March 20th marks the 20-year anniversary for popular psycho-sexual thriller "Basic Instinct." As such, our attention turns to the film's star, Sharon Stone. And while this certainly wasn't the first movie to feature the sultry star, according to pop culture history, this will forever be the film to mark her success in the industry. There are dozens of reasons why this 1992 thriller is stamped in our minds. But as far as the blonde bombshell is concerned, "Basic Instinct" represents the cornerstone of her very existence in Hollywood. Here's why…
The Leg Crosser
Let's go ahead and get this one out of the way. When you think about Sharon Stone's role in the 90s thriller, the first image that comes to your mind is her infamous leg-crossing scene in the detective's office. Movies during this time were just starting to really push the envelope. And getting a glimpse of Catherine Tramell's (Stone) naughty bits proved to be quite a cinematic shock. Proof of this lies in the fact that the scene has been spoofed and parodied more times than we care to recall.
She tried to flip the script, but…
Not too surprisingly, Stone was quickly cast in yet another sexual thriller, "Sliver" the following year. Perhaps Sharon knew the impact that her starring role in "Basic Instinct" would create. Though just as steamy as her previous film, her character went from predator to prey---and the movie was ultimately deemed a flop. It was clear that we loved Predatory Psychopath Sharon much more than the sexually vulnerable victim she played in "Sliver."
The "Madonna Effect"
Sharon also affected the world with her uncanny Madonna-like demeanor. Blame it on clever quips, come-hither eyes, and brazen sexuality. There was (and is) an undeniable similarity in the way these two blondes come across. Ironically, they're the same age and have had their racy fashion sense on the red carpet, frequently challenged.
Breaking the Catherine Tramell Mold…
This brings us to the present, where Stone is set to star in yet another scandalous story. In the upcoming film, "Attachment" she plays a married teacher who has an affair with her student. But that's only where the real drama begins: said student dates her teen daughter and then proceeds to stalk the family. Sounds like a little bit of "Notes on a Scandal" mixed with a tiny bit of "Fear", and a dash of "Chloe" for good measure.
As Stone's infamous "Basic Instinct" character is permanently burned into our collective memory, it's doubtful that her role in "Attachment" will be anywhere near as groundbreaking. But without Catherine Tramell's impressive spot in pop culture history, Sharon's retrospective career might look a lot different.
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