Top 10 Nude Scenes That Made History

Do you care if on-screen nudity is exploitative? Or is it all just part of the business for selling movies?

“Basic Instinct” (1992)

It’s one of the most famous bits of on-screen nudity from the 1990s, as well as another frequently rewound moment from the halcyon years of VHS. However, the interrogation scene from “Basic Instinct” also serves as an interesting time capsule with regard to consent, regret and the business of filmmaking. Sharon Stone’s role in this film helped launch her into the A-list stratosphere. But the actress has come out in more recent years claiming that she didn’t realize the scene would be so explicit. She also maintained that director Paul Verhoeven didn’t show her the scene’s final cut. Verhoeven, for his part, told CinemaBlend that there was “no way” he could’ve filmed the scene without Stone knowing his intentions.

“Y tu mamá también” (2002)

There’s a very fluid sexuality at play in “Y tu mamá también.” This story of an adult woman on a road trip with two teenage boys indulges in every sort of coupling that equation can conjure up. This includes one between Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal near the end of the film. Gay sex scenes were still tiptoeing into the mainstream back during the early millennium, as evidenced by the media attention paid to films like “Brokeback Mountain.” Luna and Bernal’s scene remains notable for other reasons, however, including their young age and full-frontal nudity. “Y tu mamá también” is more than just a coming-of-age story, however, and sets up each sex scene sensibly within the film’s narrative. [b]

“Fast Times at Ridgemont High” (1982)

Home video boomed during the 1980s, which made it a perfect time for VHS copies of “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” to fly off store shelves. This was thanks not only to Amy Heckerling’s respectful treatment of teen characters in a high school setting, but also one particularly iconic nude scene. Phoebe Cates’ sequence at the pool is perhaps one of the most rewound scenes from the home video era, although the entire thing is a bit of a bait-and-switch. On one hand, the frontloading of Cates’ nudity is sure to evoke titillation within its audience. However, the back end takes the wind out of the scene’s sails via Judge Reinhold’s Brad and his massive, er “embarrassment.”

“Halloween” (1978)

Nudity was nothing new within the world of ‘70s horror. That said, the nudity of P.J. Soles in John Carpenter’s “Halloween” served as something of a transitional piece. Soles’ sex scene with her boyfriend is presented in a fairly natural way and doesn’t demonize her character. Yet the sequence is an early example of sexually active female characters becoming murder victims in slasher films. Those films would eschew the character development of “Halloween” or the earlier “Black Christmas” and codify the “final girl” tropes. More and more, only the virginal females would be allowed to live, while the sexually active P.J. Soleses of the world would be condemned to horrible deaths.

“Boogie Nights” (1997)

Male and female nudity is commonplace on streaming services like Netflix, but this wasn’t always the case. This is what makes Mark Wahlberg’s scene at the climax (pun intended) of “Boogie Nights” so notable. Let’s forget the other nude scenes from actors like Heather Graham or Julianne Moore for a moment. The reveal of Wahlberg’s prosthetic manhood at the end of “Boogie Nights” was shocking for some viewers. Director Paul Thomas Anderson riffed upon real personalities of the adult industry for this film, and even cast a few, as well. The Wahlberg reveal here is a tribute to troubled adult icon John Holmes, yet the execution is far from glamorous.

“American Pie” (1999)
This coming-of-age sex comedy largely riffs upon tropes laid down by films such as “Porky’s” decades prior. Several scenes had everyone talking in 1999, including Shannon Elizabeth’s. When exchange student Nadia comes to Jim’s house to study, he sets up a webcam so that he and her friends can spy on her undressing. However, he accidentally shares the livestream with the entire school. Nadia soon strips down and becomes … preoccupied. Let’s be honest – this scene has not aged well. Jim IS called out – but only because he gets, um, overly excited. Nadia is humiliated and forced to leave the country … but somehow she and Jim have become buds by the end? In a way, we guess this scene still has people talking.

“Fritz the Cat” (1972)

The poster just sort of says it all. 1972’s “Fritz the Cat” proudly proclaimed that it wasn’t “rated X for nothin’, baby.” This came down to “Fritz the Cat” being the first animated film to be saddled with this rating, and for very good reason. “Sausage Party” from 2016 wasn’t the first bit of animation with explicit content to its name, since “Fritz” goes all the way within its satire of youth culture during the 1970s. The combination of political commentary, social caricature and explicit animal nudity was par for the course for director Ralph Bakshi, who made a career out of transgression. “Fritz the Cat” is definitely not for kids, but those interested in outsider cinema are highly encouraged to seek this one out.

“Shame” (2011)

It’s a question as old as the acting profession itself: “is this nudity essential to the plot?” Well, this definitely is the case with regards to 2011’s “Shame,” and its stars Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan. The topic of sex addiction is one that’s laid bare, pardon the pun, within the film. “Shame” earned an NC-17 rating thanks to its frank and explicit nudity from both actors, with Fassbender’s story being particularly compelling. The sex act isn’t glamorized here, but instead taken from the perspective of a person without control. “Shame,” as a result, utilizes nudity as a narrative construct, and does so in a remarkably effective manner.

“Forgetting Sarah Marshall” (2008)

Segel truly bares it all in this scene– in more ways than one! This famous moment from “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” is equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking. After confidently strutting in to shake his snake at his girlfriend, Segel’s character is faced with an unexpected breakup, as is the thrust of the rest of the film… pun intended. The nudity in this scene is not only extremely bold and comedically acted, but it’s also based on a real experience from Segel’s own life! With that in mind, it’s hard to imagine a more vulnerable performance. It’s no surprise that this nude scene has been remembered so vividly since its release! [a]

“Titanic” (1997)

Kate Winslet has gone on the record stating that the aftermath of this nude scene for 1997’s “Titanic” was personally very difficult for her. The actress received a lot of media attention for the sequence where she poses nude during a portrait session with her co-star, Leonardo DiCaprio. “Titanic” is seen today as one of the most-watched and most-owned movies of all time, making Winslet’s nude scene one of the most viewed in modern memory. The sequence remains artistically shot and without any of the prurient or exploitable elements often associated with these types of scenes.