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The Science Fiction Horror and Fantasy Film Review

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Theme: BDSM

BDSM is an acronym for Bondage, Discipline, Sadism and Masochism and refers to the sexual enjoyment of these. BDSM is an alternative sexual practice and has sizeable community followings in most parts of the world.

On screen, BDSM tends to be treated as a monobloc – little more than people dressed in fetish gear and wielding whips – whereas in practice it is dozens of differing preferences. These can range between a simple pair of handcuffs and blindfolds enjoyed by a vanilla partnership to hooks, needles and blood-drawing or a full-blown master/mistress and slave relationship. The BDSM community is strict about enforcing a code of mutual consent and safety – anything that does not involve a consenting party is covered under Films About Sadism and Torture.

Most screen portrayals of BDSM are negative. It is either regarded as the preferences of psychos and serial killers, or the secret perversions of various villains. There is the frequent theme that those who indulge are entering into a dangerous territory that can go too far and is likely to cause psychological unbalance. That has changed somewhat in recent years with the mainstreaming of BDSM with Fifty Shades of Grey (2015).

It is worth also noting that the Hellraiser (1987) featuring demons that offer exquisite torture was inspired by Clive Barker’s experiences in gay BDSM clubs.


The Addams Family (1991)

1 April 199920 November 2022

Rating: ★★★½

Kinky Perverse Family

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Actors: Raul Julia, Anjelica Huston, Christina Ricci, Christopher Lloyd, …
Category: Fantasy

Addams Family Reunion (1998)

21 November 200020 June 2025

Rating: ★

Kinky Perverse Family

Director: Dave Payne
Actors: Tim Curry, Daryl Hannah, Ed Begley Jr, Carel Struycken, …
Category: Fantasy

Addams Family Values (1993)

8 August 199914 October 2021

Rating: ★★★½

Kinky Perverse Family

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Actors: Raul Julia, Anjelica Huston, Christina Ricci, Christopher Lloyd, …
Category: Fantasy

American Fetish (2009)

10 January 201130 June 2025

Rating: ★

Thriller Set in the World of Fetish

Director: Michael Simmons
Actors: Matt Jones, Marek Matousek
Category: Horror

The Bad Man (2018)

29 November 2022

Rating: ★★★½

Couple Imprisoned by a Depraved Clown

Director: Scott Schirmer
Actors: Ellie Church, Arthur Cullipher, Jason Crowe, Dave Parker, …
Category: Horror

Black Eyed Susan (2024)

16 May 202516 May 2025

Rating: ★★★★

Sex Robot

Director: Scooter McCrae
Actors: Damian Maffei, Yvonne Emile Thälker, Marc Romeo, Scott Fowler, …
Category: Science Fiction

Blindfold: Acts of Obsession (1993)

23 November 200120 December 2022

Rating: 0­

Bondage Psycho-Sexual Thriller

Director: Lawrence Simeone
Actors: Shannen Doherty, Judd Nelson, Kristian Alfonso, Michael Woods, …
Category: Horror

Blood Dolls (1999)

23 April 200023 September 2024

Rating: ★★★

Demented Puppetmaster

Director: Charles Band
Actors: Debra Mayer, Phil Fondacaro, Nicholas Worth, Jack Maturin, …
Category: Horror

Blue Velvet (1986)

1 December 200331 May 2020

Rating: ★★★★

Sadomasochism Thriller

Director: David Lynch
Actors: Kyle MacLachlan, Dennis Hopper, Isabella Rossellini, Laura Dern, …
Category: Horror

Bluebeard (1972)

31 January 201420 June 2024

Rating: ★★

Multiple Wife Murderer

Director: Edward Dmytryk
Actors: Richard Burton, Raquel Welch, Joey Heatherton, Nathalie Delon, …
Category: Horror

De Sade (1969)

19 April 200428 October 2024

Rating: ★★

Marquis de Sade Biopic

Director: Cy Endfield
Actors: Keir Dullea, John Huston, Lilli Palmer, Senta Berger, …
Category: Horror

Demonlover (2002)

8 August 200322 July 2020

Rating: ★★½

Snuff Internet Site/Corporate Espionage Thriller

Director: Olivier Assayas
Actors: Connie Nielsen, Chloe Sevigny, Gina Gershon, Charles Berling
Category: Horror

Edge of Sanity (1989)

8 August 199930 September 2020

Rating: 0­

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Adaptation

Director: Gerard Kikoine
Actors: Anthony Perkins, Glynis Barber, Sarah Maur-Thorp
Category: Horror

Frankenstein Unlimited (2009)

30 November 200917 December 2020

Rating: ★★½

Anthology of Frankenstein Short Films

Director: Matthew Saliba, Matthew Forbes, King-Wei Chu, Maude Michaud, …
Actors: Kayden Rose, Gordon Liu
Category: Horror

From Beyond (1986)

