The erotic thriller is a film subgenre defined as a film that "combines romanticized, ' erotic' appeal with a dangerous ' thriller' narrative—a "pleasure/danger" principle". [1] The elements of bodily danger and pleasure are central to the plot. [2] Most erotic thrillers contain scenes of softcore sex, though the frequency and explicitness of those scenes varies. [3] British academic Linda Ruth Williams described erotic thriller films as " noirish stories of sexual intrigue incorporating some form of criminality or duplicity, often as the flimsy framework for onscreen softcore sex". [2]
The word "erotic" began to adhere to "thriller" during the 1980s to describe a sudden boom in noir-like thriller films with sexually provocative content. [4] The late 1980s to the mid-1990s are regarded as the "classic period" of the erotic thriller, [5] and the most recognizable films of the genre, such as Basic Instinct, Fatal Attraction, and The Last Seduction were released in this era.
Precursors to the erotic thriller
In his book Hollywood's Dark Cinema: The American Film Noir, Robert Barton Palmer claimed "perhaps the most popular genre in the 1990s, the so-called erotic thriller [...] is a direct descendant of the classic film noir". [6] Many films of the 1960s and 70s also provocatively mixed noir themes with softcore sex, erotic fantasy, and voyeurism. [7] The erotic thriller also contains influences from the genres of mystery and horror, as well as from pornography. [8]
Notable figures
Certain filmmakers and actors are associated with the genre. [2] Brian De Palma helped usher in the classic period of the genre with films Dressed to Kill and Body Double, [2] and directed Femme Fatale and Passion later in his career. Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven directed Basic Instinct, Showgirls, and Benedetta. Joe Eszterhas became a sought-after screenwriter in the classic period, writing the screenplays for Jagged Edge, Basic Instinct, Showgirls, and Jade. [2] Adrian Lyne has directed several films of the genre, including 9½ Weeks, Fatal Attraction, Indecent Proposal, Unfaithful, and Deep Water. Other filmmakers include Atom Egoyan, Paul Schrader, Abel Ferrara, William Friedkin, David Cronenberg, and Zalman King.
The most recognizable actor associated with erotic thrillers is Michael Douglas, [9] [10] who starred in four films—Fatal Attraction, Basic Instinct, Disclosure, and A Perfect Murder. Mickey Rourke, [2] Richard Gere, [11] James Spader, [12] and Tom Berenger have also starred in multiple films of the genre. Notable actresses include Sharon Stone, [2] Linda Fiorentino, [2] Glenn Close, [13] Kathleen Turner, [14] Demi Moore, [13] and Greta Scacchi. [15]
List of films: 1930–1940
1931
List of films: 1940–1970
1944
1958
1962
1966
1969
- Blind Beast
- Venus in Furs (a.k.a. Black Angel and Paroxismus)
List of films: 1970–1980
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
- Attacked!! (a.k.a. Attack!!)
- The Eyes of Laura Mars [a]
- Nicole (a.k.a. Crazed and The Widow's Revenge)
List of films: 1980–1990
1980
1981
- Body Heat [a]
- The Fan, erotic-horror
- Lovely But Deadly, erotic-action
- Ms. 45, [a] erotic exploitation
- The Postman Always Rings Twice, [a] erotic-drama
- Tattoo
1982
- Cat People (erotic-horror)
- The Seduction
1983
- American Nightmare
- Female Cats
- The Fourth Man [a]
- The Hunger (erotic-horror)
1984
1985
- Jagged Edge [a]
- The Trap (a.k.a. The Cage, Collector's Item, and Dead Fright)
1986
1987
1988
- Backfire
- Call Me
- Dangerous Love
