Paul Verhoven directed some of the most brilliantly violent and sexually-charged movies of the '80s and '90s - classics such as Total Recall, Starship Troopers, RoboCop and... The Fourth Man? You probably haven't heard of it, but it deserves a lot more recognition. Yes, this little seen erotic thriller was one of Verhoven's earliest flicks, and it contains a lot of tropes and elements that would come to define his later work - mainly in terms of graphic sex and violence. It was also the film that helped him to establish a career in Hollywood, and for that reason alone, it's worth checking out. It's also worth checking out, though, because it's bloody good; the plot hinges on the fourth victim of a notorious man-eater who seduces her victims and then attempts to murders them. It's even hinted that she's the embodiment of the evil!
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.