Paul Verhoeven’s sulphurous classic, “Showgirls”, is available on Amazon Prime Video. Long pointed out, the film is now rehabilitated by many cinema enthusiasts.
In Hollywood, industrial accidents do not forgive. Filmmakers see their careers evaporate in smoke, but it is often the stars of the films who pay the high price. Many never recover. This is the case of Elizabeth Berkley.
In 1995, the actress, revealed in the series Saved by the gong, is the heroine of a big production at 45 million dollars: Showgirls. After the dazzling success of Basic Instinct, Paul Verhoeven directs this satirical drama which follows the journey of Nomi Malone, a young woman who dreams of becoming a dancer. For this, she goes to the city of all excesses: Las Vegas.
Outrageous, provocative and absurd, the film explodes the codes of Hollywood cinema. The director, known for his more than sulphurous work, is aiming right at the heart of the American entertainment industry. In Showgirls, the world of the stage is an arena as luminous as it is dangerous. All shots are allowed without an ounce of morality.
The extreme character of this universe, Paul Verhoeven applies it to his staging, very flashy, and to the games of his interpreters. On the screen, elizabeth berkley breathes all his energy and his fury into a supercharged character, at the risk of appearing caricatural. This risky style, which makes bad taste its strength, will jeopardize the destiny of the film.
Pathé Distribution Elizabeth Berkley in “Showgirls”.
Critical and commercial disaster, Showgirls grossing only $20 million in the United States. Upon its release, the feature film was immediately mocked. He won, the following year, 7 Razzie Awards – a prize ceremony which rewards the “worst films of the year”. Elizabeth Berkley receives that of the worst actress, as for Paul Verhoeven, he will come himself to recover his statuette.
Twenty-seven years later, Showgirls continues to make people talk, with the only difference that it now receives praise from many critics and professionals in the business, such as Quentin Tarantino. The transgressive drama has many times been rehabilitated through university essays or documentaries, such as You Don’t Nomi which looks back on the journey of Elizabeth Berkley. Real disaster or avant-garde masterpiece, the only way to decide is to form your own opinion.
Showgirls is available on Amazon Prime Video.