As youngsters growing up during the 80s and 90s we were often longing to be adults, and one of the ways we expressed our growing independence was to watch films that were definitely not suitable for our age range.
We don’t know about you, but VHS copies of violent action flicks like RoboCop and Rambo were often being passed around our school classroom, and then there were the films of… shall we say… the more steamy variety. So please make yourself comfortable as we take a look back at 10 risqué thrillers that your parents most definitely did not know you were watching.
10. Basic Instinct
Generating a great deal of controversy upon its release in 1992, Paul Verhoeven’s Basic Instinct is actually a great film, with one reviewer even going so far as to call it “a neo-noir masterpiece.”
Basic Instinct of course features some very memorable scenes, although Sharon Stone later claimed that the famous leg-crossing moment was actually filmed without her consent.
9. Sliver
Adapted from a 1991 novel of the same name, Sliver stars Sharon Stone, William Baldwin and Tom Berenger. It was a big box office success, despite being completely ravaged by critics.
Stone and Baldwin reportedly hated each other so much that by the end of the shoot they couldn’t even bear to be in the same room. Not only that, but rumours persist that Stone bit Baldwin’s tongue on purpose during the filming of a kissing scene!
8. Showgirls
Do you know what the first three films on this list have in common? They all came from the imaginative mind of Joe Eszterhas, who also wrote the script for the classic 80s film Flashdance.
Showgirls was one of Eszterhas’ more poorly reviewed films, but he was laughing all the way to the bank, having been paid $2 million in advance, then another $1.7 million when his script was turned into a film.
7. Body of Evidence
Starring Queen of Pop Madonna alongside Willem Dafoe, 1993’s Body of Evidence was described by the late film critic Gene Siskel as “a stupid and empty thriller.”
Madonna’s performance came in for some particularly harsh criticism, and Julianne Moore later admitted that she regretted agreeing to appear in the film, calling it “a big mistake.”
6. Fatal Attraction
One of only a handful of films on this list that are actually worth rewatching now, Fatal Attraction was even nominated for an impressive six Academy Awards.
As well as coining the term ‘bunny boiler,’ Glenn Close later revealed that a number of men have approached her over the years with comments as diverse as “you scared the s**t out of me” and “you saved my marriage!”
5. Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy stars Drew Barrymore as Ivy, a poor street girl who seduces her friend’s dad after she becomes attracted to their lavish lifestyle.
Apparently producers were looking for ‘a teenage Fatal Attraction,’ and although Poison Ivy performed poorly at the box office, it sold well on VHS and even spawned three direct-to-video sequels.
4. Body Heat
Launching the career of Romancing the Stone star Kathleen Turner, Body Heat was also the directorial debut of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi co-writer Lawrence Kasdan.
Receiving positive reviews and making a decent profit at the box office, Body Heat was inspired by the 1944 Billy Wilder film Double Indemnity.
3. Jade
Another thriller penned by the rather successful Joe Eszterhas, 1995’s Jade was helmed by The French Connection and The Exorcist director William Friedkin.
Teasing us with the tagline ‘some fantasies go too far,’ Jade saw a District Attorney (played by David Caruso) suspect that his ex-lover (Linda Fiorentino) is involved in the murder of a prominent art dealer.
2. The Last Seduction
Another film to feature Men in Black star Linda Fiorentino, The Last Seduction has received largely positive reviews from critics.
There was even talk of Fiorentino being nominated for an Academy Award, but unfortunately the film was ineligible due to having been shown on TV before it was released into cinemas.
1. Wild Things
Wild Things is a trashy thriller that united a host of 90s stars, including Kevin Bacon, Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, Denise Richards and even Bill Murray.
Wild Things spawned three direct-to-DVD sequels, they being Wild Things 2, Wild Things: Diamonds in the Rough and Wild Things: Foursome.