The erotic thriller rose to international fame during the 1980s. Although films had ventured into their territory and featured some of its most well-known tropes before, the erotic thriller became a proper subgenre during the decade. As its name implies, erotic thrillers feature riveting plots with strong themes relating to illicit relationships or erotic fantasies.
Films likeBody HeatandCruisingcemented the basis for the subgenre to take shape before the box office and critical hitFatal Attractionkicked things into full gear. The 80s saw the release of multiple erotic thrillers, many of which have become bonafide classics of American cinema.
10’Half-Moon Street' (1986)
Two-time Oscar winnerMichael Cainejoins three-time Oscar nomineeSigourney Weaverin the 1986 erotic thrillerHalf-Moon Street. The plot follows Lauren Slaughter, a London scholar moonlighting as an escort, who becomes a pawn in a plot against a client, Lord Bulbeck.
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Half-Moon Streetis salacious and often cheap. However, Weaver single-handedly elevates the picture thanks to her nuanced and seductive performance. Caine is at his Caine-est, although he shares enough chemistry with Weaver to sell the erotic aspect of this misguided but thoroughly entertaining thriller.
9’American Gigolo' (1980)
Richard Gere’s breakthrough role came withPaul Schrader’s neo-noir dramaAmerican Gigolo. The actor stars oppositeLauren Huttonin the story of a high-priced Los Angeles escort involved with a politician’s wife while becoming the prime suspect in a murder case.
More a character study than a bold detour into passionate territory,American Gigolostill includes enough steamy scenes to qualify as an erotic thriller. In stark contrast to some of noir’s most well-known protagonists, Gere offers a cold and precise portrayal, perfectly complemented by Schrader’s muted approach to the material.
8’Sea of Love (1989)
Oscar-winnerAl Pacinohas starred in his fair share of thrillers. The 1989 neo-noirSea of Loveco-starsEllen Barkinand follows a New York City detective pursuing a serial killer targeting victims through the singles column in a newspaper.
A peculiar thriller about the now-bygone era of singles ads,Sea of Loveis a competent and occasionally thrilling mystery. However, the film excels as a suspenseful portrayal of loneliness and frustration, with Pacino delivering a stellar performance as the jaded Frank Keller.Sea of Loveis among the superior Pacino filmfrom the 1980s, and it’s a shame that not many people are aware of its existence.
7’The Bedroom Window' (1987)
Noir maestroCurtis Hansondirects the 1987 erotic psychological thrillerThe Bedroom Window.Steve Guttenberg,Elizabeth McGovern, and the always brilliantIsabelle Huppertstar in a story of a young executive who lies to the police to protect his lover after she witnesses a violent attack through his apartment window.
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Although it falls apart due to an inferior ending,The Bedroom Windowremains a riveting thriller about deceit and incompetence. McGovern and Huppert excel in their roles, while Guttenberg is perfect as the hapless Terry, a man in over his head in a world more dangerous than he anticipated.
6’Dressed to Kill' (1980)
Brian De Palma’s contributions to the erotic thriller are considerable, starting with 1980’sDressed to Kill. An overt homage toAlfred Hitchcock’s 1960 masterpiecePsycho, the film features the events leading to the brutal murder of a New York City housewife. The plot then shifts to a young prostitute who witnesses the attack and follows her attempts to solve it, aided by the victim’s son.
Dressed to Killcan’t measure up toPsycho, but it never attempts to be anything more than a love letter to Hitchcock’s classic. Thus, the film stands on its own as a stylish thriller that perfectly represents De Palma’s greatest strengths as a filmmaker.
5’Matador' (1986)
Oscar-winnerPedro Almodóvaris a master of the elusive and lurid mix of eroticism and desire. His 1986 erotic thrillerMatadorstars usual collaboratorAntonio Banderasand follows Ángel, a student matador who confesses to crimes he didn’t commit after supposedly seeing them in psychic visions.
Matadorfeatures every trope that made Almodóvar a household name: it’s shocking and psychologically violent, clever, and twisting, featuring an assured performance by a then-twenty-six-year-old Banderas. It might not be amongAlmodóvar’s most essential movies, but it’s one of his most interesting and provocative films.
4’The Postman Always Rings Twice' (1981)
Oscar-winnersJack NicholsonandJessica Langestar inBob Rafelson’s 1981 neo-noir erotic thrillerThe Postman Always Rings Twice. The plot centers on the lethal romance between drifter Frank Chambers and duplicitous femme fatale Cora Papadakis, who plot the murder of her much-older husband.
The fourth adaptation of James M. Cain’s eponymous novel,The Postman Always Rings Twiceis a worthy showcase for Nicholson and Lange. Steamier and more lurid than previous versions, the 1981 adaptation thrives on the strength of its two leading actors' electrifying chemistry. The ending is abrupt and unsatisfactory, but everything that comes before makesThe Postman Always Rings Twicea superior entry in the erotic thriller canon.
3’Body Double' (1984)
Brian De Palma’sBody DoublefeaturesCraig Wasson,Deborah Shelton, and a star-making turn byMelanie Griffith. The plot centers on Jake Scully, a down-on-his-luck actor who witnesses a murder while house-sitting in the Hollywood Hills. Attempting to solve the murder, he becomes involved with the seedy underworld of the adult entertainment industry, guided by porn actress Holly Body.
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LikeDressed to Kill,Body Doublepays direct homage to Hitchcock’s oeuvre, especiallyVertigo,Dial M for MurderandRear Window. Sleek, stylish, and enthralling,Body Doubleis a genius display of salaciousness, a bold and tantalizing effort from a director who always marched to the beat of his drum.
2’Fatal Attraction' (1987)
Perennial Oscar bridesmaidGlenn Closedelivered one of the defining performances of the 1980s inAdrian Lyne’s 1987 psychological thrillerFatal Attraction. The plot revolves around Dan Gallagher, a married man whose life descends into chaos after the woman he had an affair with becomes violently obsessed with him.
Fatal Attractionwas a game-changer for the erotic thriller genre. It received acclaim from critics, with Close earning a richly-deserved Oscar nomination, and was a major box-office hit.Fatal Attractionlegitimized the genre, proving it could deliver the scandalous thrills audiences expected while offering an elevated and deeply affecting story. The film remains highly influential today, with Close’s Alex Forrest often considered amongthe all-time best movie villains.
1’Body Heat' (1981)
The erotic thriller of the 80s owes everything toLawrence Kasdan’s 1981 classicBody Heat. Oscar-winnerWilliam Hurtstars opposite Oscar-nomineeKathleen Turnerin her breakthrough role as infamous femme fatale Matty Walker. The plot centers on an inept South Florida lawyer who enters a passionate affair with a married woman and hatches a plan to kill her husband and run away with her.
Inspired byBilly Wilder’s classic 1944 noirDouble Indemnity,Body Heatis a masterpiece of the erotic thriller. Its success is largely due to Turner’s star-making turn, playing a voracious and cunning character that ranks amongthe all-time best femme fatales in cinema. Excelling as a steamy seduction and a thrilling noir,Body Heatis the ultimate erotic thriller of the 80s.