- Dead Ringers [a]
- Dial Help [18]
- The Drifter
- The Girl in a Swing
- Grievous Bodily Harm
- Into the Fire (a.k.a. The Legend of Wolf Lodge)
- Last Rites
- Masquerade
- Midnight Cop
- Obsession: A Taste for Fear [19]
- Party Line
- Spellbinder
1989
- Bedroom Eyes II [20]
- Cat Chaser [21]
- Cold Comfort
- Fatal Exposure [a]
- Fever
- Glass
- Hider in the House, psychological erotic-thriller
- High Stakes
- In Too Deep
- Kill Me Again, [a] neo-noir
- Loos [22]
- Night Visitor
- Out of the Dark
- Paint It Black
- Prime Suspect
- Sea of Love, [a] neo-noir
- Stripped to Kill II: Live Girls
- Trapped
- Twisted Obsession
- Wild Orchid
List of films: 1990–1996
1990
1991
- The Adjuster
- Bikini Island
- Carnal Crimes [a]
- Close My Eyes
- Deadly Desire
- Deadly Surveillance [a]
- Defenseless
- Fatal Bond
- Hunting
- The Indecent Woman
- Intimate Stranger [a]
- Inner Sanctum, erotic-drama
- A Kiss Before Dying
- Kiss Me a Killer [a]
- Last Call [a]
- Legal Tender [a]
- Liebestraum
- Liquid Dreams [a]
- Lower Level
- Shattered, [25] psychological erotic-thriller
- Sleeping with the Enemy
- Victim of Love (a.k.a. Raw Heat)
- Whore
- Wild Orchid II: Two Shades of Blue
- Zandalee
1992
- Animal Instincts [a]
- Basic Instinct, [a] neo-noir
- Bitter Moon [a]
- Body Chemistry II: Voice of a Stranger [a]
- Consenting Adults
- Dama koja ubija (a.k.a. Lady Killer)
- Damage, [26] erotic-drama
- Dance with Death [a]
- Desire and Hell at Sunset Motel
- Double Jeopardy [a]
- The Fear Inside
- Final Analysis [a]
- Final Embrace
- The Hand That Rocks the Cradle [27]
- The Heart of Justice
- Illicit Behavior [a]
- In the Heat of Passion
- Killer Instinct (a.k.a. Homicidal Impulse)
- Light Sleeper
- Love Crimes [a]
- Mirror Images [a]
- Murderous Affair [a]
- Night Eyes 2 [a]
- Obsessed [a]
- Poison Ivy
- Quake (a.k.a. Aftershock and The Stalker)
- Ruby Cairo
- Secret Games [a]
- Sexual Response [28]
- Single White Female
- Sketch Artist (a.k.a. The Sketch Artist)
- The Smile of the Fox
- Storyville [29]
- Through the Eyes of a Killer
- The Tigress
- Twin Sisters [a]
- Unlawful Entry [a]
- Whispers in the Dark
1993
- Acting on Impulse
- Betrayal of the Dove
- Bitter Harvest
- Blown Away
- Body of Evidence [a]
- Body of Influence
- Boxing Helena
- Cold Sweat
- Craving Desire
- The Crush
- Die Watching [a]
- Dream Lover
- Fatal Instinct [a]
- Fatal Past [a]
- Gross Misconduct
- Guilty as Sin, [30]
- Hexed
- Hidden Obsession [a]
- A House in the Hills
- I Can Make You Love Me (a.k.a. Stalking Laura) [a]
- Indecent Behavior [a]
- Indecent Proposal, [31] erotic-drama
- L.A. Goddess [a]
- Lake Consequence
- Malice, [32] neo-noir
- Mirror Images 2 [a]
- Mother's Boys
- Night Eyes 3 [a]
- Romeo Is Bleeding, erotic neo-noir
- Secret Games 2: The Escort [a]
- Sexual Intent [a]
- Silver
- Sins of Desire [a]
- Sins of the Night [a]
- Sliver [a]
- Snapdragon
- The Substitute
- Sunset Grill
- Tomcat: Dangerous Desires
- Tropical Heat [a]
- Wild Cactus [a]
- The Wrong Man
1994
- 1-900 (a.k.a. 06)
- Animal Instincts 2 [a]
- Blindfold: Acts of Obsession [a]
- Body Shot [a]
- Breaking Point [33]
- Caroline at Midnight
- China Moon. [a] neo-noir
- Color of Night [a]
- The Cool Surface
- Criminal Passion [a]
- Dangerous Touch [a]
- Disclosure [a]
- Double Cross [34]
- Exotica [a]
- Fleshtone
- French Silk
- Hard Drive [a]
- Illicit Dreams [a]
- Improper Conduct [a]
- Indecent Behavior II [a]
- Inner Sanctum II, erotic-drama
- Killer Looks [a]
- Lady in Waiting [35]
- The Last Seduction, [36] neo-noir
