Wild Things Deserves Some Foreplay Even 25 Years Later

Wild Things Deserves Some Foreplay Even 25 Years Later

I once heard Wild Things described as a rite of passage for young horny men. I personally remember sneaking into the theater to see it, lying to the attendant, and quickly flashing my ID so he wouldn’t have time to notice I wasn’t old enough for admittance. I don’t think he really cared. We saw the movie, and for me at least, that initial statement rang true. I was surely titillated by what I saw, even changed perhaps, but I wasn’t a fan of the movie itself. It was dark and depressing with no one to truly root for, but...

I once heard Wild Things described as a rite of passage for young horny men. I personally remember sneaking into the theater to see it, lying to the attendant, and quickly flashing my ID so he wouldn’t have time to notice I wasn’t old enough for admittance. I don’t think he really cared. We saw the movie, and for me at least, that initial statement rang true. I was surely titillated by what I saw, even changed perhaps, but I wasn’t a fan of the movie itself. It was dark and depressing with no one to truly root for, but 25 years later, I have a new appreciation for Wild Things and what it was trying to do for cinema. To hear director John McNaughton discuss his 1998 neo-noir crime drama adds a little something to the film, a way of viewing it for more than just its sex, nudity, and sleaze. For years after its release it was known as trash, R-rated schlock, and a guilty pleasure at best, but many saw past the initial pearl-clutching and dirty feelings, citing the mystery, intrigue, and layered storytelling in what is actually an ambitious and problematic erotic thriller. Not everyone is going to agree, but it’s certainly begging for another look. The plot seems simple enough at first. Blue Bay is one of those rich towns in Florida and Sam Lombardo (Matt Dillon) is a guidance counselor at a school that can only be described as, well, wild. He’s taken a few students under his wing, won a couple of teaching awards, and has many of the ladies in the town – including some of the younger girls – lusting after him. We see him try to keep things on the up and up, that is until a Sunday car washing sees Kelly Van Ryan (Denise Richards) leaving Lombardo’s house under suspicious circumstances. Van Ryan informs her mother that the teacher raped her and soon after, Suzie Toller (Neve Campbell), accuses him of the same thing. Lombardo’s life is upended briefly, but a flub in the excellent courtroom scene proves the girls were lying, which leaves him able to countersue and win millions of dollars. It seems like an open and shut case to most, except that Sergeant Ray Duquette (Kevin Bacon) and his partner, Detective Gloria Perez (Daphne Rubin-Vega) aren’t convinced there wasn’t more at play. That’s where the story truly kicks off, as everyone involved seems to know more than they’re letting on and the twisted tales begin to unravel for each participant’s true motives. Like any good mystery, however, there’s a murder or two with tons of foreshadowing. Wild Things embraces several themes, but it works best with unraveling characters’ true natures, classism, and even uses mythological elements to seal the deal. It’s a story that could have been ripped from current headlines, but that wants to take its audience on a deep dark ride with all the dirty words and thoughts it can, from sexual assault and incest to classic greed and betrayal, the film’s sex scenes aren’t the only seductive part of the movie’s demented nature. We don’t talk about sex enough. It’s why a movie like Wild Things has no trouble stirring the pot, thriving off of controversy, and causing others to miss the finer points it was trying to share. Wild Things is more than just its sex scenes, but most remember it for the infamous ménage à trois where Richards goes topless. Her baring all was meticulously negotiated beforehand, down to how much nipple would be seen and all three actors who participated reportedly opted to have margaritas prior to the shoot to make it easier. The lesbian action in the scenes was considered very risqué and it was Campbell’s first time making out with another girl, as she exposed herself in a different sense. Campbell had a no-nudity clause in her contract due to her running gig on Party of Five. This film was a look at her as the bad girl. Someone else that had a no-nudity clause in their contract, Kevin Bacon – who also acted as a Producer on Wild Things – ended up...