The erotic thriller is a film
subgenre defined as a film that "combines romanticized, '
erotic
Eroticism () is a quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality, and romantic love. That quality may be found in any form of artwork, including painting, scul ...
' appeal with a dangerous '
thriller
Thriller may refer to:
* Thriller (genre), a broad genre of literature, film and television
** Thriller film, a film genre under the general thriller genre
Comics
* ''Thriller'' (DC Comics), a comic book series published 1983–84 by DC Comics i ...
' 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
''Fatal Attraction'' is a 1987 American psychological thriller film directed by Adrian Lyne from a screenplay by James Dearden, based on his 1980 short film '' Diversion''. Starring Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, and Anne Archer, the film centers ...
'', and ''
The Last Seduction
''The Last Seduction'' is a 1994 American neo-noir erotic thriller film directed by John Dahl, and features Linda Fiorentino, Peter Berg, and Bill Pullman. The film was produced by ITC Entertainment and distributed by October Films. Fiorentino ...
'' 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
Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...
". 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
Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters
*Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange''
Films
* ''Mystery'' (2012 film), a 2012 Chinese drama film
* ''Mystery'' ( ...
and
horror
Horror may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Genres
*Horror fiction, a genre of fiction
** Japanese horror, Japanese horror fiction
**Korean horror, Korean horror fiction
* Horror film, a film genre
*Horror comics, comic books focusing o ...
, as well as from
pornography
Pornography (often shortened to porn or porno) is the portrayal of sexual subject matter for the exclusive purpose of sexual arousal. Primarily intended for adults, .
Notable figures
Certain filmmakers and actors are associated with the genre.
helped usher in the classic period of the genre with films ''
Dressed to Kill'' and ''
Body Double
In filmmaking, a double is a person who substitutes FOR another actor such that the person's face is not shown. There are various terms associated with a double based on the specific body part or ability they serve as a double for, such as stunt ...
'',
and directed ''
Femme Fatale
A ''femme fatale'' ( or ; ), sometimes called a maneater or vamp, is a stock character of a mysterious, beautiful, and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into compromising, deadly traps. She is an archetype of ...
'' and ''
Passion'' later in his career. Dutch filmmaker
Paul Verhoeven
Paul Verhoeven (; born 18 July 1938) is a Dutch director, producer and screenwriter, active in the Netherlands, France and the United States. His blending of graphic violence and sexual content with social satire is a trademark of both his dram ...
directed ''Basic Instinct'', ''
Showgirls'', and ''
Benedetta''.
Joe Eszterhas
József A. Eszterhás ( born November 23, 1944) is a Hungarian-American writer. He attended Ohio University. He wrote the screenplays for the films ''Flashdance'', '' Jagged Edge'', ''Basic Instinct'' and ''Showgirls''. His books include ''Americ ...
became a sought-after screenwriter in the classic period, writing the screenplays for ''
Jagged Edge'', ''Basic Instinct'', ''Showgirls'', and ''
Jade
Jade is a mineral used as jewellery or for ornaments. It is typically green, although may be yellow or white. Jade can refer to either of two different silicate minerals: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in the amphibole group of ...
''.
Adrian Lyne
Adrian Lyne (born 4 March 1941) is an English film director, writer and producer. Having begun his career directing 1970s television commercials, Lyne made well-received short films which were entries in the London Film Festival. He started mak ...
has directed several films of the genre, including ''
9½ Weeks
''9½ Weeks'' is a 1986 American erotic romantic drama film directed by Adrian Lyne, and starring Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke. Basinger portrays a New York City art gallery employee who has a brief yet intense affair with a mysterious Wall St ...
, Fatal Attraction'', ''
Indecent Proposal'', ''
Unfaithful'', and ''
Deep Water''. Other filmmakers include
Atom Egoyan
Atom Egoyan (; hy, Աթոմ Եղոյեան, translit=Atom Yeghoyan; born July 19, 1960) is a Canadian filmmaker. He was part of a loosely-affiliated group of filmmakers to emerge in the 1980s from Toronto known as the Toronto New Wave. Egoyan m ...
