Considering the frisson that Paul Verhoeven created with his 2021 Cannes entry, the erotic/religious drama Benedetta, it would be appropriate to recall another shock by the Dutch enfant terrible – Basic Instinct, in competition in 1992. The film had already stirred controversy in the US – it had opened in March -, with critics panning the picture -according to Roger Ebert, “just a worthless scrap with the spaces filled in”- and gay activists loudly protesting the movie with signs saying “Hollywood Promotes Anti-Gay Violence”.  This was, after all, the era of screenwriter Joe Eszterhas, the maestro of cinematic pulp and, for a while, a partner in Verhoeven’s projects. Cannes was equally choqué and, of course, no awards were given. But Verhoeven and his stars – Sharon Stone, Michael Douglas, and Jeanne Tripplehorn seemed to have a great time.