Drama Cult Classic

A woman's obsession blossoms inside a Times Square porno theater's neon-lit world.

VARIETY

Christine watches men watch women

1983 · 1h 40m · NR · Drama · IMDB TMDB

A repressed young woman develops a fascination for pornography, voyeurism and the mysterious rich patron of the Times Square porn theater called Variety where she works selling tickets. This awakens her sexuality, which confuses her worried boyfriend.

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Quick Answer

What is Variety about?

Variety is a 1983 Germany-UK-USA drama film directed by Bette Gordon about a young woman whose job at a Times Square porno theater awakens her sexual curiosity and leads her into obsession.

Programmer's Pick

Variety serves up 1980s Times Square sleaze through the eyes of a ticket seller who finds desire where others see only grime. Bette Gordon’s film gets up close with female obsession, bolstered by Sandy McLeod’s quietly magnetic turn and a location shoot that captures NYC at its grittiest.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

Christine, a repressed young woman, lands a job selling tickets at the seedy Variety porno theater near Times Square. Rather than keeping her distance, she becomes fascinated by the theater’s erotic atmosphere and the world of pornography that surrounds her. As her daily life is infused with sexual curiosity and voyeuristic intrigue, Christine’s personal boundaries begin to blur, and her boyfriend grows concerned about her shifting attitude. Filmed on location in the gritty, pre-cleanup New York City, Variety operates with a sharp, psychological focus on female sexuality and desire, presenting a rare, unvarnished point-of-view from its female protagonist as she navigates the adult underbelly of midtown Manhattan.

Details & Specs

Director: Bette Gordon
Writers: Jerry Delamater, Peter Koper, Bette Gordon, Kathy Acker
Release: 1983
Runtime: 1h 40m
Country: Germany, United Kingdom, United States of America
Language: English
Genres: Drama
Also Known As: La celda de cristal

Why This Matters

Directed by Bette Gordon with a screenplay by Kathy Acker, this 1983 drama brings together two notable figures from independent film and literature to explore themes of obsession and voyeurism in New York City's adult cinema subculture.

— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

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Director: Bette Gordon Writers: Jerry Delamater +3 more

Sandy McLeod Christine RM Richard M. Davidson Louie

Luis Guzmán Jose

Will Patton Mark

Nan Goldin Nan

Mark Boone Junior Business Manager / Porn Customer

Cookie Mueller Woman in Bar

Suzanne Fletcher Woman in Bar

Spalding Gray Obscene Phone Caller (voice) PR Peter Rizzo Driver LT Lee Tucker Projectionist NR Norma Rodriguez Woman in Bar SR Sally Rodwell Mother (voice) PS Peyton Smith Woman in Bar AA April Andres Woman in Bar PG Peyton Green Woman in Bar NA Norma Angelica Rodriguez Woman in Bar UA Usharbudh Arya Relaxation Tape (voice)

Explore More

Psychological Drama Independent Film Female Protagonist Boyfriend Girlfriend Relationship Woman New York City F Rated neo noir Wealth Diner Title Directed By Female Mysterious Man Manhattan New York City Sexual Fantasy Loneliness Breaking And Entering Psychological Drama

Why Cult

Female Gaze Psychodrama

Explores female sexuality and obsession from a woman's point-of-view, rarely seen in cinema of its era.

Pre-Gentrification NYC

Shot in the raw, unfiltered midtown Manhattan of the early 1980s, capturing an era of porno theaters and neon-lit sleaze.

Offbeat Side Characters

Features Luis Guzmán as the theater boss and a supporting cast of New York misfits and barflies.

Feminist Film Exploration

Tackles themes of female curiosity, liberated fantasy, and urban voyeurism with a frankness that marks it as a feminist work.

Scene Gallery

Questions from the Vault

Who directed Variety? +

Variety was directed by Bette Gordon.

How long is Variety? +

Variety has a runtime of 100 minutes.

What genre is Variety? +

Variety is a drama film.

Where can I watch Variety? +

Variety is available to stream on SassyFlix.

How does Christine's job at the Variety theater shape her growing obsession? +

Christine's ticket-selling job places her at the threshold of the theater’s erotic environment, directly exposing her to pornography and eccentric patrons, which stirs her sexual curiosity and leads her into an obsessive fascination.