Walker, Harrigan, and some of
the Internal Affairs guys.
LT. WALKER
(upset)
What made you think she had a gun?
Nick says nothing; he looks like a zombie.
LT. WALKER
(continuing)
What the hell was she doing here?
What was Gus doing here?
Andrews yells to them from the stairway door.
ANDREWS
Lieutenant.
102.
INT. THE STAIRWAY
A FORENSICS MAN very carefully handles a hooded rain coat
in a stair landing. He wears gloves.
Nick is there with Lt. Walker.
The Forensics Man picks the raincoat up -- a long blonde
wig falls out of it. There are flecks of blood on it.
He reaches into the pocket and pulls out an icepick. It
has a thin steel handle and is bloody. He hands the
icepick to an assistant.
He looks at the raincoat. It has blood on it.
THE FORENSICS MAN
It's departmental issue.
LT. WALKER
(quietly)
Jesus.
INT. BETH GARDNER'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Nick with Lt. Walker. Nick looks like a zombie.
Andrews comes up to them. He has a gun in his hands.
ANDREWS
Thirty-eight caliber revolver.
Bottom drawer, bureau in the
bedroom.
LT. WALKER
Have ballistics check it for
Nilsen.
Harrigan comes out.
HARRIGAN
Lieutenant, you'd better come in
here.
Lt. Walker goes into the kitchen. Nick follows him.
There are several cops around a kitchen cabinet. A drawer
is open.
Walker looks -- we look with him. We see a copy of Love
hurts, Catherine's paperback book, and a stack of photos of
Catherine.
Walker picks the photos up, goes through them -- we see
shots of Catherine in college -- Catherine at a fight --
Catherine with Johnny Boz -- Catherine with Roxy.
103.
He hands the photos to Nick.
Nick stares at them.
LT. WALKER
I guess that's it.
INT. THE DETECTIVE BUREAU - NIGHT
Nick sits, his feet up. He looks like a zombie. With him
are Lt. Walker, Andrews, and Captain Talcott. We see other
plainclothesmen in the b.g. -- a flurry of activity, people
on phones. A long beat.
LT. WALKER
She must've heard you on the
stairway and dumped the stuff.
Nick says nothing, stares off.
A DETECTIVE comes over to them.
DETECTIVE
There was no suite 405 in that
building. Catherine Tramell's
roommate in her freshman year is
dead. She died of leukemia two
years ago.
An INTERNAL AFFAIRS MAN comes over to them.
INTERNAL AFFAIRS MAN
Our files on Dr. Gardner show
nothing about a police report in
Berkeley -- nothing related to
Salinas, either.
A long beat -- the phone RINGS. Andrews picks it up,
listens.
ANDREWS
Thanks.
He hangs up.
ANDREWS
(continuing)
Ballistics says the .38 we found in
her apartment matches Nilsen. No
registration. They're checking
with Salinas. The icepick is the
same brand and model as the Boz
weapon.
A long beat -- Nick just stares.
104.
Harrigan comes up to them.
HARRIGAN
We checked the tape machines at Dr.
Gardner's apartment and at her
office -- both here and the one on
Van Ness. No message from Gus on
any of 'em. The one at her
apartment was broken.
(a beat)
Johnny Boz's psychiatrist says he
thinks he remembers Dr. Gardner and
Boz meeting at a Christmas party at
his house a year ago.
A long beat.
LT. WALKER
(after a long beat,
sadly)
You just can't tell about people,
can you. Even the ones you think
you know inside-out.
He and Nick look at each other a beat.
CAPTAIN TALCOTT
Congratulations, Curran.
Nick looks at him, expressionless.
EXT. HIS APARTMENT - NIGHT
He parks his car. It is dark. Foggy.
He starts heading inside.
INT. HIS APARTMENT - NIGHT
He goes in. He starts to walk up the dark stairway, we see
him walking up several flights of steps.
INT. THE CORRIDOR TO HIS APARTMENT
He opens his door with his key.
INT. HIS APARTMENT
He walks in. The apartment is dark.
A VOICE
(behind him)
Hi.
105.
It is a whisper, almost a hiss. He spins, fast. Catherine
stands there, pressing herself against a wall. They look
at each other a long beat. She looks like she is almost in
a trance.
CATHERINE
I heard about it... on TV.
He looks at her, expressionless. A long beat, their eyes
are into each other. She looks like she is almost
shivering.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
I can't allow myself to care about
you -- I can't allow myself to
care -- I can't -- I can't --
She looks very emotional. He moves towards her, puts his
arms around her, holds her very close.
CATHERINE
(continuing; in a
whisper)
I don't want to do this -- please --
I don't want to do this -- I lose
everybody -- I don't want to lose
you -- I don't want to --
He presses her closer and closer to himself, holds her.
INT. HIS BEDROOM - NIGHT
It is dark; we can't see clearly.
Atop her... he makes love to her... gently... tenderly...
hardly moving inside her... there are tears in her eyes...
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HIS BEDROOM - LATER
Atop him... she is on her knees, straddling him... he is on
his back, his eyes are closed... her head arches back...
her breasts high... he strains toward her with his body...
she holds her arms high... her right hand is in a fist...
(we only see the back of her hand and arm)... it comes down
suddenly... he bucks... writhes... then her whole body
falls on top of him.
A very long beat...
We can't see him... her body completely covers him...
And then finally he moves... turns her to the side...
kisses her.
DISSOLVE TO:
106.
INT. HIS BEDROOM - LATER
The Stones play "Sympathy For The Devil" in the b.g.; the
MUSIC is low.
They lie next to each other on the bed. The CAMERA faces
them. He lies, staring at the ceiling, on the left side of
the bed, smoking a cigarette. She is curled away from him
toward the right side of the bed. A long beat, then --
CATHERINE
What do we do now, Nick?
NICK
(after a long beat)
We fuck like minks. We raise
rugrats. We live happily ever
after.
We see her right arm go to the side of the bed and then
over. He stares at the ceiling.
CATHERINE
I hate rugrats.
NICK
(after a long beat)
We fuck like minks. We forget the
rugrats. We live happily ever
after.
We see from an ANGLE to the left side of the bed now:
Her face is expressionless. Her right arm dangles over the
right side of the bed. Her right hand is clenched. Is she
holding something in it against her arm?
We see them from an ANGLE to the left side of the bed now:
He turns his body away from her to put out his cigarette.
We see her behind him slowly turning towards him and the
CAMERA. A beat, and he turns towards her.
They look at each other. A long beat as the SONG gets
louder. We see them in CLOSEUP. We don't see her right
arm.
CATHERINE
(in a whisper)
I love you.
107.
A beat, and he kisses her. The CAMERA BACKS AWAY from them
slowly to the right side of the bedroom as they kiss, and
we --
FADE TO BLACK:
... A long beat, as the SONG keeps playing... and we...
FADE IN:
We see them from the right side of the bedroom. And then
the CAMERA LOWERS SLOWLY as they kiss with more and more
passion.
It keeps going LOWER.
There is something under the bed. The CAMERA MOVES CLOSER
towards it as "SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL" plays louder. We
see it now in CLOSEUP as the bed rustles above...
It is a thin, steel-handled icepick.
The SONG plays LOUDER and LOUDER, and we --
FADE OUT:
THE END
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Found on INFlow Screenplay Repository
| Basic Instinct | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster |
|
| Directed by | Paul Verhoeven |
| Written by | Joe Eszterhas |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Jan de Bont |
| Edited by | Frank J. Urioste |
| Music by | Jerry Goldsmith |
|
Production |
|
| Distributed by |
|
|
Release dates |
|
|
Running time |
128 minutes[1] |
| Countries |
|
| Language | English |
| Budget | $49 million |
| Box office | $352.9 million[2] |
Basic Instinct is a 1992 neo-noir[3] erotic thriller film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas. The film follows San Francisco police detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas), who is investigating the brutal murder of a wealthy rock star. During the investigation, Curran becomes involved in a torrid and intense relationship with the prime suspect, Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), an enigmatic writer.
Eszterhas developed the script in the 1980s. It became a subject of a bidding war until Carolco Pictures acquired the rights to the film. From there, Verhoeven signed on to direct and Douglas and Stone joined the project, after many actresses were considered for the role of Tramell. Before its release, Basic Instinct generated controversy due to its overt sexuality and violence, including a rape scene. Gay rights activists criticized the film’s depiction of homosexual relationships and the portrayal of a bisexual woman as a murderous psychopath.[4][5] Most infamously, in one scene, Stone’s vulva was filmed as she crossed her legs, which she claimed was done without her knowledge, a claim denied by the director.[6][7]
Basic Instinct premiered in Los Angeles on March 18, 1992, and was released in the United States by TriStar Pictures on March 20, 1992.[8] It received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the performances of its cast, original score and editing, but criticized its writing and character development. Despite these reviews and public protest, Basic Instinct was a box office success, grossing $352 million worldwide, making it the fourth-highest-grossing film of 1992 behind Disney’s Aladdin, The Bodyguard and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.[9] Several versions of the film have been released on videocassette, DVD and Blu-ray including a director’s cut with extended footage previously unseen in North American cinemas.[10]
The film was later recognized for its groundbreaking depictions of sexuality in mainstream Hollywood cinema, and was described by one scholar as «a neo-film noir masterpiece that plays with, and transgresses, the narrative rules of film noir.»[11] A sequel released 14 years later, Basic Instinct 2, also starred Stone and was made without Verhoeven’s involvement; the sequel received negative reviews and was relatively unsuccessful.[12][13]
Plot[edit]
In San Francisco, homicide detective Nick Curran investigates the murder of retired rock star Johnny Boz, who has been stabbed to death with an ice pick during sex with a mysterious blonde woman. Nick’s only suspect is Boz’s girlfriend, crime novelist Catherine Tramell, who has written a novel that mirrors the crime. It is concluded that either Catherine is the murderer or someone is attempting to frame her. Catherine is uncooperative and taunting during the investigation, smoking and exposing herself during her interrogation. She passes a lie detector test and is released. Nick discovers Catherine has a history of befriending murderers, including her girlfriend Roxy, who impulsively killed her two younger brothers when she was 16 years of age, and Hazel Dobkins, who killed her husband and children for no apparent reason.
Nick, who accidentally shot two tourists while high on cocaine during an undercover assignment, attends counseling sessions with police psychologist Dr. Beth Garner, with whom he has an on-and-off affair. Nick discovers that Catherine is basing the protagonist of her latest book on him, wherein his character is murdered after falling for the wrong woman. Nick suspects that Catherine has bribed Lt. Marty Nielsen of Internal Affairs for information from Nick’s psychiatric file and that Beth had previously given it to Nielsen after he threatened to recommend Nick’s termination. Nick assaults Nielsen in his office, and later becomes a prime suspect when Nielsen is killed. Nick suspects Catherine, and when his behavior deteriorates, he is put on leave.
Nick and Catherine begin a torrid affair with the air of a cat-and-mouse game. Nick arrives at a club and witnesses Catherine doing cocaine with Roxy and another man. Nick and Catherine dance and make out, and are later observed by Roxy, having violent sex in Catherine’s bed. Catherine ties Nick to the headboard with a white silk scarf, just as Boz was tied by the mystery blonde, but does not kill him. Roxy, jealous of Nick, attempts to run him over with Catherine’s car, but dies when the car crashes. Catherine grieves over Roxy’s death and tells Nick about a previous lesbian encounter at college that went awry. She claims that the girl became obsessed with her, causing Nick to believe that Catherine may not have killed Boz. Nick identifies the girl as Beth, who acknowledges the encounter, but she claims it was Catherine who became obsessed. Additionally, Nick discovers that a college professor of Beth and Catherine’s was also killed with an ice pick in an unsolved homicide, and that the events inspired one of Catherine’s early novels.
Nick comes across the final pages of Catherine’s book in which the fictional detective finds his partner’s body in an elevator. Catherine then breaks off their affair, causing Nick to become upset and suspicious. Nick later meets his partner Gus Moran, who has arranged to meet with Catherine’s college roommate at an office building, hoping to reveal what really went on between Catherine and Beth. As Nick waits in the car, Gus is stabbed to death with an ice pick in the elevator. Recalling the last pages of Catherine’s book, Nick runs into the building, only to find Gus’ body in a manner similar to the scene described. Beth unexpectedly arrives and explains that she received a message to meet Gus. Nick suspects Beth has murdered Gus and, believing that she is reaching for a gun, shoots her, but discovers that Beth was only fiddling with an ornament on her key chain.
Evidence collected at the scene and in Beth’s apartment implicates her as the killer of Boz, Nielsen, Moran and her own husband, along with collections of photos and newspaper clippings of Catherine that imply an obsession with her. Nick is left confused and dejected. He returns to his apartment where Catherine meets him. She explains her reluctance to commit to him, as people she cares about keep dying; but then, the two have sex. As they discuss their future, an ice pick is revealed to be under the bed.
Cast[edit]
- Michael Douglas as Detective Nick Curran
- Sharon Stone as Catherine Tramell
- George Dzundza as Detective Gus Moran
- Jeanne Tripplehorn as Dr. Beth Garner
- Denis Arndt as Lieutenant Phillip Walker
- Leilani Sarelle as Roxanne «Roxy» Hardy
- Bruce A. Young as Andrews
- Chelcie Ross as Captain Talcott
- Dorothy Malone as Hazel Dobkins
- Wayne Knight as John Correli
- Daniel von Bargen as Lieutenant Marty Nielsen
- Stephen Tobolowsky as Dr. Lamott
- Benjamin Mouton as Harrigan
- Jack McGee as Sheriff
- Bill Cable as Johnny Boz
- James Rebhorn as Dr. McElwaine
Production[edit]
The screenplay, written in the 1980s, prompted a bidding war until it was purchased by Carolco Pictures for US$3 million.[14][15] Eszterhas, who had been the creative source for several other blockbusters, including Flashdance (1983) and Jagged Edge (1985), wrote the film in 13 days.[16] Verhoeven had suggested changes to the script that Eszterhas disagreed with, one of which included a lesbian sex scene that Eszterhas called «exploitative.»[8] With Verhoeven unwilling to budge, Eszterhas and producer Irwin Winkler left the production.