- Lipstick Camera [a]
- Love Is a Gun
- Midnight Tease [a]
- Mind Twister [a]
- Night Fire
- Object of Obsession [a]
- Playmaker (a.k.a. Death Date and Private Teacher)
- Point of Seduction: Body Chemistry III [a]
- Possessed by the Night
- Save Me [37]
- Scorned (a.k.a. A Woman Scorned) [a]
- Secret Games 3 [a]
- Sensation [38]
- Sexual Malice (a.k.a. The Other Man) [a]
- Sirens [39]
- Tryst [40]
- Woman of Desire [a]
- XX: Beautiful Hunter, Japanese erotic-thriller
1995
- Above Suspicion
- The Babysitter
- Beyond Desire
- Bodily Harm [a]
- Body Chemistry IV: Full Exposure [a]
- Body Language [a]
- Cover Me [a]
- Dangerous Indiscretion [a]
- Gentlemen Don't Eat Poets
- Illegal in Blue
- Indecent Behavior III [a]
- Jade [a]
- Lap Dancing [b]
- The Maddening
- Malicious [a]
- Midnight Tease II [a]
- Mirror, Mirror III: The Voyeur, erotic-horror
- Never Talk to Strangers
- Payback
- Private Obsession
- Seduced and Betrayed
- Showgirls
- Sorceress (a.k.a. Temptress II)
- Sorceress II: The Temptress
- Species, [41] sci-fi erotic-horror
- To Die For, [31] black comedy erotic-thriller
- To the Limit
- Victim of Desire (a.k.a. Implicated) [a]
- Virtual Desire [a]
- Virtual Seduction
- Wild Side
- Where Evil Lies
- XX: Beautiful Beast
1996
- Animal Instincts: The Seductress (a.k.a. Animal Instincts 3) [a]
- The Bondage Master (a.k.a. Rope Detective)
- Body of Influence 2 [a]
- Bound, [a] neo-noir crime thriller
- Caught
- Crash, [a] psychological erotic-thriller
- Dead Heart
- Diabolique, [a] psychological erotic-thriller
- Electra [42]
- Exit in Red [a]
- Fear, [a] psychological erotic-thriller
- Heaven's Prisoners
- Hungry for You
- Invasion of Privacy
- Irresistible Impulse [a]
- The Juror [43]
- Kissed [a]
- Mari's Prey (a.k.a. Mari's Game)
- Masseuse [a]
- Naked Souls [a]
- Night Eyes 4: Fatal Passion [a]
- Night Shade [a]
- Poison Ivy II: Lily [a]
- Scene of the Crime (a.k.a. Ladykiller)
- Sexual Roulette [a]
- Showgirl Murders [a]
- Unforgettable
- XX: Beautiful Prey, Japanese erotic-thriller
- Zero Woman: Assassin Lovers, Japanese erotic-thriller
List of films: 1997–2007
1997
- Business for Pleasure [a]
- Confessions of a Lap Dancer(a.k.a. Illicit Confessions) [a]
- Dark Secrets [a]
- Echo (a.k.a. Deadly Echo)
- The Escort
- Evil Obsession (a.k.a. Illegal Entry) [a]
- The Ex
- Exception to the Rule [a]
- A Gun for Jennifer
- Hot Suspect (a.k.a. Human Desires and Indecent Behavior 4) [a]
- Illicit Dreams 2 (a.k.a. Death and Desire) [a]
- Laws of Deception
- Lethal Seduction [a]
- Live Flesh
- Love in Paris (a.k.a. Another 9½ Weeks) [a]
- Matter of Trust
- Mutual Needs
- Poison Ivy: The New Seduction [a]
- Scorned 2 [a]
- Shades of Gray (a.k.a. Twisted Passion) [a]
- Sorceress II: The Temptress
- This World, Then the Fireworks [a]
- Zero Woman: The Accused, Japanese erotic-thriller
- Zero Woman: The Hunted, Japanese erotic-thriller
1998
- Devil in the Flesh
- The Escort II
- Fatal Pursuit [a]
- Losing Control [a]
- New Rose Hotel
- Tainted Love [a]
- Testing the Limits [a]
- The Tribe
- Wild Things
- Zero Woman: Dangerous Game, Japanese erotic-thriller
1999
- The Escort III
- Eyes Wide Shut [a]
- Forbidden Sins
- The Last Seduction II, [a] neo-noir
- Loser Love
- Powerplay [a]
- Raw Nerve
- The Talented Mr. Ripley
- Two Shades of Blue [b]
- Yellow Hair (a.k.a. The Blonde), Korean erotic-thriller
2000
- Cherry Falls
- Devil in the Flesh 2 (a.k.a. Teacher's Pet)
- Freeze Me (a.k.a. Freezer)
- Mercy
- Reindeer Games (a.k.a. Deception)
- Starstruck [44]