,
Paul Schrader
Paul Joseph Schrader (; born July 22, 1946) is an American screenwriter, film director, and film critic. He first received widespread recognition through his screenplay for Martin Scorsese's ''Taxi Driver'' (1976). He later continued his collabo ...
,
Abel Ferrara,
William Friedkin,
David Cronenberg
David Paul Cronenberg (born March 15, 1943) is a Canadian film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is one of the principal originators of what is commonly known as the body horror genre, with his films exploring visceral bodily transformation ...
, and
Zalman King.
The most recognizable actor associated with erotic thrillers is
Michael Douglas
Michael Kirk Douglas (born September 25, 1944) is an American actor and film producer. He has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the AF ...
, who starred in four films—''Fatal Attraction'', ''Basic Instinct'', ''
Disclosure'', and ''
A Perfect Murder''.
Mickey Rourke,
,
James Spader
James Todd Spader (born February 7, 1960) is an American actor. He has portrayed eccentric characters in films such as the drama ''Sex, Lies, and Videotape'' (1989) for which he won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor, the action scien ...
, and
Tom Berenger have also starred in multiple films of the genre. Notable actresses include
Sharon Stone,
Linda Fiorentino
Clorinda "Linda" Fiorentino (born March 9, 1958 or 1960) is an American former actress. Fiorentino made her screen debut with a leading role in the 1985 coming-of-age drama film ''Vision Quest'', followed that same year with a lead role in the ac ...
,
Glenn Close
Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress. Throughout her career spanning over four decades, Close has garnered numerous accolades, including two Screen Actors Guild Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards ...
,
Kathleen Turner
Mary Kathleen Turner (born June 19, 1954) is an American actress. She has received various accolades, including two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, and two Tony Awards.
Turner became widely k ...
,
Demi Moore
Demi Gene Moore ( ; née Guynes; born November 11, 1962) is an American actress. After making her film debut in 1981, Moore appeared on the soap opera ''General Hospital'' (1982–1984) and subsequently gained recognition as a member of the Bra ...
,
and
Greta Scaachi.
List of films: 1930–1940
1931
* ''
Safe in Hell
''Safe in Hell'' is a 1931 American pre-Code thriller film directed by William A. Wellman and starring Dorothy Mackaill and Donald Cook, with featured performances by Morgan Wallace, Ralf Harolde, Nina Mae McKinney, Clarence Muse, and Noble Jo ...
''
List of films: 1940–1970
1944
* ''
Double Indemnity
''Double Indemnity'' is a 1944 American crime film noir directed by Billy Wilder, co-written by Wilder and Raymond Chandler, and produced by Buddy DeSylva and Joseph Sistrom. The screenplay was based on James M. Cain's 1943 novel of the same ...
''
1958
* ''
Vertigo''
1962
* ''
Lolita
''Lolita'' is a 1955 novel written by Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov. The novel is notable for its controversial subject: the protagonist and unreliable narrator, a middle-aged literature professor under the pseudonym Humbert Humber ...
''
1966
* ''
Trans-Europ-Express
The Trans Europ Express, or Trans-Europe Express (TEE), was an international first-class railway service in western and central Europe that was founded in 1957 and ceased in 1995. At the height of its operations, in 1974, the TEE network compri ...
''
1969
* ''
Blind Beast
, aka ''Moju the Blind Beast'' is a 1969 Japanese film directed by Yasuzo Masumura. It is based on a novel by Edogawa Rampo. Plot
Young aspiring model Aki Shima is kidnapped by a mysterious blind man and taken to his home in a warehouse, which ...
''
* ''
Venus in Furs
''Venus in Furs'' (german: Venus im Pelz, links=no) is a novella by the Austrian author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, and the best known of his works. The novel was to be part of an epic series that Sacher-Masoch envisioned called ''Legacy of Cain ...