Gary Goldman was subsequently hired to do four different re-writes of the script, at the advice of Verhoeven. After the fourth re-write, Verhoeven admitted his proposals were «undramatic» and «really stupid». By the fifth draft, the script had reverted to Eszterhas’ original, with minor visual and dialogue changes.[17] Joe Eszterhas received sole writing credit for the film.
In preparation for the car chase scene, Douglas drove up the steps on Kearny Street in San Francisco for four nights by himself. Douglas recommended Kim Basinger for the role of Catherine Tramell, but Basinger declined.[18] He also proposed Julia Roberts,[19] Greta Scacchi[20] and Meg Ryan,[21] but they also turned down the role, as did Michelle Pfeiffer, Geena Davis, Kathleen Turner, Kelly Lynch, Ellen Barkin and Mariel Hemingway.[14][22] Verhoeven considered Demi Moore.[23] Stone, who was eventually selected for the role, was a relative unknown until the success of this film, but had previously worked with Verhoeven on Total Recall. Verhoeven said her quick change of emotion before her character was killed in Total Recall prompted him to select her for the part. «That transition for me was so notable. The evil in her eyes changes into the love of her life in a couple seconds.»[24] She was paid $500,000, a low sum relative to the film’s production budget.[citation needed] Michael Douglas was determined to have another A-list actress starring in the movie with him; worried to take the risk on his own, he was quoted as saying «I need someone to share the risks of this movie. […] I don’t want to be up there all by myself. There’s going to be a lot of shit flying around.»[19]
Filming in San Francisco was attended by gay and lesbian rights activists and demonstrators,[25] and San Francisco Police Department riot police were present at every location daily to deal with the crowds. Protesters outside of filming locations held signs that said «Honk if you love the 49ers» and «Honk if you love men». The protesters used lasers and whistles to interfere with the filming. Even though the police were on set and a restraining order was in place, producer Alan Marshall individually picked out each protester he wanted arrested. This disrupted production, leading to a citizen’s arrest of Marshall, which didn’t lead to anything with the local police department.[8]
In one scene, Stone’s vulva was filmed as she crossed her legs. Stone later said she believed the character’s not wearing underwear would only be alluded to and not shown.[26] She said she had been wearing white knickers until Verhoeven said they reflected light on the camera lens and asked her to take them off, assuring her that only shadow would be visible. Stone said that it was not until she saw the film in a screening room with a test audience that she became aware of it, leading her to slap Verhoeven in the face and leave the screening.[7] However, Verhoeven denied her claim, and said she was fully aware in advance that her vulva would be filmed.[27]
Jeanne Tripplehorn maintains that the notorious scene in which her character and Douglas’ had brutal, bruising sex was somewhat «lighter» when described to her by Verhoeven before shooting.[28]
Music[edit]
Soundtrack[edit]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Filmtracks |   link |
The film score to Basic Instinct was composed by Jerry Goldsmith, and garnered him nominations for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award.[29] Goldsmith said, «Basic Instinct was probably the most difficult I’ve ever done. It’s a very convoluted story with very unorthodox characters. It’s a murder mystery, but it isn’t really a murder mystery. The director, Paul Verhoeven, had a very clear idea of how the woman should be, and I had a hard time getting it. Because of Paul pushing me, I think it’s one of the best scores I’ve ever written. It was a true collaboration.»[30]
Apart from the score, professionally released music did not play a major part in the film. The scene in which source music plays a prominent role occurs during the club scene; Curran, Tramell and Roxy are seen at Downtown San Francisco. It features «Blue» by Chicago house music performer LaTour and «Rave the Rhythm» by the group Channel X. It also features «Movin’ on Up» by Jeff Barry and Ja’Net DuBois. Chris Rea’s «Looking for the Summer» is heard during the scene between Douglas and his partner at Mac’s Diner.
The soundtrack was released on March 17, 1992. A considerably expanded release of Goldsmith’s score, featuring previously omitted sections and alternative compositions of certain elements, was issued by Prometheus Records in 2004.
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
- «Main Title (Theme from Basic Instinct)» – 2:13
- «Crossed Legs» – 4:49
- «Night Life» – 6:03
- «Kitchen Help» – 3:58
- «Pillow Talk» – 4:59
- «Morning After» – 2:29
- «The Games Are Over» – 5:53
- «Catherine’s Sorrow» – 2:41
- «Roxy Loses» – 3:37
- «An Unending Story» – 7:56
The Complete Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
- «Main Title» – 2:13
- «First Victim» – 1:39
- «Catherine & Roxy» – 5:14
- «Shadows» – 0:41
- «Profile» – 0:49
- «Don’t Smoke» – 2:26
- «Crossed Legs» – 4:49
- «Beth & Nick» – 2:21
- «Night Life» – 6:03
- «Home Visit» – 1:13
- «Your Wife Knew» – 1:44
- «Untitled» – 0:52
- «That’s Real Music» – 0:27
- «One Shot» – 1:27
- «Kitchen Help» – 3:58
- «Pillow Talk» – 4:59
- «Morning After» – 2:29
- «Roxy Loses» – 3:37
- «Catherine’s Sorrow» – 2:41
- «Wrong Name» – 2:22
- «She’s Really Sick» – 1:31
- «It Won’t Sell» – 1:02
- «Games Are Over» – 5:53
- «Evidence» – 1:39
- «Unending Story / End Credits» – 9:23
- «First Victim» (alternate version) – 1:34
Release[edit]
Theatrical[edit]
The film was entered into the 1992 Cannes Film Festival.[31]
MPAA rating[edit]
Basic Instinct is rated R for «strong violence and sensuality, and for drug use and language». It was initially given a commercially restrictive NC-17 rating by the MPAA for «graphic depictions of extremely explicit violence, sexual content and strong language», but under pressure from TriStar and Carolco, Verhoeven cut 35 to 40 seconds to gain an R rating.[14] Verhoeven described the changes in a March 1992 article in The New York Times:
Actually, I didn’t have to cut many things, but I replaced things from different angles, made it a little more elliptical, a bit less direct.[14]
The film was subsequently re-released in its uncut format on video and later on DVD.
Home media[edit]
Following the theatrical version, the film was first released in its uncut format in an unrated version onto video in 1992, running at 129 minutes. This was followed by a DVD release in 1997, in a «bare bones» format that contained the R-rated version. A ‘collector’s edition’ was released on DVD in 2001, containing the uncut version of the film with a commentary by Camille Paglia and a small ice pick (the villain’s weapon of choice). This version of the film, running 127 minutes, was re-released twice: in 2003 and 2006.[verification needed]
In March 2006, the unrated version (also known as the ‘director’s cut’) was re-released on DVD and labeled as the ‘ultimate edition’. In 2007, the film was released on Blu-ray with the ‘director’s cut’ label.
The film was cut by 35 to 40 seconds to avoid an NC-17 rating on its theatrical release in 1992,[14] with some violence and sexually explicit content removed. The missing or censored material (later released on video and DVD unrated as the director’s cut) included:
- The murder of Johnny Boz in the opening scene. In the director’s cut, the killer is seen stabbing him in his neck, in the chest and through his nose. In addition, the killer is still having violent sex with him while stabbing him at the same time.
- The scene where Nick has sex with Beth is cut in the US theatrical version, as he is seen ripping off her clothes and forcing her over the couch, before a cut to the two of them lying on the floor. In the uncut version they are seen having rougher sex.
- The scene where Nick and Catherine have sex after going to the club is longer and much more explicit in the uncut version.
The film was released in the UK by StudioCanal on restored 4K Ultra HD ‘collector’s edition’, a remastered Blu-ray, DVD and digital download on June 14, 2021. The film was released in Australia on July 7 and New Zealand on July 14, 2021. Restoration was done during 2019 and 2020 from the original 35MM negative and supervised by the director. A new special feature includes a documentary titled «Basic Instinct, Sex, Death & Stone».[32]
Reception[edit]
Box office[edit]
Basic Instinct opened in theaters in the United States and Canada on March 20, 1992 and was one of the highest-grossing films of 1992. In its opening weekend, the film grossed $15 million opening at number one at the US box office. It returned to number one in its fifth week where it remained for four weeks. It went on to gross $117.7 million in the United States and Canada and was the highest-grossing film for the calendar year worldwide[33] grossing $352,927,224, which eventually ranked the fourth-highest-grossing film released in 1992.[34] It had a record opening in Italy with a gross of $5.44 million for the week from 155 screens and was number one for four weeks.[35] It was the highest-grossing film for the year in Italy with a gross of $20 million.[36] It was the highest-grossing film in Spain of all time with a gross of $21.6 million.[37][38] In the United Kingdom, it was number one for three weeks and was the highest-grossing film for the year in the UK with a gross of £15.5 million.[39] It was also number one for the year in France ($27 million), Germany (4.5 million admissions), South Africa ($3 million), Iceland and Ireland.[40][41] In Australia, it was number one for three weeks and the second-highest-grossing film for the year with a gross of A$13.1 million.[42]
Critical response[edit]
Basic Instinct‘s critical reaction was mixed. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a score of 57% based on 74 reviews, with an average rating of 6.20/10 and the consensus that «Unevenly echoing the work of Alfred Hitchcock, Basic Instinct contains a star-making performance from Sharon Stone, but is ultimately undone by its problematic, overly lurid plot.»[43] On Metacritic the film holds a score of 43 based on 28 critics, indicating «mixed or average» reviews.[44] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of «B+» on an A+ to F scale.[45]
Janet Maslin of The New York Times praised the film, saying «Basic Instinct transfers Mr. Verhoeven’s flair for action-oriented material to the realm of Hitchcockian intrigue, and the results are viscerally effective even when they don’t make sense.»[46] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone also praised the film, saying it was a guilty pleasure film; he also expressed admiration for Verhoeven’s direction, saying «[his] cinematic wet dream delivers the goods, especially when Sharon Stone struts on with enough come-on carnality to singe the screen,» and praised Stone’s performance: «Stone, a former model, is a knockout; she even got a rise out of Ah-nold in Verhoeven’s Total Recall. But being the bright spot in too many dull movies (He Said, She Said; Irreconcilable Differences) stalled her career. Though Basic Instinct establishes Stone as a bombshell for the Nineties, it also shows she can nail a laugh or shade an emotion with equal aplomb.»[47]
Australian critic Shannon J. Harvey of the Sunday Times calling it one of the «1990s[‘] finest productions, doing more for female empowerment than any feminist rally. Stone—in her star-making performance—is as hot and sexy as she is ice-pick cold.»[48]
The film had many detractors.[49] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times awarded it two out of four stars, saying the film was well crafted but died down in the last half-hour: «The film is like a crossword puzzle. It keeps your interest until you solve it. Then it’s just a worthless scrap with the spaces filled in.»[50] Dave Kehr of the Chicago Tribune also gave a negative review, calling it psychologically empty: «Verhoeven does not explore the dark side, but merely exploits it, and that makes all the difference in the world.»[51]
Controversy[edit]
The film generated controversy due to its graphic sexuality and violence, including the truncated rape scene. Gay rights activists protested during filming, saying it followed a pattern of negative depictions of homosexuals in film.[52] Members of the lesbian and bisexual activist group LABIA protested against the film on its opening night. Others also picketed theatres to dissuade people from attending screenings, carrying signs saying «Kiss My Ice Pick», «Hollywood Promotes Anti-Gay Violence» and «Catherine Did It!»/»Save Your Money—The Bisexual Did It».[53] Verhoeven himself defended the groups’ right to protest, but criticized the disruptions they caused, saying «Fascism is not in raising your voice; the fascism is in not accepting the no.»[54]
Film critic Roger Ebert mentioned the controversy in his review, saying «As for the allegedly offensive homosexual characters: The movie’s protesters might take note of the fact that this film’s heterosexuals, starting with Douglas, are equally offensive. Still, there is a point to be made about Hollywood’s unremitting insistence on typecasting homosexuals—particularly lesbians—as twisted and evil.»[55] Camille Paglia denounced gay activist and feminist protests against Basic Instinct, and called Sharon Stone’s performance «one of the great performances by a woman in screen history», praising her character as «a great vamp figure, like Mona Lisa herself, like a pagan goddess».[56]
The film was also criticized for glamorizing cigarette smoking. Screenwriter Joe Eszterhas was later diagnosed with throat cancer and publicly apologized for glamorizing smoking in his films.[57]
Since the release of the film, Stone alleged multiple times that a scene in which her vulva was exposed as she crossed her legs was filmed without her knowledge.[7] In her Inside the Actors Studio interview in 1998, Stone said of the experience that, while she was initially angry, she realized the director’s decision was the right one, saying «And I thought about it for a few days and I knew in my heart, he was right. I hated that it existed, I hated it more than he stole it from me instead of allowing me to choose. But he was right.»[58] In 2021, Stone alleged once again in her memoir that she was misled by Verhoeven with regard to the circumstance of the filming of the scene even though she ultimately did not seek an injunction against it.[59] Verhoeven responded that it was «impossible» and «she knew exactly what we were doing.» However, despite having a «radically different» memory about the particular scene, he praised Stone’s performance and said they’re on good terms.[60]
During the trial of the murder of Jun Lin, the prosecution stated that Luka Magnotta was inspired by the film and Stone’s character, Catherine Tramell.[61][62]
Awards and nominations[edit]
| Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20/20 Awards | Best Actress | Sharon Stone | Nominated |
| Academy Awards[63] | Best Film Editing | Frank J. Urioste | Nominated |
| Best Original Score | Jerry Goldsmith | Nominated | |
| Awards Circuit Community Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Sharon Stone | Nominated |
| Best Film Editing | Frank J. Urioste | Nominated | |
| BMI Film & TV Awards | Film Music Award | Jerry Goldsmith | Won |
| Cannes Film Festival[31][64] | Palme d’Or | Paul Verhoeven | Nominated |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards[65] | Best Actress | Sharon Stone | Nominated |
| DVD Exclusive Awards | Best Original Retrospective Documentary | Jeffrey Schwarz | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards[66] | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama | Sharon Stone | Nominated |
| Best Original Score – Motion Picture | Jerry Goldsmith | Nominated | |
| Golden Raspberry Awards[67] | Worst Actor | Michael Douglas (also for Shining Through) | Nominated |
| Worst Supporting Actress | Jeanne Tripplehorn | Nominated | |
| Worst New Star | Sharon Stone’s tribute to Theodore Cleaver | Nominated | |
| Golden Screen Awards | Won | ||
| Japan Academy Film Prize | Outstanding Foreign Language Film | Nominated | |
| MTV Movie Awards | Best Movie | Nominated | |
| Best Male Performance | Michael Douglas | Nominated | |
| Best Female Performance | Sharon Stone | Won | |
| Most Desirable Female | Won | ||
| Best Villain | Nominated | ||
| Best On-Screen Duo | Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone | Nominated | |
| Nikkan Sports Film Awards | Best Foreign Film | Won | |
| Saturn Awards | Best Horror Film | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Paul Verhoeven | Nominated | |
| Best Writing | Joe Eszterhas | Nominated | |
| Best Actress | Sharon Stone | Nominated | |
| Best Music | Jerry Goldsmith | Nominated |
See also[edit]
- Fatal Attraction, a 1987 film exploring similar themes
- Fatal Instinct, a 1993 film parody
References[edit]
- ^ «BASIC INSTINCT (18)». British Board of Film Classification. March 18, 1992. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
- ^ Box Office Mojo Archived July 20, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
- ^ Silver, Alain; Ward, Elizabeth; eds. (1992). Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style (3rd ed.). Woodstock, New York: The Overlook Press. ISBN 0-87951-479-5
- ^ Leistedt, Samuel J.; Linkowski, Paul (January 2014). «Psychopathy and the Cinema: Fact or Fiction?». Journal of Forensic Sciences. 59 (1): 167–174. doi:10.1111/1556-4029.12359. PMID 24329037. S2CID 14413385.
