13 Hollywood Movies With Lots of Nudity
The allure of the silver screen has captivated audiences worldwide for over a century, offering a captivating blend of storytelling, artistic expression, and visual splendor. Throughout its history, Hollywood has pushed boundaries and challenged societal norms, exploring various aspects of the human experience.
One such aspect that has both titillated and sparked debates is nudity on screen. From scandalous scenes that shocked audiences to thought-provoking moments that pushed the boundaries of cinema, Hollywood movies with lots of nudity have left an indelible mark on the industry.
Cinema, as an art form, has constantly reflected and shaped the prevailing attitudes towards nudity and sexuality. In this article, we delve into the realm of Hollywood movies that dared to explore the human form in its most vulnerable state, using nudity as a tool for storytelling, character development, and artistic expression. While some films have been criticized for gratuitous and exploitative depictions, others have skillfully utilized nudity to add depth, authenticity, and emotional resonance to their narratives.
In exploring this fascinating cinematic landscape, we examine how Hollywood movies have navigated the delicate balance between artistry and exploitation, challenging social taboos and pushing the boundaries of what is considered acceptable on screen.
From classic films that pushed the boundaries of their time to contemporary productions that continue to challenge conventions, these movies offer a lens through which we can explore our evolving attitudes toward nudity and sexuality.
While discussing these films, we also shed light on the impact of censorship, cultural context, and societal reception on the portrayal of nudity in Hollywood. We analyze how nudity on screen has been both celebrated as a form of liberation and condemned as objectification, highlighting the complex interplay between artistic vision, commercial considerations, and societal mores.
By examining these movies, we aim to provoke thoughtful discussions on the portrayal of nudity in cinema and the impact it has on our understanding of human sexuality, personal identity, and the boundaries of artistic expression. Ultimately, this exploration allows us to appreciate the multifaceted nature of Hollywood’s portrayal of nudity and its lasting impact on the world of film.
Join us on this cinematic journey, where we peel back the layers of Hollywood’s most provocative and memorable movies, offering a deeper understanding of their artistic merit, cultural significance, and the ever-evolving landscape of on-screen nudity.
13 Hollywood Movies With Lots of Nudity
1. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
The critically acclaimed Wolf of Wall Street tells the real-life story of stockbroker Jordan Belfort. The plot follows Belfort’s rise and fall as a stockbroker working for the corrupt firm Stratton Oakmont. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film is famous for its sexual content, nudity, and excessive swearing.
Both Jonah Hill and Margot Robbie famously appear in lewd scenes that shocked audiences. The movie also features numerous sexually explicit scenes between Leonardo DiCaprio and Robbie. Robbie even appears in a much-talked-about scene showing full frontal nudity.
Watch on Paramount+2. Love & Other Drugs (2010)
Jake Gyllenhall and Anne Hathaway star in the 2010 romantic comedy Love & Other Drugs. The plot follows a pharmaceutical rep selling Viagra in the 1990s who falls in love with a woman in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease. While the movie received mixed reviews, it’s most famous for featuring nudity and not just any nudity. It features nudity from two of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Hathaway and Gyllenhall.
Many Hollywood stars are leery of doing nudity once they reach the status of Gyllenhall and Hathaway. Both had the final say on the amount of nudity they showed. The result is some hot steamy scenes, with Hathaway rarely wearing a shirt and Gyllenhall often not wearing pants. In other words, it’s a win-win for everyone watching.
Watch on YouTube3. Caligula (1979)
Produced by Penthouse, the 1979 film Caligula follows the story of the Roman Emperor Caligula (Malcolm McDowell). The film is best known for the contrasting visions between the screenwriter, director, and producers, as well as the sexual content and female nudity throughout the movie.
After the director did extensive rewrites to include more sexual content and orgies, writer Gore Vidal disavowed the film. Later, the producers secretly filmed unsimulated sex scenes with Penthouse Pets, adding them in post-production, resulting in the director also disavowing the film. Both hardcore and softcore versions of the film exist.
Watch on Internet Archive4. Swordfish (2001)
The 2001 spy thriller Swordfish focuses on a computer hacker entangled in a bank robbery conspiracy. It stars an ensemble cast, but nobody cared about the plot or any stars other than Halle Berry when it was released. Berry and the movie generated buzz when word leaked she would appear in a topless scene. Berry agreed to the nude scene for an extra $500,000 on top of the $2 million she was already being paid.
In the scene, Stanley (Hugh Jackman) goes to Berry’s character, DEA agent Ginger Knowles, to borrow her car and catches her sunbathing topless. Berry agreed that the scene was pointless and gratuitous, but it helped her feel more comfortable doing nude scenes in future films. Plus $500K isn’t a bad reward to get your boobs out.
