High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Basic Instinct (1992) is an American erotic thriller/neo-noir film, directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas, starring Sharon Stone, Michael Douglas, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Leilani Sarelle and George Dzundza. The film centers around police detective Nick Curran (Douglas), who is put in charge of the investigation of a brutal murder of a wealthy former singer. Beautiful, seductive and wealthy writer Catherine Tramell (Stone) could be involved; over the course of the investigation, Detective Curran becomes involved in a torrid and intense relationship with the mysterious woman who turns out to be very dangerous. Controversy surrounded Basic Instinct before it was even released. Gay rights activists strongly criticized the film and its depiction of homosexual relationships, especially the depiction of lesbian and bisexual women as psychopathic serial killers.