sex, lies, and videotape

Starring:James Spader, Andie MacDowell, Peter Gallagher, Laura San Giacomo, Ron Vawter, Steven Brill, Alexandra Root, Earl T. Taylor, David Foil
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Product Description

Winner of the Palm d'Or and Best Actor awards at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival, sex, lies, and videotape transformed the independent film industry and turned writer-director Steven Soderbergh into the envy of aspiring filmmakers everywhere. Sly, seductive, and coolly intelligent, the movie explores the sexual shenanigans and personal preoccupations of its four central characters, revolving around a selfish lawyer (Peter Gallagher) who responds to his wife by having an affair with her free-spirited sister (Laura San Giacomo). But when the lawyer's college roommate (James Spader) arrives for an unexpectedly extended visit, the neglected wife (Andie MacDowell) is surprisingly responsive to his seductive hobby of videotaping women as they describe their sexual fantasies. It's his way of compensating for impotence, but the curious wife considers this a sexual challenge, and Soderbergh turns sex, lies, and videotape into a fascinating chamber piece that puts a decidedly different spin on the consequences of infidelity. Balanced on a risky and finely tuned performance by Spader, the film delivers frisky passion and emotional intrigue, and yet much of its allure is found in the exchange of secrets and the hidden mysteries of sexual desire. --Jeff Shannon

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Customer Reviews:

Love the nightmare.......2007-06-26

Claustrophobic, dyspeptic and pathological, sex, lies and videotape revisits the insalubrious Freudian vertigo first visited upon the public with Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Tormented, arrrogant, self-destructive Spader made his case as Gen X's Richard Burton with this, then Crash. Unlike the Great Drunken One, however, it's Spader's feminine facial features (prominently displayed here) that gives the plot thrust it's disarming realism. Of course, Andie MacDowell kicks off proceedings in therapy, where her professional medicine man fails to get her talking about ... sex. Soderbergh is a clever lad - notice MacDowell mimicking Spader's black top and blue jeans near the close. Queasily perfect -

EXCEPT the final scene. What's up with the happy ending? I LIVED this movie and, let me assure you, there is NO happy ending to this stuff.

Dense plotline, pretty interesting approach .......2006-11-11

This movie was very erotic without being truely graphic. It was a new approach for it's time. James Spader was very good (best actor though?), and Andie Mcdowell played the neurotic housewife well. Based in New Orleans, Mcdowell finds herself in therapy and in a loveless marriage, while her husband is confirming her suspiciouns of an affair. Then, a stranger comes to town from her husband's past and turns her life upside down. The pace is slow at times, but it pulls you through just fine. The ending was lackluster, but they had to end it somehow. If you like darker movies, with a little dark humor, then this is worth a watch for you.

Interesting.......2006-06-20

I already knew Steven Soderbergh was a talented director, but I'd never seen a film that he had written. This movie, his first, is written and directed by the Oscar winner (Best Director, 'Traffic') and it's one of my favorite movies by him. I think it's better than both Traffic and Erin Brockovich. The only Soderbergh film I've seen that I like more is Out of Sight. This movie is funny, interesting, intriguing, and very entertaining. I thought there was one downside to the movie...No nudity. The whole time I was watching this movie, everytime Laura San Giacomo was onscreen I was thinking "Take off your shirt." But, I'm getting ahead of myself. The movie stars Peter Gallagher ("American Beauty") and Andie McDowell ("Michael") as a married couple John and Ann. Ann is a stay at home wife, who secretly attends therapy sessions where she confesses her relationship with John isn't much and that they don't have sex. Meanwhile, John (a lawyer) is having sex with Ann's sister Cynthia (Giacomo). At the same time, an old friend of John's named Graham (James Spader in one of his best performances) arrives at their house to stay for a few days until he gets on his feet. Ann is drawn to Graham and finds him interesting, but her opinion is changed when she finds out that Graham interviews woman and asks them personal questions about their sex lives while filming the entire thing. After hearing about this, however, Cynthia takes an interest in Graham. It's basically just one big love triangle. But, this movie is truly a fantastic and extremely interesting film. Soderbergh brings up really interesting points about everything from love to sex to marriage to impotency. The score by Cliff Martinez also helps to move the film along perfectly.

GRADE: A-

Potent.......2006-04-24

It's remarkable that this movie is more than a decade old and yet, its story is still as relevant and potent as nowadays. With a shoestring budget and with a basic premise of analysing the dynamics of a relationship between four persons, this movie captives my imagination from beginning till the end. The title itself can be misleading. Whilst from the outset, it's literally sex, lies and videotapes but without those issues, there wouldn't be the much needed honesty, transparency and communication that facilitate a satisfying resolve for all parties that are concerned. An intelligent movie indeed. Highly recommended. No extras in the DVD other than the set-ups.

James Spader Best Actor??.......2006-03-16

The movie was good but i dont know how james spader got best actor for it..dont get me wrong he was good in it, but i guess the rest of the nomminees really sucked..i like james spader and this was one of the only things ive seen him in, besides boston legal, and the last season of the practice.. worth the money i spent on it..recommended for fans of james spader..

Sundance Film Festival Collection: Celebrating 25 Years

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Sundance Film Festival Collection: Celebrating 25 Years
Starring: Sundance Film Festival Collection
Manufacturer: Sundance Channel Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Sundance Channel Home Entertainment Collection
The Ultimate Oliver Stone Collection (Salvador / Platoon / Wall Street / Talk Radio / Born on the Fourth of July / JFK Director's Cut / The Doors / Heaven and Earth / Natural Born Killers / Nixon / U-Turn / Any Given Sunday Director's Cut)
Sundance Channel Film Series Collection
Reds (Special 25th Aniversary Collector's Edition)
Junebug

ASIN: B000BF0DCO
Release Date: 2005-12-13

Description

This limited edition, special collectors' DVD set celebrates 25 years of the Sundance Institute. It contains ten ground-breaking films that embody the sprit of independence, creative risk-taking, and diversity that define the Sundance Film Festival. Bonus materials include a booklet and an 11th disc with behind-the-scenes footage from the Sundance Institute Labs and never-before-seen interviews with filmmakers and founder Robert Redford.

Charlie Rose with Oliver Stone; Spalding Gray (September 25, 1997)

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Charlie Rose with Oliver Stone; Spalding Gray (September 25, 1997)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Monster in a Box: The Movie
Gray's Anatomy

ASIN: B000IU34XC
Release Date: 2006-09-18

Description

Filmmaker Oliver Stone talks about his time as a marine in Vietnam and his new book, A Child's Night Dream. Plus, Author Spalding Gray shares his most recent monologue, It's a Slippery Slope that he has published as a book.

Charlie Rose with Steven Soderbergh; Catherine Zeta-Jones (December 20, 2000)

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Charlie Rose with Steven Soderbergh; Catherine Zeta-Jones (December 20, 2000)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Educational | Genres | DVD | Video

Description

In separate interviews, director Steven Soderbergh and actress Catherine Zeta-Jones discuss their much-talked about movie Traffic and the drug war in America and their respective lives and careers.

Average customer rating:

Love the nightmare
Dense plotline, pretty interesting approach
Interesting
Potent
James Spader Best Actor??

Sex, Lies, and Videotape [Region 2]
Starring: James Spader , Andie MacDowell , Peter Gallagher , Laura San Giacomo , and Ron Vawter
Director: Steven Soderbergh
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video