Showgirls

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This article is about the film "Showgirls". For the dancer/performer, see Showgirl.

Showgirls
Film poster
Directed by	Paul Verhoeven
Produced by	Lynn Ehrensperger Charles Evans Mario Kassar Alan Marshall
Written by	Joe Eszterhas
Starring	Elizabeth Berkley Kyle MacLachlan Gina Gershon
Music by	Rena Riffel David A. Stewart
Cinematography	Jost Vacano
Editing by	Mark Goldblatt Mark Helfrich
Distributed by	-USA- MGM Distribution Co. -Non-USA- Various Distributors
Release date(s)	September 22, 1995 (USA)
Running time	131 min
Country	USA
Language	English
Budget	$45,000,000 (estimated)
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Ratings
Australia:	R18+
United States:	NC-17

Showgirls is a movie directed by Paul Verhoeven and released in 1995 in North America by United Artists. It starred former teen actress Elizabeth Berkley (Saved by the Bell) as a drifter who wanders into Las Vegas and climbs the social ladder from stripper to showgirl. The movie was hoped to be a huge success for the film studio, its directors, and stars. Significant controversy and hype about the movie's seemingly gratuitous amounts of sex and nudity preceded the movie's release. In the U.S., the finally released movie was rated NC-17 for "nudity and erotic sexuality throughout, some graphic language and sexual violence." The film was hyped for being the first NC-17 rated film to be given a wide release in mainstream theaters.

Tagline: Leave your inhibitions at the door. The show is about to begin.

1 Plot
2 Reaction
- 2.1 Cult status
3 The V.I.P. Edition
4 Cast
5 Stage Musical
6 See also
7 External links
- 7.1 Reviews
8 References

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Sexy, mysterious and temperamental Nomi Malone (Berkley) hitchhikes into Las Vegas hoping to make it as a Las Vegas showgirl, but everything she owns is stolen by her driver. While an upset Nomi is vomiting on the side of a car, the car's owner, Molly (Gina Ravera), a seamstress, confronts her. After talking and discovering Nomi does not have any family, Molly takes her in, helping to get her a job as a stripper at the seedy Cheetah Club to make ends meet. One night Nomi accompanies Molly backstage at Goddess, the Vegas show at the Stardust where Molly works as the costume seamstress. There, Nomi meets Cristal Conners (Gina Gershon), the irritable, diva-like star of the show. When Molly tells Cristal that Nomi is a dancer as well, Cristal derisively tells Nomi what Nomi does is akin to prostitution.

The next evening, Cristal and her boyfriend Zach (Kyle MacLachlan), an entertainment manager at the Stardust, visit the Cheetah and pay Nomi $500 for a lap dance. It turns out that Cristal is bisexual and very attracted to Nomi. Nomi does not want to do the private dance, for fear it will prove her to be the prostitute Cristal made her out to be, but is forced to do so by her manager, much to her embarrassment. Nomi later discovers Cristal has arranged for her to have an audition as an ensemble dancer in Goddess. When Nomi is told to remove her bra for the audition, she is upset, even though she obviously knows that this is an audition for a topless Vegas show.

Nomi gets the job and immediately quits the Cheetah. Although she shows talent, Cristal repeatedly takes malicious swipes at Nomi in a never-ending attempt to portray Nomi as little more than a cheap whore. Soon, Nomi is overwhelmed by her desire for Cristal's status. Coupled with increasing hostility from Cristal, Nomi - in what many consider to be the film's most memorable scene - pushes Cristal down a flight of stairs, injuring her badly and sending her to the hospital. With Cristal unable to perform, Nomi ends up getting Cristal's lead in the show. Meanwhile, Nomi flirts with Zach more and more, eventually seducing him for outdoor sex in his swimming pool.

Things seem to be going well for Nomi; she has finally secured the fame and forture she initially sought; however, at the opening night party, Molly is brutally raped by famous musician Andrew Carver and his two security guards. When Nomi confronts Zach about it, she is told that they will give Molly some money to keep quiet; their primary interest is in protecting their high-profile celebrity client, not in seeking justice for Molly. Zach then turns and confronts Nomi with the truth he has just discovered: She is actually a runaway and former prostitute named Polly; her father murdered her mother and then killed himself, and she has been arrested several times for drug possession, prostitution, and assault with an armed weapon. Finally confronted with her seedy past, and frightened at who she has become and what lies ahead, Nomi flees Las Vegas (but not before attacking and clouting Andrew Carver with her boots), hoping to try her luck in Los Angeles instead. She bids goodbye to a comatose Molly, and also makes amends with Cristal, before departing.

