Live Nude Girls

I remember liking this movie when it came out, and thinking what an odd and somewhat misleading title (just ask for it at Blockbuster and watch the funny looks they give you). Except for the great and recognizable cast when looking at the box, one would expect a more prurient, less substantive, late-night cable skin flick from a movie so titled. But the title though is appropriate as the movie is about friends, behaving like the "girls" of their childhood, sharing laughs, gossiping, and candidly baring their psyches at a bachelorette party. It is interesting, funny, sexy, and even innovative (like, it was a good idea to do an entire film focused on women just conversing candidly -and the viewer is an eavesdropper). Having just seen the newly released DVD version, it occurred to me how reminiscent the dialogue and style is to Sex in the City, which started its run several years after this movie. It is not a great and serious film work, but it is good, interesting, well-made, and may be a good conversation starter.

I don't have much to say about the film, but I guess that's mainly because I was too engaged throughout most of it to really think about it aesthetically. I always feel that good acting, writing and characters are the three most essential elements to a good film. "Live Nude Girls" has all three of those elements. I'm usually not hesitant to watch "chick flicks." I'm not saying this so that women reading this comment won't want to slap me in the face. I'm just a film buff in general, and I don't have much of a bias when I watch films. A good movie is a good movie. But during the first 20 minutes or so, even I was thinking, Hmmmm...this might be too much of a chick flick for me. Let's face it, there are certain things that women find amusing that men don't. If some woman made a joke involving a white sale at Bloomingdale's, I probably won't get it. But as the film progressed, I almost fell in love with these characters, and found certain elements that relate to my own situations with my friends. I did find it funny how the writer/director had the female characters talking candidly about sex and getting drunk, while the male characters were just playing pool and engaging in innocent, mundane conversations. I doubt a group of men would really throw such a dull bachelor party with no strippers, but it was funny nonetheless. And like with the show "Sex and the City" this film shows that men are not the only ones who can talk on and on about sex. True, we talk and think about it more, but that doesn't mean women don't talk about it at all. Being a heterosexual man, I can't help but admit that I found the copious female nudity and sex scenes between two women pretty damn stimulating. And I've had the hots for Dana Delaney ever since I saw her in "Exit to Eden." The film has plenty of funny moments, though there are some broad jokes that seemed a little out of place. Man or woman, you should check this film out. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised.

And the oscar for the most misleading title in the history of film-making goes to... (you guessed it!): Live Nude Girls!

If you see this film as the late night movie in the TV guide, it wont do you any harm if you have an early night. It is boring. An opening scene is fairly steamy (anyone who watches this film will know what I'm talking about), but you can switch it off there. The title of this film must of been invented just to get more people to watch this film. But the audience that dose end up watching it will be dissapointed. The story is a group of ladys (over 30) just talking about stuff. You hear the 'F' word mentioned a few times, catch some quick glimpses of small, wrinkled breasts, and, well, thats about it! Think of it as a very tame 'Sex and the City' episode.

Perhaps this is more a film for women in their 30's. A group of ladys talking about life and sex. But if that was the filmmakers target audience, why call it 'Live Nude Girls?'. That title gives a whole different audience to the film, and alot more critisism because of this. If they would of changed the title to, say '30-something Women', it could of attracted a whole new audience, and, perhaps, greater appreciation.

But, on the whole, whatever this film is called, it is of no interest to me.

As pointed out in other reviews, the veracity of the title leaves

something to be desired. I humbly suggest my one line summary

above as a more truthful substitute.

Having panned the title, what about the film? ..nothing worth paying

theatre admission prices to see, but it will still cost you 95 minutes

of your life, even if you see it "free."

And why would you want to do that? Maybe if you are curious about

techniques of character diminution that women can employ on

each other, you could find examples here. (BTW, note that I didn't

say ALL women do this.)

Then there is Dana Delany, who plays Jill, the strong one for the

better part of the movie. You may wind up hating her as her true

character in this role is revealed, but she is good at what she

does. In her other film works she brought life to "Exit to Eden" in a

really silly role as the "queen" of an island where people go to play

out their sexual fantasies. She plays a beautiful, but "dirty

double-crossing woman" in "The Right Temptation" in which she

cons Rebecca DeMornay into seducing her husband.

Most of the problems with this movie center around the annoying

overacting, exaggerated gestures, and excessive foul language.

You may get the feeling that you're watching an episode of an

"R-rated" soap focusing on an all-girls club meeting. But, what the

heck, if you like that sort of thing, why not?

"Live Nude Girls" appears to have been the blueprint for 'Sex in the City".This extremly funny movie was never released in theatres as apparently it was considered to sexually frank for 1995.My how times have changed, with the subsiquent succses of the above mentioned show its high time this brillantly acted,written and directed film got the attention it deserves.Career best performences are put in by most every actress in the film.Discussing the film in detail would rob the viewer of the suprises that help make the film such a treat.I strongly recommend the film to any and all.