Fatal Instinct (1993)

Director:

Carl Reiner

Writer (WGA):

David O'Malley (written by)

Release Date:

29 October 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Sex, murder and revenge were never this funny.

Plot:

A spoof of the late 80s and early 90s suspense thrillers and murder mysteries, including Basic Instinct...

Plot Keywords:

Love Triangle | Erotic Thriller | On The Run | Deadpan | Seduction

Cast

Armand Assante	...	Ned Ravine
Sherilyn Fenn	...	Laura Lincolnberry
Kate Nelligan	...	Lana Ravine
Sean Young	...	Lola Cain
Christopher McDonald	...	Frank Kelbo
James Remar	...	Max Shady
Tony Randall	...	Judge Skanky
Clarence Clemons	...	Clarence
Michael Cumpsty	...	Laura's Husband
John Witherspoon	...	Arch
Blake Clark	...	Milo Crumley
Edward Blanchard	...	Restroom Patron
David Greenlee	...	Restroom Stall Patron
Tim Frisbie	...	Guy in Bumper Car
Michael MacCleod	...	Freckle-Faced Kid
Carl Reiner	...	Judge Ben Arugula
Laurie Lapinski	...	Frightened Woman
Eartha Kitt	...	First Trial Judge
Harvey Levine	...	Blind Guy
Christopher Darga	...	Prison Guard
Bernie Hiller	...	Prison Reporter (as Bernard Hiller)
Lucy Lin	...	Prison Reporter
Jane Lynch	...	Prison Reporter
Casey King	...	Prison Reporter
Jacob Vargas	...	Flower Delivery Man
Alex Zuckerman	...	Jeff
Ronnie Schell	...	Conductor
Bunny Summers	...	Train Passenger
Judy Nagy	...	Reporter
Julie Rowen	...	Reporter (as Julie Donatt)
Pauline Arthur Lomas	...	Reporter
Suli McCullough	...	Reporter
Bob Uecker	...	Sportscaster
Mark Anthony	...	Sports Announcer
Kevin Michael Richardson	...	Bailiff (as Kevin Richardson)
Susan Angelo	...	Lana's Prosecutor
Gregory Sporleder	...	Court Clerk
Joseph Attanasio	...	Jury Foreman
Savannah Smith Boucher	...	Woman Juror
Steven Houska	...	Courtroom Usher
Roger E. Reid	...	Court Reporter (as Roger Reid)
Barry Eisen	...	Press Room Reporter
George Lopez	...	Murder Investigator
Keith Campbell	...	Murder Investigator
Doc Severinsen	...	Guest Musician
Vito Mirabella	...	Hot Dog Vendor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bill Cobbs	...	Man in park (uncredited)
Christopher Murray	...	Investigator #1 (uncredited)
Rosie O'Donnell	...	Woman in Bird Store (uncredited)
Clement von Franckenstein	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Carl Reiner

Writing credits (WGA)
David O'Malley		(written by)

Produced by
Pieter Jan Brugge	....	executive producer
Pierce Gardner	....	producer
Katie Jacobs	....	producer

Original Music by
Richard Gibbs

Cinematography by
Gabriel Beristain

Film Editing by
Bud Molin
Stephen R. Myers		(as Stephen Myers)

