Seduction, passion and power struggles unfold when the creators of Basic Instinct, director Paul Verhoeven (Starship Troopers) and screenwriter Joe Eszterhas (Original Sin) blow the lid off the seemingly glamorous world of Las Vegas show dancing to create one of the most controversial and shockingfilms of all time. Nomi Malone (Elizabeth Berkley) has what it takes to make it as a Las Vegas show girl what she doesn't have is a way in. To survive, she accepts the only job available: lap dancing at a seedy club. And when she meets Cristal (Gina Gershon), Vegas' reigning show girl, Nomi wants everything she has including her boyfriend (Kyle MacLachlan). And as Nomi dives deeper into the world she so desperately desires, a rivalry between the two women heats up. The battle for the spotlight becomes so fiercely competitive that it drives Nomi to desperate lengths and devious heights for fame in Sin City.
When Goldie Hawn recommended Elizabeth Berkley for a small role in First Wives Club, she publicly stated that Berkley deserved the opportunity to redeem herself after starring in the ridiculous Showgirls. That says it all: this sleazy, stupid movie, which mixes soft pornography with the clichés of backstage dramas, is the kind of project an aspiring actress would have to put well behind her to keep a career going (though costar Gina Gershon certainly benefited from her, uh, exposure in the film). Berkley plays a drifter who hitches a ride to Las Vegas, becomes a lap dancer and then a performer, and discovers--gasp!--there's a whole world of sex and violence involved with these things. Gershon is probably the best element in the film, playing Berkley's bisexual rival for the big spotlight on stage. Joe Eszterhas was well overpaid for writing this howler, and director Paul Verhoeven (Basic Instinct) should have known better than to take it seriously. --Tom Keogh
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
So bad that its good:
Showgirls was never going to win any Academy Awards and I give Elizabeth Berkley credit for overcoming this film and going on to do good work on CSI:Miami and in other movies. But Showgirls is a scorching hot mess telling the story of Nomi Malone, a down-on-her-luck, ill-bred, poorly educated girl who dreams of being a professional dancer. It's a hootchiefied Flash Dance, with Las Vegas as the setting. If breasts and bums are your thing, I highly recommend watching this movie with the sound off.... more info
Not for everyone:
(written by Leigh's wife): I was very glad to see that this was the same version that I wanted; I originally had a VHS copy of the "unrated" version. Everything was as I remembered it. I will admit that this movie is not for everyone. I'm hard put to say why I like it - but I do. It's erotic, it's compelling, it's interesting. While I will admit that this isn't exactly Academy Award material, I don't understand the distain and dislike that most people have shown for it. DEFINITELY only for adults!
love this movie!:
the most misunderstood movie of the 90s. I learn something new about it every time I see it. I love this movie!
Bring Showgirls to Blu-Ray:
This is like my favorite stupidist awesome film ever. I will watch it, without interuption anytime I see it, I cannot pass it up! Even the Tv version is awesome! This neeeds to be on Blu-Ray, it's begging to be on Blu-Ray, I'm begging for it to be on Blu-ray! With all these extras of course, and maybe a new cast commenentary on cast memebers cellulite in HD, kidding! Most awesome cast ever, a new commentary would be nice
