Paul Verhoeven, the Dutch director who brought us such films as "Basic Instinct," "Starship Troopers," and "Showgirls," has reportedly been knighted in his native Netherlands.

Twitch reports that Verhoeven, one of the most visible Dutch filmmakers in the movie biz, received the honor in a recent medal ceremony under the Order of the Dutch Lion; such titles are usually given by the Royal Family for achievements in sports and the arts.

Verhoeven's knighthood comes as his most recent film, "Black Book" ("Zwartboek"), caps its worldwide theatrical run in July. The two and a half hour-long WWII Dutch resistance melodrama has proven to be mildly divisive among critics (at 76 percent on the Tomatometer, even some proponents of the film admit "Black Book" is often crass and pulpy) but has garnered international film festival accolades and was the Netherlands' submission for Best Foreign Oscar last year. The film also grossed $9.8 million at the Dutch box office, leading all other domestic productions in returns.


Verhoeven and star Carice Van Houten at the Toronto Film Festival premiere of "Black Book"


Most American moviegoers know Verhoeven for his earlier works in Hollywood, many of which sealed his directorial signature for over the top sex, action, and graphic content (see "Flesh + Blood," "RoboCop," "Total Recall," "Basic Instinct," "Showgirls," "Starship Troopers," and "Hollow Man").

Source: Twitch