Time to honor an Actor who has always put it all out there!
Congratulations to Michael Douglas, the winner of the Golden Globe for Best Actor…for his amazing portrayal of Liberace in “Behind The Candelabra!”
Michael Douglas has always been an Actor willing to take risks – and never afraid to look like a fool! Need proof?
Sure, it looks like Douglas is having fun, but acting is tough work…I mean, you have to act with SO many people, and you are expected to do SO MANY THINGS:
And if you don’t watch out, you could end up making love to Sharon Stone, Glenn Close AND Demi Moore….like I said, acting is sure TOUGH WORK…
Well, if you are getting it on with these three, then you aren’t just ANY Actor: You are “Mr. Penis”, Michael Douglas! I mean, is there another Actor who let it all hang out for the good of Hollywood?
Well, HELLO MICHAEL!
Time to celebrate Michael Douglas, a great Actor who, in several great films, willingly put himself out there for all to see! They are three great sexploitation classics, all made by major studios…but they are, indeed, “sexploitation” based on what is on display!
Let’s begin with the entry that was oscar-nominated for Best Picture of 1987!
Fatal Attraction
Yes, it’s the “Citizen Kane” of crazy lady movies, and it is easy to forget how effective this movie is as an erotic thriller! And before you scoff, remember that “Fatal Attraction” was nominated for Best Picture of the Year, and Glenn Close was nominated for Best Actress among its many nominations! It was the second highest grossing film of 1987, and Alex and I can watch it over and over and over…because Glenn Close is so good, and Michael Douglas is so stupid – and they both let it all hang out!
“Are you….discreet?”
Happily married New York lawyer Dan Callagher has an affair with his colleague Alex, and the two enjoy a wild weekend of sex while Dan’s wife and kid are out of town.
Of course, Michael Douglas sees it as just a bit of fun, and boy do we see them having some fun fun fun! Good old Michael shows a lot of flesh – as does Glenn Close, as they do it every way they can all over her apartment building…
But an increasingly unhinged Alex will not let go of him, and she will stop at nothing to have him for herself. You know the rest – after a bit more sex, things get bloody…
Dan Gallagher: [to Alex] This has got to stop.
Alex Forrest: [to Dan] This is not gonna stop. It keeps going on and on.
Click here for some great trivia about the film, including the fact that the boiling bunny scene was real!
“Fatal Attraction” is a movie full of intense erotic scenes with Douglas, who is always willing to step up for the good of the movie…and Glenn Close puts it all out there as well – much like Sharon Stone did in Douglas’s next notorious sex thriller:
Basic Instinct!
Without a doubt the most controversial movie of 1992, and one of the most notorious Hollywood films of the last 30 years – you know, because of THIS scene:
Sharon Stone cemented her place in Hollywood history with this memorable “show and tell” during her police interrogation…immediately turning the cops into a bunch of drooling idiots…
AND THE LEGEND GROWS!
According to Sharon Stone, director Paul Verhoeven asked her to remove her underwear for the leg-crossing scene, as he said they were too bright and reflected at the camera. Stone agreed to do so under the assumption that her genitals weren’t visible. It was only at an early preview that Stone discovered Verhoeven chose to use this specific shot. Stone was mainly cross with Verhoeven for not discussing the matter with her beforehand, but decided to let the scene go without changes, as she felt this conformed with her movie character.
However, Verhoeven’s version of the conflict is that he told Stone beforehand about the leg-crossing shot, as it was important for showing Catherine Tramell’s free-spirited nature and her constant drive to toy with people. Stone was reportedly excited about the idea and shot the scene. However, during the early preview, her agents supposedly disproved of the scene, fearing it would harm her future career. According to Verhoeven, Stone radically changed her mind about the shot and demanded that he remove it, which he ultimately refused.
It remains one of Hollywood’s most memorable scenes. And “Basic Instinct” was one of the most controversial films as well. A former rock star, Johnny Boz, is brutally killed during sex, and the case is assigned to detective Nick Curran of the SFPD. Michael Douglas is perfect as the cop with a secret past who is also sex-obsessed…and of course, Douglas bares it all over and over again…
So choreographed were the sex scenes that Sharon Stone referred to herself and Michael Douglas as “the horizontal Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers of the ’90s”!
There is non-stop sex and violence in this film, and it is to the credit of all involved that they performed ALL of it!
Go, Michael Go!
There aren’t that many Actors willing to put it all out there the way Douglas did. Whether you like, love or LOATHE “Basic Instinct”, it was another example of Michael Douglas putting it all out there and not being afraid to look like a fool…
Full “Disclosure”!