- ^ «Dr. Fredricks Cinema Therapy Blog — Narcissistic personality disorder». Dr. Randi Fredricks, PhD. Archived from the original on September 15, 2013. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
- ^ Owoseje, Toyin (March 20, 2021). «Sharon Stone says she was misled about explicit interrogation scene in ‘Basic Instinct’: Vanity Fair». CTVNews. Archived from the original on March 20, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
- ^ a b c «A Conversation with Sharon Stone» from the Basic Instinct: Ultimate Edition DVD (Lions Gate Home Entertainment, 2006).
- ^ a b c «Basic Instinct». AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Archived from the original on June 9, 2019. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
- ^ «Basic Instinct (1992) — Box Office Mojo». Boxofficemojo.com. Archived from the original on July 20, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ Basic Instinct (1992) — IMDb, archived from the original on April 7, 2017, retrieved October 8, 2020
- ^ Murray, Terri (2008). Feminist Film Studies: A Teacher’s Guide. Auteur.
- ^ «Moviefone Top 25 Box Office Bombs of All Time». Moviefone.com. Archived from the original on July 23, 2008. Retrieved September 5, 2008.
- ^ «Worst of the Worst 2009 — Dragonfly». Rotten Tomatoes. March 16, 2010. Archived from the original on March 16, 2010. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Weinraub, Bernard (March 15, 1992). «‘Basic Instinct’: The Suspect Is Attractive, and May Be Fatal». The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 2, 2017. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
But the sexual content of the film helped determine the choice of its female star. Ms. Stone, who played Arnold Schwarzenegger’s wife in ‘Total Recall’, was cast in ‘Basic Instinct’ only after better-known actresses like Michelle Pfeiffer, Kim Basinger, Geena Davis, Ellen Barkin and Mariel Hemingway rejected her part, largely because it demanded so much nudity and sexual simulation.
- ^ «Retrospectives: BASIC INSTINCT». Archived from the original on November 13, 2007. Retrieved November 6, 2007.
- ^ «Wisdom Wednesday: Joe Eszterhas’ 10 Golden Rules of Screenwriting by Joe Eszterhas». Moviemaker Magazine. October 2, 2013. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ «AFI Catalog of Feature Films: Basic Instinct». catalog.afi.com. Archived from the original on June 9, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
- ^ «Basic Instinct». AMC. Archived from the original on March 2, 2019. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ^ a b Warren, Jane (March 29, 2011). «Michael Douglas’s real basic instinct». Daily Express. Archived from the original on December 28, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
- ^ «BBC — Drama Faces — Greta Scacchi». Archived from the original on January 5, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
- ^ «BBC — Films — interview — Meg Ryan». Bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on November 19, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ «Why Kelly Lynch Doesn’t Regret Turning Down ‘Basic Instinct’«.
- ^ Bryce Hallett (February 10, 2001). «Her world’s a stage». Sydney Morning Herald. p. 3.
- ^ Siegel, Alan (June 4, 2020). «Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mission to Mars». The Ringer. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
- ^ Basic Instinct (Making of, The). 20th Century Fox. 2001.
- ^ Sharon Stone talking about Basic Instinct. September 12, 2014. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved January 30, 2018 – via YouTube.
- ^ «‘INSTINCT’ TELLS HIM NO». Pagesix.com. August 20, 2000. Archived from the original on November 20, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ «Jeanne Tripplehorn in The Firm«. ew.com. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
- ^ «Filmtracks: Basic Instinct (Jerry Goldsmith)». Filmtracks.com. Archived from the original on November 22, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ Velez, Andy. «Evening the Score» Jerry Goldsmith interview Archived April 30, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Barnes & Noble. Retrieved 2011-06-06.
- ^ a b «Festival de Cannes: Basic Instinct». festival-cannes.com. Archived from the original on September 21, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2009.
- ^ «‘Basic Instinct’ Gets 4K Restoration by Studiocanal, Set for Theatrical, Home Entertainment Releases». Variety.com. April 21, 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
- ^ Klady, Leonard (January 8, 1993). «Carolco’s Instinct is global champ». Screen International. p. 9.
- ^ «1992 Worldwide Grosses». Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on December 16, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
- ^ Groves, Don (September 28, 1992). «‘Basic’ boffo in Italo bow». Variety. p. 29.
- ^ «Italian foreign top 10». Screen International. January 29, 1993. p. 18.
- ^ «Top 10 grossers in Spain». Variety. October 4, 1993. p. 66.
- ^ Groves, Don (November 22, 1993). «Dinos set o’seas mark of $500 mil». Variety. p. 16.
- ^ «UK Top 50 Films». Screen International. January 29, 1993. p. 15.
- ^ «Statistics». Screen International. March 26, 1993. pp. 34–35.
- ^ «South African top 10 1992». Screen International. January 29, 1993. p. 27.
- ^ «Top 50 Films Each Year — 1992». Screen Australia. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
- ^ «Basic Instinct». Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Archived from the original on August 30, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
- ^ «Basic Instinct». Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on March 3, 2015. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
- ^ «CinemaScore». cinemascore.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
- ^ Maslin, Janet. Basic Instinct. New York Times[permanent dead link]. Retrieved November 5, 2007.
- ^ Travers, Peter. Basic Instinct. Rolling Stone Archived June 28, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
- ^ «Basic Instinct». Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on October 11, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
- ^ Lundin, Leigh (July 25, 2010). «Erotic Mystery Thrillers». Criminal Brief. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
- ^ Ebert, Roger. «Basic Instinct». Rogerebert.com. Archived from the original on May 29, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ‘^ Kehr, Dave. «Blatant ‘Instinct.» Chicago Tribune Archived June 6, 2020, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ^ Los Angeles Times, April 29, 1991: Gays Bashing Basic Instinct. See also Phyllis Burke, Family Values: Two Moms and Their Son. New York: Random House (1993), which covers the protests over several chapters.
- ^ Couvares, Francis G. (2006). Movie Censorship and American Culture (2nd ed.). ISBN 978-1-55849-575-3. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
- ^ Keesey, Douglas (2005). Paul Verhoeven. p. 130. ISBN 978-3-8228-3101-4.
- ^ «Basic Instinct». Chicago Sun-Times.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Paglia, Camille. Vamps & Tramps: New Essays. London: Penguin Books, 1994. p. 489
- ^ Ball, Ian (August 22, 2002). «A smoking star is a loaded gun». The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
- ^ Inside the Actors Studio interview with Sharon Stone. Episode dated January 10, 1999.
- ^ Toyin Owoseje (March 19, 2021). «Sharon Stone says she was misled about explicit scene in ‘Basic Instinct’«. CNN. Archived from the original on March 20, 2021. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
- ^ Brent Lang (July 7, 2021). «‘Benedetta’ Director Paul Verhoeven on Sex, His Jesus Fascination and Hollywood Puritanism’«. Variety (magazine). Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ^ Shivji, Salimah (November 17, 2014). «Luka Magnotta inspired by film Basic Instinct, Crown says». CBC News. Montreal.
- ^ Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (Streaming). Netflix. 2019.
- ^ «The 65th Academy Awards (1993) Nominees and Winners». Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Archived from the original on November 9, 2014. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
- ^ «Awards 1992: All Awards». festival-cannes.fr. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015.
- ^ «1988-2013 Award Winner Archives». Chicago Film Critics Association. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
- ^ «Basic Instinct – Golden Globes». HFPA. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
- ^ Wilson, John (August 23, 2000). «Ceremonies Presented at The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel Oscar Room, March 28, 1993». Razzies.com. Archived from the original on February 28, 2009. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
External links[edit]
| Basic Instinct | |
|---|---|
|
Theatrical release poster |
|
| Directed by | Paul Verhoeven |
| Written by | Joe Eszterhas |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Jan de Bont |
| Edited by | Frank J. Urioste |
| Music by | Jerry Goldsmith |
|
Production |
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| Distributed by |
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|
Release dates |
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|
Running time |
128 minutes[1] |
| Countries |
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| Language | English |
| Budget | $49 million |
| Box office | $352.9 million[2] |
Basic Instinct is a 1992 neo-noir[3] erotic thriller film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas. The film follows San Francisco police detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas), who is investigating the brutal murder of a wealthy rock star. During the investigation, Curran becomes involved in a torrid and intense relationship with the prime suspect, Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), an enigmatic writer.
Eszterhas developed the script in the 1980s. It became a subject of a bidding war until Carolco Pictures acquired the rights to the film. From there, Verhoeven signed on to direct and Douglas and Stone joined the project, after many actresses were considered for the role of Tramell. Before its release, Basic Instinct generated controversy due to its overt sexuality and violence, including a rape scene. Gay rights activists criticized the film’s depiction of homosexual relationships and the portrayal of a bisexual woman as a murderous psychopath.[4][5] Most infamously, in one scene, Stone’s vulva was filmed as she crossed her legs, which she claimed was done without her knowledge, a claim denied by the director.[6][7]
Basic Instinct premiered in Los Angeles on March 18, 1992, and was released in the United States by TriStar Pictures on March 20, 1992.[8] It received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the performances of its cast, original score and editing, but criticized its writing and character development. Despite these reviews and public protest, Basic Instinct was a box office success, grossing $352 million worldwide, making it the fourth-highest-grossing film of 1992 behind Disney’s Aladdin, The Bodyguard and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.[9] Several versions of the film have been released on videocassette, DVD and Blu-ray including a director’s cut with extended footage previously unseen in North American cinemas.[10]
The film was later recognized for its groundbreaking depictions of sexuality in mainstream Hollywood cinema, and was described by one scholar as «a neo-film noir masterpiece that plays with, and transgresses, the narrative rules of film noir.»[11] A sequel released 14 years later, Basic Instinct 2, also starred Stone and was made without Verhoeven’s involvement; the sequel received negative reviews and was relatively unsuccessful.[12][13]
Plot[edit]
In San Francisco, homicide detective Nick Curran investigates the murder of retired rock star Johnny Boz, who has been stabbed to death with an ice pick during sex with a mysterious blonde woman. Nick’s only suspect is Boz’s girlfriend, crime novelist Catherine Tramell, who has written a novel that mirrors the crime. It is concluded that either Catherine is the murderer or someone is attempting to frame her. Catherine is uncooperative and taunting during the investigation, smoking and exposing herself during her interrogation. She passes a lie detector test and is released. Nick discovers Catherine has a history of befriending murderers, including her girlfriend Roxy, who impulsively killed her two younger brothers when she was 16 years of age, and Hazel Dobkins, who killed her husband and children for no apparent reason.
Nick, who accidentally shot two tourists while high on cocaine during an undercover assignment, attends counseling sessions with police psychologist Dr. Beth Garner, with whom he has an on-and-off affair. Nick discovers that Catherine is basing the protagonist of her latest book on him, wherein his character is murdered after falling for the wrong woman. Nick suspects that Catherine has bribed Lt. Marty Nielsen of Internal Affairs for information from Nick’s psychiatric file and that Beth had previously given it to Nielsen after he threatened to recommend Nick’s termination. Nick assaults Nielsen in his office, and later becomes a prime suspect when Nielsen is killed. Nick suspects Catherine, and when his behavior deteriorates, he is put on leave.
Nick and Catherine begin a torrid affair with the air of a cat-and-mouse game. Nick arrives at a club and witnesses Catherine doing cocaine with Roxy and another man. Nick and Catherine dance and make out, and are later observed by Roxy, having violent sex in Catherine’s bed. Catherine ties Nick to the headboard with a white silk scarf, just as Boz was tied by the mystery blonde, but does not kill him. Roxy, jealous of Nick, attempts to run him over with Catherine’s car, but dies when the car crashes. Catherine grieves over Roxy’s death and tells Nick about a previous lesbian encounter at college that went awry. She claims that the girl became obsessed with her, causing Nick to believe that Catherine may not have killed Boz. Nick identifies the girl as Beth, who acknowledges the encounter, but she claims it was Catherine who became obsessed. Additionally, Nick discovers that a college professor of Beth and Catherine’s was also killed with an ice pick in an unsolved homicide, and that the events inspired one of Catherine’s early novels.
