Every so often a nude scene comes along that’s paired with a song that, for better or worse, just makes it that much more memorable. Coinciding with the 37th anniversary of its release, we’re taking a look at Kim Basinger’s four-star striptease in the erotic masterpiece 9 1/2 Weeks.
Before there was Fifty Shades Of Grey, the world had Mickey Rourke blindfolding Kim and feeding her different foods, rubbing ice cubes on her nipples, and the two epically banging on a staircase in the rain. And before a group of down-on-their-luck Brits went The Full Monty to a Tom Jones cover, audiences saw the blonde bombshell strip down to Joe Cocker singing “You Can Leave Your Hat On” atop a Manhattan roof for all to see.
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It may not be much by today’s standards since you only see Kim’s caboose wiggling and a bit of sideboob, but by 1986 standards this film was an innovation when it came to sexual power and taboos. And while the song choice may feel especially campy now, because it’s supposed to be a fun moment with Kim laughing as she throws caution - and her clothes - to the wind by going naked outdoors, it still works (despite her not actually wearing a hat).
It’s also kind of a throwback to the director Adrian Lyne’s 1983 film Flashdance, though there’s no comparing Basinger’s moves to Jeffrey Hornaday’s artsy and skillful choreography.
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What better time to check out Kim and Mickey in their sexy heyday than the anniversary of its release. Opinions may change with time about how the film stacks up, but the sexiness of a stacked Kim Basinger is still evident almost four decades later!
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