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What the Hell Happened to Kim Basinger?
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Dec 7, 2012, 8:23:03 PM12/7/12
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Posted by lebeau
She’s been a Bond girl, Batman’s girlfriend and a corpse in a Tom
Petty video. Most recently, she played Zach Effron’s mom. What the
hell happened? The easy answer is that Kim Basinger was a sex symbol
who got old. But the story of Basinger’s career is far more
interesting than the easy answer would lead you to believe.
Like a lot of the actresses I have profiled so far, Basinger got her
start as a model. She then transitioned on to TV shows like Starskey
and Hutch and Charlie’s Angels. Following that, she broke into films
with films like Hard Country and Mother Lode.
Basinger’s breakout role was opposite Sean Connery in Never Say Never
Again.
After Diamonds are Forever, Connery had vowed never to play James Bond
again. However, he reconsidered. And in 1983 he returned to the
role. The title is a winking nod to Connery’s earlier comments.
Never Say Never Again is an odd entry in the Bond franchise. It was
not produced by Eon Productions like most of the Bond films. Instead,
it was a remake of Thunderball based on a settlement deal surrounding
Fleming’s original novel.
In the summer of 1983, Connery and Roger Moore had dueling James Bond
films as a result.
As it turns out, there was room for two James Bond movies that
summer. Although Roger Moore’s Octopussy outperformed Never Say Never
Again, both films were hits.
To promote Never Say Never Again, Basinger posed nude for Playboy.
Basinger actually credits the Playboy shoot with helping her land the
role in Barry Levinson’s baseball film, The Natural.
But first, let me make a passing mention that in 1983 Basinger also
appeared in the Blake Edwards comedy, The Man Who Loved Women starring
Burt Reynolds.
Never Say Never Again, the Playboy shoot (and maybe even the Burt
Reynolds movie) caught the attention of Barry Levinson. When he was
looking for a femme fatale to seduce Robert Redford in The Natural, he
called upon Basinger.
Basinger was perfect for the role conveying the glamor of the error as
well as the necessary sex appeal. She was rewarded with her first
Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Up to this point, Basinger has worked with an impressive collection of
directors. Never Say Never Again was directed by Irvin Kirshner
(director of The Empire Strikes Back), The Man Who Loves Women was
directed by Blake Edwards and The Natural was directed by Barry
Levinson. But her next film, Fool for Love, was directed by none
other than Robert Altman!
I haven’t done the research, but I venture to guess that no other
actress has gone from Bond and Playboy to Altman in three films or
less.
Fool For Love was not a box office hit. But it got very positive
reviews and helped to legitimize Basinger as an actress and not just a
pretty face.
In 1986, Basinger worked with another visionary director, Adrian Lyne,
in the erotic drama, 9 1/2 Weeks. Basinger and co-star Mickey Rourke
played a couple who push their sexual boundaries until Basinger’s
character reaches her limit. The sex scenes were artfully done, but
the film was scandalous at the time.
Reviews for 9 1/2 Weeks were mixed. Some critics considered it
bordering on soft core porn. But most praised the genuine
performances by Rourke and Basinger.
At the time of its release, 9 1/2 Weeks bombed at the box office. But
it became very popular overseas and eventually developed a cult
following. A direct to video sequel and prequel were both eventually
produced.
Later that year, Basinger starred opposite Richard Gere in the would-
be erotic thriller, No Mercy. The Bayou-based crime drama was panned
by critics and bombed at the box office.
In 1987, Basinger reteamed with Blake Edwards for Blind Date.
Basinger’s co-star was Bruce Willis who was still appearing weekly on
TV in Moonlighting.
Blind Date traded in heavily on Willis’ Moonlighting persona. This is
what Willis’ career might have looked like if Die Hard hadn’t come
along.
Blind Date is pure farce. Basinger plays an attractive girl who is
inexplicably shy. But she turns wild if she has so much as a sip of
alcohol. Willis goes out on a blind date (thus the title) with her
which starts off awkwardly but ends in madness once Basinger has had a
few drinks.
The critics weren’t kind to Blind Date. But it was a modest hit.
The same can not be said for Basinger’s next film. Nadine was a sexy,
Southern-fried comedy co-starring Jeff Bridges. The critics hated it
and this time audiences agreed. Nadine was another bomb.
In 1989, Basinger tried her hand at comedy again. This time, she
paired with Dan Aykroyd for My Stepmother is an Alien.