Nick comes across the final pages of Catherine’s book in which the fictional detective finds his partner’s body in an elevator. Catherine then breaks off their affair, causing Nick to become upset and suspicious. Nick later meets his partner Gus Moran, who has arranged to meet with Catherine’s college roommate at an office building, hoping to reveal what really went on between Catherine and Beth. As Nick waits in the car, Gus is stabbed to death with an ice pick in the elevator. Recalling the last pages of Catherine’s book, Nick runs into the building, only to find Gus’ body in a manner similar to the scene described. Beth unexpectedly arrives and explains that she received a message to meet Gus. Nick suspects Beth has murdered Gus and, believing that she is reaching for a gun, shoots her, but discovers that Beth was only fiddling with an ornament on her key chain.
Evidence collected at the scene and in Beth’s apartment implicates her as the killer of Boz, Nielsen, Moran and her own husband, along with collections of photos and newspaper clippings of Catherine that imply an obsession with her. Nick is left confused and dejected. He returns to his apartment where Catherine meets him. She explains her reluctance to commit to him, as people she cares about keep dying; but then, the two have sex. As they discuss their future, an ice pick is revealed to be under the bed.
Cast[edit]
- Michael Douglas as Detective Nick Curran
- Sharon Stone as Catherine Tramell
- George Dzundza as Detective Gus Moran
- Jeanne Tripplehorn as Dr. Beth Garner
- Denis Arndt as Lieutenant Phillip Walker
- Leilani Sarelle as Roxanne «Roxy» Hardy
- Bruce A. Young as Andrews
- Chelcie Ross as Captain Talcott
- Dorothy Malone as Hazel Dobkins
- Wayne Knight as John Correli
- Daniel von Bargen as Lieutenant Marty Nielsen
- Stephen Tobolowsky as Dr. Lamott
- Benjamin Mouton as Harrigan
- Jack McGee as Sheriff
- Bill Cable as Johnny Boz
- James Rebhorn as Dr. McElwaine
Production[edit]
The screenplay, written in the 1980s, prompted a bidding war until it was purchased by Carolco Pictures for US$3 million.[14][15] Eszterhas, who had been the creative source for several other blockbusters, including Flashdance (1983) and Jagged Edge (1985), wrote the film in 13 days.[16] Verhoeven had suggested changes to the script that Eszterhas disagreed with, one of which included a lesbian sex scene that Eszterhas called «exploitative.»[8] With Verhoeven unwilling to budge, Eszterhas and producer Irwin Winkler left the production.
Gary Goldman was subsequently hired to do four different re-writes of the script, at the advice of Verhoeven. After the fourth re-write, Verhoeven admitted his proposals were «undramatic» and «really stupid». By the fifth draft, the script had reverted to Eszterhas’ original, with minor visual and dialogue changes.[17] Joe Eszterhas received sole writing credit for the film.
In preparation for the car chase scene, Douglas drove up the steps on Kearny Street in San Francisco for four nights by himself. Douglas recommended Kim Basinger for the role of Catherine Tramell, but Basinger declined.[18] He also proposed Julia Roberts,[19] Greta Scacchi[20] and Meg Ryan,[21] but they also turned down the role, as did Michelle Pfeiffer, Geena Davis, Kathleen Turner, Kelly Lynch, Ellen Barkin and Mariel Hemingway.[14][22] Verhoeven considered Demi Moore.[23] Stone, who was eventually selected for the role, was a relative unknown until the success of this film, but had previously worked with Verhoeven on Total Recall. Verhoeven said her quick change of emotion before her character was killed in Total Recall prompted him to select her for the part. «That transition for me was so notable. The evil in her eyes changes into the love of her life in a couple seconds.»[24] She was paid $500,000, a low sum relative to the film’s production budget.[citation needed] Michael Douglas was determined to have another A-list actress starring in the movie with him; worried to take the risk on his own, he was quoted as saying «I need someone to share the risks of this movie. […] I don’t want to be up there all by myself. There’s going to be a lot of shit flying around.»[19]
Filming in San Francisco was attended by gay and lesbian rights activists and demonstrators,[25] and San Francisco Police Department riot police were present at every location daily to deal with the crowds. Protesters outside of filming locations held signs that said «Honk if you love the 49ers» and «Honk if you love men». The protesters used lasers and whistles to interfere with the filming. Even though the police were on set and a restraining order was in place, producer Alan Marshall individually picked out each protester he wanted arrested. This disrupted production, leading to a citizen’s arrest of Marshall, which didn’t lead to anything with the local police department.[8]
In one scene, Stone’s vulva was filmed as she crossed her legs. Stone later said she believed the character’s not wearing underwear would only be alluded to and not shown.[26] She said she had been wearing white knickers until Verhoeven said they reflected light on the camera lens and asked her to take them off, assuring her that only shadow would be visible. Stone said that it was not until she saw the film in a screening room with a test audience that she became aware of it, leading her to slap Verhoeven in the face and leave the screening.[7] However, Verhoeven denied her claim, and said she was fully aware in advance that her vulva would be filmed.[27]
Jeanne Tripplehorn maintains that the notorious scene in which her character and Douglas’ had brutal, bruising sex was somewhat «lighter» when described to her by Verhoeven before shooting.[28]
Music[edit]
Soundtrack[edit]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Filmtracks | link |
The film score to Basic Instinct was composed by Jerry Goldsmith, and garnered him nominations for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award.[29] Goldsmith said, «Basic Instinct was probably the most difficult I’ve ever done. It’s a very convoluted story with very unorthodox characters. It’s a murder mystery, but it isn’t really a murder mystery. The director, Paul Verhoeven, had a very clear idea of how the woman should be, and I had a hard time getting it. Because of Paul pushing me, I think it’s one of the best scores I’ve ever written. It was a true collaboration.»[30]
Apart from the score, professionally released music did not play a major part in the film. The scene in which source music plays a prominent role occurs during the club scene; Curran, Tramell and Roxy are seen at Downtown San Francisco. It features «Blue» by Chicago house music performer LaTour and «Rave the Rhythm» by the group Channel X. It also features «Movin’ on Up» by Jeff Barry and Ja’Net DuBois. Chris Rea’s «Looking for the Summer» is heard during the scene between Douglas and his partner at Mac’s Diner.
The soundtrack was released on March 17, 1992. A considerably expanded release of Goldsmith’s score, featuring previously omitted sections and alternative compositions of certain elements, was issued by Prometheus Records in 2004.
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
- «Main Title (Theme from Basic Instinct)» – 2:13
- «Crossed Legs» – 4:49
- «Night Life» – 6:03
- «Kitchen Help» – 3:58
- «Pillow Talk» – 4:59
- «Morning After» – 2:29
- «The Games Are Over» – 5:53
- «Catherine’s Sorrow» – 2:41
- «Roxy Loses» – 3:37
- «An Unending Story» – 7:56
The Complete Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
- «Main Title» – 2:13
- «First Victim» – 1:39
- «Catherine & Roxy» – 5:14
- «Shadows» – 0:41
- «Profile» – 0:49
- «Don’t Smoke» – 2:26
- «Crossed Legs» – 4:49
- «Beth & Nick» – 2:21
- «Night Life» – 6:03
- «Home Visit» – 1:13
- «Your Wife Knew» – 1:44
- «Untitled» – 0:52
- «That’s Real Music» – 0:27
- «One Shot» – 1:27
- «Kitchen Help» – 3:58
- «Pillow Talk» – 4:59
- «Morning After» – 2:29
- «Roxy Loses» – 3:37
- «Catherine’s Sorrow» – 2:41
- «Wrong Name» – 2:22
- «She’s Really Sick» – 1:31
- «It Won’t Sell» – 1:02
- «Games Are Over» – 5:53
- «Evidence» – 1:39
- «Unending Story / End Credits» – 9:23
- «First Victim» (alternate version) – 1:34
Release[edit]
Theatrical[edit]
The film was entered into the 1992 Cannes Film Festival.[31]
MPAA rating[edit]
Basic Instinct is rated R for «strong violence and sensuality, and for drug use and language». It was initially given a commercially restrictive NC-17 rating by the MPAA for «graphic depictions of extremely explicit violence, sexual content and strong language», but under pressure from TriStar and Carolco, Verhoeven cut 35 to 40 seconds to gain an R rating.[14] Verhoeven described the changes in a March 1992 article in The New York Times:
Actually, I didn’t have to cut many things, but I replaced things from different angles, made it a little more elliptical, a bit less direct.[14]
The film was subsequently re-released in its uncut format on video and later on DVD.
Home media[edit]
Following the theatrical version, the film was first released in its uncut format in an unrated version onto video in 1992, running at 129 minutes. This was followed by a DVD release in 1997, in a «bare bones» format that contained the R-rated version. A ‘collector’s edition’ was released on DVD in 2001, containing the uncut version of the film with a commentary by Camille Paglia and a small ice pick (the villain’s weapon of choice). This version of the film, running 127 minutes, was re-released twice: in 2003 and 2006.[verification needed]
In March 2006, the unrated version (also known as the ‘director’s cut’) was re-released on DVD and labeled as the ‘ultimate edition’. In 2007, the film was released on Blu-ray with the ‘director’s cut’ label.
The film was cut by 35 to 40 seconds to avoid an NC-17 rating on its theatrical release in 1992,[14] with some violence and sexually explicit content removed. The missing or censored material (later released on video and DVD unrated as the director’s cut) included:
- The murder of Johnny Boz in the opening scene. In the director’s cut, the killer is seen stabbing him in his neck, in the chest and through his nose. In addition, the killer is still having violent sex with him while stabbing him at the same time.
- The scene where Nick has sex with Beth is cut in the US theatrical version, as he is seen ripping off her clothes and forcing her over the couch, before a cut to the two of them lying on the floor. In the uncut version they are seen having rougher sex.
- The scene where Nick and Catherine have sex after going to the club is longer and much more explicit in the uncut version.
The film was released in the UK by StudioCanal on restored 4K Ultra HD ‘collector’s edition’, a remastered Blu-ray, DVD and digital download on June 14, 2021. The film was released in Australia on July 7 and New Zealand on July 14, 2021. Restoration was done during 2019 and 2020 from the original 35MM negative and supervised by the director. A new special feature includes a documentary titled «Basic Instinct, Sex, Death & Stone».[32]
Reception[edit]
Box office[edit]
Basic Instinct opened in theaters in the United States and Canada on March 20, 1992 and was one of the highest-grossing films of 1992. In its opening weekend, the film grossed $15 million opening at number one at the US box office. It returned to number one in its fifth week where it remained for four weeks. It went on to gross $117.7 million in the United States and Canada and was the highest-grossing film for the calendar year worldwide[33] grossing $352,927,224, which eventually ranked the fourth-highest-grossing film released in 1992.[34] It had a record opening in Italy with a gross of $5.44 million for the week from 155 screens and was number one for four weeks.[35] It was the highest-grossing film for the year in Italy with a gross of $20 million.[36] It was the highest-grossing film in Spain of all time with a gross of $21.6 million.[37][38] In the United Kingdom, it was number one for three weeks and was the highest-grossing film for the year in the UK with a gross of £15.5 million.[39] It was also number one for the year in France ($27 million), Germany (4.5 million admissions), South Africa ($3 million), Iceland and Ireland.[40][41] In Australia, it was number one for three weeks and the second-highest-grossing film for the year with a gross of A$13.1 million.[42]
Critical response[edit]
Basic Instinct‘s critical reaction was mixed. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a score of 57% based on 74 reviews, with an average rating of 6.20/10 and the consensus that «Unevenly echoing the work of Alfred Hitchcock, Basic Instinct contains a star-making performance from Sharon Stone, but is ultimately undone by its problematic, overly lurid plot.»[43] On Metacritic the film holds a score of 43 based on 28 critics, indicating «mixed or average» reviews.[44] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of «B+» on an A+ to F scale.[45]
Janet Maslin of The New York Times praised the film, saying «Basic Instinct transfers Mr. Verhoeven’s flair for action-oriented material to the realm of Hitchcockian intrigue, and the results are viscerally effective even when they don’t make sense.»[46] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone also praised the film, saying it was a guilty pleasure film; he also expressed admiration for Verhoeven’s direction, saying «[his] cinematic wet dream delivers the goods, especially when Sharon Stone struts on with enough come-on carnality to singe the screen,» and praised Stone’s performance: «Stone, a former model, is a knockout; she even got a rise out of Ah-nold in Verhoeven’s Total Recall. But being the bright spot in too many dull movies (He Said, She Said; Irreconcilable Differences) stalled her career. Though Basic Instinct establishes Stone as a bombshell for the Nineties, it also shows she can nail a laugh or shade an emotion with equal aplomb.»[47]
Australian critic Shannon J. Harvey of the Sunday Times calling it one of the «1990s[‘] finest productions, doing more for female empowerment than any feminist rally. Stone—in her star-making performance—is as hot and sexy as she is ice-pick cold.»[48]
The film had many detractors.[49] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times awarded it two out of four stars, saying the film was well crafted but died down in the last half-hour: «The film is like a crossword puzzle. It keeps your interest until you solve it. Then it’s just a worthless scrap with the spaces filled in.»[50] Dave Kehr of the Chicago Tribune also gave a negative review, calling it psychologically empty: «Verhoeven does not explore the dark side, but merely exploits it, and that makes all the difference in the world.»[51]
Controversy[edit]
The film generated controversy due to its graphic sexuality and violence, including the truncated rape scene. Gay rights activists protested during filming, saying it followed a pattern of negative depictions of homosexuals in film.[52] Members of the lesbian and bisexual activist group LABIA protested against the film on its opening night. Others also picketed theatres to dissuade people from attending screenings, carrying signs saying «Kiss My Ice Pick», «Hollywood Promotes Anti-Gay Violence» and «Catherine Did It!»/»Save Your Money—The Bisexual Did It».[53] Verhoeven himself defended the groups’ right to protest, but criticized the disruptions they caused, saying «Fascism is not in raising your voice; the fascism is in not accepting the no.»[54]