- Tales of The Kama Sutra: The Perfumed Garden, [a] erotic-thriller drama
- The Right Temptation
- Trois [a]
- Warm Texas Rain [a]
2001
- Birthday Girl
- Cold Heart
- Dangerous Sex Date
- Facing the Enemy
- Lantana
- Mulholland Drive, [a] neo-noir mystery
- Night Class (a.k.a. Seduced by a Thief) [a]
- Original Sin [a]
- The Piano Teacher
- Pretty When You Cry (a.k.a. Seduced)
- Tales of The Kama Sutra 2: Monsoon [a]
- Thy Neighbor's Wife (a.k.a. Poison)
- Zebra Lounge
2002
- Angel Blade
- Demonlover, neo-noir
- Femme Fatale, [a] mystery/thriller neo-noir
- Killing Me Softly [a]
- Swimfan
- Trois 2: Pandora's Box [a]
- Unfaithful
- Wolfhound
2003
- Art of Revenge
- Dot the i, psychological erotic-thriller
- Final Examination
- In the Cut [a]
- Jism
- Love Object
- Swimming Pool
2004
2005
2006
- Aksar
- Basic Instinct 2, neo-noir
- Ganda Hendathi
- Red Road
2007
- Boarding Gate
- I Know Who Killed Me, [45] psychological erotic-thriller
- Socket
List of films: 2008–present
2008
- Death in Love
- Deception [46]
- The Kreutzer Sonata
- Loft
- Poison Ivy: The Secret Society
- Sex and Lies in Sin City
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
- Bound
- The Boy Next Door
- Careful What You Wish For
- Charlie Kay Chakkar Mein (a.k.a. Entangle with Charlie)
- Goddess of Love, [47] psychological erotic-thriller
- Hate Story 3
- Knock Knock
- Locust
2016
- Frank & Lola, neo-noir
- The Handmaiden, psychological erotic-thriller
- Indiscretion, psychological erotic-thriller
- Iris (a.k.a. In the Shadow of Iris)
- Ishq Junoon
- Love Games
- One Night Stand
- Road Games (a.k.a. Fausse Route)
- When the Bough Breaks, psychological erotic-thriller
2017
- Aksar 2
- L'Amant double (a.k.a. Double Lover)
- Unforgettable
2018
2020
2021
- Benedetta, [51] religious erotic-thriller
- The Beta Test, [52] dark comedy erotic-thriller
- Deadly Illusions [52]
- The Voyeurs [52]
2022
- Deep Water
- Don't Worry Darling
- 365 Days: This Day
- X, erotic-slasher
2023
- Saltburn
- Rotting in the Sun
- Suitable Flesh, erotic-horror
2024
Miscellaneous crossover films
- Macabre, 1980, erotic-horror
- The Fan, 1981, erotic-horror
- Lovely But Deadly, 1981, erotic-action
- Ms. 45, [a] 1981, erotic exploitation
- The Postman Always Rings Twice, [a] 1981, erotic-drama
- Naked Killer, 1992, Hong Kong erotic-action
- Shadows Run Black, 1984, erotic-crime thriller
- Sole Survivor, 1984, erotic-horror
- Sea of Love, [a] 1989, neo-noir
- Kill Me Again, [a] 1989, erotic neo-noir
- Inner Sanctum, 1991, erotic-drama
- Basic Instinct, [a] 1992, neo-noir
- Romeo Is Bleeding, 1993, erotic neo-noir
- Inner Sanctum II, 1994, erotic-drama
- China Moon, [a] 1994, erotic neo-noir
- The Last Seduction, [a] 1994, erotic neo-noir
- Bound, [a] 1996, erotic neo-noir crime thriller
- The Last Seduction II, [a] 1999, erotic neo-noir
Post-period crossover films
- Femme Fatale, [a] 2002 mystery/thriller neo-noir
- Unfaithful 2002, erotic-drama
- Basic Instinct 2, 2006, neo-noir
- Lust, Caution, 2007, erotic-drama
- Chloe 2009 lesbian romantic drama
- Compulsion, 2013, psychological dark comedy erotic thriller
- Frank & Lola, 2016, erotic neo-noir
- The Handmaiden 2016 lesbian romantic drama
References
- ^ Martin 2007, p. 4.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Juzwiak, Rich (13 August 2021). "The Lost Art of the Erotic Thriller". Jezebel. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ Andrews 2006, p. 136.
- ^ Williams (2005) pg. 15
- ^ Williams (2005) pg. 4
- ^ Palmer 1994, p. 168.
- ^ Williams (2005) pg. 79
- ^ Keesey 2001, p. 46.