The movie comes full circle when Nomi coincidentally hitches a ride to Los Angeles with the very same guy who robbed her in the beginning.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Reaction

The movie's subject matter was relatively controversial, but relevant: rape, lesbianism, and interracial relationships were just some of the topics explored. However, the frequent and gratuitous nudity and simulated sex in the movie, and the writing (the screenplay was written by previously successful Joe Eszterhas, who had worked with Paul Verhoeven before, and who reportedly received $1 million for the script), allegedly did not lend itself to what might have been an enthralling film. The 1998 film Burn Hollywood Burn, also written by Eszterhas, contains a reference to Showgirls as a "terrible" film, and Roger Ebert claims it did indeed receive "some bad reviews, but it wasn't completely terrible."^[1] The movie was heralded as one of the worst ever made, winning seven 1995 Golden Raspberry Awards or "Razzies" (from a record thirteen nominations). Kyle MacLachlan walked out of the movie's premiere, during which he was allegedly heard exclaiming "I thought this was an art movie."^{[citation needed]} Paul Verhoeven gamely appeared in person at the Razzies ceremony to accept his "award" for Worst Director; Showgirls would later "win" a record-setting eighth Razzie Award for Worst Picture of the Last Decade in 2000. Due to Showgirls' poor reception, the next year's film about nude dancers, Striptease, had to be distanced from Showgirls in advertisements;^[2] Striptease won the next year's Razzie Award for Worst Picture. Rena Riffel who played "Penny/Hope" in Showgirls also was cast in Striptease, playing "Tiffany Glass". Rena is the only actress to claim these two back to back roles in Razzy Award Winning history.

The term "Showgirls-bad" has been adopted by film critics and fans to refer to films considered guilty pleasures, or "so-bad-they're-good." ^[3] ^[4] ^[5]

The movie's reviews did some damage to Berkley's career; she had difficulty finding work for some time but managed to find smaller parts in movies such as The Real Blonde and The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, but her career has rebounded in recent years, largely on television. Gershon managed to survive the scourge of the movie, going on to moderate acting success.

[edit] Cult status

Since its release, the movie has achieved cult status. According to activist writer Naomi Klein, ironic enjoyment of the film initially arose among those with the video before MGM capitalized on the idea. MGM noticed the video was performing all right, since "trendy twenty-somethings were throwing Showgirls irony parties, laughing sardonically at the implausibly poor screenplay and shrieking with horror at the aerobic sexual encounters."^[6]

It is shown at midnight madness theaters alongside movies like The Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. It is heralded as one of the best "bad movies" of all time, and is somewhat of a camp classic (in the vein of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls). Even though the film was not so successful when first released, it is a very well known film, and over the years it has become increasingly popular. The DVD release to this day is one of MGM's top 10 selling DVDs.

The rights to show the movie on TV were eventually purchased by the VH1 network. However, because of the movie's gratuitous nudity, a peculiar moment in cinema history occurred. An alternative, censored version of the movie was created with black bras and panties digitally added over all frontally nude actresses. In addition, several scenes were removed entirely. Berkley refused to redub her lines, so a noticeably different actress's voice was used in the dubbing.

As revealed on the DVD release, the last shot of the film, a sign stating the miles to Los Angeles, was intended as a 'hint' that there was going to be a sequel, in which Nomi takes on Hollywood. Any such plans were immediately scrapped upon the film's massive failure at the box office.

Recent years have seen a reevaluation of the movie's merits. Critics such as Jonathan Rosenbaum and Charles Taylor, as well as filmmaker Jacques Rivette, have gone on the record defending Showgirls as a serious satire. Actor Patrick Bristow, who plays choreographer Marty, defended the movie as "not that bad" excepting "that horrible rape scene." This refers to the scene in which Molly is raped, which is considered by some to be one of the most tasteless and offensive depictions of rape in cinematic history (including a moment where one of the actors spits into actress Gina Ravera's mouth). Other critics, though, defend it as an unfortunately realistic portrayal of what a rape can actually be like, and that any depiction of rape will, by virtue, be rightly offensive. Thus, according to this view, to suggest that rape can be portrayed in an inoffensive manner can be construed as being offensive itself and possibly demeaning to rape victims.

[edit] The V.I.P. Edition

In 2004, MGM released a special boxed set for Showgirls called "The V.I.P. Edition." Inside the box are two shot-glasses, special cards from the movie with drinking games on the back, a deck of playing cards, and a nude poster of Berkley with a pair of suction-cup pasties so one can play "pin the pasties on the stripper."

The DVD itself includes several bonus features, including a "how-to" tutorial for giving a lap dance (hosted by real strippers) and a special "trivia track" feature that can be turned on or off. When left on, it adds humorous comments and factoids in the vein of VH1's show Pop Up Video that relate to the scenes as they play out. It also includes "The Greatest Movie Ever Made: a commentary by David Schmader."

[edit] Cast

Elizabeth Berkley - Nomi Malone
Kyle MacLachlan - Zack Carey
Gina Gershon - Cristal Connors
Glenn Plummer - James Smith
Robert Davi - Al Torres
Gina Ravera - Molly Abrams
Rena Riffel - Penny/Hope
Alan Rachins - Tony Moss
Lin Tucci - Henrietta Bazoom
Grege Travis - Phil Newkirk
Michelle Johnston - Gay Carpenter
Al Ruscio - Mr.Karlman
Melissa Williams - Julie
Melinda Songer - Nicky
Matt Battaglia - Bodyguard

[edit] Stage Musical

On September 21, 2006, it was announced that the film's writer Joe Eszterhas is planning a stage musical version of the film with the producers of the hit Broadway musical Urinetown to open in Las Vegas [1]. It is said to “celebrate the over-the-top and campy nature of the piece” [2]. Months earlier, actress Gina Gershon expressed a similar desire but instead wanted to revive the movie in an off-Broadway, New York City production - "I might be making a musical of it. I’d write it. I’d want to make it as Off-Broadway, but from my perspective. There’s a really funny way to go about it, it just has to be exactly right" [3].