TORONTO — The highly-anticipated erotic film Fifty Shades of Grey is in theatres, where it is expected to dominate the weekend box office.
E.L. James’ story of Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) and his BDSM relationship with Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) is getting lots of buzz — and criticism from morality groups — for its steamy sex scenes.
Of course, Fifty Shades is far from being the first mainstream movie to feature nudity and graphic sexual activity.
And, in Fifty Shades, the sex is simulated.
Not so in films like The Brown Bunny, Short Bus, Ken Park, Lie With Me and Y Tu Mama Tambien.
Hollywood has also heated things up in movies like Wild Orchid, Body Heat, Eyes Wide Shut and Body of Evidence.
Actors like Halle Berry, Bruce Willis and Michelle Williams have gone full frontal in movies like Monster’s Ball, Color of Night and Blue Valentine. And no one who saw Shame can ever look at Michael Fassbender the same way.
Here are eight mainstream flicks that had some sizzle. By sheer coincidence, two of them have male characters with Fifty Shades-like surnames (Mickey Rourke is John Gray in 9-1/2 Weeks and James Spader is Edward Grey in Secretary).
9-1/2 Weeks (1986)
Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke heat things up in this erotic drama from Adrian Lyne (Fatal Attraction) based on Elizabeth McNeill’s memoir. Rourke plays a businessman named John Gray who pushes an art gallery worker (Basinger) to explore her sexuality. The film showcases violent sexual situations as well as public sex — and is best known for a scene involving food.
American Psycho (2000)
Christian Bale stars as Patrick Bateman in this big screen adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’s novel of the same name. The made-in-Toronto film was controversial for combining sexuality and violence — and for a threesome scene that left little to the imagination.
Basic Instinct (1992)
Sharon Stone and Michael Douglas star in this controversial erotic thriller from Paul Verhoeven about a detective investigating the murder of a rock star who becomes involved in a relationship with the prime suspect. Verhoeven trimmed 40 seconds from the movie to convince the MPAA in the U.S. to drop its rating from NC-17 to R. In addition to its steamy sex scenes, the movie became famous for Stone’s explicit leg-crossing scene.
Bound (1996)
The Wachowskis (The Matrix) made their feature directing debut with this crime thriller starring Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon as lovers who set out to steal $2 million from the mafia. The movie was heralded for its frank depictions of lesbian sex.
Chloe (2009)
Shot in Toronto, Canadian director Atom Egoyan’s erotic thriller stars Julianne Moore and Liam Neeson as a married couple whose relationship is tested by a college student (Amanda Seyfried). There are sex scenes between Moore and Seyfried and one with Seyfried and Max Thieriot.
Crash (1996)
Canadian director David Cronenberg’s movie, based on J.G. Ballard’s 1973 novel of the same name, combines sexuality and violence. Starring James Spader and Holly Hunter, the made-in-Toronto film focuses on people who derive pleasure from car accidents. Though it was controversial, Crash won six Genie Awards and won the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
In The Cut (2003)
Directed by Jane Campion and co-produced by Nicole Kidman, this dark thriller based on the book of the same name by Susanna Moore stars Meg Ryan as a professor who becomes involved with the detective (Mark Ruffalo) investigating murders in her neighbourhood. Ryan and Ruffalo both appear in full-frontal nude scenes and the movie includes a scene of non-simulated fellatio.
Secretary (2002)
Maggie Gyllenhaal stars in this erotic drama based upon a short story from Mary Gaitskill’s Bad Behavior about the relationship between a sexually dominant lawyer named Edward Grey (James Spader) and his submissive secretary. The movie follows the pair as their BDSM encounters lead to marriage.
Wild Things (1998)
Canada’s Neve Campbell stars with Denise Richards and Matt Dillon in this erotic thriller about a guidance counsellor accused of rape. In addition to plenty of twists, the movie had several explicit sex scenes — including a threesome — and Kevin Bacon in a full-frontal shower scene.
Where the Truth Lies (2005)
This erotic thriller, also from Canadian director Atom Egoyan (and also shot in Toronto), is based on the Rupert Holmes novel of the same name. It stars Kevin Bacon and Colin Firth. The movie was initially slapped with an NC-17 rating in the U.S. due to a graphic lesbian sex scene and a threesome — so producers chose to release the movie unrated.
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