Basinger played the titular stepmom/alien. And yes, the title pretty
much tells you everything you need to know about the movie. It’s one
of those weird comedies that only Dan Aykroyd thinks is funny.
So, instead of writing a lot about My Stepmother is an Alien, let me
share a little nugget my research turned up.
Yeah, fellow Buffy fans. That’s Alyson Hannigan and Seth Green as
kids. The future Willow and Oz were apparently coupled up pre-puberty
in My Stepmother is an Alien. Pretty cool, huh?
Anyway, Stepmother bombed like all Dan Aykroyd comedies not co-
starring a funnier SNL alumn. Basinger’s career seemed to be coming
off the rails.
In 1989, Basinger finally scored another hit. And it was a big one.
Batman was the biggest movie of 1989. It was a cultural phenomenon.
And Basinger almost wasn’t in it.
Originally, Sean Young was cast as Vicki Vale, Batman’s love
interest. When Young was injured during preproduction, the role had
to be recast. Burton suggested Michelle Pfeiffer for the role. But
Michael Keaton (who was in a relationship with Pfeiffer) thought it
would be awkward and rejected her.
Jack Nicholson’s contract on Batman had a lot of stipulations. One of
them was that his entire role was to be shot within three weeks! The
clock was ticking to find an actress to replace Sean Young. They
needed someone who was right for the part and also available with
almost no notice. Basinger fit that bill.
Originally, Basinger’s character was supposed to die in the films and
inspire Batman to greater darkness. But the studio didn’t like the
idea. Instead, they rewrote the ending with the cathedral scene
without consulting Burton.
If you ever thought the ending didn’t make a lot of sense, you’re not
alone. While filming the scene in which the Joker kidnaps Vale and
marches her up to the top of a cathedral, Nicholson demanded to know
why they were climbing the stairs. Burton admitted he didn’t know and
said they would figure it out when they reached the top.
Basinger was basically a damsel in distress. She screams
approximately 23 times in Batman. But even if the role required
little more than looking pretty and screaming frequently, Basinger was
in the biggest movie of the year. That’s got to count for something.
During this time, Basinger started up a very public affair with the
pop star, Prince. Prince was recording music for the Batman
soundtrack. The Prince/Basinger pairing was the stuff of urban
legend. Reportedly, Basinger was under some kind of spell. The story
goes that Basinger’s family, concerned for her well-being, whisked
Basinger away from Prince’s house.
That may seem silly. Prince is a little guy. It’s hard to imagine
that Basinger was in any real jeopardy. However, before you rush to
judgement, take into consideration that Basinger and Prince recorded
an album (appropraitely titled Hollywood Affair) which was never
released.
Here’s a sample:
So, yeah, maybe getting Basinger away from Prince was a matter of
urgency.
But shacking up with Prince and recording bootleg sex grooves wasn’t
the only bad decision Basinger made in 1989. She also dropped $20
million dollars to buy the town (the entire town!) of Braselton,
Georgia. The idea was to establish a tourism industry built around a
Kim Basinger film festival. Kind of like Dollywood but, you know,
with Kim Basinger.
I won’t keep you in suspense. Basigner’s plans for the town of
Braselton didn’t work out. Five years later, she sold the town for a
mere $1 million dollars!
Pretty rough, right? Well, buckle up! Cause we’re just getting
started!
In 1991, Basinger starred alongside Alec Baldwin in The Marrying Man.
Odds are you have forgotten about this slight Neil Simon comedy. But
when it was released, the film was infamous for the behind-the-scenes
fights.
When The Marrying Man started, Baldwin was a rising star. The Hunt
for Red October had not yet been release. Disney Chairman Jeffrey
Katzenberg got the production off on the wrong foot when he met
Baldwin and reportedly joked “We could get a gate guard to do the same
job as you.” Baldwin didn’t take kindly to the joke.
He did take to Basinger though. The two began a hot, steamy on-set
romance. Several memebrs of the crew complained about Basinger and
Baldwin’s on-set shenanigans. Reportedly, Basinger did not wear
underwear on the set and was very forthcoming with what she wanted to
do to her co-star in between takes.
One crew member commented, “Honest to God, if I were destitute and
living on the street with no food and somebody offered me a million
dollars to work with Alec and Kim, I’d pass. Their actions were vile,
deplorable, despicable.”
