“Sex, Lies, and Videotape” “Changes caused by encounters” created by an angel/devil with a camera

What is “Graham = Foreign Body”?

What on earth is “Graham = foreign object”? He always wears a black shirt. To John, who is reunited with him for the first time in nine years, his appearance appears to be in mourning clothes, which seems strange. Mourning clothing is basically something worn when expressing condolences. But in this story, no one dies. If there is anything that represents "death", it would be the distorted relationship between Anne, John, and Cynthia, and Graham himself. Yes, by changing, we bury our past selves.

Graham describes his former self as a "pathological liar" and says he is almost a different person now. It may be no wonder that John is surprised. Graham is extremely afraid of having an impact on others, and has changed the way he lives his life to prevent that from happening. But his plan has not been successful.

Graham points his camera at Cynthia, with whom he happens to have an interaction, and also at Anne, and records the conversation on videotape. Here, a relationship of photographing/being photographed, speaking/telling is created, and secrets are exchanged with each other. So, I don't think there is anything like The Truth in what is captured on this videotape that dispels the deceptions of reality.

"Sex, Lies, and Videotape" (C) 1988 Outlaw Productions. All Rights Reserved.

The content is ``sex,'' a very private matter, but that is not everything about the person. Isn't this just one aspect of a particular individual? This is not because the video revealed The Truth and disrupted (=changed) relationships, but rather because people came into close contact with each other.

I likened the changes in human relationships due to Graham's intervention to shapes, but I think it would be interesting to think of it as milk in coffee. If you drop even a drop of milk into your coffee, it's no longer pure coffee. At first, they don't mix well, and a drop of milk is a "foreign substance" to coffee. However, the milk gradually spreads and becomes familiar, and before you know it, it is no longer coffee, but something ``coffee-like.'' Isn't Graham exactly like this? I don't know if this change is for the better or not. You should try it properly.

Of course, Graham himself changes as Anne, John, and Cynthia change. Once a drop of milk falls into your coffee, it is no longer pure milk. He seemed to feel like he had made a change in his life compared to nine years ago, but his encounter with others here changed him once again. Is Graham, who destroys what was originally there and creates something new, an angel with a camera? Is it a devil? The “something” here refers to the relationship that I have mentioned repeatedly.

In any case, there is no doubt that they are imperfect beings just like us. We must not think that we are the only ones who are normal and that only others are abnormal. I believe that true human relationships begin with the recognition that everyone is abnormal (or not ``normal'').

Text: Yushu Orita

Writer. Born in 1990. The main areas of coverage include movies, theater, actors, literature, fashion, and bars. In addition to contributing to numerous movie theater pamphlets, he also serves as MC on the movie talk show ``Katsuben Cinema Club.'' My favorite directors are Yasuzo Masumura and Douglas Sirk.

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"Sex, Lies, and Videotape"

Blu-ray ¥4,980 (tax included) / DVD ¥3,990 (tax included)

Publisher/distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.

(C) 1988 Outlaw Productions. All Rights Reserved.