From Classy to Trashy: Where Does the Black Swan Sex Scene Fall on the Girl-on-Girl Taste Index?

During her press tour for Black Swan, Natalie Portman revealed that it wasn't her intense performance -- or Darren Aronofsky's riveting spin on Swan Lake -- that attracted both male and female audience members to the theater en masse; it was the heavily-teased sex scene that she shared with co-star Mila Kunis. But how can the competitive ballerina-on-ballerina relationship (that has been described as Showgirls-esque by some critics) consummated in that scene still qualify Portman for the most respected of acting accolades? Movieline evaluates the artistic merit of the scene ahead, and ranks it among the classiest and trashiest cinematic lesbian sex scenes.

The Hunger (Super Classy)

Before Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, Catherine Deneuve, Susan Sarandon and David Bowie starred in Tony Scott's vampire-rific directorial debut, centering on a love triangle involving two immortals and one human doctor.

Setting: New York City penthouse (+1)

Actresses: French actress (+1) Catherine Deneuve and future Academy Award winner (+1) Susan Sarandon

Premise: When an aging research specialist (Sarandon) pays a house visit to one of her clients (Bowie), she ends up sleeping with his "counter culture" vampire partner (Deneuve) as a piano adaption (+1) of the "The Flower Duet" plays lightly in the background. During this sexual encounter, Deneuve naturally bites Sarandon's character, drawing blood and turning her immortal. A suicide attempt and a mummy uprising ensue.

Additional Info: The pair of semi-clothed actress roll around on a silk daybed (+1) in front of an antique mirror (+1), make out behind a gauzy curtain (+1) and at one point clink glasses of, what I can only assume, is expensive brandy or scotch (either way, +1). For Roger Ebert, this heavily directed and acted sequence made the movie. In his 1983 review: "The Hunger is an agonizingly bad vampire movie, circling around an exquisitely effective sex scene." (+2)

Class Score: 10

Black Swan

This brief scene in Darren Aronofsky's ballet thriller is the most desperate and deranged of any girl-on-girl scenes on this list. As a member of the prestigious New York City ballet company (+2), Nina Sayers (Portman) actually splits into two -- the white and the black swan (embodied by Kunis).

Setting: The pink-walled, stuffed animal-adorned childhood bedroom of Sayers.

Actresses: Academy Award-nominated actress Natalie Portman (+1) and Mila Kunis

Premise: After an uncharacteristically dangerous night of partying, Sayers returns home with Lily, her rival ballerina (Kunis), locks her overprotective mother (Oscar nominee Barbara Hershey) (+1) out of her room and climaxes after Lily performs oral sex on her. Or does she! (SFX: Thunderclap.)

Additional Info: While the scene might seem melodramatic out of context (Portman screaming "Leave me alone!" as she barricades her door and the classical soundtrack (+1) crescendos), the conflicting themes (innocence, evil, identity and parental oppression) and stellar performances by the actresses (+1) give the scene some class. And the special effects give its audience members some starts.

Class Score: 6

Bound

You did not have to wait long in this 1996 Wachowski brothers film to watch its sex scene, which admirably stays far away from the popular men's fantasy elements (+2) that made up Showgirls -- like hair extensions, red lipstick, low self-esteem and high heels.

Setting: A dark apartment

Actresses: Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon

Premise: A mafiosa's girlfriend (Tilly) sleeps with an ex-con (Gina Gerson) who has been hired to renovate the apartment beside hers. After consummating their relationship, the pair schemes to steal $2 million from the mob and run away.

Additional Info: According to the DVD commentary, the Wachowski brothers hired sex educator Susie Bright (+1) to choreograph the sex scene, which was filmed in one long shot (+1). No close-ups, no exaggerated grinding or climaxing.

Class Score: 4

Wild Side

Not to be confused with Wild Things (below), Donald Cammell's fascinating drama centers on a gangster, his wife and a call girl who takes an interest in his girlfriend. Shortly after producers re-cut the film to make it more commercially appealing, Cammell committed suicide. The film has since been re-cut with the help of notes left behind after the director's death.

Setting: Home

Actresses: Anne Heche and Joan Chen

Premise: Amidst a complicated plot that involves the FBI and an entrapment scheme, a high-priced call girl (Heche) takes a liking to her latest client's wife (Chen). The two end up sharing very intimate scenes in bed, shot simplistically.

Additional Info: These lengthy and honest scenes are completely devoid of corny dialogue ("Have you done this before?") (+4) or sense of wrongdoing among the actors. This physical relationship seems to be very honest and not at all dramatized or fancied up for the camera.

Class Score: 4

Mullholland Drive

Like in Black Swan, David Lynch's sexualized psycho thriller features a lesbian scene with two characters that could or could not be the same person.

Setting: Betty's apartment

Actresses: Naomi Watts and Laura Elena Harring

Premise: When an aspiring actress (Watts) discovers a beautiful amnesiac hiding in her aunt's apartment, she befriends her and agrees to help investigate the girl's identity. After one clue leads to a dead body (as they always do) the terrified girls return to their apartment. An "innocent goodnight kiss" (no points) by the "topless amnesiac who happens to be sharing a bed with Watts" (no points) leads to sex.

Additional Info: There is actually an entire section of your local video store reserved for films with scenes where an innocent goodnight kiss leads to full-blown sex. And that section is called Softcore Pornography. Fortunately for Mullholland Drive though, Lynch's labyrinthine plot means that this lesbian sex is not just lesbian sex, but lesbian sex full of subtext and identity conflict. (+2)

Class Score: 2

Wild Things

Even Roger Ebert called this 1998 film from John McNaughton was "lurid trash," beginning to end.

Setting: A pool (-1), every teenage boy's imagination

Actresses: Denise Richards (-1) and Neve Campbell

Premise: Who needs a premise! There are two chicks in the pool making out. Grab your video camera. (-1)

Additional Info: Well, I guess that there was a hint of subtextual conflict in this scene as both female characters were on opposite ends of the economic spectrum in their Florida high school (-1). On the bright side, Bill Murray breaks up the on-screen sleaze for about twenty brilliant minutes as a local insurance scammer.

Class Score: -4