The script for The Marrying Man was written by comedy legend Neil
Simon. Basinger was unhappy with her dialogue and wanted it
rewritten. Reportedly, she told Simon “Whoever wrote this scene
doesn’t understand comedy.” Neil Simon denied the incident. But he
only visited the set one more time during filming.
The Marrying Man turned into a cautionary tale. It came in over-
budget, was blasted by critics and bombed at the box office.
Two years later, Basinger and Baldwin would marry. But don’t worry.
I’m sure that will turn out well…
Basinger released 3 movies in 1992. The first was the erotic
thriller, Final Analysis which reteamed Basinger with her No Mercy co-
star, Richard Gere. Final Analysis was meant to cash in on the
success of Basic Instinct (which Basinger had passed on). But reviews
were mixed and the movie tanked.
Okay, full disclosure time. I remeber two things about Final
Analysis. One, it was ridiculous and two, I had fun watching it. I
really couldn’t tell you what it was about. But I remember enjoying
it and being surprised when it was a box office flop.
Next Basinger played a living cartoon in Ralph Bakshi’s live action/
animation hybrid, Cool World.
Some might consider Basinger as a sexy cartoon to be type casting
(zing!). The movie is notable for co-starring a young Brad Pitt fresh
off Thelma and Louise and for being absolutely unwatchable. And
remember, I liked Final Analysis!
Basinger ended the year by teaming with the undisputed King of What
the Hell Happened, Val Kilmer in the heist flick, The Real McCoy. The
Real McCoy got mixed to negative reviews and bombed at the box office
contributing to the career decline of both of its stars.
In 1993, Basinger played Honey Horne, an older woman who seduces Dana
Carvey’s Garth in Wayne’s World 2.
The Wayne’s World sequel was a disappointment at the box office, but
Basinger’s part was basically an extended cameo anyway. So it wasn’t
going to have much impact on her career either way.
Her biggest performance in 1993 was as the hot corpse Tom Petty dances
with in the Last Dance With Mary Jane music video:
However, the biggest Kim Basinger story of 1993 was Boxing Helena, a
movie Basinger did not even appear in.
In the early 90′s, Twin Peaks mania swept the country making quirky
director David Lynch an unlikely household name. For a short time,
Twin Peaks was so popular that Lynch’s daughter, was able to sign a
deal to write and director her own movie.
The Lynch name attracted Madonna to the project. But when the Twin
Peaks backlash started, Modonna walked out and Kim Basinger stepped
in.
Boxing Helena was a very strange movie. It was about a surgeon who
amputates the arms and legs from a woman he is obsessed with and then
keeps her as a prisoner/patient until she returns his affections. But
weirdness was part of the appeal of David Lynch. So his daughter’s
first movie was expected to be weird.
The problem was that it was also awful. I mean, really bad. Worse
than the premise makes it sound. Just before filming was supposed to
begin, Basinger (understandably) got cold feet about playing an
armless, legless hostage who falls in love with the man who kidnaps
and mutilates her.
Not surprisingly, the makers of Boxing Helena sued. What is
surprising is that they were awarded an unprecendented settlement of
8.1 million dollars for Basinger’s breach of her verbal contract.
Just to put this decision in some context, stars dropping out of
movies is commonplace in Hollywood. At best, there is usually some
out of court settlement between the star and the producers. Madonna
had already walked out of this particular project.
Many speculate that the jury was biased against Basinger because they
resented her for being so beautiful and rich. At the time, she still
owned a town. And one of the details that came out in court was that
Basinger spent $7,000 a month on her pets! Also, it probably didn’t
help that her handsome boy friend, Alec Baldwin, showed up in court
every day wearing sunglasses and slicked-back hair.
Eventually, the verdict was voided. Basinger signed an out-of-court
settlement for $3.8 million dollars. But the damage was done.
Between her costly legal battles and the failure of her investment in
the town of Braselton, Basinger filed for bankruptcy.
In 1994, Basinger again co-starred with Alec Baldwin, now her
husband. The film was The Getaway, a remake of the 1972 Steve McQueen
film of the same name.
The original was a bit of Hollywood lore. While filming the 1972
version, Steve McQueen started an affair with his co-star Ali McGraw
who was in a relationship at the time with the film’s legendary
producer, Robert Evans.