31 May 20018 March 2025

Rating: ★★

Other-Dimensional Monsters/H.P. Lovecraft Adaptation

Director: Stuart Gordon
Actors: Barbara Crampton, Jeffrey Combs, Ken Foree, Ted Sorel, …
Category: Horror

Gacy (2003)

8 November 200414 October 2022

Rating: ★

True Life Serial Killer

Director: Clive Saunders
Actors: Mark Holton, Adam Baldwin, Allison Lange, John Laughlin, …
Category: Horror

Gerald’s Game (2017)

15 October 201718 May 2022

Rating: ★★★

Woman Handuffed to a Bed/Stephen King Adaptation

Director: Mike Flanagan
Actors: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Henry Thomas, Carel Struycken, …
Category: Horror

Hellraiser (1987)

25 November 200011 October 2022

Rating: ★★★★

Sadomasochistic Demons

Director: Clive Barker
Actors: Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence, Oliver Smith, …
Category: Horror

Hellraiser: Inferno (2000)

16 September 200011 October 2022

Rating: ★★★

Sadomasochistic Demon

Director: Scott Derrickson
Actors: Craig Sheffer, Doug Bradley, Nicholas Turturro, James Remar, …
Category: Horror

Ichi the Killer (2001)

7 January 200627 October 2021

Rating: ★★★★½

Sadism and Ultra-Violence

Director: Takashi Miike
Actors: Tadanobu Asano, Nao Omori, Shinya Tsukamoto, Shun Sugata, …
Category: Horror

In My Skin (2002)

3 July 200320 March 2020

Rating: ★★★★

Self-Mutilation Obsession

Director: Marina de Van
Actors: Marina De Van, Laurent Lucas, Lea Drucker
Category: Horror

The Institute (2017)

9 June 201710 November 2021

Rating: ★

Sinister 19th Century Asylum/”True Story”

Director: James Franco, Pamela Romanowsky
Actors: Allie Gallerani, James Franco, Joe Pease, Tim Blake Nelson, …
Category: Horror

Jill the Ripper (2000)

3 November 201020 October 2024

Rating: ★★★

Female Serial Killer/Sadomasochism

Director: Anthony Hickox
Actors: Dolph Lundgren, Danielle Brett, Richard Fitzpatrick
Category: Horror

Late Night Double Feature (2016)

22 December 201722 July 2021

Rating: ★★

Horror Anthology

Director: Navin Ramaswaran, Zach Ramelan, Torin Langen, Kelly Michael Stewart, …
Actors: Jamie Elizabeth Sampson, Mike Donis, Brian Carleton, Jason Tannis, …
Category: Horror

The Little Shop of Horrors (1960)

12 November 20024 March 2020

Rating: ★★★★

Killer Plant Black Comedy

Director: Roger Corman
Actors: Jonathan Haze, Mel Welles, Jackie Joseph, Dick Miller, …
Category: Horror

Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

15 July 20024 March 2020

Rating: ★★★★

Killer Plant Musical

Director: Frank Oz
Actors: Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Steve Martin, Vincent Gardenia, …
Category: Fantasy

Manhater (2005)

31 December 20056 January 2025

Rating: ★★

Demon Kills Woman’s Ex’s

Director: Anthony Doublin
Category: Horror

Marquis de Sade (1996)

31 December 199616 October 2023

Rating: ★★

Marquis De Sade Biopic

Director: Gwyneth Gibby
Actors: Nick Mancuso, John Rhys-Davies, Janet Gunn
Category: Horror

Mercy (2000)

30 September 200023 July 2021

Rating: ★★★

Psycho-Sexual Thriller

Director: Damian Harris
Actors: Ellen Barkin, Peta Wilson, Julian Sands, Wendy Crewson, …
Category: Horror

Necromentia (2009)

29 May 201327 May 2020

Rating: ★★

Hallucinations, Fetish and Gateways to Hell

Director: Pearry Teo
Actors: Chad Grimes, Santiago Craig, Layton Matthews
Category: Horror

Next Door (2005)

21 September 201419 August 2024

Rating: ★★★★

Strange Apartment Neighbours/Reality Blurring

Director: Pål Sletaune
Actors: Kristoffer Joner, Michael Nyqvist, Julia Schacht, Cecilie Mosli
Category: Fantasy

Night Terrors (1993)

22 August 199916 November 2019

Rating: ★★

Sado-Sexual Games/Marquis De Sade’s Descendant

Director: Tobe Hooper
Actors: Robert Englund, Zoe Trilling, William Finley, Chandra West
Category: Horror

The Nightcomers (1971)

3 February 200114 April 2020

Rating: ★

The Turn of the Screw Prequel

Director: Michael Winner
Actors: Marlon Brando, Stephanie Beacham, Thora Hird, Harry Andrews
Category: Horror

Oxygen (1999)

26 April 200128 January 2025

Rating: ★★

Psycho-Thriller

Director: Richard Shepard
Actors: Adrien Brody, Maura Tierney, Terry Kinney, James Naughton, …
Category: Horror

