Monthly Archives: May 2011

Paul Verhoeven Movies

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Films by Paul Verhoeven

One of the most notable Dutch filmmakers to ever look through a lens, director Paul Verhoeven has been filling the silver screen with raw sexuality and over-the-top violence for four decades. The latter may have something to do with a childhood spent in World War II Europe, when he and his family lived nearby a German military base repeatedly targeted by Allied bombings. If that’s the case, then all I can say is “Thank you, Allied forces.”

After receiving degrees in both mathematics and physics, Verhoeven joined the Dutch navy, directed an award-winning documentary about the military, and then left to pursue a career in television. This quickly turned into film work, and throughout the ‘70s and much of the ‘80s, he turned out a number of critically-acclaimed motion pictures in his homeland.

But things really got cooking in the latter half of the ‘80s, as Verhoeven relocated to Hollywood and introduced audiences to full-frontal female nudity, Michael Douglas’s bare ass, and a mutant named Kuato. Audiences ate it up, and even supposed box office flops like Showgirls managed to clean up on the home video market.

The following are 10 of the finest examples of Paul Verhoeven movies. They range from science fiction actioners to WWII biographies, and each and every one will hold your attention until the end credits fill the screen.

  • Black Book (2006) – Over 20 years after he departed for Hollywood, Verhoeven returned home to direct this suspenseful tale of a Jewish woman (the radiant Carice van Houten) who flees Berlin in 1944, hides out in the occupied Netherlands, joins the resistance, and falls for a German officer (Sebastian Koch). This is classic Verhoeven with loads of sex, van Houten dyeing her pubic hair, and the expected amount of bullet-riddled bodies. But it’s still damned entertaining.
  • Flesh & Blood (1985) – A morally ambiguous tale about a bitter mercenary (Rutger Hauer) in 16th century Italy, the young noblewoman who becomes his willing lover (Jennifer Jason Leigh), and the fiancée obsessed with her return (Tom Burlinson). Characters frequently change sides, plague-infected dogs are catapulted into a courtyard, and we learn that brain-damaged nuns make might fine companions. Verhoeven’s English-language debut.

  • Starship Troopers (1997) – Leave it to Paul Verhoeven to take a science fiction tale about a fascist state warring with giant bugs and turn it into a satire. Casper Van Dien lands his biggest role as Johnny Rico, a young man in the future who enrolls in the Mobile Infantry and winds up on distant worlds fighting a race known as the Arachnids. Humorous military newsreel footage pops up throughout, and the giant pincers of the bugs ensure that the director’s streak of gory movies continues. Denise Richards co-stars as Rico’s on-again-off-again girlfriend, and Neil Patrick Harris is a soldier with psychic powers. But my favorites are character actors Clancy Brown and Michael Ironside, both playing a couple of fire-breathing military dinosaurs.
  • Basic Instinct (1992) – Star Sharon Stone reported slapped Verhoeven when she witnessed the final cut of the film (which showed her private parts), but audiences had just the opposite reaction. The tale of a cop (Michael Douglas) investigating a series of murders likely committed by a seductive novelist (Stone) was a major hit at the box office, and it catapulted Stone to overnight superstardom. Douglas, meanwhile, got to pad his resume with yet another film where he’s manipulated and seduced by a crazed hottie. A classic example of cinema from the early ‘90s.
  • Turkish Delight (1973) – Verhoeven teamed up with cinematographer and future director Jan de Bont to make this enduring Dutch film about a sculptor (Rutger Hauer) who looks back at his relationship with a tempestuous woman (Monique van de Ven). While it lost its bid for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards, it would later be voted the greatest Dutch movie of the 20th century at the Netherlands Film Festival.
  • RoboCop (1987) – When veteran cop Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) dies in the line of duty, a seedy corporation known as OCP takes his body and turns him into a cyborg law enforcement officer. Set in a future Detroit that’s little more than a war zone, RoboCop works in plenty of violence and commentary about corporate corruption and urban decay. The success of the film launched a franchise, with two sequels, live-action and animated TV movies, comic books, video games, and even a theme park ride. It also helped launch the career of character actor Kurtwood Smith, giving him his first major role as the villainous Clarence Boddicker.

