San Francisco in Cinema: Basic Instinct

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Controversy enveloped the filming of Basic Instinct in San Francisco in the early 1990s. Activists were outraged by the ultimate Hollywood lesbian stereotype, the ice pick wielding murderess played by Sharon Stone. Demonstrators picketed locations around town and circulated flyers when a gay publisher and bar owner rented his Rawhide II tavern to production company Carolco for scenes from the movie. The beautiful home of Stone's character, Catherine Trammell, is 2930 Vallejo Street in Pacific Heights. The cop hangout is Tosca Cafe, 242 Columbus Avenue. Just ten years later, Stone was an international superstar, Hollywood's portrayal of sexual minorities had improved big time, a sequel to Basic Instinct - which plays as a historical piece at the Castro Theatre - had fallen apart in development, and Sentinel newspaper publisher Ray Chalker was out of business. Michael Douglas co-stars in this 1992 release directed by Paul Verhoeven.

More about Basic Instinct

Production on Basic Instinct 2, set in London and starring Sharon Stone, was underway in 2005.


Copyright 2001 Hank Donat
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