The 1994 version of The Getaway hoped to generate a different kind of
controversy. Go ahead, Google it. You’ll hear a lot about the steamy
sex scene between Basinger and Baldwin. But that was not enough to
make The Getaway a hit. It received negative reviews and bombed at
the box office.
Basinger also appeared in the 1994 film, Pret a Porter (or Ready to
Wear as it was released in the US), Robert Altman’s film about the
fashion world.
Basinger agreed to the project without reading the script for the
opportunity to work with Altman again. Pret a Porter actualy got
mixed reviews. And it opened below expectations.
Battered and possibly broken, Basinger retreated from Hollywood for a
few years. Faced with lawsuits, bankruptcy and a string of box office
flops, you can hardly blame her. From 1994-1997, Basinger
concentrated on rasising a family with Alec Baldwin.
That could have been the end of the story. But Hollywood loves a
comeback and Basinger was primed and ready for one. In 1997, Basinger
had a hell of a comeback in Curtis Hanson’s gritty film noir, LA
Confidential.
It was the role Basinger was born for. She played a glamorous, sexy
femme fatale. But with enough vulnerability to win a slew of awards
including an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
Despite the overwhelming success of LA Confidential, Basinger didn’t
jump right back into starring roles. She didn’t release another movie
for three years. In 2000, she starred in two box office turkeys, I
Deamed of Africa and the supernatural thriller, Bless the Child. Both
recevied bad reviews.
In 2001, Basinger and Baldwin filed for divorce. This lead to a long,
drawn out custody battle over their daughter Ireland. Six years
later, that battle would become public when Baldwin left some angry
phone messages for their daughter.
In 2002, Basinger worked for Curtis Hanson again in the Eminem drama,
8 Mile. The film is based on the rapper’s life although it has been
fictionalized. Basinger played the fictional version of Eminem’s
demonized mother. The movie was a hit and got good reviews.
Basinger continued to work mostly in smaller films that most people
have probably never seen or heard of. In 2004, she starred in the
thriller, Cellular. Cellular was one of the first films to
acknowledge the popularity of cell phones and to use it as a plot
point.
Films (especially horror films) were reluctant to admit that most
people had cell phones because it tended to create problems for the
narrative when the characters could easily call for help. It was very
common to have a line of dialogue explaining that the characters
conveniently couldn’t get coverage or the issue was just ignored
altogether.
Cellular got some marks for being clever. Reviews were mixed on the
whole. Cellular was a modest hit at the box office.
Following Cellular, Basinger has appeared in a string of small films
and box office disappointments. The highest profile of which were The
Sentinel in 2006 and Charlie St. Cloud in 2010. None of these films
really merit much attention. At this point, Basinger’s career seems
to have slipped back into a coma.
Bond girls have a really lousy track record in Hollywood. So much so,
that the term Bond Girl Curse has been coined. Around here, we also
talk about the Batman Curse. So, Basinger has a double whammy. If
you count the Kilmer Curse, she has a trifecta.
Her story is filled with one train wreck after another. And yet, in
spite of it all, she managed to become an international sex symbol, a
box office leading lady and eventually an Academy Award winning
actress.
The answer to the question “What the Hell Happened to Kim Basinger?”
may be as simple as she was a sex symbol who got old. But I think the
crazy details of Basinger’s rise and fall make for one of the most
interesting stories in this series.
Posted by lebeau
She’s been a Bond girl, Batman’s girlfriend and a corpse in a Tom
Petty video. Most recently, she played Zach Effron’s mom. What the
hell happened? The easy answer is that Kim Basinger was a sex symbol
who got old. But the story of Basinger’s career is far more
interesting than the easy answer would lead you to believe.
Like a lot of the actresses I have profiled so far, Basinger got her
start as a model. She then transitioned on to TV shows like Starskey
and Hutch and Charlie’s Angels. Following that, she broke into films
with films like Hard Country and Mother Lode.
Basinger’s breakout role was opposite Sean Connery in Never Say Never
Again.
After Diamonds are Forever, Connery had vowed never to play James Bond
again. However, he reconsidered. And in 1983 he returned to the
role. The title is a winking nod to Connery’s earlier comments.
Never Say Never Again is an odd entry in the Bond franchise. It was
not produced by Eon Productions like most of the Bond films. Instead,
it was a remake of Thunderball based on a settlement deal surrounding
Fleming’s original novel.
In the summer of 1983, Connery and Roger Moore had dueling James Bond
films as a result.