Casting by
Renee Rousselot

Production Design by
Sandy Veneziano

Art Direction by
Daniel Maltese

Set Decoration by
Chris A. Butcher

Costume Design by
Albert Wolsky

Makeup Department
Stephen Abrums	....	makeup artist
Hallie D'Amore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Pieter Jan Brugge	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
M. James Arnett	....	second unit director
Tom Davies	....	first assistant director: second unit
Marty P. Ewing	....	first assistant director (as Marty Ewing)
Andrew M. Flinn	....	additional second assistant director
Timothy J. Lonsdale	....	second assistant director: second unit (as Tim Lionsdale)
Cherylanne Martin	....	second assistant director (as Cheryl Anne Martin)
Robert Scott	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Larry Clark	....	paint supervisor
Ken Scaife	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
David Behle	....	sound recordist
Anna Behlmer	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Beshears	....	sound effects editor
Rickley W. Dumm	....	assistant sound editor
Carl Fischer	....	boom operator
Bruce Fortune	....	supervising sound editor
Steven Gerrior	....	first assistant sound editor
Walter A. Gest	....	sound re-recordist (as Walter Guest)
Petur Hliddal	....	production sound mixer
Jack Keller	....	sound recordist
Mary Jo Lang	....	foley mixer
Lance Laurienzo	....	assistant sound editor
Robert J. Litt	....	sound re-recording mixer
Anthony Milch	....	sound editor
Jay Nierenberg	....	sound editor
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Greg P. Russell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Solange S. Schwalbe	....	foley editor (as Solange Schwalbe-Boisseau)
Shawn Sykora	....	supervising foley editor
Elliot Tyson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Richard E. Yawn	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
John S. Baker	....	special effects technician
Bruce Y. Kuroyama	....	special effects technician
Hans Metz	....	special effects supervisor
Clay Pinney	....	special effects
Steve Riley	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Amy Pawlowski	....	visual effects editor

Stunts
M. James Arnett	....	stunt coordinator
Eddie Braun	....	stunts
Keith Campbell	....	stunts
Donna Evans	....	stunts
Randy Peters	....	stunts
Birgit K. Schier	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Alexonis	....	grip
Ted Chu	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Michael Ferris	....	photography: second unit
Toulouse Holliday	....	grip (as S. Toulouse Holliday)
Bob Leitelt	....	rigging key grip
Peter McAdams	....	grip
Vito Mirabella	....	grip
Michael K. O'Melia	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Michael C. Price	....	grip
Keith Talley	....	key grip
H. Mark Vuille	....	gaffer
Tom Wholey	....	electrician

Casting Department
Jimmy Jue	....	extras casting

Music Department
Philip Giffin	....	composer: additional music
Philip Giffin	....	orchestrator
Chet Leonard	....	music playback
Paul Silver	....	assistant music editor

Transportation Department
Craig Lietzke	....	driver
Rick Scheil	....	transportation accountant
Candace Wells	....	transportation captain
Bryce Guy Williams	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Michael Anthony	....	key assistant location manager
Marco Assante	....	assistant: Armand Assante
Carol Bawer	....	key set production assistant
Frawley Becker	....	location manager
Jamie D. Boscardin	....	assistant: Pieter Jan Brugge
Joe Everett	....	unit publicist
Katie Gilbert	....	production coordinator
Debra James	....	assistant production coordinator
Larry K. Johnson	....	script supervisor
Michael R. Kern	....	assistant accountant
Julie Pinson	....	stand-in: Kate Nelligan
Tammy Rodriguez	....	stand-in: Sean Young
Douglas V.R. Shellow	....	production assistant
Cheryl A. Stone	....	production accountant
Betsy Trauscht	....	stand-in: Sheilynn Fenn
Martine White	....	additional assistant location manager
Jack E. Herman	....	extras set coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Spain)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Triple Indemnity (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Yiddish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #32512) | Canada:A (Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Australia:PG | Denmark:7 (2003) | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

A scene was filmed with Dudley Moore appearing in drag as Max Shady's mother, testifying at Lana's trial. Although the scene was cut from the movie, it is included on the DVD release.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Ravine throws a shoe out the window at the bird, it hits a background screen.

Quotes:

Lola Cain: He left me. He left me because she looked more like me than I did.

Movie Connections:

References This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

Soundtrack:

The Mighty Bruins

Triple indemnity

Carl Reiner, a man that knows about comedy, is the man behind this spoof on the noir genre. Mr. Reiner, working here with David O'Malley's screen play, has created a film that parodies movies like "Double Indemnity", "Basic Instinct", and "Fatal Attraction", among others, with great style.

The result is a film with some clever lines spoken by the cast as though they are acting in the prototype movies that Mr. Reiner is spoofing, with great panache. Not everything works, but when it does, the fun never seems to stop making us laugh.

The cast Mr. Reiner assembled is up to the task. Armand Assante is excellent as Ned Ravine, a man who is a policeman and lawyer and who does some excellent dancing in those red stiletto shoes his character seems to love. Sherilyn Fenn is the loyal secretary Laura. Kate Nelligan does an excellent imitation of Barbara Stanwyck as the scheming wife, Lana. Sean Young has some good moments in the film.

"Fatal Instinct" is a film to watch with a lot of friends. Mr. Reiner shows why he has been one of the best comic writers in America.