5. Phoebe Cates (Fast Times At Ridgemont High, 1982)
This is, for many of us, where risqué all began. Phoebe Cates - appearing in Judge Reinhold's masturbation fantasy in the classic of classic films Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982), was a heart stopping surprise to every young boy with a betamax player, or if you were lucky a VHS. Did you know that if you repeatedly pause a VHS tape in the same place, the tape becomes worn and everyone knows where you have been pausing the film? Some of us here at WhatCulture were extremely surprised to learn that back in the late eighties. Extremely surprised. Regardless, that does not stop this scene being one of the most lauded scenes of all time, in a daringly risqué role at the time for a young actress to make. Phoebe Cates, although having gone nude in a smaller feature before Fast Times At Ridgemont High which was also released in 1982 was defined by Rolling Stone magazine as having performed "the most memorable bikini-drop in cinema history". The teen sex comedy genre has certainly had it's high and low points in the last thirty five years, and has received a huge amount of criticism from conservative quarters around the globe. This single scene, however, is quite probably the highest of the high points If you have never seen Fast Times At Ridgemont High, then what on earth have you been doing since 1982? (Also watch The Breakfast Club.)