'' (a.k.a. ''
Black Angel'' and ''
Paroxismus'')
List of films: 1970–1980
1971
* ''
She Killed in Ecstasy
''She Killed in Ecstasy'' (german: Sie tötete in Ekstase es, Mrs. Hyde) is a 1971 West German-Spanish erotic thriller film directed by Jesús Franco. The film's plot borrows elements from previous Franco films ''Miss Muerte'' and ''Venus in Fu ...
''
1972
* ''
Last Tango in Paris
''Last Tango in Paris'' ( it, Ultimo tango a Parigi; french: Le Dernier Tango à Paris) is a 1972 erotic drama film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. The film stars Marlon Brando, Maria Schneider and Jean-Pierre Léaud, and portrays a recently w ...
''
* ''
Punarjanmam
''Punarjanmam'' ( en, Reincarnation) is a 1972 Indian Malayalam-language erotic thriller film starring Prem Nazir and Jayabharathi. The film is directed by K. S. Sethumadhavan, based on a case study published by famous atheist and psychiatrist ...
''
* ''
The Stepmother''
1973
* ''
Maru Piravi
''Maru Piravi'' () is a 1973 Indian Tamil-language erotic thriller film directed by T. R. Ramanna. It stars R. Muthuraman and Manjula. It is the Tamil remake of the 1971 Malayalam film ''Punarjanmam''. The film was released on 9 February 1973.
...
''
1974
* ''
The Teacher''
* ''
Wife to Be Sacrificed''
1975
* ''
Waves of Lust
''Waves of Lust'' ( it, Ondata di piacere, also known as ''A Wave of Pleasure'') is a 1975 Italian erotic thriller-drama film directed by Ruggero Deodato and starring John Steiner and Silvia Dionisio.
Plot
Irem and Barbara are a young Italian cou ...
''
1976
* ''
The Hook'' (a.k.a. ''
To Agistri'')
* ''
Obsession''
* ''
Vortex
In fluid dynamics, a vortex ( : vortices or vortexes) is a region in a fluid in which the flow revolves around an axis line, which may be straight or curved. Vortices form in stirred fluids, and may be observed in smoke rings, whirlpools in th ...
'' (a.k.a. ''
Blondie'', ''
Blondy'', and ''
Germacide'')
1977
* ''
Looking for Mr. Goodbar''
1978
* ''
Attacked!!'' (a.k.a. ''
Attack!!
''Attack!!'' is the fourteenth studio album by the Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, released on 15 October 2002 through Steamhammer records. The album is the first to feature singer Doogie White on lead vocals, along with keyboardist Derek S ...
'')
* ''
The Eyes of Laura Mars
''Eyes of Laura Mars'' is a 1978 American neo noir mystery-thriller film starring Faye Dunaway and Tommy Lee Jones and directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay was adapted (in collaboration with David Zelag Goodman) from a spec script titled ''E ...
''
* ''
Nicole
Nicole may refer to:
People
* Nicole (name)
* Nicole (American singer) (born 1958), a contestant in season 3 of the American ''The X Factor''
* Nicole (Chilean singer) (born 1977)
* Nicole (German singer) (born 1964), winner of the 1982 Euro ...
'' (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''
* ''
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
''Basic Instinct 2'' (also known as ''Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction'') is a 2006 erotic thriller film and the sequel to 1992's ''Basic Instinct''. The film was directed by Michael Caton-Jones and produced by Mario Kassar, Joel B. Michaels, a ...
'', neo-noir
* ''
Ganda Hendathi''
2007
* ''
Boarding Gate
''Boarding Gate'' is a 2007 French thriller film about the sophisticated power plays between a debt-ridden underworld entrepreneur, his provocative and ambitious ex-associate and a manipulative young couple who employ her. Written and directed by ...