  • Showgirls (1995) – Verhoeven and screenwriter Joe Eszterhas has previously collaborated on the wildly successful Basic Instinct, but this second team-up didn’t come anywhere close to repeating its success at the box office. Critics railed, audiences walked out, and even the stars seemed embarrassed by the whole affair. Given the dreaded NC-17 rating by the MPAA, Showgirls tells the story of a young woman (Saved by the Bell’s Elizabeth Berkley) who hitches to Las Vegas, becomes a stripper, and eventually rises to prominence as a celebrated showgirl. Gina Gershon is notable as the bitchy bisexual who both lusts after and torments our heroine, and Robert Davi gets the best line of the film as the seedy owner of a strip club. Even though it flopped at the box office (just over $20 million on a $45 million budget), it would become a cult hit on home video and make more than $100 million.
  • Hollow Man (2000) – Inspired by a classic story from H.G. Wells, this sci-fi movie stars Kevin Bacon as Dr. Sebastian Kane, a brilliant scientist who finds a way to turn himself invisible. But the reversal process doesn’t work, Kane loses his mind, and lots of scientists (as well as a topless Rhona Mitra) wind up getting murdered. Elizabeth Shue co-stars as Kane’s fellow scientist and ex-girlfriend, while Josh Brolin is the latest genius that she’s getting freaky with.
  • Total Recall (1990) – Although she had been in previous projects, this action movie marked the first time I really noticed Sharon Stone. I was blown away by her looks, and I remain an ardent fan to this day. She co-stars as Lori Quaid, the unusually hot wife of Doug Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a construction worker who dreams of taking a vacation to the untamed planet of Mars. Since it’s 2084, false memories can be implanted to simulate an exciting vacation, but Doug’s session goes horribly awry. Not only does he believe that he’s a secret agent being pursued by killers, but people actually begin showing up to put the kibosh on his rippling pecs and outlandish accent. This all leads to Mars, a guy with a mutant living in his chest, and Arnie blowing watermelon-sized holes through the bad guys. Ronny Cox and Michael Ironside are great as the heavies.
  • Soldier of Orange (1977) – Set in the Netherlands during the German occupation of WWII, this Dutch classic focuses on a group of students and the effect the conflict has on each of them. Rutger Hauer and Jeroen Krabbe headline as two classmates who join the underground resistance against the Nazis. Voted as one of the best Dutch films of the 20th century.

10 Best Gus Van Sant Movies

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As an artist, Gus Van Sant has tried his hand at photography, music, directing, and writing (both screenplays and novels). It turns out that he’s pretty damned talented at all of the above, but his work behind the camera has brought him the greatest degree of fame.

Gus Van Sant movies can often be relied upon to feature male actors who are uncommonly handsome (Matt Damon, Matt Dillon, River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves, etc) and present stories about individuals marginalized by society. While his willingness to tackle tough subjects (homosexuality, school shootings, and celebrity suicide) has placed him at the center of numerous controversies, his unrelenting talent has also made him a player in both traditional Hollywood cinema and the independent scene.

Though he’s suffered the occasional career misstep (Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, Psycho), Van Sant is a fearless talent who speaks to those who are so often ignored. If you’re looking for something to shake you out of your complacency, his works are a fine place to start.

