5 Greatest Steamy Thrillers Everyone Should Watch

The erotic thriller genre is not always given the credit that it deserves, even though it encapsulates some of the most significant films in recent history. Cinema often seeks to expand beyond the boundaries of what audiences have seen before, and for a good portion of early Hollywood history, the ratings board made it impossible to include explicit content. Although erotic films were at one point only available in arthouse markets, the critical acclaim for dramas like Last Tango in Paris reminded audiences that it was not a genre that is interchangeable with smut. The success of Fatal Attraction over a decade later proved that erotic thrillers could be genuine blockbusters, especially if there were two alluring stars at the center.

Erotic thrillers have tended to fade away from the mainstream in recent years, and it’s not just because young cinephiles seem to not be as compelled by explicit content. The industry has created a market in which films seemingly exist to either be awards contenders or initiate franchise; the titles that exist beyond “award season” or the “summer movie season,” often dramas made for adult audiences, are typically either ignored or sent directly to streaming services. Although there’s always the potential that a new, successful erotic thriller will kickstart newfound interest in the genre at large, those interested in seeing the best it has to offer are better suited to checking out some of the established classics. If you can only watch five erotic thrillers in your lifetime, these five timeless masterpieces are as good of a place to start as you can ask for.

5 ‘Body Heat’ (1981)

Body Heat was an early directorial effort from Lawrence Kasdan, the legendary screenwriter behind The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Thanks to his friendship with George Lucas, who also produced the film, Kasdan was able to develop an outrageous mystery-thriller with Body Heat, which featured excellent performances from William Hurt and Kathleen Turner. It was a major step forward for the genre because it proved that great actors could do something profound with the material, as it was more than just exploitation made for the sake of shock value. Body Heat was able to challenge hallmarks of the thriller genre with its twists and turns, which kept viewers guessing until the very end.

Body Heat was important in the history of erotic thrillers because it balanced its depiction of the characters, showing a much more nuanced depiction of gender roles than one might expect from a film released in the early ‘80s. Although the decade generally saw Hollywood becoming more conservative, especially in comparison to the experimentation of the New Hollywood era, Kasdan proved to be a director who was comfortable tackling taboo subjects.

4 ‘Fatal Attraction’ (1987)

Fatal Attraction is perhaps the most famous erotic thriller of all-time because it became a genuine sensation and Academy Awards contender; although 1987 was a year that saw the release of hits like Robocop, Beverely Hills Cop II, and Moonstruck, Fatal Attraction outgrossed them all because it became such a hot topic of conversation. Michael Douglas had already become a major leading man who was recognizable as a romantic hero, but Fatal Attraction challenged him to play a more complex, flawed character. In addition to tackling uncomfortable discussions about sexuality, Fatal Attraction explored the ramifications of infidelity in a way that rebuked the way romantic dramas tended to operate.

Fatal Attraction provided the genesis for many of the imitators that came afterward, as it's hard to imagine that future hits like Basic Instinct (which also starred Douglas) would have been made without the precedent that it set. Although the film’s ending was controversial at the time it was first released, it has continued to evoke conversations regarding how much blame Glenn Close’s character should have, and whether the film was saying something substantive about marital problems.

3 ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ (1988)

Dangerous Liaisons is based on a classic work of literature, but it is by no means a typical period costume drama. Director Stephen Frears had a history of making challenging, stylized crime thrillers, and Dangerous Liaisons provided a scathing examination of high society, and the way in which the upper class employed sexual games to keep themselves entertained. Beyond being a phenomenal examination of class ascension and the prism of wealth, Dangerous Liaisons explored the role that ethics played in relationships, and whether it was ever truly justified to be untruthful with matters of the heart. Although the film has a pitch black sense of humor, it reaches a devastating conclusion that is true to the sentiment of the original novel.

Dangerous Liaisons features one of the greatest ensemble casts of the ‘80s, including Close in a role that should have won her the Best Actress trophy, especially since she had lost the year prior for Fatal Attraction. John Malkovich had already proven to be one of the most exciting character actors of his generation, but he was tasked with playing a complex anti-hero who became somewhat sympathetic by the film’s conclusion, despite his frequently reprehensible behavior. The breakout performances by Michelle Pfeiffer, Uma Thurman, and Keanu Reeves only solidified Fatal Attraction as a masterpiece that bridged the gap between two generations of movie stars.

2 ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ (1999)

Eyes Wide Shut is the last film directed by Stanley Kubrick, and just like the majority of his filmography, it is a masterpiece. Kubrick’s willingness to spend a relentless amount of time perfecting his vision for a story had become notorious, and production of Eyes Wide Shut dragged on for so many years that many were skeptical about what his true intentions were. Although Kubrick had already established a precedent with his willingness to push viewers’ comfortability with graphic material, Eyes Wide Shut was so shocking that it narrowly avoided an NC-17 rating, and left some of its most fascinating material on the cutting room floor. Rumors about additional footage have circulated ever since the film’s release, as Kubrick died only shortly after delivering his final cut to Warner Bros. It’s now become accustomed that many of Kubrick’s films that were initially met with mixed reviews, such as The Shining and Full Metal Jacket, have been accepted as being true masterpieces after audiences have had the time to process what the filmmaker was actually trying to say.

Eyes Wide Shut has been passionately studied and debated since its release, as all of Kubrick’s films are layered with details that draw out the obsessive side of cinema scholars. However, Kubrick is also a director who is often underrated for his sense-of-humor; Eyes Wide Shut presented an outrageous nightmare for a narcissistic protagonist (Tom Cruise) about the fidelity of his wife (Nicole Kidman), and suggested that he’d imagine an entire conspiracy and secret society as a means of coping with his paranoia. Kubrick’s films are magical because they can both be enjoyed as grounded stories and unpacked for their metaphorical allusions, but Eyes Wide Shut is the rare classic that is as entertaining as it is profound. Although Kubrick may have been using the guise of an erotic thriller, he crafted a masterwork that tackled larger questions about human nature and the desire for control that have stood the test of time.

1 ‘The Handmaiden’ (2016)

The Handmaiden is one of the best films from director Park Chan-wook, the legendary South Korean filmmaker who launched a whole new wave of revenge thrillers after his instant classic Oldboy became a major crossover hit around the world. Fans of Park’s work knew that he could never be counted on to make something traditional, but The Handmaiden offered a fascinating glimpse into the way that sexual roles could be blended into the noir genre. The Handmaiden is a farce, a mystery, a thriller, and a psychological drama all at once, and manages to analyze its characters through the prism of gender, age, sexuality, and class. It’s as profound a statement as Park has made about the lines of division that cause disenfranchised people to hate one another, but it’s also a totally satisfying work of entertainment that becomes genuinely shocking in a way that few films are.

Park has proven to be a filmmaker who constantly forces the audience to reconsider their previously held beliefs, with Oldboy being the ultimate example of a film that plays completely differently on a second watch after viewers have discovered what the twist is. In The Handmaiden, the lengths that characters go to in order to inhabit one anothers’ identities makes it more compelling to revisit, as viewers are able to see firsthand how they are being duped. Surprisingly, the disturbing nature of the story never takes away The Handmaiden’s hand-crafted beauty, as it contains all the hallmarks of a standard historical drama, despite material that would seem more pulpy. Although Park’s work has gotten greater traction with English-language viewers thanks to his work on international television shows like The Little Drummer Girl and The Sympathizer, The Handmaiden is as perfect as his films can get.