Basic Instinct was released.
Basic Instinct is a 1992 neo-noir erotic thriller film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas , and starring Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone . Even before its release , Basic Instinct generated heated controversy due to its overt sexuality and graphic depiction of violence . 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 .