Erotic Thriller is just a lovely form of movie isn’t it? Ok, maybe not lovely but something one can sink one’s teeth into including a Good book, Wandering Through The Shelves always chooses a good theme. So let’s slide right into my picks for this week…
1. THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE-1946
This is just THE postage stamp for an erotic thriller and it stars Ms. Erotica, Lana Turner and Mr. He-Man, John Garfield as a bored housewife married to an older, nice, but boring man who owns a restaurant. He hires John Garfield and soon the two young hot to trots get into some heavy breathing before figuring out a way to get rid of her boring husband. This is quite a great film that makes one want a cold shower due to the 2 leads. It’s well directed and I do like the cinematography as well.
2. DUEL IN THE SUN-1946
Lust in the Dust! Yes this was the nickname for this western, batshit crazy as flick. I would not say it’s a great movie because, well, it stars Jennifer Jones but, for some reason, I like it. It stars Gregory Peck as a bad guy who exudes sex and Jennifer plays a half-caste( let’s just ignore that elephant in the room) who is taken in by the family with Peck as a bad boy and Joseph Cotton as the good boy. The parents are played by Lionel Barrymore who thinks Jones will bring ruin with her, “she can’t help being a Femme Fatale because she is of mixed blood” and wants her gone but Lillian Gish, the saintly mother welcomes her with open arms. Of course, both sons fell for the gal but she ends up falling for..oh well just guess? This is one of the rare times Peck plays a bad guy and he does it well. I did wonder if this was a thriller but, I think it slips through because of the way the 2 leads deal with each other.
3. GUN CRAZY-1950
This was a B movie but has reached cult status as a version of the Bonnie and Clyde storyline with a Twist. The man, played by John Dall, although a quick shot artist, never wants to harm anyone falls for the Gal, played by Peggy Cummings, also a quick shot artist but she revels in wanting to kill. She brings him down the path of no going back as they go on the run after holding up banks and stores. It’s quite erotic as both leads get off each other from shooting guns and can’t help but be together. It’s truly worth a look.
Which films would you choose?
Hi, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteNow you're talkin' my language, dear friend. Apart from psychotronic biker gang, LSD exploitation, low budget nudie, 50-foot woman, car rollover, exploding screen, slasher body count flicks, erotic thrillers are my favorite kind of movie.
i have seen Lana Turner in Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938), These Glamour Girls (1939), Dancing Co-Ed (1939), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) and The Bad And The Beautiful (1952), but regret that I never watched Postman and her many other films. The moonlight swim scene in the Postman trailer brings to mind "From Here To Maternity." :) Lana did not interest me as much as other actresses, and I know I missed a lot by skipping most of her work. I'm sure you recall the media firestorm ignited in 1958 when Lana's teenage daughter stabbed to death Lana's on again - off again lover, mobster Johnny Stompanato. The underworld figure had reportedly stalked and abused Lana for years leading up to the fatal altercation in Lana's home. Mother and daughter were both exonerated, but public opinion was mixed, and so were newspaper articles, some accusing Lana of having turned in an acting performance in court.
Duel In The Sun, "the picture of a thousand memorable moments" that mixes genres with the classic Western, looks like a hoot. Although Westerns are not my thing, films that push the envelope and deliver surprises are my thing, and I need to watch it. Besides, I like Joseph Cotten and Greg Peck.
I also love noirish movies, and liked Irish actress Peggy Cummings in Night of the Demon (1957). Gun Crazy is Peggy's best known film, and yet I don't remember watching it. It certainly fits my taste, and I see that it is available to rent through Amazon Prime. I think I'll watch it.
Erotic thrillers that I have watched and enjoyed include Deep Water (2022) starring Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas, Nocturnal Animals (2016) starring Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal, Don Johnson and Jennifer Connelly in The Hot Spot (1990), Gross Misconduct (1993) starring Jimmy Smits and Naomi Watts, China Moon (1994) starring Ed Harris and Madeleine Stowe, Eyes Wide Shut (1999) starring Cruise & Kidman, Unfaithful (2002) starring Diane Lane and Richard Gere and 9½ Weeks (1986) starring Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger.
