Erotic film recommendations?

[AlwaysHungry]

I'm interested in films which are not porn, but are actually well directed, written and acted, plus have exciting sex. Here are some recommendations I can make, and I would like to hear what others have to say:

1. Lust, Caution -- this film is in Chinese with subtitles. It is an espionage thriller set in China during WWII -- an all-around excellent film, and the sex is scorching hot.

2. The Lover -- an engaging hot romance between a young French girl and her older Chinese lover, set in Vietnam during the 1920s.

3. Body of Evidence -- a noirish detective thriller with an impressively hot performance by Madonna as a dominatrix.

4. All Things Fair (Lust och fägring stor) -- a thought-provoking Swedish film about an affair between a schoolteacher and her 15-year old pupil.

5. The Handmaiden -- a Korean film about a criminal intrigue, with very hot Lesbian sex scenes.

 

[travelenman]

I need to get my act together and watch some of these movies.

 

[Auden James]

Some recommendations not named yet, though in no particular order:

• In the Realm of the Senses, directed by Nagisa Ōshima, a 1976 Japanese film (coproduced by France) about the sadomasochistic relationship between a former prostitute now working as a maid in a hotel and the hotel's owner.
• Blue Is the Warmest Color, directed by Abdellatif Kechiche, a 2013 French film about the passionate lesbian relationship between two young French girls.
• The Dreamers, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, a 2003 French film (coproduced by Italy and UK) about three young students and their personal love triangle, set against the backdrop of the 1968 Paris student riots.
• Y tu mamá también, directed by Alfonso Cuarón, a 2001 Mexican film about two teenage boys who go on a roadtrip with a woman in her late twenties and become erotically entangled with her.
• Showgirls, directed by Paul Verhoeven, a 1995 American film about a young drifter who comes to Las Vegas and gives it her all to make it to the top of the eponymous showgirls.

 

[Tzara]

Some recommendations not named yet, though in no particular order:

• In the Realm of the Senses, directed by Nagisa Ōshima, a 1976 Japanese film (coproduced by France) about the sadomasochistic relationship between a former prostitute now working as a maid in a hotel and the hotel's owner.
• Blue Is the Warmest Color, directed by Abdellatif Kechiche, a 2013 French film about the passionate lesbian relationship between two young French girls.
• The Dreamers, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, a 2003 French film (coproduced by Italy and UK) about three young students and their personal love triangle, set against the backdrop of the 1968 Paris student riots.
• Y tu mamá también, directed by Alfonso Cuarón, a 2001 Mexican film about two teenage boys who go on a roadtrip with a woman in her late twenties and become erotically entangled with her.
• Showgirls, directed by Paul Verhoeven, a 1995 American film about a young drifter who comes to Las Vegas and gives it her all to make it to the top of the eponymous showgirls.

I enthusiastically second all of Mr. James' suggestions, with the exception of the last, which despite its cult status I find unwatchable.

I'm surprised no one mentioned Bertolucci's Last Tango in Paris, though perhaps that may be because of the controversy over the rape scene (Richard Brody gives a good account of that here). The scene where Jeanne raises her dress to expose her pubic hair was extremely erotic to me when I first saw the film.

Patrice Chéreau's Intimacy is both erotic and painful, if that makes sense, as it presents how some of us yearn for sexual connection as a substitute or alternative to emotional contact.

I will say that one of the most erotic scenes I've ever seen is one with no nudity or sex whatsoever--Alma's confession scene in Bergman's Persona--it's basically a monologue. And, though really erotic, also very sad, somehow.

 

[AlwaysHungry]

I enthusiastically second all of Mr. James' suggestions, with the exception of the last, which despite its cult status I find unwatchable.

Yes, Showgirls is a real stinker. I have tried watching it in installments, but I just can't get through it.

And while we are on the subject of scenes you wouldn't expect to be erotic, there is a scene in Dances With Wolves where Kevin Costner is spending the night in a wigwam as the guest of a Native American couple, who have sex while he is there. No nudity, but the smile on the woman's face as she climaxes is really quite thrilling.

 

[Marriedmannextdoor]

There are two really important sex scenes in A History of Violence (2005). Both are very erotic. More importantly, the differences between the two show the important change in Viggo Mortensen's character.

 

[Cindy027]

Blue Is the Warmest Color, directed by Abdellatif Kechiche, a 2013 French film about the passionate lesbian relationship between two young French girls.

I can vouch for this, a bit sad though.

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

I'm not really turned on by whips or leather but "The Story of O" has some very hot clips.

 

[Tzara]

And while we are on the subject of scenes you wouldn't expect to be erotic, there is a scene in Dances With Wolves where Kevin Costner is spending the night in a wigwam as the guest of a Native American couple, who have sex while he is there. No nudity, but the smile on the woman's face as she climaxes is really quite thrilling.

There's a somewhat similar scene in Antonioni's Blow-Up, where the photographer Thomas (David Hemmings) goes next door to the residence of his artist friend and stands, coolly, looking down at his friend and his friend's partner (Sarah Miles) apparently having sex. She seems aroused by being observed by him (Thomas).

Kind of erotic while being quite distanced at the same time.

 

[lc69hunter]

Some recommendations not named yet, though in no particular order:

• In the Realm of the Senses, directed by Nagisa Ōshima, a 1976 Japanese film (coproduced by France) about the sadomasochistic relationship between a former prostitute now working as a maid in a hotel and the hotel's owner.
• Blue Is the Warmest Color, directed by Abdellatif Kechiche, a 2013 French film about the passionate lesbian relationship between two young French girls.
• The Dreamers, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, a 2003 French film (coproduced by Italy and UK) about three young students and their personal love triangle, set against the backdrop of the 1968 Paris student riots.
• Y tu mamá también, directed by Alfonso Cuarón, a 2001 Mexican film about two teenage boys who go on a roadtrip with a woman in her late twenties and become erotically entangled with her.
• Showgirls, directed by Paul Verhoeven, a 1995 American film about a young drifter who comes to Las Vegas and gives it her all to make it to the top of the eponymous showgirls.

Blue is the warmest color, and The Dreamers were both very erotic