Michael Douglas has proudly asserted his prowess in performing intimate scenes on the silver screen. The renowned actor recently shared his reflections on one of his most popular movies, Basic Instinct, during his appearance at the Cannes Film Festival, where he was honored with the prestigious Honorary Palme d’Or award in recognition of his remarkable contributions to the film industry.
As part of the festival’s program, the actor engaged in a comprehensive conversation, covering various aspects of his career as well as emphasizing the significance of family. During the discussion, Douglas took a moment to reminisce about the controversial reception that surrounded the premiere of Basic Instinct back in 1992.
Michael Douglas says people were shocked when ‘Basic Instinct’ was premiered
Douglas shared that when Basic Instinct was screened at Cannes many decades ago, it elicited shocked responses from the audience. “Normally, if you come here with a film and you’re fortunate enough that it’s been chosen, it’s going to be something interesting. I’ve had different experiences here,” Douglas confessed. “I mean, Basic Instinct was unique, even for France.”
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The 78-year-old further revealed that it took time before people could relate to the movie. “Seeing that sex scene on the Palais Festival’s huge screen, biggest screen I’ve ever seen, was a little overwhelming, I think, for a lot of people,” Douglas admitted. “We had a very quiet dinner afterwards; everyone was sort of digesting it.”
Michael Douglas shares the secret behind his perfect sex scenes
The actor explained that having a mutual understanding with the female character makes it easy to shoot perfect sex scenes. “It’s important for the lady that you’re not taking advantage,” Douglas detailed. “You tell them beforehand when you’re starting: ‘Alright, I’m going to put my hand here. Is that alright? Okay, you put your hand here, and then we’re going to go kiss, kiss, and then we are going to go … we’re going to go down.’”
Douglas also noted that the greatest secret was the constant practice of the scenes before the actual shoot. “The secret, I guess — since I’ve become the expert on sex scenes in movies — is rehearsal,” he said. “You do a fight scene, you have to work out the choreography. … When you do that you go, ‘Okay, I throw a punch, boom, you go back and you come back, you throw, boom.’ You start very slowly and then you work your way up to a faster pace.”