Thanks for the reviews and viewing tips, dearie. I invite you to visit Shady's Place when you get a chance to see my latest post featuring the artwork of another dear Canadian friend of mine, Belle in BC, plus some songs I think you'll like. Have a delightful Thursday, dear friend BB!
Initial thoughts are Body Heat and Basic Instinct. I know I have seen your first choice more than once, but don't remember seeing the other two.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen any of your picks this week, but I struggle to even name an erotic thriller that came out before the 90's so I'm not shocked. lol
ReplyDeleteBB, I left a comment first thing this morning and proofread it when finished. It must have been removed to your spam folder. Please check. I certainly hope you can find it and publish.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
I have never heard of any of these films. But I laughed at your synopses. You didn't spare any punches, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteExcellent choices even if Duel in the Sun is a stinker of a movie!
ReplyDeleteEverything that the dreadful remake of Postman got wrong this one gets right. Lana and John Garfield exude such a natural sexual spark they burn up the screen. Garfield was always a strong performer but Lana, while always watchable, was a spottier actress however here she is perfection and really deserved a nomination.
Gun Crazy is a great example of what can be done with a low budget, a decent cast and an efficient director. It was a sort of vindication for Peggy Cummings after her dismissal from the lead in Forever Amber a few years earlier.
Ugh Duel in the Sun!! What a mess of a movie. Too long, too turgidly paced and badly miscast. I like Gregory Peck as a rule but he exuded a resolute uprightness at all times so his casting as a bad boy doesn't work but the true black mark is Jennifer Jones who is appallingly awful and out of her depth as the fiery Pearl. The script is weak and the character likewise but in a role that Ava Gardner with her natural raw sensuality could have carried off without breaking a sweat Jones vamps, mistaking over emphasis for passion. The fact that she was Oscar nominated for this hootenanny of a performance is mind boggling!
I’m very impressed that you came up with three from the Golden Age that work! I also usually go for older films but with erotic thrillers vs. the old Production Code I think I will have to go with choices of a more recent vintage.
The first would be the 2002 film "Unfaithful" with an exceptional Oscar nominated performance by Diane Lane. Speaking of great performances, my next is 1994's "The Last Seduction" wherein Linda Fiorentino is flat out brilliant. For some arcane reason, the film and therefore her performance were disqualified from being eligible for Oscar nominations, but the consensus was that had she been she would have won in a walk. The last is the intriguing "Swimming Pool" from 2003 again with a great central performance by Charlotte Rampling in this moody, slightly fractured thriller.
Never saw your second pick, but the other two are good ones. I guess the term "erotic thriller" never entered my mind concerning these, but you made a convincing case.
ReplyDeleteThe first one that came to my mind was Fatal Attraction. I guess I don't watch many films with this description, but then maybe the ones I see just don't get interpreted in my mind as "erotic thriller".
I'm kind of stumped by this theme, but that's not too unusual for me.
Lee
Gregory Peck playing a bad guy was definitely rare. Hope today finds you well.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the second film would have been ruined if they could have just done a threesome? I haven't seen any of these. I should see the first one at some point.
ReplyDeleteMy first thoughts were Basic Instinct and Body of Evidence, both of which were terrible movies. I guess that just shows the generation I grew up with. 😁
ReplyDeleteK is for Kolinsky Sable Brushes
Haven’t seen any of them but have heard of the first one so it’s on my to watch list.
ReplyDeleteI liked your choices here, BIRGIT!
ReplyDeleteWhat I especially enjoy about 'GUN CRAZY' is the cinematography. There were some really creative long, unedited shots (like the one you posted above in this blog bit).
And here's my very favorite line of dialogue from 'THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE':
John Garfield: "Cats don't know anything about electricity."
My Brother and I often quote that line when someone does or says something really stupid. (Yeah, we get to use it A LOT. ;^)
~ D-FensDogG
I haven't seen any of these but these older movies all hold a certain attraction in seeing how movie makers of years ago dealt with the same urges we have always had. In those days, you had to express them in a certain way and it's interesting how they worked with the mores of the times.
ReplyDeleteThe Postman Always Rings Twice is a great pick!
ReplyDelete