Editing Basic Instinct (section)

==Release==
===Theatrical===
[[File:Basic Instinct Cannes 1992.jpg|thumb|right|[[Jeanne Tripplehorn]], [[Michael Douglas]], Martine Tours (wife of Verhoeven), [[Paul Verhoeven]], [[Sharon Stone]] and [[Mario Kassar]] at the [[1992 Cannes Film Festival]]]]
The film opened in North American theatres in March 1992, and after being entered into the [[1992 Cannes Film Festival]]<ref name="CANNES">{{cite web |url=https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/basic-instinct/ |title=Basic Instinct |publisher=[[Cannes Film Festival]] |access-date=June 29, 2024}}</ref> continued on to a worldwide release.

===MPAA rating===
''Basic Instinct'' is rated R for "strong violence and sensuality, and for drug use and language". Initially, the film was given an [[NC-17]] rating by the [[MPAA]] for "graphic depictions of extremely explicit violence, sexual content and strong language". However, under pressure from TriStar and Carolco, Verhoeven cut 35 to 40 seconds from the film to achieve an R rating.<ref name="nyt920315"/> Verhoeven described the changes in a March 1992 article in ''[[The New York Times]]'':{{cquote|Actually, I didn't have to cut many things, but I replaced things from different angles, made it a little more elliptical, a bit less direct.<ref name="nyt920315"/>}}

===Home media===
The theatrical release of the film was cut by 35 to 40 seconds to avoid an NC-17 rating,<ref name="nyt920315"/> with some violence and sexually explicit content removed. The missing or censored material, later released on video and DVD as the director's cut, included:
*The murder of Johnny Boz in the opening scene. In the director's cut, the killer is seen stabbing him in his neck, in the chest and through his nose. In addition, the killer is still having violent sex with him while stabbing him at the same time.
*The scene where Nick rapes Beth is cut in the US theatrical version. He is seen ripping off her clothes and forcing her over the couch, before a cut to the two of them lying on the floor. In the uncut version, she verbally tells him to stop and says 'no' multiple times.
*The scene where Nick and Catherine have sex after going to the club is longer and much more explicit in the uncut version.

In 2021, [[StudioCanal UK|StudioCanal]] released a restored [[4K Ultra HD]] 'collector's edition' of the film on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital download in the UK (June 14), Australia (July 7), and New Zealand (July 14). The restoration was supervised by the director and completed in 2019–2020, using the original 35MM negative. Additionally, a new documentary titled "Basic Instinct, Sex, Death & Stone" was added as a special feature.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/digital/global/basic-instinct-restoration-studiocanal-release-1234956590/|title='Basic Instinct' Gets 4K Restoration by Studiocanal, Set for Theatrical, Home Entertainment Releases|date=April 21, 2021|website=Variety.com|accessdate=June 2, 2021}}</ref>