Michael Douglas Defends 'Basic Instinct' Against Homophobia Claims

Michael Douglas has addressed criticisms of homophobia directed at his 1992 film "Basic Instinct," asserting that the movie was not detrimental to the LGBTQ+ community and that not all films are obligated to provide positive representation.

In his autobiography, "One Helluva Ride," Douglas recounted the controversy that arose when two of the film's protagonists, Catherine Tramell and Roxy Hardy, were depicted as lesbians who were also killers. Gay and lesbian groups launched a campaign at the time, claiming the film constituted "gay-bashing." Douglas wrote that while he understood the community's upset, he never believed the film was homophobic. He argued that the characters did not perpetuate stereotypes but rather represented an extreme case within a landscape where queer characters were scarce on screen.

Douglas characterized "Basic Instinct" as a pulp thriller, intended to be more akin to a "sexy detective novel" than a realistic portrayal like "Fatal Attraction." He believed the film was designed to present extreme characters without causing real-world cultural impact.

The protests against the film escalated, with demonstrators disrupting shooting. Douglas described scenes in San Francisco where hundreds of protesters, monitored by police and SWAT teams, interfered with filming by flashing lights into cameras and blowing whistles. Protesters also doused a bar location with paint, halting production for a day.

Douglas noted that screenwriter Joe Eszterhas initially seemed to stand by the script but later changed his stance after protesters made it known they knew his home address. This led to a Los Angeles Times headline in May 1991, stating Eszterhas was pressing for script changes due to the gay outcry, though director Paul Verhoeven rejected the call for revisions. Douglas criticized Eszterhas, calling him "the coward who caved under pressure" for deflecting blame and agreeing to changes, despite having been paid $3 million for the script.

Douglas, along with director Paul Verhoeven and producer Alan Marshall, issued a statement asserting that "Basic Instinct" was a psychological thriller and not a negative depiction of lesbians and bisexuals. They stated that censorship by street action would not be tolerated and that filming would continue as scheduled.

Douglas reiterated his support for gay rights but maintained his right to create entertainment that pushes boundaries. "To anyone who considers this movie outrageous, I'd say, that's right, it's supposed to be outrageous. It's supposed to push all the buttons," he stated, adding that the film was made in reaction to the era of Reagan conservatism.