Base Instincts: Verhoeven in the U.S.A.

Friday, January 8 - Saturday, February 27, 2010

After the international breakthroughs of SOLDIER OF ORANGE (1977) and THE FOURTH MAN (1983), Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven came to the US and turned out a remarkable string of provocative pulp entertainments. Working in a variety of genres — from the militaristic sci-fi fantasy of ROBOCOP and STARSHIP TROOPERS to steamy neo-noir like BASIC INSTINCT and SHOWGIRLS’ tawdry show-biz exposé — Verhoeven’s tabloid tales of sex and violence titillated, thrilled and outraged audiences and critics alike. Over the course of seven weekends this winter, we’re offering a chance to rediscover Verhoeven’s American cinema on the big screen, in all its guilty pleasures.

Click here to read an article on the series and Verhoeven’s work in The L Magazine.

“[Verhoeven] has become something like our Fritz Lang — Hollywood’s comic-book artist deluxe, the suavely brutal purveyor of hardcore pulp.” – J. Hoberman, Village Voice

“Verhoeven may be the bravest and most assured satirist in Hollywood, insofar as he succeeds in making big genre movies no one knows whether to take seriously or not.” – Michael Atkinson

“Surviving in a world populated by assholes… that’s [Verhoeven’s] philosophy.” – Jacques Rivette

“The United States is of course an extremely fascinating country.” – Paul Verhoeven

Series Films

Past Films