As it turns out, there was room for two James Bond movies that
summer. Although Roger Moore’s Octopussy outperformed Never Say Never
Again, both films were hits.
To promote Never Say Never Again, Basinger posed nude for Playboy.
Basinger actually credits the Playboy shoot with helping her land the
role in Barry Levinson’s baseball film, The Natural.
But first, let me make a passing mention that in 1983 Basinger also
appeared in the Blake Edwards comedy, The Man Who Loved Women starring
Burt Reynolds.
Never Say Never Again, the Playboy shoot (and maybe even the Burt
Reynolds movie) caught the attention of Barry Levinson. When he was
looking for a femme fatale to seduce Robert Redford in The Natural, he
called upon Basinger.
Basinger was perfect for the role conveying the glamor of the error as
well as the necessary sex appeal. She was rewarded with her first
Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Up to this point, Basinger has worked with an impressive collection of
directors. Never Say Never Again was directed by Irvin Kirshner
(director of The Empire Strikes Back), The Man Who Loves Women was
directed by Blake Edwards and The Natural was directed by Barry
Levinson. But her next film, Fool for Love, was directed by none
other than Robert Altman!
I haven’t done the research, but I venture to guess that no other
actress has gone from Bond and Playboy to Altman in three films or
less.
Fool For Love was not a box office hit. But it got very positive
reviews and helped to legitimize Basinger as an actress and not just a
pretty face.
In 1986, Basinger worked with another visionary director, Adrian Lyne,
in the erotic drama, 9 1/2 Weeks. Basinger and co-star Mickey Rourke
played a couple who push their sexual boundaries until Basinger’s
character reaches her limit. The sex scenes were artfully done, but
the film was scandalous at the time.
Reviews for 9 1/2 Weeks were mixed. Some critics considered it
bordering on soft core porn. But most praised the genuine
performances by Rourke and Basinger.
At the time of its release, 9 1/2 Weeks bombed at the box office. But
it became very popular overseas and eventually developed a cult
following. A direct to video sequel and prequel were both eventually
produced.
Later that year, Basinger starred opposite Richard Gere in the would-
be erotic thriller, No Mercy. The Bayou-based crime drama was panned
by critics and bombed at the box office.
In 1987, Basinger reteamed with Blake Edwards for Blind Date.
Basinger’s co-star was Bruce Willis who was still appearing weekly on
TV in Moonlighting.
Blind Date traded in heavily on Willis’ Moonlighting persona. This is
what Willis’ career might have looked like if Die Hard hadn’t come
along.
Blind Date is pure farce. Basinger plays an attractive girl who is
inexplicably shy. But she turns wild if she has so much as a sip of
alcohol. Willis goes out on a blind date (thus the title) with her
which starts off awkwardly but ends in madness once Basinger has had a
few drinks.
The critics weren’t kind to Blind Date. But it was a modest hit.
The same can not be said for Basinger’s next film. Nadine was a sexy,
Southern-fried comedy co-starring Jeff Bridges. The critics hated it
and this time audiences agreed. Nadine was another bomb.
In 1989, Basinger tried her hand at comedy again. This time, she
paired with Dan Aykroyd for My Stepmother is an Alien.
Basinger played the titular stepmom/alien. And yes, the title pretty
much tells you everything you need to know about the movie. It’s one
of those weird comedies that only Dan Aykroyd thinks is funny.
So, instead of writing a lot about My Stepmother is an Alien, let me
share a little nugget my research turned up.
Yeah, fellow Buffy fans. That’s Alyson Hannigan and Seth Green as
kids. The future Willow and Oz were apparently coupled up pre-puberty
in My Stepmother is an Alien. Pretty cool, huh?
Anyway, Stepmother bombed like all Dan Aykroyd comedies not co-
starring a funnier SNL alumn. Basinger’s career seemed to be coming
off the rails.
In 1989, Basinger finally scored another hit. And it was a big one.
Batman was the biggest movie of 1989. It was a cultural phenomenon.
And Basinger almost wasn’t in it.
Originally, Sean Young was cast as Vicki Vale, Batman’s love
interest. When Young was injured during preproduction, the role had
to be recast. Burton suggested Michelle Pfeiffer for the role. But
Michael Keaton (who was in a relationship with Pfeiffer) thought it
would be awkward and rejected her.
