In the ‘80s and ‘90s the erotic thriller was all the rage. It’s a genre that is all but dead now. I mentioned in my Sex Disappearing From Big Screen? article that I had been “seeing the decline of eroticism and sexuality for a few years now at the movies.” Adding, “The mid-budget movie has all but transferred on to television, where sex is more present. It’s not just that, the #MeToo movement has brought about a ton of pressure on directors, in terms of how to depict sex in a non-offensive ways.”
During the 80’s and 90’s, the erotic thriller featured, as film critic Hornaday eloquently describes, featured “sex scenes that were frank, artfully staged and, sometimes, arousing in their own right.” No doubt, the filmmaker most associated with this genre was Adrian Lyne. Between 1987 and 2002 Lyne released “Fatal Attraction,” “9½ Weeks,” “Flashdance,” “Indecent Proposal,” “Lolita” and “Unfaithful” — all featuring erotic sex and dark thrills. However, ever since 2002’s “Unfaithful” Lyne has been M.I.A. What happened? I’m not sure, but 17 years after his last movie, Lyne is back for, that’s right, yet another erotic thriller.
According to Deadline, the filmmaker is adapting Patricia Highsmith’s novel '“Deep Water,” with Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas. The film is said to follow “a young married couple as their mind game with each other take a dark turn when bodies begin piling up. The couple avoids divorce by allowing each other to take on new lovers.” Sounds about right.
“Deep Water” is set to begin production in November.