sex, lies, and videotape (film)
"Sex, Lies, and Videotape" is a 1989 independent film directed by Steven Soderbergh that explores themes of sexuality, relationships, and emotional malaise. Set in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, it tells the story of Ann, a discontented wife, her philandering husband John, and his affair with Ann's sister, Cynthia. The arrival of Graham, a former college friend of John who struggles with sexual impotence, introduces a unique dynamic as he interviews women about their sexual experiences, sparking revelations that impact the characters' relationships. The film is noted for its subtle humor and introspective examination of contemporary mores, distinguishing itself from the sentimentality often found in mainstream cinema. Its success at the Sundance Film Festival is credited with helping to launch the independent film movement in the 1990s. "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" received critical acclaim, winning the Sundance Audience Award, the Palme d'Or at Cannes, and earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. It marked a significant milestone in Soderbergh's career and the careers of its cast members, contributing to a broader recognition of independent filmmaking.
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sex, lies, and videotape (film)
Identification American film
Director Steven Soderbergh
Date Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival January 20, 1989; general release August 18, 1989
Along with the films of Jim Jarmusch, Spike Lee, and Gus Van Sant, Soderbergh’s sex, lies, and videotape heralded the birth of what came to be called American independent cinema. Soderbergh went on to enjoy a career bridging the mainstream/independent divide, directing both low-budget and studio films with great success.
Key Figures
Steven Soderbergh (1963- ), film director
The acclaim heaped upon sex, lies, and videotape, a low-budget film by an unknown director and without major stars, at the 1989 Sundance Film Festival is often credited with launching the independent film movement that would become more prominent in the 1990’s. To raise the money to make his feature-film debut, Steven Soderbergh made Winston (1987), a twelve-minute short intended to be shown to potential investors. When it was completed, sex, lies, and videotape proved that American film could examine the mores of the time with subtle humor and understated insight and without the obviousness, didacticism, or sentimentality often seen in mainstream films.
Filmed in Soderbergh’s hometown, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, sex, lies, and videotape depicts the unhappy marriage of the frigid Ann (Andie MacDowell) and the smarmy lawyer John (Peter Gallagher), who is having an affair with Ann’s bartender sister, Cynthia (Laura San Giacomo). The arrival of John’s former college friend, Graham (James Spader), sets in motion changes in the other characters’ relationships. The primary catalyst for these changes is Graham’s collection of videotapes, each recording an interview he has made with a woman about her sexual experiences. John is typical of the 1980’s achievers who care only for their work. Both he and Cynthia, a would-be artist, use each other without any emotional commitment. Ann feels a general sense of malaise, as captured in her sessions with her psychiatrist (Ron Vawter). Graham, who seems to have no direction in life, resorts to his taped interviews because of sexual impotence. In many senses, sex, lies, and videotape offers a younger perspective on the issues addressed in Lawrence Kasdan’s The Big Chill (1983).
Soderbergh was clearly influenced by the films of Woody Allen and perhaps even more by foreign films, especially those from France, that were more open than American films in dealing with sexual matters. The director, who was only twenty-six when the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, treated his characters—with the notable exception of John—with affection and compassion. He gave considerable latitude to his actors, who found unexpected humor in their characters’ aimlessness and self-absorption.
Impact
The publicity surrounding sex, lies, and videotape gave the public more awareness of the Sundance Film Festival, then a relatively small venue, and of independent film in general. The film’s success represented a breakthrough for Harvey and Bob Weinstein’s production company, Miramax Films, which had previously distributed primarily foreign-language films. The film launched Soderbergh’s career as a major film director. It also boosted the careers of its stars, all four of whom went on to significant careers in film, television, or theater. The film won the Sundance Audience Award, received the Palme d’Or as the best film at the Cannes Film Festival, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
Bibliography
Biskind, Peter. Down and Dirty Pictures: Miramax, Sundance, and the Rise of Independent Film. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004.
Palmer, William J. The Films of the Eighties: A Social History. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1993.
Smith, Lory. Party in a Box: The Story of the Sundance Film Festival. Salt Lake City: Gibbs-Smith, 1999.