Jack Nicholson’s contract on Batman had a lot of stipulations. One of
them was that his entire role was to be shot within three weeks! The
clock was ticking to find an actress to replace Sean Young. They
needed someone who was right for the part and also available with
almost no notice. Basinger fit that bill.
Originally, Basinger’s character was supposed to die in the films and
inspire Batman to greater darkness. But the studio didn’t like the
idea. Instead, they rewrote the ending with the cathedral scene
without consulting Burton.
If you ever thought the ending didn’t make a lot of sense, you’re not
alone. While filming the scene in which the Joker kidnaps Vale and
marches her up to the top of a cathedral, Nicholson demanded to know
why they were climbing the stairs. Burton admitted he didn’t know and
said they would figure it out when they reached the top.
Basinger was basically a damsel in distress. She screams
approximately 23 times in Batman. But even if the role required
little more than looking pretty and screaming frequently, Basinger was
in the biggest movie of the year. That’s got to count for something.
During this time, Basinger started up a very public affair with the
pop star, Prince. Prince was recording music for the Batman
soundtrack. The Prince/Basinger pairing was the stuff of urban
legend. Reportedly, Basinger was under some kind of spell. The story
goes that Basinger’s family, concerned for her well-being, whisked
Basinger away from Prince’s house.
That may seem silly. Prince is a little guy. It’s hard to imagine
that Basinger was in any real jeopardy. However, before you rush to
judgement, take into consideration that Basinger and Prince recorded
an album (appropraitely titled Hollywood Affair) which was never
released.
Here’s a sample:
So, yeah, maybe getting Basinger away from Prince was a matter of
urgency.
But shacking up with Prince and recording bootleg sex grooves wasn’t
the only bad decision Basinger made in 1989. She also dropped $20
million dollars to buy the town (the entire town!) of Braselton,
Georgia. The idea was to establish a tourism industry built around a
Kim Basinger film festival. Kind of like Dollywood but, you know,
with Kim Basinger.
I won’t keep you in suspense. Basigner’s plans for the town of
Braselton didn’t work out. Five years later, she sold the town for a
mere $1 million dollars!
Pretty rough, right? Well, buckle up! Cause we’re just getting
started!
In 1991, Basinger starred alongside Alec Baldwin in The Marrying Man.
Odds are you have forgotten about this slight Neil Simon comedy. But
when it was released, the film was infamous for the behind-the-scenes
fights.
When The Marrying Man started, Baldwin was a rising star. The Hunt
for Red October had not yet been release. Disney Chairman Jeffrey
Katzenberg got the production off on the wrong foot when he met
Baldwin and reportedly joked “We could get a gate guard to do the same
job as you.” Baldwin didn’t take kindly to the joke.
He did take to Basinger though. The two began a hot, steamy on-set
romance. Several memebrs of the crew complained about Basinger and
Baldwin’s on-set shenanigans. Reportedly, Basinger did not wear
underwear on the set and was very forthcoming with what she wanted to
do to her co-star in between takes.
One crew member commented, “Honest to God, if I were destitute and
living on the street with no food and somebody offered me a million
dollars to work with Alec and Kim, I’d pass. Their actions were vile,
deplorable, despicable.”
The script for The Marrying Man was written by comedy legend Neil
Simon. Basinger was unhappy with her dialogue and wanted it
rewritten. Reportedly, she told Simon “Whoever wrote this scene
doesn’t understand comedy.” Neil Simon denied the incident. But he
only visited the set one more time during filming.
The Marrying Man turned into a cautionary tale. It came in over-
budget, was blasted by critics and bombed at the box office.
Two years later, Basinger and Baldwin would marry. But don’t worry.
I’m sure that will turn out well…
Basinger released 3 movies in 1992. The first was the erotic
thriller, Final Analysis which reteamed Basinger with her No Mercy co-
star, Richard Gere. Final Analysis was meant to cash in on the
success of Basic Instinct (which Basinger had passed on). But reviews
were mixed and the movie tanked.
Okay, full disclosure time. I remeber two things about Final
Analysis. One, it was ridiculous and two, I had fun watching it. I
really couldn’t tell you what it was about. But I remember enjoying
it and being surprised when it was a box office flop.
Next Basinger played a living cartoon in Ralph Bakshi’s live action/
animation hybrid, Cool World.