''
*''
I Know Who Killed Me
''I Know Who Killed Me'' is a 2007 American psychological thriller film directed by Chris Sivertson, written by Jeff Hammond, and starring Lindsay Lohan, Julia Ormond, Neal McDonough and Brian Geraghty. The film's story revolves around a young ...
,'' psychological erotic-thriller
* ''
Socket
Socket may refer to:
Mechanics
* Socket wrench, a type of wrench that uses separate, removable sockets to fit different sizes of nuts and bolts
* Socket head screw, a screw (or bolt) with a cylindrical head containing a socket into which the hexag ...
''
List of films: 2008–present
2008
* ''
Death in Love
''Death in Love'' is a 2008 psychosexual erotic thriller about a love affair between a Jewish woman and a doctor overseeing human experimentation at a Nazi German concentration camp, and the impact this has on her sons' lives in the 1990s. The fil ...
''
*''
Deception
Deception or falsehood is an act or statement that misleads, hides the truth, or promotes a belief, concept, or idea that is not true. It is often done for personal gain or advantage. Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda and sleight o ...
''
* ''
The Kreutzer Sonata
''The Kreutzer Sonata'' (russian: Крейцерова соната, ) is a novella by Leo Tolstoy, named after Beethoven's Violin Sonata No. 9 (Beethoven), Kreutzer Sonata. The novella was published in 1889, and was promptly censored by the Rus ...
''
* ''
Loft
A loft is a building's upper storey or elevated area in a room directly under the roof (American usage), or just an attic: a storage space under the roof usually accessed by a ladder (primarily British usage). A loft apartment refers to large ...
''
* ''
Poison Ivy: The Secret Society''
* ''
Sex and Lies in Sin City
''Sex and Lies in Sin City: The Ted Binion Scandal'' is a 2008 Lifetime Television film starring Johnathon Schaech, Marcia Gay Harden, Matthew Modine, and Mena Suvari.
Premise
The film details the events surrounding the death of Las Vegas casino ...
''
2009
2010
* ''
The Housemaid''
* ''
Red Nights
''Red Nights'' (''Les Nuits rouges du Bourreau de Jade'') is a 2010 French-Hong Kong film by Julien Carbon and Laurent Courtiaud. It is a thriller and a tale of erotic horror. The filmmakers call it a Hong Kong ''giallo'' with mystery, (sadist ...
'', erotic-horror
* ''
Secret Love''
* ''
Vlees
''Vlees'' (''Meat'') is a 2010 Dutch erotic drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a ge ...
''
* ''
Wild Things: Foursome''
2011
* ''
Murder 2
''Murder 2'' is a 2011 Indian Hindi-language psychological thriller film and the second installment in the ''Murder film series''. A quasi-sequel to the 2004 film, ''Murder'', it stars Emraan Hashmi, Jacqueline Fernandez and Prashant Narayana ...
''
* ''
Ragini MMS
''Ragini MMS'' is a 2011 Indian found footage horror film directed by Pawan Kripalani and produced by Jeetendra and Shobha Kapoor of Balaji Telefilms. It was released on 13 May 2011 (Friday the 13th). The film is inspired by the 2007 American ...
''
* ''
Silver Tongues
''Silver Tongues'' is a 2011 dark drama film directed by Simon Arthur and starring Lee Tergesen and Enid Graham.
Plot
Gerry and Joan (Tergesen and Graham) are a middle-aged couple who travel from town to town under false personas to mutilate and ...
''
* ''
X: Night of Vengeance''
2012
* ''
Dangerous Liaisons''
* ''
Hate Story''
* ''
In the House''
* ''
Jism 2''
* ''
Passion''
* ''
The Taste of Money
''The Taste of Money'' () is a 2012 South Korean erotic thriller film about a conglomerate-owning family.
It triggered controversy and hype with its portrayal of the lives of the privileged in Korean society, exploring themes of sex and money ...
''
* ''
Under My Nails''
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
* ''
Aksar 2
''Aksar 2'' () is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language erotic thriller film directed by Anant Mahadevan. The film is sequel to the 2006 film ''Aksar''. The film stars Zareen Khan, Gautam Rode, Abhinav Shukla and Mohit Madaan in lead roles. The motion ...
