Good concept, poorly executed.

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

A bit overrated, but still an amazing film

All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

Gernert/Garroni/Hippolye Productions/Axis Films made a name for themselves and an overnight star of actress and then newcomer Shannon Whirry with this steamy tale based loosely on a well known true story.Whirry portrays the character Joanne Cole, a woman on the verge...of wild sex, of 'generous' lovers, and of wanton violence that could end it all. Her husband (Maxwell Caulfield) is an overworked cop close to the edge. When he continues to ignore his wife's intimate needs, Joanne turns to others to fulfill her desires. When she is caught by David in a compromising situation, she realizes the way to get his attention is to let him watch. What he sees awakens his 'Animal Instincts'. This film features a collage of familiar actors: David Carradine, very effective in his role as the sinister under-world type William Lamberti; Jan-Michael Vincent, as the corrupt city councilman Fletcher Ross; and ex-gymnast Mitch Gaylord in a small but effective role as David's cop partner, just to name a few. A sensual brew of violence and passion is mixed with some of the boldest couplings ever to be granted an R Rating (also available in an UNRATED version, the one that is the subject of my review). This film also features a very effective original music score by studio artists LIXX Array, whose synthesizer renditions are some of the best compliments to the already excellent direction (Gregory Hippolyte) and provocative cinematography in recent memory. If a 'racy' movie occasionally is your 'oyster', treat yourself to this gem that redefined the term 'Erotic Thriller' in 1992, and set the standard by which all others of that genre are now judged.Excellent!

Animal Instincts has quite a cast of characters for such a trashy movie. The delectable Shannon Whirry(the camera worships every inch of her succulent, ravishing body)is the bored wife of an underpaid cop who is consumed with money and what it brings. David Carradine is a drug-dealing pimp who operates a strip club and is tired of councilman Jan Michael Vincent, on a crusade against titty bars so that he can be elected mayor. Maxwell Kaulfield is the cop husband of Whirry who catches her in bed with the cable repair man and finds that he is aroused seeing his wife having hot sex with other johns. Setting up camera equipment and recording Whirry's trysts with powerful men such as lawyer, doctors, and other prominent clientèle offers an opportunity for Kaulfield to make some easy cash, and attempts to blackmail, through Carradine, Vincent when they have him on tape screwing around with an unknown woman in a mask. Sleazy premise provides director Gregory Dark with a chance to film soft-core sex between Whirry and a host of men(..and Delia Sheppard who actually offers to take her to Paris!). We get to see her in lots of lingerie and plenty times naked. John Saxon stops by at the tail end of the movie, an attorney representing Whirry and Kaulfield, feeding the press a cock-n-bull story about a woman's case of nymphomania due to a reaction towards a prescribed drug and how her husband was actually attempting to help her with such a problem by addressing what it was that affected their sex life. Carradine seems right at home in this smut and Whirry is rather comfortable and uninhibited in front of the camera performing..for quite a jubilant audience, I presume(..unless you are bothered and/or disturbed by the naked body of a gorgeous woman). The material is quite raunchy, but photographed in such a seductive way, mainly because, in my opinion, Whirry commands your attention. And, she has this smooth voice and soft lips which can only heighten her hypnotic grasp over you if you are willing to let go, allowing her to work her magic spell. The film is told in flashback with Whirry interviewed by a journalist, as she returns us to her story's origins. Many of the sex scenes are cut rather short, not getting too explicit. Vincent and Saxon have roles that aren't that significant, with each maybe in the movie five minutes tops. Carradine, however, makes quite an impression, he's such a maleficent, poisonous creature, and has some memorably depraved dialogue, where his character speaks fondly of his profession, the kind of man he is, pride evident in how he talks about himself.

This is a classic. Truly, one of the hottest, sexiest, steamiest movies of all time. The plot is as sensual and hot as any other from this kind.Shannon Whirry shines through all the movie and looks at her hottest. She's truly a great actress and a sexy woman in all the sense of the word.The sex scenes are very well done but look too 90's in my opinion. I mean, with the typical background music and "sophisticated" camera angles. But it's still a sexy movie with an unbelievable hot lead actress.Gregory Dark does it once again and brings to us one of the best soft core sex movies in history.This is a must see for anyone who enjoys this noble genre and it is HEAVEN for Shannon Whirry fans.

When I first saw the title I guessed it was something to do with actual creatures, but in my younger days I was much happier with what actually appeared, seeing it again however was a good idea to get a better opinion. Basically Joanna Cole (Shannon Whirry) feels the passion in her relationship with police officer husband David (Maxwell Caulfield) is going, it is like he is not interested in her anymore, and she is sexually frustrated. Needing some sexual attention and passion she does have sex with another man, which David sees and does nothing about, and the second time he catches her again, watching her a little bit, before getting rid of him. He makes it clear to Joanna that he is not angry at all, he has found a higher attraction for her through his love for voyeurism, and both agreeing they decide to have some more fun. So they get an article put in the newspaper advertising for men, women and couples to join Joanna for the evening for sexual passion, while David with the hidden camera watches on screen and gets turned on. Of course slowly they realise there are small consequences with what they are doing, including getting a gangster come in on them and force the husband to blackmail gangster like crook William Lamberti (Kill Bill's David Carradine). Also starring Jan-Michael Vincent as Fletcher Ross, Delia Sheppard as Ingrid, Mitchell Gaylord as Rod Tennison, John Saxon as Otto Van Horne, Josh Cruze as Hernandez, Tom Reilly as Ken, Erika Nann as Dianne, Kelly Royce as Jessica and Frank Swann as Officer Tom. Naturally being a teenager it was easy for me to be turned on to the sight of Whirry with another woman and exposing her breasts very often, as well as the occasional sights of other women in the film naked, but it is a rather ridiculous story that only soft porn can come up with, and not even sexual scenes can save it being dull, why did Carradine agree to be in it? A silly erotic thriller. Adequate!