I can assure you there was plenty of outrage in the US when the film was released in 1992. In America it was somewhat censored, but over in the UK we got it nicely uncut.

My own thoughts when I went to see it were these:

1) It was nowhere near as sexually explicit as everyone claimed. For me, sexually explicit meant something like In the Realm of the Senses.

2) It was an enjoyably ludicrous film noir not to be taken seriously in any way (besides, I'd always rather be offended than bored). Paul Verhoeven has always been a provocateur, though Basic Instinct isn't one of his better films. Earlier works like Flesh & Blood, or later works like Elle are simultaneously more contentious and also far more audaciously entertaining.

3) All that said, Sharon Stone is superb in this film.

4) I agree Jerry Goldsmith's score is superb. My favourite thing about the film, to be honest.