Film critic Roger Ebert mentioned the controversy in his review, saying «As for the allegedly offensive homosexual characters: The movie’s protesters might take note of the fact that this film’s heterosexuals, starting with Douglas, are equally offensive. Still, there is a point to be made about Hollywood’s unremitting insistence on typecasting homosexuals—particularly lesbians—as twisted and evil.»[55] Camille Paglia denounced gay activist and feminist protests against Basic Instinct, and called Sharon Stone’s performance «one of the great performances by a woman in screen history», praising her character as «a great vamp figure, like Mona Lisa herself, like a pagan goddess».[56]
The film was also criticized for glamorizing cigarette smoking. Screenwriter Joe Eszterhas was later diagnosed with throat cancer and publicly apologized for glamorizing smoking in his films.[57]
Since the release of the film, Stone alleged multiple times that a scene in which her vulva was exposed as she crossed her legs was filmed without her knowledge.[7] In her Inside the Actors Studio interview in 1998, Stone said of the experience that, while she was initially angry, she realized the director’s decision was the right one, saying «And I thought about it for a few days and I knew in my heart, he was right. I hated that it existed, I hated it more than he stole it from me instead of allowing me to choose. But he was right.»[58] In 2021, Stone alleged once again in her memoir that she was misled by Verhoeven with regard to the circumstance of the filming of the scene even though she ultimately did not seek an injunction against it.[59] Verhoeven responded that it was «impossible» and «she knew exactly what we were doing.» However, despite having a «radically different» memory about the particular scene, he praised Stone’s performance and said they’re on good terms.[60]
During the trial of the murder of Jun Lin, the prosecution stated that Luka Magnotta was inspired by the film and Stone’s character, Catherine Tramell.[61][62]
Awards and nominations[edit]
| Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20/20 Awards | Best Actress | Sharon Stone | Nominated |
| Academy Awards[63] | Best Film Editing | Frank J. Urioste | Nominated |
| Best Original Score | Jerry Goldsmith | Nominated | |
| Awards Circuit Community Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Sharon Stone | Nominated |
| Best Film Editing | Frank J. Urioste | Nominated | |
| BMI Film & TV Awards | Film Music Award | Jerry Goldsmith | Won |
| Cannes Film Festival[31][64] | Palme d’Or | Paul Verhoeven | Nominated |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards[65] | Best Actress | Sharon Stone | Nominated |
| DVD Exclusive Awards | Best Original Retrospective Documentary | Jeffrey Schwarz | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards[66] | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama | Sharon Stone | Nominated |
| Best Original Score – Motion Picture | Jerry Goldsmith | Nominated | |
| Golden Raspberry Awards[67] | Worst Actor | Michael Douglas (also for Shining Through) | Nominated |
| Worst Supporting Actress | Jeanne Tripplehorn | Nominated | |
| Worst New Star | Sharon Stone’s tribute to Theodore Cleaver | Nominated | |
| Golden Screen Awards | Won | ||
| Japan Academy Film Prize | Outstanding Foreign Language Film | Nominated | |
| MTV Movie Awards | Best Movie | Nominated | |
| Best Male Performance | Michael Douglas | Nominated | |
| Best Female Performance | Sharon Stone | Won | |
| Most Desirable Female | Won | ||
| Best Villain | Nominated | ||
| Best On-Screen Duo | Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone | Nominated | |
| Nikkan Sports Film Awards | Best Foreign Film | Won | |
| Saturn Awards | Best Horror Film | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Paul Verhoeven | Nominated | |
| Best Writing | Joe Eszterhas | Nominated | |
| Best Actress | Sharon Stone | Nominated | |
| Best Music | Jerry Goldsmith | Nominated |
See also[edit]
- Fatal Attraction, a 1987 film exploring similar themes
- Fatal Instinct, a 1993 film parody
References[edit]
- ^ «BASIC INSTINCT (18)». British Board of Film Classification. March 18, 1992. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
- ^ Box Office Mojo Archived July 20, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
- ^ Silver, Alain; Ward, Elizabeth; eds. (1992). Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style (3rd ed.). Woodstock, New York: The Overlook Press. ISBN 0-87951-479-5
- ^ Leistedt, Samuel J.; Linkowski, Paul (January 2014). «Psychopathy and the Cinema: Fact or Fiction?». Journal of Forensic Sciences. 59 (1): 167–174. doi:10.1111/1556-4029.12359. PMID 24329037. S2CID 14413385.
- ^ «Dr. Fredricks Cinema Therapy Blog — Narcissistic personality disorder». Dr. Randi Fredricks, PhD. Archived from the original on September 15, 2013. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
- ^ Owoseje, Toyin (March 20, 2021). «Sharon Stone says she was misled about explicit interrogation scene in ‘Basic Instinct’: Vanity Fair». CTVNews. Archived from the original on March 20, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
- ^ a b c «A Conversation with Sharon Stone» from the Basic Instinct: Ultimate Edition DVD (Lions Gate Home Entertainment, 2006).
- ^ a b c «Basic Instinct». AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Archived from the original on June 9, 2019. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
- ^ «Basic Instinct (1992) — Box Office Mojo». Boxofficemojo.com. Archived from the original on July 20, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ Basic Instinct (1992) — IMDb, archived from the original on April 7, 2017, retrieved October 8, 2020
- ^ Murray, Terri (2008). Feminist Film Studies: A Teacher’s Guide. Auteur.
- ^ «Moviefone Top 25 Box Office Bombs of All Time». Moviefone.com. Archived from the original on July 23, 2008. Retrieved September 5, 2008.
- ^ «Worst of the Worst 2009 — Dragonfly». Rotten Tomatoes. March 16, 2010. Archived from the original on March 16, 2010. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Weinraub, Bernard (March 15, 1992). «‘Basic Instinct’: The Suspect Is Attractive, and May Be Fatal». The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 2, 2017. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
But the sexual content of the film helped determine the choice of its female star. Ms. Stone, who played Arnold Schwarzenegger’s wife in ‘Total Recall’, was cast in ‘Basic Instinct’ only after better-known actresses like Michelle Pfeiffer, Kim Basinger, Geena Davis, Ellen Barkin and Mariel Hemingway rejected her part, largely because it demanded so much nudity and sexual simulation.
- ^ «Retrospectives: BASIC INSTINCT». Archived from the original on November 13, 2007. Retrieved November 6, 2007.
- ^ «Wisdom Wednesday: Joe Eszterhas’ 10 Golden Rules of Screenwriting by Joe Eszterhas». Moviemaker Magazine. October 2, 2013. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ «AFI Catalog of Feature Films: Basic Instinct». catalog.afi.com. Archived from the original on June 9, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
- ^ «Basic Instinct». AMC. Archived from the original on March 2, 2019. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ^ a b Warren, Jane (March 29, 2011). «Michael Douglas’s real basic instinct». Daily Express. Archived from the original on December 28, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
- ^ «BBC — Drama Faces — Greta Scacchi». Archived from the original on January 5, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
- ^ «BBC — Films — interview — Meg Ryan». Bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on November 19, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ «Why Kelly Lynch Doesn’t Regret Turning Down ‘Basic Instinct’«.
- ^ Bryce Hallett (February 10, 2001). «Her world’s a stage». Sydney Morning Herald. p. 3.
- ^ Siegel, Alan (June 4, 2020). «Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mission to Mars». The Ringer. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
- ^ Basic Instinct (Making of, The). 20th Century Fox. 2001.
- ^ Sharon Stone talking about Basic Instinct. September 12, 2014. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved January 30, 2018 – via YouTube.
- ^ «‘INSTINCT’ TELLS HIM NO». Pagesix.com. August 20, 2000. Archived from the original on November 20, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ «Jeanne Tripplehorn in The Firm«. ew.com. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
- ^ «Filmtracks: Basic Instinct (Jerry Goldsmith)». Filmtracks.com. Archived from the original on November 22, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ Velez, Andy. «Evening the Score» Jerry Goldsmith interview Archived April 30, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Barnes & Noble. Retrieved 2011-06-06.
- ^ a b «Festival de Cannes: Basic Instinct». festival-cannes.com. Archived from the original on September 21, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2009.
- ^ «‘Basic Instinct’ Gets 4K Restoration by Studiocanal, Set for Theatrical, Home Entertainment Releases». Variety.com. April 21, 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
- ^ Klady, Leonard (January 8, 1993). «Carolco’s Instinct is global champ». Screen International. p. 9.
- ^ «1992 Worldwide Grosses». Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on December 16, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
- ^ Groves, Don (September 28, 1992). «‘Basic’ boffo in Italo bow». Variety. p. 29.
- ^ «Italian foreign top 10». Screen International. January 29, 1993. p. 18.
- ^ «Top 10 grossers in Spain». Variety. October 4, 1993. p. 66.
- ^ Groves, Don (November 22, 1993). «Dinos set o’seas mark of $500 mil». Variety. p. 16.
- ^ «UK Top 50 Films». Screen International. January 29, 1993. p. 15.
- ^ «Statistics». Screen International. March 26, 1993. pp. 34–35.
- ^ «South African top 10 1992». Screen International. January 29, 1993. p. 27.
- ^ «Top 50 Films Each Year — 1992». Screen Australia. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
- ^ «Basic Instinct». Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Archived from the original on August 30, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
- ^ «Basic Instinct». Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on March 3, 2015. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
- ^ «CinemaScore». cinemascore.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
- ^ Maslin, Janet. Basic Instinct. New York Times[permanent dead link]. Retrieved November 5, 2007.
- ^ Travers, Peter. Basic Instinct. Rolling Stone Archived June 28, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
- ^ «Basic Instinct». Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on October 11, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
- ^ Lundin, Leigh (July 25, 2010). «Erotic Mystery Thrillers». Criminal Brief. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
- ^ Ebert, Roger. «Basic Instinct». Rogerebert.com. Archived from the original on May 29, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ‘^ Kehr, Dave. «Blatant ‘Instinct.» Chicago Tribune Archived June 6, 2020, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ^ Los Angeles Times, April 29, 1991: Gays Bashing Basic Instinct. See also Phyllis Burke, Family Values: Two Moms and Their Son. New York: Random House (1993), which covers the protests over several chapters.
- ^ Couvares, Francis G. (2006). Movie Censorship and American Culture (2nd ed.). ISBN 978-1-55849-575-3. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
- ^ Keesey, Douglas (2005). Paul Verhoeven. p. 130. ISBN 978-3-8228-3101-4.
- ^ «Basic Instinct». Chicago Sun-Times.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Paglia, Camille. Vamps & Tramps: New Essays. London: Penguin Books, 1994. p. 489
- ^ Ball, Ian (August 22, 2002). «A smoking star is a loaded gun». The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
- ^ Inside the Actors Studio interview with Sharon Stone. Episode dated January 10, 1999.
- ^ Toyin Owoseje (March 19, 2021). «Sharon Stone says she was misled about explicit scene in ‘Basic Instinct’«. CNN. Archived from the original on March 20, 2021. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
- ^ Brent Lang (July 7, 2021). «‘Benedetta’ Director Paul Verhoeven on Sex, His Jesus Fascination and Hollywood Puritanism’«. Variety (magazine). Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ^ Shivji, Salimah (November 17, 2014). «Luka Magnotta inspired by film Basic Instinct, Crown says». CBC News. Montreal.
- ^ Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (Streaming). Netflix. 2019.
- ^ «The 65th Academy Awards (1993) Nominees and Winners». Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Archived from the original on November 9, 2014. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
- ^ «Awards 1992: All Awards». festival-cannes.fr. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015.
- ^ «1988-2013 Award Winner Archives». Chicago Film Critics Association. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
- ^ «Basic Instinct – Golden Globes». HFPA. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
- ^ Wilson, John (August 23, 2000). «Ceremonies Presented at The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel Oscar Room, March 28, 1993». Razzies.com. Archived from the original on February 28, 2009. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
External links[edit]
Полицейские и представители прокуратуры приглашают в полицию на допрос состоятельную писательницу, чей любовник был убит в точном соответствии с описанием убийства в ее романе. Как только женщина заходит в комнату для допросов и усаживается в кресло, она достает сигарету и зажигалку. «В этом здании курить нельзя», – замечает прокурор. «И что же вы сделаете? Арестуете меня за курение?» – иронически замечает писательница и демонстративно закуривает.
От кого на экране исходит опасность? Как правило, от мужчин. От фильма к фильму мужчины оказываются злодеями, а женщины – жертвами. Или, в худшем случае, пособницами главного злодея. Однако в начале 1990-х Голливуд накрыла волна откровенных триллеров о коварных злодейках, не нуждающихся в мужской помощи, чтобы совершать преступления. Кто запустил эту волну? Во-первых, вышедшее в 1987 году «Роковое влечение» с Майклом Дугласом и Гленн Клоуз. А во-вторых, одна из самых популярных картин 1992 года, где тоже сыграл Майкл Дуглас, но уже вместе с Шэрон Стоун. Поставил ее Пол Верховен, а называлась она «Основной инстинкт».
Для сценариста Джо Эстерхаза 1980-е были сложным временем. С одной стороны, в первой половине десятилетия эмигрант из Венгрии написал сценарии «Танца-вспышки» и «Зазубренного лезвия», и эти две популярные картины сделали Эстерхаза едва ли не самым востребованным голливудским автором – одним из немногих, кто мог просить за свои сценарии миллион долларов и более. С другой стороны, его последующие ленты были не столь успешны, а картины 1989 года «Выпуск» и «Музыкальная шкатулка» и вовсе провалились в прокате. При этом «Шкатулка», посвященная расследованию преступлений времен Второй мировой войны, была особенно дорога Эстерхазу, так как она была отчасти вдохновлена его собственным ужасным открытием. В 1988 году сценарист узнал, что его отец после войны вывез семью из Венгрии, так как активно сотрудничал с нацистами, организовывал сожжения книг и печатал в своей газете злобную антисемитскую пропаганду.
