- SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE -
Released in 1989, Sex, Lies, and Videotape is an Independent film directed by Steven Soderbergh. Starring James Spader (Secretary), Peter Gallagher (The OC) San Giacomo, and Andie MacDowell. Genre Drama. BBFC Rating: 18. RunningTime: One hour 35 Minutes.-
Ann ... Read review
Steven Soderbergh made a striking directorial debut with 1989'sSex, Lies and Videotape, a ... more
film that's intimate yet alienated, objective yet intense. James Spader is at one with the part of friendly yet distant Graham, returning to his home town for a reunion with school friend and now up-and-coming lawyer, John, and his sexually frustrated wife, Ann. The "special project" that Graham keeps close to his chest in his apartment gradually draws in the others, turning their emotional lives upside down and providing the catharsis that they sorely need.Soderbergh keeps the pacing taut, encouraging an ensemble-like interplay that evokes a theatre piece perfectly remade for film. Andie MacDowell gives one of her most convincing screen portrayals as Ann, with Peter Gallagher cynically self-righteous as John. Laura San Giacomo proves choice casting as nymphet sibling Cynthia. Cliff Martinez's sultry ambient score adds much to the aura of mystery and intrigue.On the DVD:Sex, Lies and Videotape's widescreen picture format captures much of the movie's claustrophobic tension. There are overdubs in five European languages and subtitles in 13 languages, but no other special features--not even the original theatrical trailer--which is a pity. Soderbergh is among the most inventive directors at work today, so a commentary would have been a welcome enhancement. Even so, this DVD reissue reinforces the claims of an absorbing and disturbing indie masterpiece. --Richard Whitehouse
Postage & Packaging:£1.21 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Steven Soderbergh made a striking directorial debut with 1989'sSex, Lies and Videotape, a ... more
film that's intimate yet alienated, objective yet intense. James Spader is at one with the part of friendly yet distant Graham, returning to his home town for a reunion with school friend and now up-and-coming lawyer, John, and his sexually frustrated wife, Ann. The "special project" that Graham keeps close to his chest in his apartment gradually draws in the others, turning their emotional lives upside down and providing the catharsis that they sorely need.Soderbergh keeps the pacing taut, encouraging an ensemble-like interplay that evokes a theatre piece perfectly remade for film. Andie MacDowell gives one of her most convincing screen portrayals as Ann, with Peter Gallagher cynically self-righteous as John. Laura San Giacomo proves choice casting as nymphet sibling Cynthia. Cliff Martinez's sultry ambient score adds much to the aura of mystery and intrigue.On the DVD:Sex, Lies and Videotape's widescreen picture format captures much of the movie's claustrophobic tension. There are overdubs in five European languages and subtitles in 13 languages, but no other special features--not even the original theatrical trailer--which is a pity. Soderbergh is among the most inventive directors at work today, so a commentary would have been a welcome enhancement. Even so, this DVD reissue reinforces the claims of an absorbing and disturbing indie masterpiece. --Richard Whitehouse
Postage & Packaging:£2.69 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Steven Soderbergh made a striking directorial debut with 1989'sSex, Lies and Videotape, a ... more
film that's intimate yet alienated, objective yet intense. James Spader is at one with the part of friendly yet distant Graham, returning to his home town for a reunion with school friend and now up-and-coming lawyer, John, and his sexually frustrated wife, Ann. The "special project" that Graham keeps close to his chest in his apartment gradually draws in the others, turning their emotional lives upside down and providing the catharsis that they sorely need.Soderbergh keeps the pacing taut, encouraging an ensemble-like interplay that evokes a theatre piece perfectly remade for film. Andie MacDowell gives one of her most convincing screen portrayals as Ann, with Peter Gallagher cynically self-righteous as John. Laura San Giacomo proves choice casting as nymphet sibling Cynthia. Cliff Martinez's sultry ambient score adds much to the aura of mystery and intrigue.On the DVD:Sex, Lies and Videotape's widescreen picture format captures much of the movie's claustrophobic tension. There are overdubs in five European languages and subtitles in 13 languages, but no other special features--not even the original theatrical trailer--which is a pity. Soderbergh is among the most inventive directors at work today, so a commentary would have been a welcome enhancement. Even so, this DVD reissue reinforces the claims of an absorbing and disturbing indie masterpiece. --Richard Whitehouse
Postage & Packaging:£1.21 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Advantages: An excellent first fim from Steven Soderbergh. Disadvantages: Slow paced.
- SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE -
Released in 1989, Sex, Lies, and Videotape is an Independent film directed by Steven Soderbergh. Starring James Spader (Secretary), Peter Gallagher (The OC) San Giacomo, and Andie MacDowell. Genre Drama. BBFC Rating: 18. RunningTime: One hour 35 Minutes.-
Ann Milaney (Andie MacDowell) lives a suburban life in Louisiana, married to lawyer husband ... .../>
Sex, lies and videotape is quite well summed up by the film title. It is a clever, intelligent film from Steven Soderbergh. Basically 'Sex, Lies and Video Tape' is a tale of voyeurism and infidelity, feelings and relationships. Quietly spoken and beautifully shot, the film is a story of personalities and feelings, and all four characters intertwine and interconnect in a bizarre series of events, culminating in an obvious outcome ... more
- SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE -
Released in 1989, Sex, Lies, and Videotape is an Independent film directed by Steven Soderbergh. Starring James Spader (Secretary), Peter Gallagher (The OC) San Giacomo, and Andie MacDowell. Genre Drama. BBFC Rating: 18. RunningTime: One hour 35 Minutes.-
Ann Milaney (Andie MacDowell) lives a suburban life in Louisiana, married to lawyer husband John (Peter Gallagher). She lives a comfortable existence, though she is deeply troubled by her melancholy personality. Introvert and unsure of herself, she fills her day thinking a lot about all the unhappiness in the world. The real problems lay with the basic unhappiness with her relationship with her husband. He is always busy and often works late into the night after office hours. She has a niggling feeling that all is not well with their relationship, and that he could possibly be having an affair. The main problem with Anne's existence is that she has nothing to do all day and she dwells upon her seemingly stagnent, unimportant role in life. A comment from Anne which just about sums her up is: "I've just got all this time on my hands". So is her discontentment born of this? Or is it something else that is troubling her that she can't quite put her finger on?
Out of the blue and with no prior warning an old college friend of Johns arrives at the house. Graham Dalton (James Spader) has decided to look John up after nine years of no contact. On opening the door Anne is both surprised and flustered at Graham's arrival upon their doorstep. You get the impression that Anne is instantly attracted to Graham; their eye contact is intense, telling that Graham also seems to feel the same way. Graham is a strange man, straight talking in a slow deliberate manner. Serious by nature you feel that there is so much more under the exterior of this enigmatic man. Graham tells them his marriage has ended, though he doesn't explain why. It would appear that he has been deeply hurt by something that has happened to cause the break up in the relationship, and he is emotionally troubled about something a little more serious also.
Graham is really quite an odd character and he has an intense quality about him that is quite disarming and he is the type of person that can make you feel quite uncomfortable, with his silences and direct line of questioning. Anne has an extrovert sister Laura (San Giacomo) who is overtly sexual, sleeps around a lot and is the total opposite to Anne, with her quiet ways and faithful nature. Anne is constantly reprimanding Laura for her blatant display of sexual behaviour.
Anne is outwardly both sexually repressed and prudish and she cannot seem to express her inward feelings of dissatisfaction with her life. When Graham arrives, Anne starts to question everything that her life is based upon, and questioning the relationship with her husband even more. Graham rents a house nearby, where he houses his 'personal' video collection, a hobby, which seems to have taken over his life. He hides this secret from all of them, afraid that they will not understand his reasons for keeping such a strange collection of videos.-
Sex, lies and videotape is quite well summed up by the film title. It is a clever, intelligent film from Steven Soderbergh. Basically 'Sex, Lies and Video Tape' is a tale of voyeurism and infidelity, feelings and relationships. Quietly spoken and beautifully shot, the film is a story of personalities and feelings, and all four characters intertwine and interconnect in a bizarre series of events, culminating in an obvious outcome I felt. Soderbergh's impressive directorial debut shows the peeling away of layers of each character, to reveal their true personalities and the complexities of human nature. Secrets are uncovered and lies exposed amidst a tense drama which is fascinating to watch. Although the film's title suggests sex, there is very little contained within the film. It is more the suggestion that lies are related to sex, and in this films case that is exactly what is entailed.
