Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #96210 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-04-24
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: Dutch
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 102 minutes

Amazon.com
Only two years separate The Fourth Man, the final Dutch language movie by director Paul Verhoeven, and the explosive commencement of his Hollywood career. Controversy raged about violence in Flesh & Blood, RoboCop and everything else he made thereafter. Yet controversy has always been a part of the filmmaker's work. This savage comedy shocker could well be seen as a trial run for Basic Instinct, since it features an ice-cold seductress (Renée Soutendijk) with mysterious motivations and sexual preferences. The hallucinatory tale follows a novelist (Jeroen Krabbé) first falling for her, and then feverishly investigating whether she's a serial husband killer. The film is full of what would soon be recognized as Verhoeven trademarks: a little blasphemy, a lot of nudity, dispassionate characters, and hidden agendas. One of the aspects that caught the eye of international audiences was the film's colorful lighting and camerawork. This was from Jan de Bont, who, thanks in large part to Verhoeven, would go on to direct Speed and others. Full of symbolic flourishes and allegorical plot points The Fourth Man is a dizzying display of the type of black comedy that not even Verhoeven can get away with in today's politically aware industry. --Paul Tonks

Customer Reviews

Simply Sublime; Worth Owning & Savoring Again & Again
I first saw this film at a wonderful old art house theater which no longer exists. It was run by a film professor and its loyal audience saw just about everything that played the art house circuit. At the end of this film, the audience burst into applause, which I'd never seen it do before and never saw it do again. Hubby and I were madly clapping along with them because we all knew we'd just seen bravura, breath taking film making. Renée Soutendijk plays a blonde hairdresser (DVD cover) who meets gay writer Jeroen Krabbé and lures him into her black widow like web. Krabbé becomes haunted by visions of his own death and Soutendijk has perhaps already had that terminal effect on three prior husbands. If you are thinking that maybe this is like the American "Black Widow," it is not except in the essence of idea. This film takes that basic idea and makes it high art, exploring the dream, surreal world adjacent to the real world. Jan DeBont's cinematography is a surreal painter's delight come to life. Director Paul Verhoeven showed the wit, style, and right-brained art making that he gave up when he came to the USA to make American films, such as "Basic Instinct." The two films are similar in that both have a female messing with the mind of a male in murderous connotations but "Basic Instinct" has all of the flash and style of "Fourth Man" but none of its art. This film also is more sexually daring than "Basic Instinct" with its exploring both gay and straight sexuality. Krabbé lusts after Soutendijk's boyfriend, who is much younger than he. It also contains full-frontal nudity of both men plus the woman. I really wish Verhoeven had remained a Dutch filmmaker, doing more of this kind of work, rather than "going Hollywood" with his films upon coming here to the USA.

Verhoeven's Crossover Film!
Previously dismissed as a soft porn filmmaker in Europe, Verhoeven decided to make a film so overloaded with symbolism and foreshadowing that the gullible critics would call it "high art". And they did.

The plot is simple but fun, including all Verhoeven's specialties - sex, frontal nudity, explicit gore (castration-ouch!), etc. When the main character (a drunken poor writer) is determined to meet a young man he cruised at a magazine shop, he also discovers the woman who helped organize his book readings is dating the youngster. He's off and manages to get both in the sack. One example of symbolic overkill: The writer discovers three black film canisters in her house revealing the "accidental" deaths of her three previous husbands. Later, after he gets the young man to have sex in a mausoleum, he spots three black urn canisters containing the woman's three prior husband's ashes! Now come on! I won't even get into the 'Virgin Mary' sightings!

However, despite the overload on ALL levels, it makes for a great art-house film and one you'll watch over and over. (If your eyeball doesn't get poked out - movie hint - more symbolism).

This film enabled Verhoeven to proceed to make such classics as "Basic Instinct" and "Showgirls". Trivia: Main actor Jeroen Kraabe was the evil doctor who framed Harrison Ford in "The Fugitive". Best extra is the inclusion of Verhoeven's director's commentary. He is one clever personality!

"IN THE REALM OF BASIC RECOLLECTIONS ......"
Miss SHARON STONE - look no further - THIS the definitive sequel to "Basic Instinct"!

Of course, Dutch film-maker Paul Verhoven made this movie long before "Basic Instinct", but this is the genesis of that [rather sterile by comparison] movie - who knows - you might even get the fabulous, risk taking, and sadly neglected JEROEN KRABBE to repeat his role! Made in 1983, this movie has is not dated.

SYNPOSIS: Bi-sexual writer Gerard/Krabbe fantasizes about "offing" his current, boring lover. He had been invited to speak at a literary gathering - somewhere "up the coast". At the train station while "crusing" the newsstand he sees an appealing young lout - who gives him the brush-off. The rail journey is mundane, interspersed with strange nightmarish visions - Bunuelish eyeballs, etc. feature prominently. Queer, odd......Dali-esque images ......

At the gathering, he meets an intriguing young blonde [cool ala Hitchcock Renee Soutendijk], "chemistry happens" and he is in bed with her, enjoying much deserved release, when, on her night stand, he notices a photograph of the young punk who gave him the brush-off at the station! This young hunk is Soutendijk's clumsy lover: She invites Krabbe to stay with them for a while - to teach the young man a few "pointers" about love-making! Hmmmmmm! Kinky? Uhuh!

[Co-incidentally, she's a hairdresser; spiders, webs and glistening, very pointy scissors feature prominently, especially during a graphic castration sequence - fortunately just a fantasy.] Our young man is also quite a contradiction - when alone with Krabbe ...... AND then there is also the question : Who will be her next husband/victim? She's disposed [?] of three already......

A bold movie for that period, confusion between male and female images [the voyuer sequences], full frontal nudity, masturbation, it's all here, tasteful, but for the sophisticated viewer. Highly recommended for your collection!

The title sequence is superb [won't spoil that for you]; art direction by Roland De Groot very effective [one expects the "DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS" hotel to be in the immediate vicinity - an excellent companion piece!] Music by Loek Dikker is aptly bleak, and the cinematography by JAN DE BONT is perfect!

Pity that Mr. Verhoven has veered away from this most creative period of his career, he showed such great promise!

Companion pieces: "Matador" [Almodovar]; prime! Second choice? "Sea of Love" Barkin/Pacino.

Now, call Sharon Stone, and get her to be in this remake - please!