Почуяв запах крови, лос-анджелесские сплетники заговорили о том, что карьера Эстерхаза подходит к концу и что у Голливуда появились новые, преуспевающие любимцы. Например, Шейн Блэк, который после успеха первого и второго «Смертельного оружия» получил рекордные 1,75 миллиона долларов за сценарий «Последнего бойскаута». Вообще, в то время было модно платить огромные деньги за оригинальные сценарии, и Эстерхаз хотел участвовать в борьбе за рекорды, а не выслушивать по телефону похвальбу «заклятых друзей» по цеху.
Как он мог вернуться в большую игру? Ответ был для него очевиден. Нужно было написать захватывающий, интригующий и актуальный сценарий, который бы вызвал у студийных боссов неконтролируемое желание его купить. И Эстерхаз, вдохновившись успехом «Рокового влечения», вытащил из «долгого ящика» сюжет о женщине-злодейке, который он начал придумывать еще в конце 1970-х, когда, завершив журналистскую карьеру, переключился на сочинение вымышленных историй.
Как это ни удивительно, оба главных героя «Инстинкта» были основаны на реальных людях. Детектив Ник Каррэн был вдохновлен полицейским, которого Эстерхаз знал в свои журналистские дни. В отличие от большинства копов, в жизни не стрелявших в людей, этот полицейский убил трех преступников, и Эстерхазу казалось, что ему нравится убивать. Что, конечно же, не лучшая черта для человека, призванного защищать правосудие, а не подменять его.
Писательница-злодейка Кэтрин Трамелл была отчасти основана на самом Эстерхазе – авторе сенсационных триллеров, который обожал эротические приключения и «исследования» (позднее, во время работы над «Шоугелз», Эстерхаз настолько «наисследовался» в Лас-Вегасе, что решил больше так не рисковать здоровьем). Однако был у женщины и прототип прекрасного пола.
Как-то раз в начале 1970-х Эстерхаз подцепил стриптизершу в стриптиз-клубе, и после секса в отеле девушка достала пистолет и заявила, что уже убила нескольких переспавших с ней мужчин, потому что им всем только одно от нее и нужно. Судя по тому, что Эстерхаза она все-таки не убила, она, вероятно, лгала – серийные убийцы обычно не останавливаются, когда жертвы умоляют о пощаде. Но Эстерхаз был уверен, что она не обманывала, и та ночь запомнилась ему на всю жизнь. Так появилась на свет противница главного героя-полицейского – сексапильная социопатка, которая убивает после секса. Или когда это необходимо для осуществления ее коварных планов.
Сюжет «Инстинкта» был вдохновлен сюжетом предыдущего хита Эстерхаза, «Зазубренного лезвия». В этом фильме женщина-адвокат защищала нравящегося ей мужчину от обвинения в убийстве жены. После того как она убеждалась в невиновности подозреваемого и доказывала эту невиновность в суде, героиня в кульминации ленты обнаруживала, что прокурор был прав – обвиняемый все же был убийцей. В «Инстинкте» эта история была переосмыслена как полицейское расследование, по ходу которого детектив подозревает в убийстве любовницу жертвы, заводит роман с соблазнительной красоткой, находит доказательства того, что преступление могла совершить другая женщина, решает, что его пассия невиновна… И зрители лишь в последних кадрах фильма узнают, что убийцей все-таки была та, кого полиция подозревала с самого начала.
Позднее Эстерхаза не раз критиковали за то, что он копирует собственные сюжеты, но сходство «Инстинкта» и «Лезвия» было поверхностным, и спутать картины было невозможно. Они даже относились к разным жанрам. «Лезвие» было судебным триллером, тогда как «Инстинкт» был неонуаром, заинтересованным не в оправдании невинных и наказании виновных, а в демонстрации привлекательности, соблазнительности зла. Особенно облаченного в сногсшибательную оболочку дерзкой красавицы, которая подстраивает ловушку для самоуверенного сыщика, чьи руки тоже залиты кровью невинных (правда, не убитых нарочно, а подстреленных по ошибке, когда детектив был под действием кокаина). В сущности, Кэтрин в «Инстинкте» была Дьяволом в юбке, искушающим грешников и наслаждающимся манипулированием людьми, жестокими убийствами и садомазохистским сексом.
Как только замысел «Инстинкта» (изначального названного «Любовные пташки» в честь любимой автором кантри-песни и переименованного в «Основной инстинкт» перед самой отправкой текста агенту) сложился в голове Эстерхаза, драматург написал сценарий всего за 13 дней. По его воспоминаниям, слова сами ложились на бумагу, и он не мог остановиться, не мог заглушить галдящие у него в голове голоса персонажей, пока не поставил финальную точку.
Пока Эстерхаз писал «Инстинкт», студия Carolco думала, как ей жить дальше. Это была агрессивная независимая компания, создавшая три серии «Рэмбо» и «Красную жару», но далеко не всегда добивавшаяся успеха и зачастую тратившая больше денег, чем она могла себе позволить. Именно это в то время случилось с «Вспомнить все». В фантастический блокбастер с Арнольдом Шварценеггером были вложены колоссальные для того времени 60 миллионов долларов. Если бы фильм провалился, студия бы вылетела в трубу. Как мы теперь знаем, этого не случилось – «Вспомнить все» заработал 261 миллион долларов. В то время, однако, многие предсказывали фиаско готовящейся к прокату ленте. Так что Carolco срочно нужен был гарантированный и более дешевый хит, который бы удержал компанию на плаву.
Именно поэтому Марио Кассар заплатил за сценарий «Основного инстинкта» 3 миллиона долларов и установил новый голливудский рекорд. Он не мог упустить захвативший его сценарий и не хотел участвовать в продолжительном аукционе с другими студиями, претендовавшими на творение Эстерхаза. 3 миллиона долларов гарантировали ему права на «Инстинкт», потому что такую сумму за сценарий в то время больше никто заплатить бы не решился. При этом Кассар полагал, что триллер о современной жизни, без изощренных трюков и спецэффектов, можно было снять намного дешевле, чем фантастическую ленту о приключениях на Марсе.
Он просчитался. Чтобы снять «Основной инстинкт» по дешевке, надо было нанять начинающую и рисковую команду. Кассар же хотел кино в постановке известного режиссера и с участием знаменитого актера. Он даже точно знал, кого именно. Снять ленту должен был голландец Пол Верховен, не раз работавший над откровенными и жесткими лентами, а в главной роли Кассар видел только Майкла Дугласа – «тефлонового актера», покоряющего зрителей даже в ролях злодеев вроде Гордона Гекко из «Уолл-стрит». Поскольку детектив Каррэн был если не отрицательным, то определенно сомнительным персонажем, продюсер не хотел, чтобы зрители против него ополчились. На всякий случай рассматривались и другие знаменитые кандидатуры, но звезда «Рокового влечения» был самым очевидным выбором.
Что сильнее продюсер хочет пригласить конкретных людей, тем больше денег они могут из него выжать, и Дуглас с Верховеном не стали стесняться. Первый заявил, что хочет 15 миллионов долларов плюс проценты от прибыли за съемки в картине, которая в случае провала может сделать его посмешищем, и получил львиную долю запрошенного. Второй же, только что подтвердивший свое мастерство как коммерческого постановщика успешным релизом «Вспомнить все», настоял на гонораре в 5 миллионов долларов. Съемки фильма еще даже не начали планировать, а лента уже обошлась Carolco более чем в 20 миллионов долларов.
Когда речь идет о дорогостоящей постановке с откровенными сценами, продюсеры обычно хотят, чтобы постановщик смягчил эротические фрагменты и сделал кино приемлемым для широкой публики. Кассар требовал от Верховена ровно противоположного. Если в сценарии Эстерхаза на многое (в частности, на бисексуальность главной героини) лишь намекалось, то Кассар хотел, чтобы картина была как можно скандальнее и откровеннее. Ему нужен был фильм-событие – фильм, о котором бы писала пресса и который бы обсуждали на улицах. И он видел, что «Инстинкт» легко превратить в такое кино, если вывести на передний план разбросанные по сценарию намеки.
Эстерхаз был против этого. Равно как и привлеченный сценаристом продюсер-ветеран Ирвин Уинклер, получивший «Оскар» за «Рокки» и как раз завершивший работу над «Славными парнями» (по условиям контракта с Эстерхазом Carolco подбирала режиссера и ведущего актера «Инстинкта», а сценарист – основного продюсера). Напротив, Верховен был в восторге от предложений Кассара. Ему никогда не нравились пуританские американские стандарты, и он хотел показать средний палец всем, кто полагал, что нельзя снять суперуспешное кино с почти порнографическими секс-сценами.
Дуглас был не против демонстрации своего тела на экране (понятно, за кругленькую сумму и без показа самого интимного органа). Но его совершенно не устраивало, что главная героиня на каждом шагу переигрывает Ника и оставляет его в дураках. Не нравилось это и Верховену. Они оба хотели, чтобы в финале Каррэн раскусил и пристрелил злодейку. Эстерхаз же настаивал, что вся суть фильма – в беспомощности мужчины, даже решительного полицейского, перед «основным инстинктом» и перед белокурым воплощением Зла.
Как легко догадаться, обсуждения проекта были исключительно бурными. Все присутствовавшие на них были сильными, властными людьми, и никто не хотел уступать. Но так как проект уже нужно было запускать, соавторы согласились на компромисс. Эстерхаз смирился с превращением «Инстинкта» в максимально откровенное кино, а Верховен и Дуглас смирились с тем, что зло одержит верх. Голландцу принять это было проще, чем американцу. Верховен никогда не был большим поклонником «аккуратных» голливудских хеппи-эндов, и он быстро понял, что сценарий Эстерхаза предоставляет ему шанс снять сложное, неоднозначное кино в духе классических нуаров и психологических триллеров Альфреда Хичкока (в частности, знаменитого «Головокружения», визуальные находки которого Верховен не раз цитирует в «Инстинкте»).
Когда сценарные правки были произведены и согласованы, режиссер и продюсеры приступили к самому пикантному – поиску актрисы на роль белокурого Зла, регулярно появляющегося без одежды. Верховен знал о существовании Шэрон Стоун, поскольку она сыграла мнимую жену персонажа Шварценеггера в «Вспомнить все», и он имел ее в виду. Однако поначалу он примеривался к знаменитым исполнительницам. В частности, к Деми Мур. В свою очередь, Дуглас хотел сыграть с Ким Бейсингер из «Девяти с половиной недель» и «Бэтмена» или с Джулией Робертс из «Красотки». Однако никто из этих актрис – равно как и из всех остальных обитательниц голливудского олимпа – не хотел изображать обнажающуюся злодейку, которая спит с женщинами и убивает шилом для колки льда. Всего продюсерам отказали около 50 знаменитых женщин.
Напротив, Стоун была готова на все. Актерская карьера бывшей модели началась в 1980 году, но за десять лет в Голливуде Стоун не добилась ничего более существенного, чем вторые роли в значимых лентах (в частности, во «Вспомнить все») и главные роли в провалах (авантюрные «Копи царя Соломона» в 1985 году собрали 14 миллионов долларов при 11-миллионном бюджете). Образ харизматичной преступницы Кэтрин Трамелл был если не лестной, то исключительно яркой ролью, и Стоун пора было идти на крайние меры, чтобы прославиться до выхода в тираж. За свое согласие она получила гонорар в полмиллиона долларов, скромный в сравнении с контрактом ее партнера. Как всегда в Голливуде, известность исполнителя оказалась важнее сложности роли.
Роль упитанного детектива Гаса Моргана, лучшего друга и напарника Ника, получил характерный актер Джордж Дзундза, родившийся в Германии украинец (его родители были во время войны фактически угнаны в рабство). Ранее он сыграл с Кевином Костнером в шпионском триллере «Нет выхода». Полицейского психолога Бет Гарнер, бывшую любовницу Ника и бывшую сокурсницу Кэтрин, изобразила прежде работавшая в театре дебютантка Джинн Трипплхорн. Как и Стоун, она получила роль, потому что не постеснялась обнажиться для откровенной сцены.
Любовницу Кэтрин по имени Рокси сыграла Лейлани Сарель, которая завершила карьеру вскоре после выхода «Инстинкта», так как вышла замуж за актера Мигеля Феррера из «Робокопа». Прокурора Джона Коррели изобразил комик Уэйн Найт, позднее прославившийся значимой ролью в ситкоме «Третья планета от Солнца». Наконец, пожилую подругу Кэтрин по имени Хейзел Добкинс, некогда прикончившую своих родных и отсидевшую за это в тюрьме, сыграла звезда 1950-х и 1960-х Дороти Малоун, лауреат «Оскара» за роль второго плана в мелодраме Дугласа Сирка «Слова, написанные на ветру» (1956).
Действие фильма развивалось в Сан-Франциско, столице американского сексуального свободомыслия и едва ли не единственном городе США, где никого не должно было удивить, что главная героиня «Инстинкта» живет с женщиной и спит с мужчиной. Соответственно, уличные и некоторые интерьерные съемки проходили в городе, который Дуглас хорошо знал по съемкам в популярном полицейском сериале 1970-х «Улицы Сан Франциско», а студийная работа велась в павильонах студии Warner в калифорнийском городе Бербанк.
За вычетом пары погонь, которые были достаточно просты, чтобы позволить Дугласу самому сесть за руль, главной технической сложностью во время съемок «Инстинкта» было создание секс-сцен. Каждая из них была предварительно продумана и спланирована Верховеном с той же скрупулезностью, с какой хореографы подходят к разработке сложных танцев.
Проблема была не только в том, что едва ли у не каждого движения была определенная смысловая нагрузка, но и в том, что режиссеру нужно было удержаться на самой грани допустимого рейтинговым агентством MPAA, чтобы картина получила «взрослый» рейтинг R, а не «порнографический» NC-17, с которым «Инстинкт» было бы трудно продать кинотеатрам и видеосалонам. К тому времени у Верховена уже был приличный опыт перепалок с MPAA, и потому каждая сцена снималась множеством камер с разных ракурсов, чтобы получить как можно больший выбор материала для монтажа и варьировать итоговый результат в зависимости от требований цензоров. Естественно, это означало, что каждая сцена должна была интересно смотреться независимо от ракурса. Что было колоссальной головной болью для Верховена и его оператора-постановщика Яна де Бонта, будущего режиссера «Скорости».