Some might consider Basinger as a sexy cartoon to be type casting
(zing!). The movie is notable for co-starring a young Brad Pitt fresh
off Thelma and Louise and for being absolutely unwatchable. And
remember, I liked Final Analysis!
Basinger ended the year by teaming with the undisputed King of What
the Hell Happened, Val Kilmer in the heist flick, The Real McCoy. The
Real McCoy got mixed to negative reviews and bombed at the box office
contributing to the career decline of both of its stars.
In 1993, Basinger played Honey Horne, an older woman who seduces Dana
Carvey’s Garth in Wayne’s World 2.
The Wayne’s World sequel was a disappointment at the box office, but
Basinger’s part was basically an extended cameo anyway. So it wasn’t
going to have much impact on her career either way.
Her biggest performance in 1993 was as the hot corpse Tom Petty dances
with in the Last Dance With Mary Jane music video:
However, the biggest Kim Basinger story of 1993 was Boxing Helena, a
movie Basinger did not even appear in.
In the early 90′s, Twin Peaks mania swept the country making quirky
director David Lynch an unlikely household name. For a short time,
Twin Peaks was so popular that Lynch’s daughter, was able to sign a
deal to write and director her own movie.
The Lynch name attracted Madonna to the project. But when the Twin
Peaks backlash started, Modonna walked out and Kim Basinger stepped
in.
Boxing Helena was a very strange movie. It was about a surgeon who
amputates the arms and legs from a woman he is obsessed with and then
keeps her as a prisoner/patient until she returns his affections. But
weirdness was part of the appeal of David Lynch. So his daughter’s
first movie was expected to be weird.
The problem was that it was also awful. I mean, really bad. Worse
than the premise makes it sound. Just before filming was supposed to
begin, Basinger (understandably) got cold feet about playing an
armless, legless hostage who falls in love with the man who kidnaps
and mutilates her.
Not surprisingly, the makers of Boxing Helena sued. What is
surprising is that they were awarded an unprecendented settlement of
8.1 million dollars for Basinger’s breach of her verbal contract.
Just to put this decision in some context, stars dropping out of
movies is commonplace in Hollywood. At best, there is usually some
out of court settlement between the star and the producers. Madonna
had already walked out of this particular project.
Many speculate that the jury was biased against Basinger because they
resented her for being so beautiful and rich. At the time, she still
owned a town. And one of the details that came out in court was that
Basinger spent $7,000 a month on her pets! Also, it probably didn’t
help that her handsome boy friend, Alec Baldwin, showed up in court
every day wearing sunglasses and slicked-back hair.
Eventually, the verdict was voided. Basinger signed an out-of-court
settlement for $3.8 million dollars. But the damage was done.
Between her costly legal battles and the failure of her investment in
the town of Braselton, Basinger filed for bankruptcy.
In 1994, Basinger again co-starred with Alec Baldwin, now her
husband. The film was The Getaway, a remake of the 1972 Steve McQueen
film of the same name.
The original was a bit of Hollywood lore. While filming the 1972
version, Steve McQueen started an affair with his co-star Ali McGraw
who was in a relationship at the time with the film’s legendary
producer, Robert Evans.
The 1994 version of The Getaway hoped to generate a different kind of
controversy. Go ahead, Google it. You’ll hear a lot about the steamy
sex scene between Basinger and Baldwin. But that was not enough to
make The Getaway a hit. It received negative reviews and bombed at
the box office.
Basinger also appeared in the 1994 film, Pret a Porter (or Ready to
Wear as it was released in the US), Robert Altman’s film about the
fashion world.
Basinger agreed to the project without reading the script for the
opportunity to work with Altman again. Pret a Porter actualy got
mixed reviews. And it opened below expectations.
Battered and possibly broken, Basinger retreated from Hollywood for a
few years. Faced with lawsuits, bankruptcy and a string of box office
flops, you can hardly blame her. From 1994-1997, Basinger
concentrated on rasising a family with Alec Baldwin.
That could have been the end of the story. But Hollywood loves a
comeback and Basinger was primed and ready for one. In 1997, Basinger
had a hell of a comeback in Curtis Hanson’s gritty film noir, LA
Confidential.
It was the role Basinger was born for. She played a glamorous, sexy
femme fatale. But with enough vulnerability to win a slew of awards
including an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
Despite the overwhelming success of LA Confidential, Basinger didn’t
jump right back into starring roles. She didn’t release another movie
for three years. In 2000, she starred in two box office turkeys, I
Deamed of Africa and the supernatural thriller, Bless the Child. Both
recevied bad reviews.
