In our continuing series where writers share their most rewatched comfort films, I’ve chosen a selection from 1996: the revealing and relatable romantic thriller, Bound. I don’t typically gravitate towards what might be labeled “feel-good” cinema. Happy endings don’t particularly sway me, and I’m not fond of Disney’s typical offerings – in fact, I find their talking animals and flawless princesses rather unsettling. The raw, gritty edges and the friction found in darker narratives tend to align better with my preferences: the porno-chic slasher Knife+Heart, the stylish murder mystery In Fabric, and the snuff film-focused thriller Thesis. Essentially, I’m drawn to sex and gore. For a considerable period, my favorite film was Crimes of the Future, a visceral body horror delving into sexual-surgical experiments.
However, one film reveals a softer side to my viewing habits, a movie I frequently revisit to experience the exhilarating rush and flutter of a school crush. That film is Bound. This 1996 directorial debut from the Wachowskis centers on an opposites-attract scenario that is both familiar and fraught with peril: Corky, a tough plumber, and Violet, a mafia moll. When their eyes lock in an elevator, the confined space becomes charged with palpable sexual tension. The chemistry is undeniable.
Translation to English:
‘A Masterclass in Lesbian Eroticism’: Why Bound is My Feel-Good Movie
The latest in our ongoing series of writers celebrating their most rewatched comfort films is a pick for 1996’s revealing and relatable romantic thriller. I’m not necessarily inclined towards what might typically be dubbed “feel-good.” No, you won’t find me seduced by a happy ending, nor am I partial to the oeuvre of Disney (in fact, I find all the talking animals and poreless princesses a bit grotesque). The raw edges and friction of feel-bad narratives have tended to be much better suited to my tastes: the porno chic slasher Knife+Heart, the sartorial murder of In Fabric, and the snuff film-obsessed Thesis. Sex and gore, basically. For a long time, my favourite film was Crimes of the Future: a stomach-churning body horror about sexual-surgical experiments.
However, there is one movie that reveals a slightly softer side to my viewing habits, which I frequently return to in order to feel the gushy feelings and butterflies of a school crush. That film is Bound. The 1996 directorial debut from the Wachowski sisters, the plot revolves around an opposites-attract scenario which is both familiar and high stakes: plumber Corky, and mafia moll Violet. When their eyes meet across an elevator, the tiny vestibule becomes thick with sexual tension: it is so on.