''
* ''
L'Amant double
''L'Amant double'' (released in the United States as ''Double Lover'') is a 2017 erotic thriller drama film written and directed by François Ozon, based on the 1987 novel ''Lives of the Twins'' (also known as ''Kindred Passions'') by Joyce Ca ...
'' (a.k.a. ''
Double Lover'')
* ''
Unforgettable
Unforgettable may refer to:
Film
* ''Unforgettable'' (1996 film), a thriller starring Ray Liotta
* ''Unforgettable'' (2014 film), a Bollywood film
* ''Unforgettable'' (2016 film), a South Korean film
* ''Unforgettable'' (2017 film), an America ...
''
2018
*''
In Darkness In Darkness may refer to:
* ''In Darkness'' (2009 film), a 2009 Turkish film
* ''In Darkness'' (2011 film), a 2011 Polish film
* ''In Darkness'' (2018 film), a 2018 American film
* ''In Darkness'' (album), a 2013 album by German band Agathodaim ...
''
* ''
Hate Story 4
''Hate Story 4'' (styled as ''Hate Story IV'') is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language revenge thriller film directed by Vishal Pandya and written by Sammeer Arora. The film features Urvashi Rautela, Karan Wahi and Vivan Bhatena in the lead roles. Th ...
''
2020
* ''
365 Days''
* ''
Fatale''
* ''
Lost Girls & Love Hotels
''Lost Girls & Love Hotels'' is a 2020 American erotic thriller drama film directed by William Olsson from a screenplay by Catherine Hanrahan, based on Hanrahan's 2006 novel ''Lost Girls and Love Hotels''. The film stars Alexandra Daddario as an ...
''
* ''
What Lies Below''
2021
* ''
Benedetta,''
religious erotic-thriller
* ''
The Beta Test,''
dark comedy erotic-thriller
* ''
Deadly Illusions
''Deadly Illusions'' is a 2021 American erotic thriller film written and directed by Anna Elizabeth James and starring Kristin Davis, Dermot Mulroney, Greer Grammer, and Shanola Hampton.
Plot
Mary Morrison, a successful author of thriller nove ...
''
[
*'']The Voyeurs
''The Voyeurs'' is a 2021 American erotic thriller film written and directed by Michael Mohan. Shot and set in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, it stars Sydney Sweeney and Justice Smith as a young couple who spy on and become obsessed by the lives of ...
''[
]
2022
* '' Deep Water''
* ''Don't Worry Darling
''Don't Worry Darling'' is a 2022 American psychological thriller film directed by Olivia Wilde from a screenplay by Katie Silberman, based on a spec script by Carey Van Dyke, Shane Van Dyke, and Silberman. The film stars Florence Pugh, Harry ...
''
* '' 365 Days: This Day''
Miscellaneous crossover films
* ''Macabre
In works of art, the adjective macabre ( or ; ) means "having the quality of having a grim or ghastly atmosphere". The macabre works to emphasize the details and symbols of death. The term also refers to works particularly gruesome in natu ...
'', 1980, erotic-horror
* '' The Fan'', 1981, erotic-horror
* ''Lovely But Deadly
''Lovely But Deadly'' is a 1981 action film about a cheerleader who goes undercover to fight drug dealers. The film stars Lucinda Dooling, John Randolph, Mel Novak and Richard Herd.
Directed by David Sheldon with a story by Lawrence D. Foldes, ...
'', 1981, erotic-action
* ''Ms. 45
''Ms .45'' (also known as ''Angel of Vengeance'' as ''Ms. 45'') is a 1981 American exploitation thriller film directed by Abel Ferrara and starring Zoë Tamerlis.
Inspired by films such as ''Thriller – A Cruel Picture'' (1973), ''Death Wish' ...
