MovieChat Forums > Basic Instinct (1992) Discussion > is this a film noir?

is this a film noir?

posted 12 years ago by lettherightonein
14 replies | jump to latest

i like film noir but if it's just erotic thriller I might pass.
a fake reputation is all a man has.

[–] famousmortimer-2 12 years ago

I think it's both a sleazy erotic thriller of the '90s and a strong addition to the neo noir genre.

Eszterhas and Verhoeven are very much children of film noir and did a phenomenal job, I think, honoring the tradition from dialogue to composition all the way down the line.

Lines like: "You like to play games, don't you?" is classic Bogart and Bacall.

Venetian blinds, winding staircases, chain smoking, amoral/sociopathic behavior -- all are of a piece.

It's been said before that this is Verhoeven's Ninth Symphony. I agree.

[–] RynoII 12 years ago

It's not really shot like a noir much. But has the plot elements.

[–] Mysteriously_Eerie 12 years ago

It's definitely noir. You should check it out if you're a fan of the genre. When I first saw this film, I was pleasantly surprised to see so many noir elements, including camera work.

[–] WileyDairyGnome 12 years ago

Not at all.

[–] andrj908 12 years ago

Of course it is. It's neo-noir.

[–] WileyDairyGnome 12 years ago

Neo noir isn't noir...it's neo noir ;)

-- I am a traveler of both time and space, to be where I have been

[–] avalonrock 11 years ago

Not a true film noir because it's not constantly raining, not nighttime,
camera doesn't shoot stairway scenes. In a film noir, someone has to light
a match to see the characters, Scenery is terrible and it's in B/W.
Just kidding.

[–] WileyDairyGnome 11 years ago

ha.ha....

-- I am a traveler of both time and space, to be where I have been

[–] J_J_Gittes 9 years ago

yes.

[–] udippel 8 years ago

Perish the thought.

Whatever people in here tell you, it just isn't.

[–] unapologetic_mocker 8 years ago

It's definitely classed as Neo-Noir and 90s-Noir. And it does employ a number of noir tropes. But ultimately it's a poor-mans imitation. I remember hearing a film school lecture on Noir, and it was mentioned as an example, heavily influenced by the genre, but was decried as an unequivocally bad example.

[–] DracTarashV 8 years ago

It sure reminds me of some film noir classics.... only with more sex and violence. I'd say it's more of an erotic thriller at the end of the day, however it definitely has the noir aspects.

You want something corny? You got it!

[–] Avatar1974 8 years ago

Truth be told it's a very clever parody of FATAL ATTRACTION.

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