[ecrea] New Controversies book: BASIC INSTINCT

STEVIE SIMKIN, CONTROVERSIES: BASIC INSTINCT (Palgrave/Macmillan) £14.99 
9780230336926



Paul Verhoeven's 1992 thriller Basic Instinct - starring Michael Douglas 
as a police detective and Sharon Stone as the femme fatale Catherine 
Tramell - was one of the first mainstream 'erotic thrillers', a film 
which shifted the boundaries for graphic representations of sex in 
Hollywood cinema. It remains a significant milestone in film censorship 
and controversy. In his fascinating study, the first in-depth account of 
the film, Stevie Simkin explores the unrest and protest that Basic 
Instinct sparked in the gay, lesbian and feminist communities in the US, 
incensed by what they saw as the script's homophobia and misogyny.

Simkin considers the social and cultural context in which Basic Instinct 
was made, examining the film's troubled production history, the battles 
with censors, and its reception. He offers a number of readings of the 
movie, looking at its representation of bisexuality and the depiction of 
a 'transgressive' female protagonist. He also focuses on key sequences, 
including the infamous interrogation scene, and details the cuts 
demanded by the censors, resulting in different UK and US versions. In 
conclusion, Simkin considers the legacy of Basic Instinct, and its 
enduring effect on media representations of the violent woman.



OTHER TITLES IN THE SERIES, edited by Stevie Simkin & Julian Petley:

Peter Kramer, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE

Shaun Kimber, HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER

Neal King, THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST

Stevie Simkin, STRAW DOGS

COMING SOON:

Jude Davies, FALLING DOWN

Gabrielle Murray, BAD BOY BUBBY



PRAISE FOR THE CONTROVERSIES SERIES

'The Controversies series is a valuable contribution to the ongoing 
debate about what limits - if any - should be placed on cinema when it 
comes to the depiction and discussion of extreme subject matter. Sober, 
balanced and insightful where much debate on these matters has been 
hysterical, one-sided and unhelpful, these books should help us get a 
perspective on some of the thorniest films in the history of cinema.'
- Kim Newman, novelist, critic and broadcaster
'Both books throw out so many insights and new ideas concerning these 
two examples of cinéma maudites that they are studies valuable both to 
cinéastes and students of the way in which popular culture works. This 
is proving to be a most valuable series.' - Crime Time, on Straw Dogs 
and A Clockwork Orange.



On A CLOCKWORK ORANGE… 'Does the world really need another book on 
Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange (1971)? Perhaps not, but the world 
of film and media definitely needs Peter Krämer's new book on it. 
Published as part of the Controversies series edited by Julian Petley 
and Stevie Simkin, this book is a detailed case study of Kubrick's 
stylish and endlessly-discussed 1971 offering...By effectively 
demonstrating the many different strands of film and media studies 
analysis which can be utilised when studying a particular text, Krämer 
offers a great blueprint which students could use to structure their own 
work.' - British Universities Film and Video Council



On STRAW DOGS…. 'Exceptionally well-written .... needs to be read by 
anyone interested in understanding Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dogs as a 
serious work of cinematic art.' - Garner Simmons, author of Peckinpah - 
A Portrait in Montage.
'Stevie Simkin, one of the Controversies series' co-editors (with Julian 
Petley), picks his way through this potential minefield with exceptional 
tact, skill and thoroughness...Anyone interested in teaching on the 
film, as Simkin has over many years (experience which has surely 
enriched his understanding of it), will find this monograph an 
invaluable resource and an instructive model of contextual and textual 
analysis.' - British Universities Film and Video Council



On HENRY… 'An excellent in-depth analysis… Kimber effectively combines 
close readings of key scenes with detailed consideration of the history 
of different versions of Henry and its various engagements with critics, 
supporters and regulatory authorities.'
- Geoff King, Brunel University, UK



On PASSION… 'Neal King knows more about the making, marketing and 
reception of The Passion of the Christ than anyone else. He gives us an 
elegant and perceptive analysis of the controversies that surrounded 
Gibson's film and a sociological portrait of their origins in the 
competing objectives of polarized groups. King's book is an essential 
source on the making and meaning of a film that has been both celebrated 
and condemned.'
- Stephen Prince, author of Firestorm: American Film in the Age of Terrorism



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