Starting in the seventies, the porn industry began to break out of producing simple sex sequences and started to incorporate plot. This started to dominate the industry throughout the eighties back in the heyday of Nina Hartley, Seka, and Linda Lovelace.
Then a shift happened to start sometime between the early days of the web and the release of high-speed internet. Wall-to-wall smut began to dominate the industry. I know some folks like it a lot, but after a while, watching fucking without context can be kinda meh, sometimes.
Luckily, the porn industry started to invest in full-length films with an actual plot around circa 2006 into the present. Similarly, between the ’70s and definitely since the 21st century, ‘legitimate’ filmmakers have started to mirror this trend.
It frustrates the feminists, it terrifies the fundamentalists, and I find it fascinating – as I’m sure it will be to you, too. One decade after another, the lines between hardcore pornography and mainstream entertainment.
I’ve already made a list of movies that feature a mix of (almost) graphic and explicit lovemaking in popular films. However, there are a ton more, which leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination.
With decades of examples to pick from, I choose to put together a list of non-porn films with raw, uncut sex scenes.
Blue Movie AKA Fuck (1969)
Director: Andy Warhol
Genre: Slow-paced sexual drama commenting on the ‘Nam War
It might surprise you to find out there have been European and American films with full nudity going back to the 1920s. However, those who show real sex didn’t start coming out until the psychedelic ’60s.
One of the first of them was Warhol’s Blue Movie, which helped launch the porno chic genre. When it comes to this film, in particular, the sex isn’t exactly spectacular. But if you’ve got a thing for 8-mm vintage film or got a taste for the classics, check it out.
My rating: two hands
Anatomy of Hell (2004)
Director: Catherine Breillat
Genre: Introspective sex-drama with a funny meta twist
Admittedly this French film is a little dark at the start, but if you stick with it, you’ll see an excellent combination of copulating and character development. This is especially impressive considering the fact that none of the characters have names.
The starring woman, Amira Cesar, looks stunning – and, in my opinion, still does to this day – and has great chemistry with her co-star stud. Hilariously, the man in question is Rocco Siffredi (yes, that one) who plays a gay disco queen turned masculine gigolo during a four-day sex romp.
My rating: four hands
The Raspberry Reich (2004)
Director: Bruce LaBruce
Genre: Punk anarchy meets bisexual pornography
To be honest, Mr. LaBruce is a bit controversial and often misunderstood even within the indie film scene. Maybe that is the reason why I put one of his best work on here – I feel as if we’re similar in some ways.
While the acting isn’t the greatest, the punk themes have a certain charm to them. This is made even better as the whole thing has sexual themes interwoven throughout.
A lot of LaBruce’s work involves unsimulated dude-on-dude action, including this one, but I thought I’d include for the sake of diversity.
Viva la Revolucion!
My rating: three hands
La Vie d’Adele AKA Blue Is The Warmest Color (2013)
Director: Abdellatif Kechiche
Genre: Lesbian coming-of-age story with scintillating scissoring sex
Normally, a lot of films which border on smut tend not to get much recognition. If they do, they’re panned, sometimes even banned. This French cinematic gem, however, got rave reviews and has some of the most beautiful female-on-female action I’ve seen outside of a lesbian porn site.
The romantic and character-driven plotline is excellent, and the sex scenes are even better. The raunchy sequences are so well performed, in fact, that one critic in The New Yorker complained that they were “too good – too unusual, too challenging, [and] too original.”
How is that for an endorsement?
I was thinking about ranking this movie at a higher rank, were it not for the fact that there are rumors floating around that some of the sex was done using silicone dildos.
My rating: four hands
Romance (1999)
Director: Catherine Breillat
Genre: A slow burn tale about exploration which includes BDSM
This film is another fine example of Breillat’s work, which also includes the talents of Rocco “The Italian Stallion” Siffredi.
Like a good number of other movies I’m covering, don’t expect to jump into some hot and heavy action right away. As with most French films, explicit or otherwise, there is going to be a good deal of romantic build-up before you get to anything bust worthy.
Those of you who like arthouse erotica will enjoy that aspect of this flick even more. If it happens that you don’t, try edging the whole time until the bondage scenes start. It might be more fun than you think.
Just be warned about the end, though: it gets a little r*pey!
My rating: three and a half hands
Black Emanuelle (1975)
Director: Bitto Albertini
Genre: globetrotting sex romp
Publishing under the pen name Emanuelle, Mae Jordan is a sex-starved journalist who gets assigned to work in Nairobi. While there, she begins to question her identity – and does so by engaging in several flings with wealthy men, both old and young.
The music is pretty sensual and flows well with the mix of soft and hardcore sex. And while the filmmakers and actors are Italian, I think it’s kinda neat that most of the action takes place in a rarely seen setting Kenya.
My rating: three and a half hands
Intimacy (2001)
Director: Patrice Chéreau
Genre: Well acted romance coupled with excellent erotica
On its face, this is a simple tale about a man and woman exploring each other sexually over a passionate weekend. But don’t think that it’s that simple when it comes to development and themes. It is a French film after all, and so starts out with plenty of raunchy action which slowly becomes far more romantic.
My rating: three and a half hands
Love (2015)
Director: Gaspar Noé
Genre: college drama with a fair bit of fucking included
Yes, there is a plot, and technically some level of character development. Though when it comes to both, you aren’t really going to notice since about half of the film is raw fucking.
I know you’re all disappointed to read that. 😉
To be only a little more serious, the story is gripping enough, and the love scenes are even better to make this an enjoyable watch. And the music makes everything gel quite well. The performers are pretty attractive and have a good idea of how to make love on camera since most of the explicit scenes weren’t choreographed.
Lastly, this video is unique in that it’s the only one on this post, and I think the only film of its kind, which has been released in 3D.
My rating: four hands
Caligula (1979)
Director: Tinto Brass, Giancarlo Lui, and Bob Guccione
Genre: Hackneyed political drama set in the iron age
I’m sure many of you have heard of this (in)famous picture and the cult following it has around it. To be upfront, like a lot of critics, I was hardly impressed by Guccione’s retelling of one of the craziest Roman emperors ever.
In fact, Caligula is one of the few movies that Roger Ebert walked out of.
But the one redeeming feature of this failed film are the lengthy sex scenes throughout. If you aren’t familiar, Guccione and the company didn’t hold back. Reenactments of Roman debauchery in the form of mass orgy scenes with literally dozens of performers per shot.
My rating: one hand (and six hands)
Shortbus (2006)
Director: John Cameron Mitchell
Genre: Experimental Canadian movie with loads of sensual entertainment
This collection of loosely connected character-driven stories has a charm all its own and something for a little bit of everyone. There are a variety of people, all of them good looking. They run the gamut when it comes to ethnicity and sexual orientation.
To give you a taste, there is everything from one-on-one lovemaking, threesomes, and group sex scenes. So, no matter what you’re into, there is something to cerebrally and carnally enjoy.
My rating: five hands
ThePornDude’s final words
I did have individual ratings for each movie, but I do think that they are all worth a watch. At the very least, just skip between scenes until you find the fucking.
Now to legally cover my own ass, I’m not taking responsibility for anyone who gets locked up for having pirated media on their hard drive.
If you are seeking out more traditionally pornographic pieces, I’ve got multiple links to excellent sites that feature some of the best pornos with near levels of quality Hollywood.