- ^ Roberts, Soraya (24 May 2021). "The Erotic Thriller's Little Death". Longreads. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ Ebiri, Bilge (April 5, 2022). "What Was It About Michael Douglas?". Vulture. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
- ^ Cantwell, Elizabeth (26 July 2021). "Bright Wall/Dark Room July 2021: You Were Frameable: American Gigolo and Richard Gere's Mirrored Sex Appeal". Rogerebert.com. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "Every James Spader Movie Ranked From Worst To Best". Screen Rant. June 26, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
- ^ a b Jacobs, Matthew (May 12, 2022). "Podcaster Karina Longworth Explains the Women of Erotic Thrillers". Thrillist. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
- ^ Bastién, Angelica Jade (April 8, 2022). "Kathleen Turner Made the Modern Femme Fatale". Vulture. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
- ^ Foreman, Liza (December 12, 2019). "Greta Scacchi, '90s Screen Siren, Looks Back". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on December 12, 2019. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
- ^ "Trans-Europ Express and Successive Slidings of Pleasure Detailed". Blu-ray.com. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
- ^ "'Bedroom Window' Emulates Hitchcock". Orlando Sentinel. 19 January 1987. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "Dial Help".
- ^ "Obsession: A Taste for Fear".
- ^ "Bedroom Eyes II".
- ^ "Screening Abel Ferrara's Director's Cut of Cat Chaser". Filmmaker. 28 July 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "Loos".
- ^ "Jezebel's Kiss".
- ^ "Presumed Innocent". Warner Bros. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "MOVIE REVIEW : 'Shattered': Pure Magic From Wolfgang Petersen". Los Angeles Times. 11 October 1991. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "Damage". Reverse Shot. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "A Sinister Hand Rocks This 'Cradle'". Seattle Times. 10 January 1992. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "Sexual Response".
- ^ Canby, Vincent (26 August 1992). "Review/Film; Lust, Greed, Murder, Blackmail: Big Wrongs in the Big Easy". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "Guilty as Sin". Time Out.
- ^ a b Cote, Rachel Vorona (5 September 2019). "'90s erotic thrillers and the satisfaction of watching women burn the world". Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "Reviews/ Film; An Idyll Shattered By Rape and Murder". The New York Times. 1 October 1993. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "Breaking Point".
- ^ "Double Cross".
- ^ "Lady in Waiting".
- ^ Williams (2005) pg. 107
- ^ "Save Me".
- ^ "Sensation".
- ^ Gleiberman, Owen (22 April 1994). "Sirens". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "Tryst".
- ^ "25 years ago, Species mashed up erotic thrillers and alien invasions". Cinema 76. 31 March 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "Electra".
- ^ Wilmington, Michael (2 February 1996). "Despite Talented Cast, Sleek 'Juror' Guilty of Shallowness". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ "Starstruck / Deception (2000)". Best--Erotica.
- ^ Cargill, C. Robert (26 July 2007). "Director Chris Sivertson on I Know Who Killed Me". MTV News. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ Chambers, Catherine (17 April 2008). "Deception (2008)". BBC.
- ^ "MOVIES & MANIA | Goddess of Love – Canada, USA, 2015 – reviews". 2016-07-13.
- ^ "Unpacking the controversy around '365 Days,' the erotic thriller with scathing reviews and a huge following". The Washington Post. 9 July 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ Hammond, Caleb (7 January 2021). "Fatale Director Deon Taylor on His Erotic Thriller Throwback". MovieMaker. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ Frank, Allegra (8 April 2021). "What Is What Lies Below, the Horny Sea-Monster Movie That's No. 1 on Netflix?". Slate. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ Keslassy, Elsa; Lang, Brent (27 May 2021). "IFC Films Buys Paul Verhoeven's 'Benedetta' Ahead of Cannes Debut (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ a b c Raftery, Brian (March 17, 2022). "The Rise and Fall of the Erotic Thriller". The Ringer. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
Bibliography
- Williams, Linda Ruth (2005). The Erotic Thriller in Contemporary Cinema. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. p. 306. ISBN 0-253-21836-5.
- Martin, Nina K. (2007). Sexy Thrills: Undressing the Erotic Thriller. Chicago: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0-252-07437-0.
- Keesey, Douglas (2001). "They Kill for Love: Defining the Erotic Thriller as a Film Genre". CineAction.
- Karagiannidou, Aneta (2006). "Getting Away With It: The Erotic Thriller and Its Fantasies" (Ph.D. thesis)" (PDF). Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
- Palmer, R. Barton (1994). Hollywood's Dark Cinema: The American Film Noir. New York: Twayne. ISBN 978-0805793246.
- Andrews, David (2006). Soft in the Middle: The Contemporary Softcore Feature in Its Contexts. Columbus: The Ohio State University Press. ISBN 978-0814210222.