James Spader is brilliant in the part of the Graham. He has the sort of face that works well in this type of part, and indeed, worked extremely well in 'Secretary'. He has a thoughtful quality about him, like there is a lot going on behind the eyes, and he played the part well and was totally believable as the odd drifter Graham. Likewise Andie MacDowell was perfect in the role of Anne and displayed the correct amount of fragility and quiet rage as the film unfolded its storyline. For me these were the two main parts and performances for me. The film is low on action but it more than makes up for it in its character studies, which I find infinitely more interesting than frantic pace.
The film is quite static in its scene changes also and there is hardly any location work going on here. But the film is not about scenery it's about the emotions and personalities of these four people. Human and beautifully shot the film observes how the characters react to the events unfolding. European in its feel, Sex, Lies and Videotape will not appeal to all. But if you like a quiet purposeful film, with slow pace and an interesting story of human nature then I recommend this to you. This film was well received in Cannes and won the Golden Palm Award for director and also 'Best Actor Award' for James Spader. Then aged only 26, Soderbergh was the youngest director to win the festival's top award. The film was a huge success and played a large part in contributing to the 1990s independent film revolution. Amazingly, Soderbergh wrote Sex, Lies and Video Tape in just eight days.
Sex, Lies and Video tape is an unpretentious, honest account of emotions, feelings, lies and ulterior motives, convincingly acted out by all concerned. It's about the breaking down of barriers, and the peeling away of layers to reveal the true person. I loved it and it remains another that will stay in my collection of favourite films.-
Starring: James Spader. Peter Gallagher. Andie MacDowell. Laura San Giacomo
Director: Steven SoderberghThank you for reading Electra 2008*
Advantages: Classic, influential, timeless story of seduction and falling in love Disadvantages: Not a damn thing!
experience making his own debut film, which was 1989's SEX, LIES, AND VIDEOTAPE. To be honest, these are two of the best commentaries I've ever heard, they are indeed worth buying the DVD for.
Among the other extras are several featurettes, starting with "Students of THE GRADUATE," which features interviews with many filmmakers and film professors who have been inspired by Nichols' film, including the husband-and-wife team who made the 2006 gem LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. Co-screenwriter Buck Henry also gets to speak about his approach to the project; here again, this will probably be more appealing to film buffs and die-hard fans, though still worthwhile. There is another feature called "The Seduction," which discusses the social classes of the 1960s, and how Benjamin Braddock changes by not only Mrs. Robinson but because of the times ...
eve6kicksass 14.09.2007 (15.09.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: exceptional Review of The Graduate (DVD)
For a young impotent man watching taped interviews of women talking about their sexual habits is his only physical pleasure. When his friend's wife discovers that her husband has had an affair with her sister, she insists on being interviewed on tape. An act sure to break up her marriage., Includes the films FARGO and SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
MGM ENTERTAINMENT; CINRAM LOGISTICS, MGM ENTERTAINMENT; 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Release date
16/09/2002, 19/03/2007
No of Discs
1, 2
Catalogue No
19801 DVD, 3607101060
Barcode
5050070008333, 5039036032797
Screenwriter
Steven Soderbergh, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Steven Soderbergh
Dolby Digital Surround, Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital Mono, Dolby Digital
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital Surround English French German Dolby Digital Stereo Italian Dolby Digital Mono Spanish
DVD Description
Steven Soderbergh explodes onto the scene with this provocative, intelligent drama about infidelity and voyeurism. Ann Milaney (Andie MacDowell) lives in a comfortable Louisiana home with her lawyer husband, John (Peter Gallagher). She spends her days fretting over the insurmountable problems of the world and her own unfocused sense of melancholy. Although she doesn't know it, she has a good reason to be upset: John is having a torrid affair with her younger, more extroverted sister, Cynthia (the sexy Laura San Giacomo). When Graham Dalton (James Spader), an old college pal of John's, comes to visit, all three are momentarily distracted from personal problems and intrigues as they scrutinize the odd outsider. Ann soon discovers that Graham has some strange habits and problems of his own. Plagued by impotency since the calamitous breakup of his last relationship, the young drifter finds sexual gratification by videotaping women willing to talk about their sexual past and fantasies in front of the camera. A chain of attraction and jealousy develops as the four interconnect in several varied pairings, culminating with Ann's decision to become Graham's latest subject. Soderbergh's highly influential debut independent feature plays like a dangerous thriller that builds in tension until everyone's secrets are bitterly exposed.
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