Synopsis: They used to trade dolls, but look what they’re swapping now! Dana Delany and Kim Cattrall (TV’s Sex And The City) star in a frank and funny celebration of friendship, lust and the naked truth about men and women. When childhood chums throw a pajama party for jittery bride-to-be Cattrall, the all-nighter swings from hilarity to heartache as they bare their sexiest fantasies, funniest secrets and innermost feelings – among other things!

A terrific all-star ensemble cast gathers for the spiciest slumber party of the year that every woman should see and no man should miss!

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Live Nude Girls 8.0

eyelights: its frank discussions about women’s sexuality. its sexy bits.
eyesores: its moments of poor editing.

‘Live Nude Girls’ is a 1995 sex comedy written and directed by Julianna Lavin. Starring Kim Cattrall, Olivia d’Abo, Dana Delany, Laila Robins, Cynthia Stevenson and Lora Zane, it’s a candid peek into five friends’ sleepover bachelorette party as they reminisce, discuss their past and present relationships and, above all else, share their sexual hang-ups, fantasies and experiences.

The whole thing takes place at Georgina’s house, a huge bungalow with a lovely yard – complete with pool. And it’s all talk: it’s a dialogue-based picture, with very little drama to spice things up (aside for some relationship issues with their respective partners). And yet, given the whip-smart writing and many unforgettable performances, it sustains one’s interest all the way through.

Basically, if ‘Casual Sex?‘ was an ’80s cousin of ‘Sex and the City’, then ‘Live Nude Girls’ is its older sibling: like that groundbreaking show, it’s fresh, realistic, funny, sentimental and sexy as hell. Because, yes, despite the fact that it’s just five friends (and one girlfriend) chatting over food and drinks, there are many sexy bits – mostly in flashback sex sequences and in fantasies.

And there’s also the girls themselves.

Woah.

Look, I knew that Cattrall was the confident one in ‘Sex and the City’, but she was comfortable with her body well before that: she basically flaunts it here. I know it’s in character (Jamie is a sexy b-movie actress), but I’m impressed by how bold she can be sometimes. And, while all of the girls get their moments (albeit in more subdued ways), she really stood out here. She’s exceptional.

And, seriously, I wouldn’t at all be surprised if this landed her the part of Samantha in ‘SATC’.

But, beyond the sexiness, and the cast, what really appealed to me was getting a glimpse into women’s minds. Look, we often get a sense of what men think of sex, but not enough about women. Real women. In fact, ‘Live Nude Girls’ comments on how women’s sexuality is a taboo subject, how there’s so much repression and shame. And I really like that there’s an effort being made to strike a balance.

Like men, women are sexual creatures. Women have fantasies too, and they can outdo men sexually on many levels, whether it be desire, intensity, fantasy, kink, …etc. And yet, it’s all been hushed up. Well, honestly, I find it refreshing to hear women express all these things. I love knowing that women also have strong desires: it makes more sense that genders aren’t lopsided; it makes both more normal.

Heck, I feel more normal when I hear women talk about sex.

And, boy, do these childhood friend ever talk about sex! And extremely raunchily, at that! They talk about masturbation, orgasms, desires, fantasies, oral sex, promiscuity, affairs, lesbianism, kinks, venereal diseases, and much more (even their own parents’ sexual habits!), all in a sober, but droll way. They’re as fascinated with each other’s sex lives and attitudes as they are supportive.

I loved that. It felt like a good group of friends.

I also really enjoyed how Lavin made the women flawed characters, making unsound decisions when they were horny – just like men. And I liked how they were all upset about Jamie’s fiancé having a stripper at his bachelor party, and speculating about the twisted things they were up – when, in fact, the guys were just a bunch of nerds tamely hanging out at a bar, doing absolutely nothing of any reproach.

Again, it was nice counterbalancing of stereotypes and preconceptions.

I’m a really big fan of ‘Live Nude girls’. I would watch this again anytime. To think that I passed it by many times over because of its exploitative title and its girly cover. The only thing I truly dislike about it is that there are a few moments when the scenes were poorly edited – you could easily tell that it was cut together from different takes. However, it really didn’t deter from my enjoyment.

‘Live Nude Girls’ may be all talk, but it isn’t cerebral, or melodramatic; it’s just a lot of fun. I loved hanging out with the girls for an evening. And, honestly, although I was never pulled to a bachelor party, a bachelorette party like this one would. I wish I knew why this picture didn’t find a larger audience, and why Lavin never made another movie. We could do with more of this type of sex comedy.

Mind you, there’s always ‘Sex and the City’.

Story: 8.0
Acting: 8.0
Production: 7.25

Nudity: 2.5
Sexiness: 4.0
Explicitness: 2.0

Date of viewing: March 5, 2016