Finally, Michael Douglas proved willing to get down and dirty with Demi Moore in the high tech erotic thriller “Disclosure!”
Michael Douglas willingly steps forward to portray a software tech who is seduced by a former co-worker…but now, she has more devious ideas behind her sexual advances…
You have to admire Douglas for being willing to stare Demi Moore IN THE BREASTS…but it’s just one of a number of intense sexual encounters designed to put his entire career at risk…
Of course, there is much more to the story – Alex and I love this movie because it’s ridiculous, erotic, well written and just plain fun…and kudos to Demi Moore for her performance as well….
As always, Michael Douglas is willing to be a food led along by a woman suing her sexual charms…that’s a common denominator in all three films: the women are the proactive, confident sexual creatures, and Michael Douglas is a fool who gets what he has coming for being a stupid guy!
So kudos to Michael Douglas, Demi Moore, Sharon Stone and Glenn Close – and kudos to everyone involved in these great erotic thrillers!
Categories: Academy Awards, Action Films, Awards, Books / Media, Exploitation films, Film Noir, Golden Globes, Great Films, Horror films, Movies, Politics, Revenge Movies, Sexploitation Movies, Talent/Celebrities, Technology, Uncategorized, wine
johnrieber 
I’m with you and Alex …. I can watch each of these over and over again. I think when they are judged retrospectively, what modern audiences miss is how unheard of it was at the time to make the man the foolish plaything of a high-octane woman with more balls than Wimbledon. Thanks for the great reminders … I might try them in French – that could add a whole new dimension!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I shared this again because of his comments last night denying sexual harassment charges against him 30+ years ago, just before he made these films
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have not spoken out publicly about my feelings on this issue – I may yet. But I do two things … first of all MD was always going to be an obvious target (and maybe justifiably) and second I just don’t in honesty think it is reasonable to wind the clock back so far. I was in my 20s at the time and I can hand on heart say that my memories of even very intensely effecting moments is sketchy now. I don’t think that is wholly a result of too much champagne over the years and in fact I am known for my long and accurate memory. One also has to put things in historic (how awful – my life is historic) context and whether we like it or not, times have changed and the attitudes at that time were a little or a lottle different.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for your comment – anyone acting in a vile manner deserves to be called out – but 30+ years makes it more difficult to litigate – and it is being litigated in the press, not the courts – he won’t be hired again because of charges like this – that’s not fair until we know its true and if it is, he will get the punishment he deserves
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is exactly how things ran in the UK after the Jimmy Savills posthumous disclosures. It got totally out of hand with every single male personality from the 70s and 80s being tried by the press and stoned by the public. That is not justice. What we need, instead of post-dated witch-hunts is a focus on the here and now and how we go forwards. No woman, child nor man should ever be abused but as you wisely and rightly say 30+ years makes fair litigation impossible and in the meanwhile careers are destroyed. If the truth is that he did these things then of course he must be punished but in a democracy we are supposed to be innocent til proven guilty. Let the experts find the facts and let a judge and jury decide.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautifully stated…thanks for sharing
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on johnrieber and commented:
In light of the breaking story about Douglas, it’s worth noting that he acted in several sexually-charged thrillers in the 80’s and early 90’s – he’s an iconic actor always willing to “put it all out there” and it’s sad to see this scandal developing
LikeLike
Great post! I actually think the films you have mentioned are pretty good as well, but often overlooked because of all the sex scenes in them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
In an era of new erotic thrillers like “Fifty Shades Of Grey”, these films are a bit overlooked – but they really capture a fascinating time in cinema – fighting back agains the schlock of Cinemax and their cheap “Skinamax” films!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I recently reviewed Basic Instinct. https://vinnieh.wordpress.com/2016/09/11/basic-instinct/
LikeLike
Douglas got to be in some really steamy scenes with some very beautiful ladies. He’s a lucky guy
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like Douglas’s movie career. I think he is remarkable in 1993 Falling Down btw. Now Behind The Candelabra is something I have to look for definitely! Douglas playing Liberace is something I must see!
LikeLike
Candelabra is a fantastic Hollywood bio-pic….Douglas was great in “Falling Down”, a much better Actor than he gets credit for, possibly due to the “penis” trilogy, where he masterfully plays an idiot!
LikeLike
“Falling Down” is a great film, and one that I watch frequently!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I admire that Michael Douglas was fearless in his roles, including “Falling Down”. He chose edgy material and always gave it his all – he was also willing to be an idiot who got what he deserved….
LikeLike