In 2006, the Library of Congress selected Sex, Lies, and Videotape for preservation in the National Film Registry, deeming it “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” The film predicted the confessional culture of YouTube, podcasts, and social media — where people willingly share intimate details with strangers behind a camera lens. It also remains a touchstone for discussions of sexual ethics before the internet age.
Written and directed by a then-unknown Steven Soderbergh, the film tells the story of Graham (James Spader), a troubled drifter who videotapes women discussing their sexuality, and the upheaval he causes in the lives of a married couple and the wife's younger sister. Made on a micro-budget of just $1.2 million, the film’s success was unprecedented. After taking the Sundance Film Festival by storm, it went on to win the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival, beating out formidable contenders like Spike Lee’s Do the Right Right and Giuseppe Tornatore’s Cinema Paradiso . At Cannes, James Spader also won the Best Actor award for his mesmerizing performance. Upon its theatrical release, the film grossed over $36 million worldwide, becoming a word-of-mouth smash that launched Soderbergh into the Hollywood A-list and proved that independent films could achieve mainstream blockbuster success. Sex- Lies- And Videotape -1989- 720p.mkv Filmyfly.Com
At its core, Sex, Lies, and Videotape isn't actually about the physical act of sex. It is about the between people. In 2006, the Library of Congress selected Sex,