Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Showgirls 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 1, 2023

It’s impossible to imagine at this point in its extensive exhibition and home video journey, but, in 1995, “Showgirls” was a very big deal and an extremely serious motion picture. Coming off the astonishing success of their smoldering thriller, “Basic Instinct,” director Paul Verhoeven and screenwriter Joe Eszterhas paired up again to investigate that abyssal trench of sin: Las Vegas. Presented with a hefty budget, an eye-catching cast, and a no-questions-asked use of the NC-17 rating by a major studio, “Showgirls” was ready to break new ground in adult-minded cinema, making sex a major moviegoing event. But we all know how that turned out.

A stranger in a strange land, Nomi Malone (Elizabeth Berkley) has come to Las Vegas to achieve worldwide fame as a dancer. After a series of humiliations and obstructions, Nomi finds herself stuck at a seedy strip club, forced to tease the tourists for dollar bills. Enter Crystal Connors (Gina Gershon), the star of “Goddess,” the biggest topless show in town, who catches a glimpse of the excitable pole dancer in action, requesting entertainment director Zach (Kyle MacLachlan) bring her onboard the big production. Rising in the ranks through raw talent and some rather devious means, Nomi is soon the toast of the town, alienating those who supported her at the very beginning, while engaging in competition with Crystal, who recognizes Nomi’s killer instinct while everyone else is distracted by her animalistic sex appeal.

It’s been said that “Showgirls” was intended to be Verhoeven’s flashy tribute to the MGM musicals of his youth -- movies that cheerily employed blinding color, stratospheric performances, and unmistakable emotion. To suggest that Verhoeven achieved exactly what he set out to do is a troubling realization, with the endeavor certainly enthusiastic and slickly made, but also sexually repellent and overpoweringly diseased. In 1995, the film was nothing less than a trainwreck, baffling the raincoat crowd and disappointing adventurous couples. The picture was branded a sick joke and died at the box office, taking any hope for a mass acceptance of the NC-17 rating down with it.

And then, some time later, “Showgirls” took on a new life, reassessed as a camp classic, with every idiotic idea dreamed up by Eszterhas and sold by Verhoeven reinterpreted as comedy gold, making the effort less about oppressive filmmaking absurdity and more about a rollicking drag show with freakin’ Jessie Spano as the master of clothing-optional ceremonies. Suddenly, “Showgirls” popped its collar; it was a cool picture to laugh at, not with, with its every last instinct to creep out the room rebranded as genius goofballery sent with love from the bad movie gods.

I stand somewhere in the middle of the “Showgirls” spectrum of reaction. Part of me clearly values the unleashed silliness of the movie; how the neon-drenched, studded-nipple theatrics have been embraced by cult admirers, who’ve done one hell of a job pushing past the inherent vileness of the screenplay to locate comedic merit, digging through the glossy innards of the film to find anything worth derision/celebration. However, I also remember exactly what it was like to experience the picture theatrically during its initial run in 1995, which required a Silkwood shower and a ceremonial ticket stub burning immediately afterwards. I am of two minds when it comes to “Showgirls,” but I suppose that’s the idea 28 years later. It’s such a barnstorming feature of colossal lunacy, it’s just a lot easier and mentally cleansing to assume that Verhoeven and the gang were aiming for laughs, despite all evidence to the contrary.

Take away the coke-dusted dialogue, the “All About Eve” plotting, and the parade of flesh, and there’s one spectacularly photographed film to enjoy. Cinematographer Jost Vacano pushes the Technicolor candyland of Las Vegas with authority, filling the frame with golden bodies and gorgeous lighting, fluidly moving around the sets and locations to covey the mania of Nomi’s rise to fame. It’s easy to be distracted by the frenzy of the drama, but “Showgirls” is a vivid picture with plenty of visual splendor to pore over, isolating the pulsation of sex appeal that makes Las Vegas such an enduring nest of pleasure. “Showgirls” proves it’s possible to enjoy an entire feature with the mute button on.

As for the cast, nobody gets out alive. Sure, Berkley took the brunt of critical brutality, baffling viewers with her unreasonably psychotic performance as Nomi (the sex scenes here are legendary), becoming Verhoeven instead of simply taking direction from the lunatic helmer. She’s dreadful, but endearingly so, summing up the volatile temperament of “Showgirls” with her swinging arms, hostile makeup, and gnashed-teeth agression. However, Berkley is secreting the same insanity as McLachlan, Robert Davi (as the control freak manager of Nomi’s strip club), Alan Rachins (playing the demanding producer of “Goddess”), Glenn Plummer (as Nomi’s challenging, exhaustively icky lover), and Gershon, who vamps it up as Crystal, creating genuinely itchy chemistry with Berkley the endeavor could use more of. The acting’s agreeably confident, but it’s often headed in the wrong direction, rubbing up against the grandeur of the production, inflating the melodrama that feeds the camp appeal of “Showgirls.” With the ensemble spending most of the picture eating each other alive, it’s easy to see just how carried away Verhoeven became with this film.

