6. Belle De Jour (1967)
Who better than one of the greatest surrealist filmmakers of all time, Luis Buñuel, to depict scenes of sexual fantasy? Belle De Jour is one of the best looks at boredom and sexual repression in a character; when her husband fails to understand exactly what she wants, Severine experiments with prostitution. However, that description is just what the film is about on a surface level.
The genius of Belle De Jour is the fact that it deals with sexual desire on a visceral level. Severine’s fantasies are arguably more important to understanding the film than what she does in her waking life.
7. Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)
Don’t eat popcorn while watching this. Although it is debatable to call this a BDSM film due to the fact that what is seen here is not consensual, it doesn’t change the fact that Salo depicts sexual sadism. The power (pun intended) of Salo can be credited to Pasolini featuring a society run amok so unflinchingly.
The film shows us what happens when the wealthy are allowed to abuse their status. It’s awful, and difficult to stomach, but fascism through sexuality is what Pasolini thinks it might look like.
8. Story of O (1975)
Although not a perfect film by any means, Story of O is worth mentioning when discussing BDSM in film, or erotic cinema in general. The beauty of this film is that even if you are not remotely interested in the world of BDSM, Story of O is just beautiful to look at.
It has been criticized for being bad in the way softcore pornography is, and that’s a fair point. But it also has the kitschy sheen films from the 70s often do, almost giving it the feel of an arthouse film when watched today. It’s difficult to dislike a movie when it’s this earnest.
9. The Night Porter (1974)
Films depicting the Holocaust are exploitative by their very nature. The Night Porter is no different: it has a controversial history for good reason. It features a Holocaust survivor and a Nazi officer who somehow have an understanding. The idea that a relationship between these two would be consensual is either completely absurd, a crazy case of Stockholm syndrome, or both.
Nevertheless, The Night Porter has developed a following now that it’s been over four decades since its problematic release. Despite the contentious issue the film raises, Liliana Cavani has described her film as essentially being a “love story.”
10. Phantom Thread (2017)
This is the most recent film on this list, but it’s necessary to include. Alma and Reynolds Woodcock have one of the more surprising relationships in cinema history.
The way this film has been presented to us through its trailers and posters does not prepare you for the understanding the couple comes to. It is a tender portrait of two people that treat each other atypically. To say anything more would spoil it for those who haven’t seen it yet.
Author Bio: Dilair Singh is a film lover from Toronto. He particularly enjoys screenwriting, and hopes to sell a screenplay someday. You can find him on Twitter: @dilairsingh.