Нелегко приходилось и Дугласу со Стоун и Трипплхорн, которым надо было заниматься «горизонтальными танцами» порой по несколько часов подряд (услугами секс-дублеров никто из них не пользовался). Ведущий актер дополнительно переживал из-за того, что Верховен контролировал каждое его движение в секс-сценах, но почти игнорировал исполнителя в разговорных эпизодах и уделял все свое внимание Стоун. Со стороны Верховена это было проявлением доверия к многоопытному актеру и заботы об исполнительнице, которая никогда прежде не играла столь сложных ролей. Кроме того, режиссер был по-мужски неравнодушен к своей звезде.
Дуглас, однако, был в ярости из-за того, что не всегда понимал свою актерскую задачу. Как продюсер по первой киноспециальности (напомним, он получил «Оскар» за продюсирование «Пролетая над гнездом кукушки»), он искренне переживал за успех картины и боялся, что если из-за небрежности режиссера он сыграет не так, как нужно, то потом всех собак повесят на него, голливудского кумира.
Однажды Дуглас позвал Верховена для откровенного разговора в свой трейлер, и после этого «обмена мнениями» режиссера госпитализировали с сильным кровотечением из носа. По съемочной группе прошел слух, что знаменитости подрались, но режиссер заявил, что он просто переволновался из-за жесткого спора и что у него порой идет кровь из носа от сильных переживаний.
Страсти во время съемок кипели не только на съемочной площадке и за кулисами проекта. Когда организации геев и лесбиянок Сан-Франциско узнали, что в их городе снимается кино, где главная злодейка – бисексуалка и где лесбиянка Рокси пытается убить Ника, которого она ревнует к Кэтрин, они тут же объявили, что «Основной инстинкт» раздувает ненависть к сексуальным меньшинствам и показывает их не просто отрицательными, а еще и психически больными персонажами.
Верховен и Эстерхаз были в шоке от подобных обвинений. Оба не отрицали злодейства героинь, но подчеркивали, что оно не имеет никакого отношения к их ориентации. На их взгляд, «Основный инстинкт» говорил зрителям, что не важно, с кем ты спишь, а важно, кого ты убиваешь. Конечно, Кэтрин использует свою сексапильность как оружие. Но если бы она делала это не для совершения преступлений, все было бы нормально. В этом, собственно говоря, смысл финала «Инстинкта», где эротическая идиллия нарушается шилом, лежащим под кроватью. Не будь этого шила, концовка была бы хеппи-эндной, несмотря на «нестандартность» главной героини.
Активистов эти объяснения не удовлетворили. Их не устроило бы ничего, кроме закрытия картины или, по крайней мере, полной переработки сценария. Испуганный Эстерхаз был готов на такую переработку, но его согласие коллеги восприняли как предательство. Верховен и другие не собирались уступать шантажистам, угрожавшим бойкотировать съемки. В свою очередь, активисты сочли, что если они прицепятся к раскрутке в прессе «Инстинкта», то донесут свои взгляды на «гомофобию Голливуда» до максимально широкой, национальной аудитории.
Так и получилось. Голливудцы снимали, за полицейскими кордонами маршировали активисты с задорными плакатами, а пресса все это исправно освещала. Верховен и Дуглас, вполне лояльные к гей-сообществу, переживали из-за того, что их честят гомофобами, но ничего не могли поделать. Понятно, они делали собственные заявления для прессы, но активисты кричали намного громче. И в конечном счете это сыграло картине на руку. Когда она была завершена, американским зрителям не терпелось узнать, из-за чего разгорелся сыр-бор.
Помимо гей-активистов съемки также пикетировали женские организации. Им не нравилась секс-сцена между персонажами Дугласа и Трипплхорн, в которой можно было разглядеть изнасилование. Эта претензия, однако, была абсурдной, поскольку картина никогда не утверждала, что Ник – идеальный герой и что все, что он делает, правильно и достойно подражания. Наоборот, Кэтрин притягивала его агрессия, его готовность идти напролом и даже убивать. Поэтому независимо от интерпретации неоднозначной сцены фильм нельзя было обвинить в оправдании изнасилования.
Последним аккордом в работе над фильмом было сочинение музыки. Пол Верховен и композитор Джерри Голдсмит изрядно намучились, пока искали основную тему фильма, одновременно чарующую и тревожащую. Но как только это случилось, работа над саундтреком пошла как по накатанной, потому что все остальные музыкальные темы «Инстинкта» были связаны с главной темой картины.
Интересно, что нечто подобное было и с игрой Стоун. Актриса не сразу поняла, как играть сексапильную социопатку, но как только подобрала ключ к героине, больших проблем у нее больше не было. Несмотря на весь широкий эмоциональный диапазон роли. Хотя, конечно, это не исключало упомянутых выше трудностей с секс-хореографией. Или с невыносимой для Стоун начальной сцены убийства, в которой обнаженную актрису залили тошнотворной бутафорской кровью.
«Основной инстинкт» вышел в прокат 20 марта 1992 года. В Америке фильм показывался в слегка сокращенной и облегченной «цензурной» версии, а в Европе – в полном «режиссерском» варианте. Активисты продолжили пикетировать фильм, и они даже публиковали в газетах «рекламу», раскрывающую сюжет «Инстинкта». Мало того, была создана активистская организация под названием «Кэтрин – убийца». Но сборам картины это только помогало. К концу мирового проката обошедшаяся в 49 миллионов долларов лента принесла 353 миллиона долларов, и все заинтересованные продюсеры бросились работать над собственными эротическими триллерами. Ни один из которых, однако, даже близко не подобрался к известности, популярности и коммерческому успеху «Основного инстинкта».
Мнения критиков по поводу ленты разделились. Одни писали, что «Инстинкт» – откровенный и захватывающий триллер с потрясающей игрой Шэрон Стоун, а другие настаивали, что лента – дешевая и пустая попытка нажиться на зрительском интересе к сексу. Первые оказались ближе к истине – лента не канула в Лету вскоре после выхода, а стала «долгоиграющим» и «долговлияющим» хитом. Пустое кино этого вряд ли бы добилось.
Что касается цитат, то сцена полицейского допроса Кэтрин подарила миру сразу две популярные цитаты – фразу насчет ареста за курение и ставший визуальной цитатой провокационный момент, во время которого героиня на мгновение раздвигает ноги и демонстрирует, что на ней нет нижнего белья. Эти несколько кадров были вдохновлены реальной историей из жизни режиссера. В молодости у Верховена была богемная знакомая, которой нравилось схожим образом демонстрировать свою раскованность.
Что интересно, в обеих цитатах причастные к их созданию люди позднее разочаровались. Джо Эстерхаз извинился перед зрителями за пропаганду курения, когда в 2000 году заболел раком легких. Шэрон Стоун же как-то раз заявила в интервью, что камера была направлена в ее промежность без ее ведома и что она пришла в ярость, когда узнала, что этот кадр будет в фильме. По словам Верховена, это была наглая ложь – актриса отлично знала, с каких ракурсов ее снимают. Кроме того, сцена не имела бы смысла, если бы камера не показала, что прокурор увидел между ног Кэтрин.
Что ж, знаменитости имеют полное право отказываться от своих произведений, разочаровываться в них или пытаться переписать историю. Но это их личное дело, их личные отношения с совестью и с искусством. Что бы ни думали Эстерхаз и Стоун по поводу «Основного инстинкта», картину это не изменит и из истории кино ее не вычеркнет. Так что «Инстинкт» продолжает жить, впечатлять, раздражать, шокировать, олицетворять эпоху… И обеспечивать Голливуду золотой стандарт сексапильной злодейки, которая настолько преступна, что не только убивает людей, но еще и курит в комнате для допросов. И ни один мужчина ничего не может с ней поделать. И почему только Кэтрин Трамелл не числят среди феминистских героинь?..
На чтение 5 мин Просмотров 2.3к. Опубликовано 20.03.2020
Содержание
- Основной инстинкт (Basic Instinct)
- Описание
- Трейлер
- Сюжет
- Смысл фильма
- Отзывы
Основной инстинкт (Basic Instinct)
| Дата выпуска | 20 марта 1992 года |
| Страны производства | США, Франция |
| Слоган | «Flesh seduces. Passion kills» |
| Жанр | Триллер, драма |
| Режиссер | Пол Верховен |
| Главные роли | Шерон Стоун, Майкла Дугласа, Джордж Дзундза, Джинн Трипплхорн |
| Время | 127 мин/02:07:00 |
“Основной инстинкт” — один из самых успешных фильмов в карьере Шерон Стоун. Это триллер-детектив с элементами эротики. Его успешный прокат подтвердил звездный статус исполнителей главных ролей — Шерон Стоун и Майкла Дугласа.
Описание
Детективу Нику Кэррэну поручают расследование бывшей рок-звезды Джонни Боза. Его зарезала во время секса неизвестная блондинка. Единственная подозреваемая — это подруга убитого, писательница Кэтрин Траммел, которая оказывается бисексуалкой.
Причина, по которой Кэррэн уверен, что именно она причастна к этой истории — ее книга, в которой женщина описала это преступление. Траммел ведет себя нагло, насмехается над инспектором и всячески провоцирует его. Женщина успешно проходит тест на детекторе лжи и рассказывает детективу, что у нее много убийц среди знакомых.
Это признание еще больше запутывает Кэррэна. Тем временем, несмотря на то, что Кэтрин является главной подозреваемой, между ней и Ником вспыхивает страстный роман. Вот только возможно, что обольстительная блондинка решила поиграть с детективом в “кошки-мышки”.
Трейлер
Сюжет
Ник Кэррон расследует загадочное убийство рок-звезды в отставке, Джонни Боза. В его убийстве подозревают некую блондинку, которая использовала в качестве оружия нож для колки льда. Подозрение сразу падает на его подругу — писательницу, специализирующуюся на криминальном жанре, Кэтрин Траммел.
Кэтрин поражает детективна своим раскованным поведением: она бисексуалка, независима и много курит. На допросе она спокойно раздевается и с легкостью проходит тест на детекторе лжи. Ник не может поверить, что ошибся: ведь в ее книге описано именно это преступление.
Траммел рассказывает Кэррону, что ее новое произведение — о детективе, которого убила обольстительная блондинка. Траммел отказывается помогать следствию и делится информацией о том, что среди ее знакомых есть убийцы.
Ник случайно застрелил пару туристов, из-за чего был вынужден посещать психолога — свою бывшую возлюбленную Бет Гарнер. Когда он снова встречается с Кэтрин. та задает ему много провокационных вопросов о случае с туристами. Детектив понимает, что она узнала о чем были сеансы у психолога.
Кэррон узнает, что Бет пришлось отдать карту Нильсону, угрожавшему ей увольнением Ника. Герой конфликтует с ним, а позже становится главные подозреваемым в деле об убийстве Нильсона. Мужчину отстраняют от расследования дела о Джонни Бозе.
Между Траммел и Ником возникает страстный роман, напоминающий игру “кошки-мышки”. Он приезжает в клуб, где видит как его возлюбленная нюхает кокаин с лесбиянкой Рокси и другим мужчиной. Герои танцуют, целуются, а в это время за ними наблюдает Рокси, ревнующая Кэррон.
Она решает убить Ника, сбив его на машине Траммел, но погибает сама. Писательница сильно огорчена гибелью Рокси и рассказывает мужчине о встрече лесбиянок в колледже. Однако все пошло не так, потому что одна из них стала одержима Кэтрин. Из рассказа детектив понимает, что речь идет о Бет.
Бет признается, что является лесбиянкой, но отрицает свою одержимость, утверждая обратно: это Траммел стала одержимой. Ник прочитывает конец произведения писательницы: детектив находит своего напарника убитым. Кэтрин рвет отношения с ним.
У Кэррона новый напарник — Гас Моран, с которым они отправляются на встречу с соседкой Траммел по колледжу. Она должна была рассказать о том, что на самом деле произошло на встрече. Гас идет один, потому что Кэррон отстранен. Внезапно Ник понимает, что все это похоже на сюжет из книги.
Он бежит в здание за Мораном, но не успевает: его закололи ножом для колки льда. В коридоре Ник встречает Бет, которая говорит, что приехала на встречу с Гасом. Кэррон решает, что убийца — это она и стреляет в нее. В ее квартире полиция находит доказательства ее причастности к убийству Боза и других мужчин. И вырезки из газет про Траммел, что подтверждает ее одержимость героиней.
В квартире Ника встречает Кэтрин, которая объясняет мужчине почему порвала с ним. Они занимаются сексом, а потом во время разговора об их будущем под кроватью оказывается нож для колки льда.
Смысл фильма
У режиссера Пола Верховена получилось создать фильм, который держит в напряжении зрителя до самого финала. В отличие от большинства режиссеров подобного жанра, он сделал ставку на знаменитых актеров и захватывающий сюжет с эротическими сценами, что только добавило остроты сюжету.
Режиссер провел со зрителем сложную игру, практически такую же какую провела с детективом Кэтрин Траммел. Также создатели фильма оставили для зрителя возможность самостоятельно додумать, чем все-таки закончилась история детектива и роковой блондинки.
Отзывы
Высокую оценку получил дуэт актеров — Шерон Стоун и Майкла Дугласа. Им настолько хорошо удалось раскрыть характеры своих персонажей, вовлечь зрителя в их интригу, что эти образы стали одними из самых узнаваемых в кинематографе.
Критики также положительно отозвались о сценарии, отметив смелость создателей “Основного инстинкта” за добавление эротических сцен и романтической линии в триллер-детектив. Благодаря замечательной игре актеров и интересной задумке эта картина стала одной из самых успешных лент в своем жанре.
Фильм с Майклом Дугласом и Шэрон Стоун заставил Голливуд ненадолго помешаться на эротических триллерах, но на съемках не обошлось без скандалов и предательств.