  • Drugstore Cowboy (1989) – Of all the Gus Van Sant movies on our list, this gritty crime drama about a drug addict (Matt Dillon) trying to go straight remains my favorite. Dillon delivers a career-defining performance as Bob Hughes, a petty criminal who robs drugstores and hospitals in order to keep his bizarre family of fellow addicts (including young Heather Graham) flush with pharmaceutical delights. Kelly Lynch is both radiant and heartbreaking as the main squeeze who’s unwilling to leave the life, and character actor James Remar is always a welcome sight. Also look for a cameo from beat author William S. Burroughs (“Naked Lunch”), himself a former heroin addict.
  • My Own Private Idaho (1991) – Combining the works of William Shakespeare with the lives of male street hustlers, Van Sant delivers an edgy masterpiece of longing and love. River Phoenix pulls off the best performance of his all-too-short career, and Keanu Reeves co-stars as a privileged youth who turns tricks to pass the time. If you’re a newcomer to the independent film scene, this should be on your short list of titles to see.
  • To Die For (1995) – Nicole Kidman looked her all-time best when she donned a blonde wig and seductive demeanor as an overly ambitious news reporter who plots to kill her husband (Matt Dillon) and achieve international fame. Joaquin Phoenix and Casey Affleck co-star as the witless teens pressured into homicide, and the supporting cast is rounded out by Illeana Douglas, Dan Hedaya, Kurtwood Smith, and director David Cronenberg (as a hitman). While loosely based on the real-life case of Pamela Smart, the film takes a more satirical tone and introduces a number of techniques that would later become commonplace on reality television.
  • Good Will Hunting (1997) – Van Sant struck box office gold with this heartwarming story of a genius Bostonian (Matt Damon) who’s forced to undergo counseling with an unorthodox therapist (Robin Williams) in order to avoid jail time. Williams would win an Oscar for his role, as would the screenwriters (pre-fame Matt Damon and Ben Affleck). Co-starring Minnie Driver, Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, and Stellan Skarsgard.
  • Finding Forrester (2000) – While the film’s (in)famous line “You’re the man now, dog,” resulted in plenty of snickers across the Internet, the rest of this tale about a black teen (Rob Brown) who befriends a reclusive writer (Sean Connery) is packed with inspirational goodness in the vein of Good Will Hunting. Anna Paquin and F. Murray Abraham co-star, and Jeopardy host Alex Trebek shows up as himself.
  • Gerry (2002) – Matt Damon and Casey Affleck star as a pair of buddies who go hiking in the desert and wind up getting lost. Okay, it may not sound like the most exciting premise, but watching these two actors and real-life friends bicker, starve, ad-lib, and eventually contemplate murdering one another is worth the price of admission. Much like the other films in Van Sant’s “Death Trilogy” (of which this was the first), the tale was inspired by a true story.
  • Elephant (2003) – The middle film in Gus Van Sant’s “Death Trilogy” (along with Gerry and Last Days), this controversial work captured the Palme d’Or at Cannes, as well as plenty of flack from concerned parents. That’s because it was the first post-Columbine feature to deal with a school shooting, and the characters of Alex (Alex Frost) and Eric (Eric Duelen) are eerily similar to the perpetrators of the Colorado massacre. As with many of his indie projects, Van Sant utilized a largely amateur acting cast (with the exception of Timothy Bottoms).

  • Last Days (2005) – Fans of grunge music may find this one hard to watch, as it takes a fictional look at the final day in the life of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain (played by Michael Pitt and referred to for legal reasons as “Blake”). Presented in a non-linear fashion with scant dialogue, it provides a glimpse into the yawning void of one man’s life. Winner of the Technical Grand Prize at Cannes, the film co-stars Lukas Haas and Asia Argento.
  • Paranoid Park (2007) – Appearing on a number of critic’s top 10 lists for 2008, this dreamlike heartbreaker of a film follows a teen skateboarder (Gabe Nevins) as he deals with the aftermath of accidentally killing a security guard. Adapted from the novel by Blake Nelson, Van Sant chose to cast non-professional actors by posting a call for auditions on MySpace, proving that a talented director can coax quality performances out of almost anyone.
  • Milk (2008) – Sean Penn may come off like a humorless jerk, but there’s little doubt that Madonna’s ex can act his ass off. Case in point: this Oscar-winning bio about Harvey Milk, the first openly gay individual to be elected to public office in the state of California. Milk’s rise to political power is examined in great detail, as are his various romantic entanglements (played by Diego Luna and James Franco). Josh Brolin co-stars as Dan White, a fellow city leader whose simmering hatred for counterculture types leads to a tragic conclusion. Nominated for eight Oscars–including a Best Actor win for Penn–the film was oddly banned in the nation of Samoa.

If you‘d like to experience a blend of mainstream success and arthouse bravado, go ahead and check out these 10 best Gus Van Sant movies. You’ll find satire, biographical dramas, and even a message of interracial harmony to tide you over. Strangely, there’s far less Village People music than I would’ve expected.