Joy of Sex
“Somewhere between virginity and senility lies paradise.”
Synopsis
Mistakenly believing that she has just weeks to live, teenager Leslie Hindenberg tries to lose her virginity before she dies.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Blu-ray Promo TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2025-02-01
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Cameron Dye
Alan Holt
Michelle Meyrink
Leslie Hindenberg
Colleen Camp
Liz Sampson
Ernie Hudson
Mr. Porter
Lisa Langlois
Melanie
Charles Van Eman
Max Holt
Joanne Baron
Miss Post
Darren Dalton
Ed Ingalls
Heidi Holicker
Candy
Cristen Kauffman
Sharon
David H. MacDonald
Ernie Carpenter
Paul Tulley
Ted
Joe Unger
Mr. Ranada
Christopher Lloyd
Coach Hindenberg
Conni Marie Brazelton
Allison
D.W. Brown
Dinko
Randy Lowell
Mushroom
Eugene Robert Glazer
Dr. Fox
Release History & Theatrical Window
August 3, 1984
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$5M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$4.5M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.89x
-$536K deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Martha Coolidge
- Screenplay & Story
- Kathleen Rowell, J.J. Salter
- Original Score
- Bishop Holiday, Scott Lipsker, Harold Payne
- Original Title
- Joy of Sex
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 33m
- Production Budget
- $5M
- Worldwide Gross
- $4.5M
- Production Studios
- Cinema Group Ventures, Paramount Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Martha Coolidge
Kathleen Rowell, J.J. Salter, Alex Comfort
Bishop Holiday, Scott Lipsker, Harold Payne
Charles Correll
William Elias, Ned Humphreys, Allan Jacobs
Frank Konigsberg
Department Leadership Roster
Martha Coolidge
Director
Kathleen Rowell
Screenplay
J.J. Salter
Screenplay
Frank Konigsberg
Producer
Bishop Holiday
Original Music Composer
Scott Lipsker
Original Music Composer
Harold Payne
Original Music Composer
Charles Correll
Director of Photography
William Elias
Editor
Ned Humphreys
Editor
Allan Jacobs
Editor
Kenny Endoso
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 18 — Restricted to adults 18 and older.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Joy of Sex.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Joy of Sex.
Movies Watched
list2
80s Teen Movies
American teen films of the 1980s, the John Hughes and Brat Pack era.
Best Worldwide (18+ Adult Sex Erotic) Movies (2021)
Irreverant 80s Comedies
Teen/raunchy 80s sex comedies — Emby sync.
National Lampoon
National Lampoon — Emby collection sync.
Similar Titles to Joy of Sex
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
7.0
7.4
5.0
5.3
6.9
7.4
7.3
7.2
10.0
7.1
7.7
7.9
6.0
7.4
7.2
6.8
7.2
More Like Joy of Sex
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About Joy of Sex
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Joy of Sex about?
Mistakenly believing that she has just weeks to live, teenager Leslie Hindenberg tries to lose her virginity before she dies.
Who directed Joy of Sex?
Joy of Sex was directed by Martha Coolidge.
Who stars in Joy of Sex?
The principal cast of Joy of Sex includes Cameron Dye, Michelle Meyrink, Colleen Camp, Ernie Hudson, Lisa Langlois.
When was Joy of Sex released and how long is it?
Joy of Sex was released in 1984 with a total runtime of 1h 33m.
What was the box office and production budget of Joy of Sex?
Joy of Sex had a reported production budget of $5M and grossed $4.5M at the worldwide box office (0.89 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Joy of Sex?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Joy of Sex was composed by Bishop Holiday, Scott Lipsker, Harold Payne.
Is Joy of Sex based on a book or true story?
Joy of Sex is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Alex Comfort".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Joy of Sex?
Joy of Sex holds official age classifications: DE: 18 (FSK 18 — Restricted to adults 18 and older.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).