В начале девяностых, когда продажи VHS делали кассу голливудским киностудиям точь-в-точь, как сегодня стриминговые платформы, магазинчики видеопроката для всей семьи встречались на каждом шагу – прямо как «Старбаксы». Если вы в те годы были подростком и тащились от кино, то знаете: прокаты всюду, от Тампы, Флорида, до Темпе, Аризона, были устроены примерно одинаково. При входе вас тут же встречала стойка с новинками. За ней шли стеллажи с фильмами всевозможных жанров (драмы, романтические мелодрамы, иностранные ленты, научная фантастика, боевики, хорроры и так далее). Наконец, в дальнем конце магазина пряталась занавеска из бусин, отгораживающая отдел фильмов «для взрослых». Стоило сунуться в эту тускло освещенную пещеру, как предательская музыкальная подвеска-ветерок сообщала персоналу (а заодно и всем остальным посетителям, среди которых с немалой долей вероятности могли оказаться друзья ваших родителей), что вы ступили в запретное темное царство, где вам совсем не место. Проклятые колокольчики пугали меня до чертиков. Будучи хорошим мальчиком, я держался от занавески подальше. Но обычно прямо перед ней стоял один последний стеллаж с расставленными по алфавиту фильмами в жанре «эротический триллер» – нечто вроде софткорной линии Мажино, отделяющей «приличное» кино от «неприличного». В те далекие года этот заветный стеллаж манил меня, будто песни сирен.
РЕКЛАМА – ПРОДОЛЖЕНИЕ НИЖЕ
Тридцать лет назад жанр эротического триллера пребывал в зените своей блистательной, хоть и, как показало время, непродолжительной золотой эпохи. С каждой неделей полки все громче скрипели под тяжестью очередных новинок формата direct-to-video с пикантными названиями, выдаваемых на-гора низкопробными киностудиями в попытке нажиться на популярности «клубнички», пока она не надоела зрителям. Такие фильмы снимались якобы для женатых пар, желающих добавить перцу своим субботним вечерам, но на деле их брали напрокат сплошь озабоченные тинейджеры со спермотоксикозом типа меня – мы-то и являлись их основной целевой аудиторией. Главную женскую роль чаще всего исполняли такие бессменные примадонны жанра, как Шеннон Уирри, Шеннон Твид и Таня Робертс, а альфа-самцов почему-то обязательно играл Эндрю Стивенс. Но давайте отложим погружение в теневую киновселенную с рейтингом 18+ до лучших времен. Сейчас меня больше интересует тот факт, что жанр эротического триллера не существовал бы – или, по крайней мере, не обрел бы такой популярности, – если бы двадцать девять лет назад на экраны не вышел фильм Пола Верховена «Основной инстинкт».
РЕКЛАМА – ПРОДОЛЖЕНИЕ НИЖЕ
РЕКЛАМА – ПРОДОЛЖЕНИЕ НИЖЕ
«Основной инстинкт» достоин внимания уже потому, что благодаря ему эротические триллеры начали плодиться, как кролики. Но, по правде говоря, история создания этого фривольного неонуара слишком интересна, чтобы удостоиться лишь беглого упоминания. Фильм ознаменовал собой вершину успеха пробных сценариев (его сценарий был выкуплен за семизначную сумму), стал последним реальным триумфом расточительной, помешанной на прибыли студии Carolco, вознес к славе актрису, блестяще сыгравшую главную героиню… а также, как выяснилось, объективировал ее, обманом задействовав в откровенных сценах, и вызвал негодование квир-сообществ, предвосхитившее скандалы, разгорающиеся в наше время.
Начинается история традиционно – с писателя. В данном случае это сценарист Джо Эстерхаз – мачо с львиной гривой и бывший корреспондент журнала Rolling Stone, который в 1978 году решил попробовать себя в новой ипостаси и написал сценарий фильма «Кулак», где сыграл Сильвестр Сталлоне. Лента произвела эффект разорвавшейся бомбы, и вскоре за ней последовали новые хиты – «Танец-вспышка», «Зазубренное лезвие», «Музыкальная шкатулка». Звезда Эстерхаза восходила все выше, а с ним к облакам вознеслась и независимая киностудия Carolco, возглавляемая щедрыми на инвестиции продюсерами Эндрю Вайной и Марио Кассаром. Подобно Голану и Глобусу [голливудские кинопродюсеры – Правила жизни], они были амбициозными иммигрантами с талантом к саморекламе, которым могли потягаться с самим Барнумом [Ф.Т. Барнум – знаменитый американский шоумен и антрепренер девятнадцатого века – Правила жизни]. Кроме того, их отличали почти бездонные карманы. Первой золотой жилой для них стал боевик 1982 года «Рэмбо: первая кровь», в котором Сталлоне сыграл обезображенного шрамами ветерана Вьетнамской войны Джона Рэмбо. Засим последовали два кассовых сиквела, а также мегаприбыльные блокбастеры «Вспомнить все», «Терминатор 2: Судный день» и «Скалолаз».
РЕКЛАМА – ПРОДОЛЖЕНИЕ НИЖЕ
РЕКЛАМА – ПРОДОЛЖЕНИЕ НИЖЕ
Благодаря шикарным каннским вечеринкам продюсерского дуэта, угодничанью перед звездами и готовности расщедриться на более высокие гонорары, чем те, что могли предложить прижимистые голливудские студии (не говоря уже о том, что контракты на дистрибуцию за рубежом делали картины этой парочки прибыльными еще до начала съемок), кинокомпания Carolco превратилась в неудержимого джаггернаута индустрии – а заодно и в экзистенциальную угрозу. По крайней мере до тех пор, пока не стало очевидно, что ее бизнес-модель построена на зыбучих песках заемных средств.
Однако, пока этого не случилось, никто не мог сравниться в щедрости с Вайной и Кассаром. Поэтому, когда Эстерхаз озаботился продажей своего сценария, вопрос стоял не в том, кто предложит самую высокую цену, а лишь в том, сколько нулей окажется в чеке. В результате сценарист наварил три миллиона долларов на «Основном инстинкте», сценарий которого написал за тринадцать дней. В те времена никто и глазом не моргнул. В конце концов, стояло начало девяностых и рынок пробных сценариев был на взлете. Сценаристы вроде Эстерхаза и Шейна Блэка, написавшего «Смертельное оружие», запросто загребали семизначные суммы за полусырые идейки, накаляканные на барной салфетке Spago [сеть мишленовских ресторанов калифорнийской кухни – Правила жизни].
РЕКЛАМА – ПРОДОЛЖЕНИЕ НИЖЕ
РЕКЛАМА – ПРОДОЛЖЕНИЕ НИЖЕ
Прибрав к рукам сценарий Эстерхаза, Carolco наняла Пола Верховена, чтобы тот срежиссировал этот путаный хичкоковский детектив, щедро приправленный необоснованным насилием, обнаженкой, наркотой и сексом. Вполне естественно, что выбор студии пал на Верховена – тем более, он только что снял для нее «Вспомнить все». С 1987 года, когда вышел «Робокоп», нидерландский режиссер с лихвой доказал, что способен ловко балансировать между серьезностью и сатирой. Он мог упиваться доведенной до абсурда провокативностью и иронизировать над ней одновременно. Если кому и было по силам создать такой нарочито безвкусный, перевозбужденный и несуразный детектив, как «Основной инстинкт», то только ему.
На главную роль Вайна и Кассар взяли Майкла Дугласа – ему предстояло сыграть импульсивного полицейского детектива Ника Каррэна из Сан-Франциско, который борется с алко- и наркозависимостью разом. Дуглас, недавно засветившийся в хитах «Роман с камнем», «Роковое влечение» и «Война Роузов» и взявший «Оскар» за «Уолл-стрит», был гарантом кассового успеха, и Carolco охотно раскошелилась на высоченный гонорар. Роль Кэтрин Трамэлл – смертельно соблазнительной детективщицы, которая становится главной подозреваемой после того, как ее любовника-рокера превращают в подушечку для иголок прямо во время оргазма, – поочередно предлагали чуть ли не всем кинозвездам того времени – Ким Бейсингер, Мег Райан, Мишель Пфайффер, Джине Дэвис, Эллен Баркин и далее по списку. Все они, как сообщают, отказались. Тогда Верховен обратился к актрисе, которая незадолго до этого очаровала его небольшой, но ключевой ролью двуличной (или нет?) жены Арнольда Шварценеггера в боевике «Вспомнить все», – Шэрон Стоун.
РЕКЛАМА – ПРОДОЛЖЕНИЕ НИЖЕ
РЕКЛАМА – ПРОДОЛЖЕНИЕ НИЖЕ
К моменту, когда подвернулся «Основной инстинкт», карьера Стоун забуксовала. Вот как она вспоминает тот период в своих еще неопубликованных мемуарах The Beauty of Living Twice («Вторая жизнь – это прекрасно»), отрывок из которых недавно опубликовал журнал Vanity Fair:
«Основной инстинкт» стал моим восемнадцатым фильмом. Годами меня бросало между паршивыми фильмами-однодневками и посредственными сериалами, а телевидение в те времена было далеко не на пике успеха. Когда я получила эту роль, мне было тридцать два. Я сказала своему агенту: «Протащи меня на пробы, роль будет за мной». Я знала, что это мой последний шанс: возраст выталкивал меня из индустрии, в которой я еще не успела пробиться. Мне был необходим прорыв».
Снявшись в «Основном инстинкте», Стоун проснулась знаменитой. И, пересмотрев фильм, легко понимаешь, почему. В образе Трамэлл она изворотливей, умнее, расчетливей и сексуальней Дугласа, а главное – видно, что ей в кайф морочить ему голову не меньше, чем ее героине. К сожалению, в то время многие несправедливо приписали успех Стоун пресловутой сцене допроса, в которой Трамэлл забавляется над целым участком похотливых потеющих копов. Летом девяносто второго все только и говорили о том, как мимолетно блеснула прелестями актриса, однако сама она позже призналась, что во время съемок сцены чувствовала себя обманутой и использованной.
РЕКЛАМА – ПРОДОЛЖЕНИЕ НИЖЕ
РЕКЛАМА – ПРОДОЛЖЕНИЕ НИЖЕ
Приведу еще одну цитату из ее мемуаров:
«После съемок «Основного инстинкта» меня пригласили на просмотр. Причем не один на один с режиссером, чего, казалось бы, следовало ожидать в виду, скажем так, щекотливости ситуации, а в присутствии толпы агентов и юристов, многие из которых не имели к проекту никакого отношения. Так я впервые увидела кадры собственной вагины – много позже того, как мне сказали: «Нам ничего не видно. Сними-ка трусики, а то белый отражает свет и мы понимаем, что ты в белье». Да, на эту историю можно смотреть с разных ракурсов, но, раз уж речь идет именно о моей вагине, позвольте сказать: любые другие ракурсы – брехня».
Верховен не согласен с версией событий в том виде, в каком их представила Стоун, однако ей сложно не поверить. Звучит все в точности так, как было принято на голливудских съемочных площадках в 1992 году. И в 2002-м. И в 2012-м. Больше того, спорная сцена с закидыванием ноги на ногу – не единственная пороховая бочка, к которой поднес спичку «Основной инстинкт». Когда в Сан-Франциско шли съемки фильма, сценарий заполучили несколько квир-сообществ. Вскоре сотни демонстрантов, возмущенных тем, что бисексуалку Трамэлл выставили маньячкой-социопаткой, устремились к съемочной площадке. Как только включались камеры, они принимались свистеть в свистки.
РЕКЛАМА – ПРОДОЛЖЕНИЕ НИЖЕ
Вопреки скандалам, – а может, отчасти даже благодаря им, – когда в конце марта 1992 года «Основной инстинкт» вышел на больших экранах, публика толпами хлынула в кинотеатры, чтобы своими глазами посмотреть, из-за чего сыр-бор. Поспособствовали и рецензии распалившихся критиков-мужчин, языки у которых отвисли так низко, что не ровен час было прищемить пишущей машинкой.
РЕКЛАМА – ПРОДОЛЖЕНИЕ НИЖЕ
К концу мирового проката «Основной инстинкт» собрал триста пятьдесят два миллиона долларов, став одной из самых прибыльных картин производства Carolco. По прошествии тридцати лет наконец стало возможным пересмотреть фильм и увидеть в нем больше, чем нашумевшую сцену допроса. Этот первоклассный знойный триллер отличается редким для своего времени беззастенчиво обыденным подходом к сексуальности вообще и к женской сексуальности в особенности. Трамэлл в исполнении Стоун – не просто очередная крутая фам фаталь из желтого чтива, а независимая женщина, способная принимать самостоятельные решения (довольно иронично, учитывая, как со Стоун обходились на съемках). Подобные женские персонажи – и сегодня-то редкость, а уж в 1992 году Трамэлл произвела настоящую революцию. Пожалуй, это объясняет не только, почему фильм так зацепил всех в девяностые, но и почему Стоун в одночасье превратилась в звезду, каких Голливуд еще не видал, и стала олицетворять собой неотразимую женскую силу. Ее роль в «Основном инстинкте» явно повлияла на образы Деми Мур в «Разоблачении», Линды Фиорентино в «Последнем соблазнении», Розамунд Пайк в «Исчезнувшей» и Кэри Маллиган в «Девушке, подающей надежды».
РЕКЛАМА – ПРОДОЛЖЕНИЕ НИЖЕ
Несмотря на кассовый успех «Основного инстинкта», долго Carolco не протянула. Уже через три года компания объявила себя банкротом – не в последнюю очередь по вине пиратского боевика «Остров головорезов» с Джиной Дэвис и Мэтью Модайном, который с треском провалился в прокате. Что же касается Стоун, она в мгновение ока стала самой востребованной актрисой в Голливуде (во всяком случае, ей неизменно доставались роли, на которые ни в какую не согласилась бы любимица Америки Джулия Робертс). Майкл Дуглас остался Майклом Дугласом. Эстерхаз продолжил заколачивать миллионы на все более махровых фильмах («Щепка», «Шлюха», «Шоугёлз» Верховена), пока постепенно не исчез с горизонта шоу-бизнеса. Ну а что до эротических триллеров у занавески в видеопрокате у вас по соседству, то их еще некоторое время расхватывали как горячие пирожки.