'', 1981, erotic exploitation
* '' The Postman Always Rings Twice'', 1981, erotic-drama
* ''Naked Killer
''Naked Killer'' () is a 1992 Hong Kong erotic thriller film written and produced by Wong Jing, and directed by Clarence Fok Yiu-leung. The film stars Chingmy Yau, Simon Yam and Carrie Ng.
The film is regarded as a cult classic.
Plot
Kitty is ...
'', 1992, Hong Kong erotic-action
* '' Shadows Run Black'', 1984, erotic-crime thriller
* '' Sole Survivor'', 1984, erotic-horror
* ''Sea of Love Sea of Love may refer to
* ''Sea of Love'' (film), a 1989 American thriller film
* "Sea of Love" (Phil Phillips song), a 1959 song by Phil Phillips and The Twilights, covered by many performers
* "Sea of Love" (The National song), 2013
* ''The S ...
'', 1989, neo-noir
* ''Kill Me Again
''Kill Me Again'' is a 1989 American neo-noir Silver, Alain; Ward, Elizabeth; eds. (1992). ''Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style'' (3rd ed.). Woodstock, New York: The Overlook Press. thriller film directed by John Dahl, an ...
'', 1989, erotic neo-noir
* '' Inner Sanctum'', 1991, erotic-drama
* '' Basic Instinct'', 1992, neo-noir
* '' Romeo Is Bleeding'', 1993, erotic neo-noir
* '' Inner Sanctum II'', 1994, erotic-drama
* ''China Moon
''China Moon'' is a 1994 American romantic thriller film directed by John Bailey and starring Ed Harris, Madeleine Stowe and Benicio del Toro. It was written by Roy Carlson. It was filmed in 1991 but "shelved" for three years before its release.
...
'', 1994, erotic neo-noir
* ''The Last Seduction
''The Last Seduction'' is a 1994 American neo-noir erotic thriller film directed by John Dahl, and features Linda Fiorentino, Peter Berg, and Bill Pullman. The film was produced by ITC Entertainment and distributed by October Films. Fiorentino ...
'', 1994, erotic neo-noir
* ''Bound
Bound or bounds may refer to:
Mathematics
* Bound variable
* Upper and lower bounds, observed limits of mathematical functions
Physics
* Bound state, a particle that has a tendency to remain localized in one or more regions of space
Geography
*B ...
'', 1996, erotic neo-noir crime thriller
* '' The Last Seduction II'', 1999, erotic neo-noir
Post-period crossover films
* ''Femme Fatale
A ''femme fatale'' ( or ; ), sometimes called a maneater or vamp, is a stock character of a mysterious, beautiful, and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into compromising, deadly traps. She is an archetype of ...
'', 2002 mystery/thriller neo-noir
* '' Unfaithful'' 2002, erotic-drama
* ''Basic Instinct 2
''Basic Instinct 2'' (also known as ''Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction'') is a 2006 erotic thriller film and the sequel to 1992's ''Basic Instinct''. The film was directed by Michael Caton-Jones and produced by Mario Kassar, Joel B. Michaels, a ...
'', 2006, neo-noir
* '' Lust, Caution'', 2007, erotic-drama
* '' Chloe'' 2009 lesbian romantic drama
* '' Compulsion'', 2013, psychological dark comedy erotic thriller
* ''Frank & Lola
''Frank & Lola'' is a 2016 American neo-noir erotic thriller film written and directed by Matthew Ross in his directorial debut, and starring Michael Shannon, Imogen Poots, Michael Nyqvist, Justin Long, Emmanuelle Devos and Rosanna Arquette.
The ...
'', 2016, erotic neo-noir
* '' The Handmaiden'' 2016 lesbian romantic drama
References
Bibliography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Erotic Thriller
*
Erotic thriller
The erotic thriller is a film subgenre defined as a thriller with a thematic basis in illicit romance or erotic fantasy. Though exact definitions of the erotic thriller can vary, it is generally agreed "bodily danger and pleasure must remain in ...