IMDb > Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989)
Sex, Lies, and Videotape
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Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 3)
Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989) -- A sexually repressed woman's husband is having an affair with her sister. The arrival of a visitor with a rather unusual fetish changes everything.
Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   17,003 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 6% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer (WGA):
Steven Soderbergh (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Sex, Lies, and Videotape on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
18 August 1989 (USA) more
Genre:
Plot:
A sexually repressed woman's husband is having an affair with her sister. The arrival of a visitor with a rather unusual fetish changes everything. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 12 wins & 10 nominations more
User Comments:
Fascinating Debut more (72 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Sex, Lies... (USA) (short title)
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Runtime:
100 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
On the first day of production, the producers sent a telegram to Steven Soderbergh; they teased him good-naturedly, telling him they'd heard reports he "couldn't direct traffic". Twelve years later, Soderbergh won the Oscar... for directing Traffic (2000). more
Goofs:
Continuity: The view from John's office window is different at the end of the film more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Ann: Garbage. All I've been thinking about all week is garbage. I mean, I just can't stop thinking about it.
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Movie Connections:
References Apocalypse Now (1979) more
Soundtrack:
Garbage more

FAQ

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3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful.
Fascinating Debut, 3 August 2007
9/10
Author: Galina from Virginia, USA

Steven Soderbergh's now legendary debut was the first his film I saw. It was in 1989, during the Moscow International Film Festival. Only later I found out that Sodebergh was 29 when he wrote the screenplay in eight days during a trip to Los Angeles and made the film for $1.8 million. His independent movie was a real hit that was selected for Cannes Film Festival and won the Palme d'Or and the best actor prize for James Spader.

The film concerns four attractive and intelligent young people. Ann (Andy MacDowell in the best role I've ever seen her) is married to John (Gallagher) but their sexual life is practically non-existent since Ann finds sex over-rated, and to simply put it, she does not enjoy or even need it. John is having an affair with Ann's sexy younger sister, Cynthia (San Giacomo) who seems to resent Ann. Enters Graham (Spader), John's college friend with the unusual hobby of videotaping women while they describe their sexual fantasies and very important skill - he knows how to listen.

I had seen many movies before "sex, lies and videotape" and I've seen plenty since but it has a special place in my memory. It was the first film I had seen that dealt with and talked about very intimate topics of sexuality, satisfaction, jealousy, sisters' relationship, marital problems and loyalty, the secret longings in all of us, and the ever mysterious nature of erotic desire with such level of honesty, openness, and intelligence. The writing, the dialogs, and the acting are superb with James Spader and Laura San Giacomo simply outstanding and Andie McDowell very convincing.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Andie M. made me laugh out load................. ... GetTight
was spader's character really impotent? mikebenal
I Love James Spader ShanaJolene05
Why did Spader had to go to the bathroom twice? Strange scene? unclebob-7
THIS MOVIE SUCKS!!! Corona533
The only time I liked Andie M. Iara5Bloom
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