In light of the recent claim that Hollywood has kissed goodbye to the steamy sex scene in replacement for more PG13 scenes to hook a younger audience, we reminisce over our Top 10 favourite erotic films of all time.
1. Basic Instinct
Perhaps an obvious choice, but what can we say? We love this provocative, sexy crime thriller that features that ‘oh’ so famous leg crossing scene. Crime Writer and prime murder suspect Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone) proves to be more than a handful in and out of the bedroom for police detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas). If you haven’t watched it, it’s a must for your Love Film viewing!
2. Shame
This film is about sexual addiction and ultimately the loneliness and isolation faced by men and women in our modern age. Raw and gritty, this film looks into the reality and not so sexy side to the sometimes glorified connotations of sex addition in film. Although, we must admit we didn’t mind seeing Michael Fassbender naked on more than a few occasions in this film.
3. Fatal Attraction
If you’ve not seen this film and you were curious as to where the term ‘Bunny Boiler’ came from, it was most definitely from this film and will become obvious upon watching. Married man (Michael Douglas) has a weekend affair with slightly psychotic (Glen Close) who refuses to allow it to end resulting in emotional blackmail, stalking and yes; you guessed it a bit of bunny boiling!
4. Last Tango in Paris
Internationally controversial, this movie has little to do with last Tangos in Paris but rather the sadomasochistic, carnal relationship that Paul (Marlon Brando) has with a French woman after his estranged wife commits suicide. Uncomfortably explicit, this film has an infamous “butter” scene which once seen is never forgotten.
5. 9 ½ Weeks
This film proved to have mixed reviews when it was first released in 1986 going on to be a huge success internationally, and further acquiring a massive video/ DVD fan-base, so it can’t be that bad. 9 ½ weeks is the duration of the erotic sexual relationship between Wall Street arbitrageur John Grey (Mickey Rourke) and attractive divorced Soho art gallery employee Elizabeth McGraw (Kim Bassinger). Built on a mutual attraction, this couple soon embark on a not so normal sexual relationship involving a lot of kinky sex, blindfolds, chocolate syrup and rolling around on peanut shells. Needless to say, it does not end well.
6. Belle de Jour
This surreal and erotic late-sixties movie commingles fantasy and reality in the story of the beautiful, bored housewife Séverine Serizy who injects some sexual frisson into her otherwise dull life by spending her afternoons as a prostitute in a brothel.
7. Secretary
Fifty Shades of Grey fans, rejoice this film is definitely one to watch whilst waiting in eager anticipation for the screen adaptation to hit cinemas worldwide. Perhaps not your average “oops I slept with a work colleague at the Christmas party” scenario you laugh about with your friends, this story centres around a dominant – submissive relationship that starts at the workplace. Anastasia-esque Maggie Gyllenhaal takes a job as a secretary for attorney E. Edward Grey (yes that is his name and it does get better) with whom she develops a sadomasochistic relationship with. Expect a lot of spanking, her being bent over her desk and just about doing everything her master tells her to do! Girl falls in love with guy, he can’t handle it, he fires her, blah, blah, but he can’t live without her, you know the story, and it all ends happily ever after.
8. Crash
Ok, so this film won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. Very controversial to say the least, this movie is about people who are turned on by … car crashes! The characters enjoy the danger and thrill of car crashes, watch videos of (you guessed it) car crashes and even re-enact famous car crashes. This may not sound for you but we assure you that some of the steamy sex scenes are definitely worth a sneaky peak.
9. Eyes Wide Shut Eyes Wide Shut
Unlike the title, my eyes were wide open when watching this movie with former Hollywood power couple Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. The final work of legendary director Stanley Kubrick, Eyes Wide Shut looks at the lives of a married couple who embark on a journey of sexual and moral discovery through a strange and sinister encounter through what can be best described as a “sex cult”.
10. Lolita
Based on the one of the most controversial novels of the 20th century, Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita was turned into a screenplay and brought to life by Stanley Kubrick in 1962. Narrated by middle-aged professor Humbert Humbert, the story delves into his growing sexual infatuation with his 12-year old step-daughter Dolores Haze (otherwise known as Lolita). More psychological than sexual for obvious reasons, this movie is more of a tragic love story than erotic but a classic nonetheless.
So there you have it, our favourites from over the years. Bye, bye steamy sex scene, you will be missed. Let’s hope the Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy will re-ignite our passion, restoring you to our cinemas and TV screens once more!