It’s interesting the lengths people will go to allow themselves permission to watch porn while at the same time looking down their nose at the profession and supporting legislation to end it. I am especially intrigued when indie and mainstream movies embrace pornography knowing the masses will show up to watch it as long as it’s given an artistic stamp of approval.

But the fact is: a sex scene is a sex scene, is a sex scene!

You can cover it with beautiful lighting, a big-name director and hand it an Oscar, but it’s still T&A. And above all it’s fantasy. With an art film, people understand that – they fully realize it’s actors shtupping on screen… in fact these same actors are often held up and nominated for awards. Sure, they may have body doubles and don’t really do “it” like porn stars but what’s the dif if it looks so real and creates the same effect on the viewer; it’s still pornography!

Whatever the case, mainstream/indie films that embrace pornography do take a huge chance – it’s been said that if a flick garners a NC-17 it’s the kiss of death at the box office … but there’s always a way around that, they’ll either recut it just enough to get the “R,” forgo the rating all together, and/or sell the uncut version on the side. Any way you slice it if the film is good and/or wins an award, it’ll end up being a cult classic, making money, and considered “genius.”

Below are seven of the top “mainstream” films that embrace pornography. These are the ones that enjoy a spot in every college film major’s curriculum as the flick you don’t want to miss when it screens in class.

Blue is the Warmest Colour – A beautiful film which also got the NC-17 rating it was riddled with controversy after it came out that the two lead actresses felt exploited by director, Abdellatif Kechiche.

Caligula – Talk about controversy! What can we say about this film that Roger Ebert didn’t already say – “”Caligula” is not good art, It is not good cinema, and it is not good porn,” but it certainly had people talking.

Last Tango in Paris – Who can forget Marlon Brando’s infamous improv’d butter scene that also created waves when it came out that the 19-year old lead actress (to Brando’s 48 years) had not agreed to it and felt like she had been raped.

Nymphomaniac Volume 1 & 2 – It wasn’t enough to just make one erotic indie film about a woman who can’t control her urges, Lars Von Trier had to make two. Given the NC-17 death card he gave it the finger and dropped the rating all together.

Salò or the 120 Days of Sodom – The granddaddy of all naughty films and a metaphor for the rise of fascism in Italy, it’s one of the most shocking films I’ve ever seen – and it makes most porn look tame. Held up as one of the best films of all time or the worst depending on who you ask, Pier Paolo Pasolini’s masterpiece will leave you saying either WOW or WTF.

Shame – A heart wrenching piece of cinema about a sex addict (played by the brilliant Michael Fassbender) who desires to connect on a deeper level but cannot was snubbed by the Oscars because “America’s too afraid of Sex.”

9 ½ Weeks – This was the first film to really go mainstream about BDSM. Directed by Adrian Lyne, it was considered too explicit to release by MGM, was edited, and finally went on to the cult status it is today… raking in 100 million worldwide on a 17 million dollar budget.

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Photo credit: iStock.com/fabioderby