If you’ve ever had food poisoning, you know that long after all of the vomiting is over and you’ve finally purged the enemy from your system, there’s a taste memory that sticks with you forever. It’s why I can’t eat green onions or cilantro 10 years after my night of hell at the hands of a bad burrito. Well, 1995′s Showgirls is the movie version of food poisoning.
When Paul Verhoeven’s stripper saga was released 15 years ago, critics mercilessly dogpiled on the film. And the moviegoing public didn’t care much either for Elizabeth Berkley’s Nomi Malone — the gritty, Vegas rumpshaker who’ll do whatever it takes to make it to the top, including losing her soul and, ewww, licking a stripper pole. Showgirls was one of those rare, ignominious, once or twice-a-decade turkeys that becomes an instant punchline. (This one falling on the turkey timeline somewhere between Ishtar and Cutthroat Island…only this one had bedazzled boobies!)
Part of the blame went to Joe Eszterhas, who pocketed an unseemly seven-figure sum for his bump-and-grind All About Eve screenplay, which was lousy with laughable dialogue. Part went to Berkley, the relative newcomer fresh off the squeaky-clean series Saved By the Bell, who didn’t seem to get the tone of the movie she was in (or the damage it would do to her career). And part of it went to Verhoeven, who, after the fact, tried to pass the silly skin flick off as an arch satire. In essence, he seemed to be saying that he knew the film was awful and that’s what made it art. Nice try, sir. But the so-bad-it’s-good argument just won’t wash.
But rather than just fade away into celluloid oblivion, which is what happened more or less to Ishtar (a defensible film) and Cutthroat Island (not defensible at all), Showgirls is like a Hollywood cockroach: so unkillable it will be the only thing that survives nuclear Armageddon. Over the past 15 years, it’s not only become a midnight movie mainstay, but it also gets trotted out every year or two in new, splashier DVD incarnations. The latest of which is Showgirls: 15th Anniversary SINsational Edition on Blu-Ray.
Now, I’m not convinced that a spiffier-looking version of a turd like Showgirls is what Tinseltown’s digital messiahs had in mind when they took up the cause of Blu-ray. But somehow this new disc feels inevitable…and also totally unnecessary. In addition to the nicer-looking version of the junky film, the set includes a couple of tutorials on how to work the pole like an actual stripper, a commentary track, and some other goodies that were already available on the recent Showgirls: V.I.P. Edition DVD. So, really, the only reason you’d be getting this thing is for the improved picture quality, which, come to think of it, is like spending $30 to get a slightly bigger and warmer version of the same meal that gave you food poisoning already. But that’s just one man’s opinion. After all, you may honestly believe Showgirls is an underrated, misunderstood film. And if you do, by all means share your reasoning in the comments section below…
I remember seeing that film with a friend from high school. When Nomi kicked the crap out of Carver, some guy who was sitting in the back rowed yelled “Yeah! kick the s-hit out of him Jessie!” I was rolling on the floor. lol! Showgirls is so craptacular that it stands out as one of the funniest comedies of all time. lol!
I shamefully love this movie. It’s so bad that its good. I have the original dvd but will not be purchasing the snazzy ultra new one.
I am so very glad I have never had food poisoning…
I own the blu-ray, bought it on day one. I own the original bare(no pun intended)-bones release, the VIP box set and now of course, the blu-ray. When they release it in new form, I’ll buy that as well. That’s what I call money well spent.
The only thing that would make the Showgirls Blu-ray better would be if it also had the edited-for-TV version of the film, which features hilariously incoherent editing and cartoon clothes to cover all the nudity.
The floating boobie covers are the BEST!!
I think that version is actually better!
I didn’t think the movie could get any stupider until I saw the TV version.
The most craptacular thing ever. Kyle MacLachlan would probably prefer it off his resume.
I can’t help but watch it when it’s on TV though. It’s so fun to make fun of.
For the sake of your brain, DO NOT look up Showgirls 2. Seriously. It’s not craptacular. It burns your eyes.
It’s like a car crash. You don’t want to look but you just can’t help your self. Total camp/crap but I love it.
I saw this the day it came out in theaters with my lesbian friend and she was the only woman in the place. I felt so bad for her. As a huge Verhoeven, I was really excited to see it, but couldn’t believe how bad it was. Sitting in the theater watching as it got progressively worse, I was in shock. It wasn’t until the VHS release a few months later that I learned to appreciate its kitsch. Gina Gershon seems to be the only one who realizes just what type of movie she’s in.
I can’t defend this movie, it’s so terrible. But I still sorta love watching it and I can’t explain that. Recently it was on HBO and my fiance has never seen it and I got really excited and made him stay up to watch it. Needless to say, he thought it was just terrible and he never felt the need to see it again. Somewhere I realized he’s right, but I didn’t feel the same way about it. Maybe you had to have a long standing relationship with Showgirls to realize it’s awesomeness. “I used to love Doggy Chow too!” But I don’t need to own it…watching it randomly now and again is the fun part.
I adore this movie. On the unintentional comedy scale, nothing that doesn’t feature Kevin Costner ranks higher. It most certainly IS so bad it’s good! At the same time, I feel no need to have it on Blue-ray.
Why no love for Cutthroat Island? That movie isn’t as bad as some would have us believe.
Quote from Scream 2: Ghostface: “What’s your favorite scary movie?”
Randy: “Showgirls, absolutely frightening!”
That’s what I call pop culture impact! lol.
No one will ever say they love the movie, but their are parts of it that people love to quote. My personal favorite is Gina Gershon to Berkley at dinner…”You are a whore, darlin’!” That pretty much sums up how you feel when you watch it. But when you watch and laugh through it with a group of friends, it takes that shame away.
“Caesar sing??”
Jessie Spano’s boobs are like pizza: even when they’re bad, they’re still pretty good.
Clearly, you’ve never had pizza in Iowa.
I still can’t watch gershon in anything because of this mess! But still watch parts of it when its on cable.