In 2001, Basinger and Baldwin filed for divorce. This lead to a long,
drawn out custody battle over their daughter Ireland. Six years
later, that battle would become public when Baldwin left some angry
phone messages for their daughter.
In 2002, Basinger worked for Curtis Hanson again in the Eminem drama,
8 Mile. The film is based on the rapper’s life although it has been
fictionalized. Basinger played the fictional version of Eminem’s
demonized mother. The movie was a hit and got good reviews.
Basinger continued to work mostly in smaller films that most people
have probably never seen or heard of. In 2004, she starred in the
thriller, Cellular. Cellular was one of the first films to
acknowledge the popularity of cell phones and to use it as a plot
point.
Films (especially horror films) were reluctant to admit that most
people had cell phones because it tended to create problems for the
narrative when the characters could easily call for help. It was very
common to have a line of dialogue explaining that the characters
conveniently couldn’t get coverage or the issue was just ignored
altogether.
Cellular got some marks for being clever. Reviews were mixed on the
whole. Cellular was a modest hit at the box office.
Following Cellular, Basinger has appeared in a string of small films
and box office disappointments. The highest profile of which were The
Sentinel in 2006 and Charlie St. Cloud in 2010. None of these films
really merit much attention. At this point, Basinger’s career seems
to have slipped back into a coma.
Bond girls have a really lousy track record in Hollywood. So much so,
that the term Bond Girl Curse has been coined. Around here, we also
talk about the Batman Curse. So, Basinger has a double whammy. If
you count the Kilmer Curse, she has a trifecta.
Her story is filled with one train wreck after another. And yet, in
spite of it all, she managed to become an international sex symbol, a
box office leading lady and eventually an Academy Award winning
actress.
The answer to the question “What the Hell Happened to Kim Basinger?”
may be as simple as she was a sex symbol who got old. But I think the
crazy details of Basinger’s rise and fall make for one of the most
interesting stories in this series.
Vaughan Andursen
Dec 8, 2012, 1:10:25 PM12/8/12
to
On Dec 7, 8:23 pm, TMC <tmc1...@gmail.com> wrote:
> http://lebeauleblog.com/2012/02/05/what-the-hell-happened-to-kim-basi...
I heard that she's a psycho (Baldwin, too). Her tantrums were
legendary during the custody war, and apparently she also wore short
skirts and no panties on movie sets, exposing herself to anyone who
cared to look.
> http://lebeauleblog.com/2012/02/05/what-the-hell-happened-to-kim-basi...
legendary during the custody war, and apparently she also wore short
skirts and no panties on movie sets, exposing herself to anyone who
cared to look.
tmc...@gmail.com
Dec 9, 2014, 7:01:01 PM12/9/14
to
Kim Basinger was a model-turned actress who went on to win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She’s been a Bond girl and Batman’s girlfriend. Not to mention an iconic sex symbol of the 80’s thanks to movies like 9 1/2 Weeks. But like any successful actress, Basinger had to pass on a lot of roles that could have taken her career in a different direction
http://lebeauleblog.com/2014/12/08/what-might-have-been-kim-basinger/11/
Basinger was originally supposed to reprise her role as Vicki Vale in Sam Hamm’s draft for the Batman sequel.
Fallout: Batman Returns went through a ton of script revisions. This is reflected in the final movie where the Penguin changes his plans about every 15 minutes. The original script ended with Bruce Wayne proposing to Vale and starting a family unit with Dick Grayson as an adopted child. Director Tim Burton, who wasn’t thrilled to be doing a sequel, canned the script which he deemed to similar to the original Batman. The next screenwriter, Daniel Waters, introduced more dark humor along the lines of his previous movie, Heathers. He also focused his attention more heavily on Selena Kyle/Catwoman. After Waters’ other movie, Hudson Hawk, bombed, Wesley Strick was brought on to take another pass at the script. But by then, Vicki Vale was a distant memory anyway.
Batman Returns was a hit albeit a controversial one. Many complained that the movie was too dark for kids which lead Warner Brothers to change the direction of the franchise. Meanwhile, Basinger was starring in duds like Final Analysis and Cool World. Had she starred in the Batman sequel instead, it probably would have prolonged her time on the A-list.
Verdict: Missed Opportunity
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