08/19/2025
🎬🎬 Sliver (1993), directed by Phillip Noyce and based on Ira Levin’s novel, is an erotic thriller that dives into themes of vo**urism, obsession, and control, all set within the glassy, vo**uristic confines of a Manhattan high-rise.
Sharon Stone plays Carly Norris, a recently divorced book editor who moves into a luxurious apartment building—nicknamed the “Sliver” for its narrow, vertical structure. Soon after settling in, Carly discovers that the building has a dark history: the previous tenant, a woman bearing a striking resemblance to her, died mysteriously after falling from her balcony.
Carly quickly becomes romantically entangled with two men: Jack Lansford (Tom Berenger), a volatile writer with a dark streak, and Zeke Hawkins (William Baldwin), the building’s young, charismatic, and secretive owner. What begins as a seductive escape soon turns sinister, especially when Carly uncovers that Zeke has wired the entire building with hidden cameras, watching the private lives of every resident—including her own.
As her relationship with Zeke intensifies, so does her paranoia. She struggles to understand whether he’s merely a vo**ur with twisted fantasies, or something far more dangerous—possibly even a killer. Meanwhile, Jack’s behavior grows increasingly erratic, muddying the waters of trust and danger.
Caught between fear and desire, Carly must uncover who she can trust and what role each man plays in the building’s web of secrets. The film builds toward a tense climax that forces Carly to reclaim her autonomy and face the consequences of living in a world where surveillance and seduction dangerously intertwine.
Sliver was released during the peak of the 1990s erotic thriller boom, in the wake of Basic Instinct. Despite Sharon Stone’s star power, the film received mostly negative reviews, with critics citing its implausible plot, uneven pacing, and lack of character depth. Still, it remains a cult artifact of the era, remembered for its sleek aesthetics, moody atmosphere, and a provocative premise that reflects early anxieties about surveillance and privacy.
While Sliver may not hold up as a classic of the genre, it’s a glossy, vo**uristic time capsule of '90s erotic thrillers—where glass walls, hidden cameras, and seduction serve as both entertainment and warning.