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". The elements of bodily danger and pleasure are central to the plot. Most erotic thrillers contain scenes of softcore sex, though the frequency and explicitness of those scenes varies. 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".
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. The late 1980s to the mid-1990s are regarded as the "classic period" of the erotic thriller, 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". Many films of the 1960s and 70s also provocatively mixed noir themes with softcore sex, erotic fantasy, and voyeurism. The erotic thriller also contains influences from the genres of mystery and horror, as well as from pornography.
Notable figures
Certain filmmakers and actors are associated with the genre. Brian De Palma helped usher in the classic period of the genre with films Dressed to Kill and Body Double, 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. 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, who starred in four films—Fatal Attraction, Basic Instinct, Disclosure, and A Perfect Murder. Mickey Rourke, Richard Gere, James Spader, and Tom Berenger have also starred in multiple films of the genre. Notable actresses include Sharon Stone, Linda Fiorentino, Glenn Close, Kathleen Turner, Demi Moore, and Greta Scacchi.
List of films: 1930–1940
1931
- Safe in Hell
List of films: 1940–1970
1944
- Double Indemnity[a]
1958
- Vertigo[a]
1962
- Lolita[a]
1966
- Trans-Europ-Express
1969
- Blind Beast
- Venus in Furs (a.k.a. Black Angel and Paroxismus)
List of films: 1970–1980
1971
- She Killed in Ecstasy
1972
- Last Tango in Paris[a]
- Punarjanmam
- The Stepmother
1973
- Maru Piravi
1974
- The Teacher
- Wife to Be Sacrificed
1975
- Waves of Lust
1976
- The Hook (a.k.a. To Agistri)
- Obsession[a]
- Vortex (a.k.a. Blondie, Blondy, and Germacide)
1977
- Looking for Mr. Goodbar
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
1982
- Cat People (erotic-horror)
- The Seduction
1983
- American Nightmare
- Female Cats
- The Fourth Man[a]
- The Hunger (erotic-horror)
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
List of films: 1990–1996
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
List of films: 1997–2007
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
- Aksar
- Basic Instinct 2, neo-noir
- Ganda Hendathi
- Red Road
2007
- Boarding Gate
- I Know Who Killed Me, psychological erotic-thriller
- Socket
List of films: 2008–present
2008
- Death in Love
- Deception
- The Kreutzer Sonata
- Loft
- Poison Ivy: The Secret Society
- Sex and Lies in Sin City
2009
2010
- The Housemaid
- Secret Love
- Vlees
- Wild Things: Foursome
- Black Swan
- A Serbian Film
2011
- Murder 2
- Ragini MMS
- Silver Tongues
- X: Night of Vengeance
- The Skin I Live In
2012
- Dangerous Liaisons
- Hate Story
- In the House
- Jism 2
- Passion
- The Taste of Money
- Under My Nails
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
- Aksar 2
- L'Amant double (a.k.a. Double Lover)
- Unforgettable
2018
- Acrimony
- Hate Story 4
- In Darkness
- Knife Heart
2019
- Queen of Hearts (erotic drama)
2020
- 365 Days
- Fatale
- Lost Girls & Love Hotels
- What Lies Below
2021
- Benedetta,
- The Beta Test,
- Deadly Illusions
- The Voyeurs
2022
- Deep Water
- 365 Days: This Day
- X
2023
- Saltburn
- Rotting in the Sun
- Suitable Flesh
2024
- Miller's Girl
- Love Lies Bleeding
- Babygirl
2025
- Night Stage
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
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