Perfect Skin (2018)

8 February 2021

Rating: ★★

Girl Imprisoned by a Psycho Tattooist

Director: Kevin Chicken
Actors: Richard Brake, Natalia Kostrzewa, Jo Woodcock, Sartaj Garewal, …
Category: Horror

Piercing (2018)

10 October 202310 October 2023

Rating: ★★

Disturbed Psychology

Director: Nicolas Pesce
Actors: Christopher Abbott, Mia Wasikowska, Laia Costa
Category: Horror

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (2017)

21 January 201823 February 2021

Rating: ★★★

Wonder Woman’s Creator Biopic

Director: Angela Robinson
Actors: Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall, Bella Heathcote, Connie Britton, …
Category: Fantasy

Shortbus (2006)

26 February 200714 March 2025

Rating: ★★★

Modern Sexuality

Director: John Cameron Mitchell
Actors: Sook-Yin Lee, Paul Dawson, Lindsay Beamish, Raphael Barker, …
Category: Fantasy

Slaughtered Vomit Dolls (2006)

24 June 202424 June 2024

Rating: ½

Sadism and Torture

Director: Lucifer Valentine
Actors: Ameara Lavey, Pig Lizzy
Category: Horror

Strange Darling (2023)

14 March 202514 March 2025

Rating: ★★★★

Psycho Film

Director: J.T. Mollner
Actors: Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner, Ed Begley Jr, Barbara Hershey, …
Category: Horror

The Strange World of Coffin Joe (1968)

7 June 201619 September 2024

Rating: ★★

Horror Anthology

Director: Jose Mojica Marins
Actors: Jose Mojica Marins
Category: Horror

Strangeland (1998)

19 April 20048 February 2021

Rating: ★★

Psycho Sadist

Director: John Pieplow
Actors: Dee Snider, Robert Englund, Linda Cardellini, Kevin Gage, …
Category: Horror

Ted Bundy (2002)

15 February 20049 November 2021

Rating: ★★★★

True-Life Serial Killer

Director: Matthew Bright
Actors: Michael Reilly Burke, Boti Ann Bliss, Tom Savini, Tiffany Shepis, …
Category: Horror

Tightrope (1984)

5 November 200016 April 2025

Rating: ★★

S&M/Serial Killer Thriller

Director: Richard Tuggle
Actors: Clint Eastwood, Genevieve Bujold, Alison Eastwood, Dan Hedaya
Category: Horror

Tokyo Fist (1995)

5 November 200625 January 2020

Rating: ★★★

Boxing, Body-Piercing and Masochism

Director: Shinya Tsukamoto
Actors: Shinya Tsukamoto
Category: Horror

Tommy (1975)

27 February 200331 January 2020

Rating: ★★★★

Demented Rock Musical/Messianic Pinball Player

Director: Ken Russell
Actors: Roger Daltrey, Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed, Paul Nicholas, …
Category: Fantasy

Tunnel Vision (1994)

24 November 20029 May 2025

Rating: ½

Psycho-Sexual Thriller

Director: Clive Fleury
Actors: Patsy Kensit, Robert Reynolds, Shane Briant, Gary Day
Category: Horror

Videodrome (1983)

31 August 20002 November 2023

Rating: ★★★★½

Reality-Manipulating TV

Director: David Cronenberg
Actors: James Woods, Deborah Harry, Peter Dvorsky, Les Carlson
Category: Science Fiction

Wound (2010)

29 March 201213 June 2025

Rating: ★

Hallucination and BDSM

Director: David Blyth
Actors: Kate O'Rourke, Brendan Gregory, Ian Mune
Category: Horror

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Contact Moria

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Theme Essays

  • Films About Atlantis
  • Werewolf Films
  • Virtual Reality
  • Imprisonment Thrillers
  • Films Depicting NASA and the Space Program
  • Human Bloodsports and Death Games
  • Animals Attack Films
  • Films About Plague and Pandemic
  • Disaster Movies
  • Steampunk Films
  • Documentaries
  • Films About Halloween
  • Films About Prophecy
  • Magicians and Sorcerers
  • Secret Societies
  • Real-Life People in Fiction
  • Techno-Thrillers
  • Twins in Fantastic Cinema
  • Asylums
  • Possession Films
  • Films About Imaginary and Magical Lands
  • Religion in Fantastic Cinema
  • Romantic Comedies
  • Film Noir
  • Spy Films
  • Jekyll and Hyde Films
  • Films That Make Dubious Claims to Being True Stories
  • Coming of Age Stories in Fantastic Cinema
  • Films About Cryogenics and Suspended Animation
  • Alternate History Films
  • Disturbed Psychology as Portrayed on Film
  • Law Enforcement in Fantastic Cinema
  • Weird Westerns
∧

Copyright Richard Scheib 1999-2025

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