Watch on Apple TV5. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
While female full-frontal and topless nudity is common, several male actors have also bared all on screen. In 2008, Jason Segel, Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and Russel Brand starred in the hit comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall. After his girlfriend breaks up with him, Peter Bretter (Segel) travels to Hawaii to get over her, only to run into his ex and her new boyfriend.
The movie famously starts with Sarah Marshall (Bell) breaking up with Peter while he is completely nude. Segel remains naked for the entire scene as Peter’s heart breaks into millions of pieces as he is given the boot. Segel flashes the camera with full-frontal nudity in a famous scene that is still talked about today.
Watch on Prime6. Basic Instinct (1992)
Basic Instinct stars Sharon Stone and Michael Douglas in a sexy erotic thriller that contains lots of nudity. Stone stars as a sensual author and prime suspect in a murder case when a real-life crime occurs that mirrors a scene in one of her books.
The film stirred up a ton of buzz due to several controversies, notably the sexual content. Stone famously appears in an interrogation scene without wearing panties, giving Douglas and the audience an eyeful. While the film gained mixed reviews, it was a massive success at the box office in 1992 and spawned a 2006 sequel.
Watch on Prime7. Shame (2011)
Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan star in the erotic psychological thriller Shame. Fassbender portrays an executive struggling with sex addiction. The film dives deep into the complex and profound nature of sex addiction.
Fassbender’s realistic portrayal of a man with addiction problems garnered widespread praise. His character participates in explicit sex scenes that are graphic and detailed. Fassbender also spends most of the movie showing off his naked body. The film received an NC-17 rating due to its explicit sexual content and is one of the most popular movies with lots of nudity.
Watch on Prime8. American Psycho (2000)
The cult classic American Psycho revolves around investment banker and serial killer Patrick Bateman. Set in the 1980s, Bateman works on Wall Street, goes to fancy restaurants with his friends, and spends time with his fiance. At night he seduces women and violently murders them, as you do.
Christian Bale’s career took off after his memorable performance in the film. It did create some controversy due to the violent and sexual content, with Bale famously showing full-frontal nudity after a graphic sex scene.
Watch on Prime9. Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
Cannibal Holocaust is possibly the most controversial and graphic movie of all time. The Italian cannibal film follows an anthropologist, Harold Monroe, who travels to the Amazon rainforest to find a missing documentary film crew. He locates and watches the crew’s lost footage, discovering the crew’s horrifying actions to create a sensational story about the tribe of cannibals.
Since its debut, the film has generated controversy over nudity, sexual content, violent rape scenes, and murder. Italian authorities arrested director Ruggero Deodato on obscenity and murder charges for scenes in the movie. Law enforcement cleared Deodate of all charges, but the film remains banned in several countries.
Watch on Shudder10. American Pie (1999)
American Pie is a coming-of-age teen comedy about four friends trying to lose their virginity before high school graduation. The four friends learn a lot about sex, love, and romance throughout the raunchy yet lovable film. Aside from the notorious “pie” scene, the most famous scene features actress Shannon Elizabeth going topless.
In the scene, Jim Levenstein (Jason Biggs) tutors Elizabeth’s character, foreign exchange student Nadia. Jim sets up his webcam to broadcast Nadia undressing in his room. Instead, she tries to seduce Jim with embarrassing consequences for Jim when he gets a little too excited.
Watch on Tubi11. Friday the 13th (1980)
In the early 80s, horror films gained a reputation for gruesome murders and a lot of nudity. The classic slasher Friday the 13th is famous for featuring more nudity than Nightmare on Elm Street.
Friday the 13th follows a group of teenage camp counselors getting naked, having sex, and then getting brutally murdered. While critics focused on the violence, the nudity outdid any horror movie of the time, making it one of the movies with lots of nudity that everyone wanted to see.
Watch on Prime12. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Matt Damon and Jude Law star in the mystery thriller The Talented Mr. Ripley. Damon portrays Tom Ripley, who becomes friends with wealthy playboy Dickie Greenleaf (Law). Ripley loves the rich lifestyle Greenlead leads so much that he assumes his identity.
At one point, Law steps out of a bathtub, giving the camera a glimpse of his toggle. It’s only a glimpse, but a glimpse is all the audience needs to see that Law is packing downstairs.
Watch on Hulu13. The Great (2020-Present)
While The Great: An Almost Entirely Untrue Story is a TV show, it’s worth mentioning due to its hardcore and graphic nudity. The series loosely tells the rise and fall of Catherine the Great, Empress of All Russia, and her husband, Emperor Peter III (Nicholas Hoult).
The series is famous for its sexual content and racy nudity. Hoult, in particular, spends a lot of the series naked. One scene even required the renowned actor to walk down a hallway butt-naked.
Watch on Hulu