Jerry Goldsmith

Basic Instinct

Jerry Goldsmith’s music for Basic Instinct is one of the defining thriller scores of the 1990s. For Paul Verhoeven’s 1992 film, Goldsmith created a suggestive musical world in which sensuality and danger are closely intertwined. Its descending chromatic main theme, striking harmonic relationships and recurring motifs capture the psychological ambiguity at the heart of the film. A defining feature of the score is Goldsmith’s sophisticated integration of orchestral and electronic colours. Synthesizers including the Roland D50, Korg M1 and Wavestation are documented as integral parts of the instrumentation, combining with harp, piano, strings, woodwinds and brass to create a sound that balances orchestral warmth with a cool, modern edge. This carefully edited orchestral score gives film composers, orchestrators and film-music enthusiasts a detailed insight into Goldsmith’s craft. The edition includes cues such as Main Title, Crossed Legs, Night Life, Pillow Talk, The Games Are Over and both parts of the End Credits, together with an extensive introductory essay featuring musical analysis and score examples.