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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Basic Instinct: Director’s Cut
    Genre:Thriller

    Reviewed In Issue 04 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn.

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 1
    Sound Rating: 3
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals
    Pioneer LaserDisc has finally released an “unrated” Special Edition Director’s Cut LaserDisc with commentary from Verhoeven as well as the extra footage (about five minutes worth).

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Pioneer Special Editions
    (Catalog Number): PSE93-33
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Retail Price): $69.95
    (Running Time In Minutes): 128
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): No
    (Theatrical Release): 1992
    (LD Release Date): 04/01/93
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Paul Verhoeven
    (Screenplay/Written By): Joe Eszterhas
    (Story): NA
    (Music): Jerry Goldsmith
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Terence Marsh
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Frank J. Urioste, ACE
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): Mario Kassar
    (Co-Producers): NA
    (Producers): Alan Marshall

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography):
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.15:1

    DVD Sound Information
    (DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Surround
    (Theatrical Sound): Dolby Stereo SR
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (Remastered Dolby Digital):
    (Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
    (Additional Languages):

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    Basic Instinct is the controversial film that launched Sharon Stone’s career. She stars as Catherine Tramell, an icy, calculating vixen with an insatiable sexual appetite. Catherine becomes the prime suspect when her boyfriend is brutally murdered in a way that mimics a crime described in her latest novel. Nick Curran (Michael Douglas), a tough, but vulnerable detective, becomes obsessed with the beautiful novelist and cracking her case. Would she be so obvious to commit a crime she wrote about? Or, is she being set up by a jealous rival?

    LaserDisc Picture:
    This release still suffers from a generally poor transfer even though it is credited as having been “duplicated from the grand master tape of the widescreen unrated version to ensure top picture quality.” As in the previous issue, there is considerable noise, inconsistent color scene to scene, and flesh tones look unnatural.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The soundtrack lacks the sort of aggressive surround that could have bettered the suspense.
    (Surround Bass Below 50Hz):
    (Aggressive System Surround):
    (Intense 25Hz Bass):
    (Deep Bass Challenging):
    (Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
    (Holosonic Soundfield):
    (Aggressive Split Surround):
    (Center Back Surround Imaging):
    (Directionalized Dialogue):
    Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
    Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    Superb Cinematography:
    Reference LaserDisc:
    Collector Edition: