38. Paul Verhoeven

It’s director time again on Film Utopia! This time, Benjamin drags Steven and Sean into the gloriously sleazy, shockingly intelligent world of Dutch provocateur Paul Verhoeven – a filmmaker who turned blood, boobs, and biting satire into an art form.

From his early Netherlands experiments of Turkish Delight, Soldier of Orange, and Spetters to his explosive Hollywood run with Robocop, Total Recall, and Starship Troopers, the trio dissect Verhoeven’s knack for coating social commentary in machine oil, neon lights and excessive gunfire.

While Steven rediscovers Basic Instinct with newfound admiration, Sean bravely subjects himself to his first watch of Showgirls (so bad it’s… almost art), and all three agree that Black Book deserves far more attention than it gets!