'The Perfect Guy' and My Love for 80s/90s Trashy Thrillers

I took myself to see The Perfect Guy. And it was awesome. It reminded me of those trashy thrillers from the 80s and 90s. Over the top, lurid, violent, exploitative, black and white morality--it's all good. The Perfect Guy is tame compared to others like it. There's always a woman in peril, some evil guy obsessed with her. Or maybe there's a sensitive guy with a femme fatale out to consume him. Some people ;like to consider these just Lifetime movies, but I'm like who cares? These movies make money and there's an audience for them. Here are some of my favorite ones in all their vaguely anti-feminist and ridiculous glory:

Basic Instinct
In some ways, Basic Instinct is the ultimate trash thriller. I mean, the story is so bizarre and the scenes so over the top delicious that you feel icky after watching it. Sharon Stone defined her career with this film for better or worse. This is a dirty descent to the underworld that pissed off a lot of people but in its own way it's a classic.

Body Double
Brian DePalma directed this homage to two of Alfred Hitchcock's masterpieces Rear Window and Vertigo, and adds in his own masochistic lurid sensuality. This movie is so 80s, with some fun commentary on Reagan-era excess and moviemaking. The score is electrifying and pumping, with awesome sets and camerawork. The script is trashy and sexy.

Body Heat
A slavish homage to 1940s film noir, Body Heat is a hot sticky thriller full of erotic intrigue and deadly schemes. The film launched Kathleen Turner's career and really brought back film noir to the public attention (a fad still revived every now and then). The movie isn't as trashy but its tone is suspenseful and thrilling. I think this might be objectively be the best movie on the list.

Disclosure
In this cautionary tale about woman executives, Demi Moore plays an amoral corporate head honcho who tries to seduce Michael Douglas and then falsely accuses him of rape. I would be offended by it but it's so stupid. The movie ends with Douglas going into some kind of virtual reality to find some files. I love the corporate intrigue and sexual mind games.

Dressed to Kill
Sins to humanity: transgender murderers, housewives punished for adultery, Wall Street savvy prostitutes. Brian DePalma takes this shocking cheap story and films it expressionistically and beautifully. The museum scene is pure filmic poetry. The murder scenes also recall Hitchcock. Dressed to Kill is melodrama by way of raunchy B movie and is sensationally ludicrous.

Fatal Attraction
After Basic Instinct and Disclosure, this is the 3rd Michael Douglas movie on here. I like him in general but he's especially good as "decent guys" corrupted by bad women. Fatal Attraction is also iconic, with "bunny boiler" now synonymous for clingy, possessive ex-girlfriends. Glenn Close is a true knockout in the film; her performance is outstanding, finding some depth in the stock villain role.

Sleeping with the Enemy
Julia Roberts stars as an abused wife on the run from her husband. This is a template that some thrillers follow, with the wife faking her death and starting new in a small town. The theme is important but also the story is really contrived. However, the film is fun especially in seeing a 90s-era Julia Roberts turn serious for a film during her rom-com years.

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