Showgirls 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Showgirls" has seen its share of releases over the years, and now Vinegar Syndrome take a shot with the title, offering a UHD "newly restored from an existing studio master." "Showgirls" is basically meant for a 4K viewing experience, with the feature all about skin surfaces and fibrous costuming, with texture maintained throughout, giving fans a chance to explore makeup work and ornate Vegas show outfits. Theater and casino spaces are wonderfully dimensional, reaching deep with populated areas. Exteriors are also clear, showcasing Vegas tours. Colors certainly come alive with neon lighting and casino signage, with the hotness of such imagery potent, but highlights stay tasteful. Primaries are crisp, exploring fashion choices and theater lighting, and blacks are deep, securing theatrical presentations. Skin tones are natural, and glamour additions are vivid. Grain is nicely resolved. Source is in good shape.

Showgirls 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix delivers crisp dialogues exchanges, handling a range of performance choices with balanced volatility. Musical options vary wildly at times, but sharpness is consistent, with pleasing wideness to soundtrack selections and theater performances. Instrumentation is crisp and vocals are defined. Low-end isn't commanding. Surrounds push out musical offerings with authority, creating immersive environments with club visits and casino tours. Panning effects are alert, and sound effects are distinct, especially with Las Vegas bustle.

Showgirls 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (42 pages) contains essays by Adam Nayman, Abbey Bender, and Elizabeth Purchell and KJ Shepherd.

Blu-ray Disc #1

• Commentary features "Showgirls" enthusiast David Schmader.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:59, HD) is included.

Blu-ray Disc #2

• "You Gotta Gamble If You're Gonna Win" (14:25, HD) is an interview with screenwriter Joe Eszterhas, who suggests "Showgirls" was meant to be campy, but slipped out of control. Boosted by the success of "Basic Instinct," Hollywood wanted another one from Eszterhas and director Paul Verhoeven, paving the way to "Showgirls," which encountered more than a few creative disagreements during development. Research into the Las Vegas lifestyle commenced, and the interviewee recalls his objection to the NC-17 rating, preferring a "deep R" instead. The initial critical and financial slaughter of "Showgirls" is recalled, along with its resurrection with gay audiences, turning it into a cult hit Eszterhas is proud of, at least parts of it.

• "All That Glitters" (11:55, HD) is a dual interview with cinematographer Jost Vacano and performance lighting designer Peter Morse. Vacano has tremendous respect for director Paul Verhoeven, but admits he was less delighted with the "Showgirls" script, working to see the film on the same level as the helmer. Morse began his career at the Sahara Tahoe Casino, only to end up back on the stage for "Showgirls" 30 years later, prepared to deal with the environment. The interviewees discuss their partnership and creative challenges with the Las Vegas makeover.

• "The Rhythm of Chaos" (16:11, HD) is a dual interview with editors Mark Helfrich and Mark Goldblatt, who were teamed to cut "Showgirls," learning more about the Paul Verhoeven Experience, with both men coming away with a great appreciation for the director's style. The helmer's decisions are another story, with Helfrich questioning the harshness of the picture, especially when it comes to Nomi. The interviewees recall the excitement of the project and their creative challenges, and they also remember the reaction to the final cut, feeling bad for actress Elizabeth Berkley, who was merely executing Verhoeven's vision.

• "Born to Dance" (19:00, HD) is an interview with actress Rene Riffel, who charts the development of her dance career, eventually going on auditions to attempt an acting career. During classes to develop her skills, Riffel was finally spotted, landing an agent. After near- misses with love and a music career, time with "Showgirls" eventually arrived, winning the part of Penny, impressing director Paul Verhoeven with her girl-next-door presence. The interviewee discusses nudity requirements and the use of her own song, which is played during the lap dance sequence, and she pushes the positivity of it all, learning a lot from the experience. Shockingly, there is no mention made of 2011's "Showgirls 2: Penny's from Heaven," which Riffel wrote and directed.

• "Free Lap Dance with Every Large Popcorn" (13:12, HD) is an appreciation piece featuring Midnight Mass co-hosts Peaches Christ and Michael Varrati.

• "More Vegas Than Vegas" (23:45, HD) is a 2016 interview with director Paul Verhoeven, who discusses early work that went into "Showgirls," keeping writer Joe Eszterhas busy before an opportunity arrived for the helmer to make "Crusades" with Arnold Schwarzenegger. When that project collapsed, Verhoeven was back to Vegas, claiming credit for the move toward an "All About Eve"-style story. The interviewee takes responsibility for the broadness of Elizabeth Berkley's performance, and the overall amplification of the movie, examining the Nomi character. Verhoeven goes just about everywhere in this interview, including references to Nazi Germany and the invasion of Iraq, ending up with a recollection of his time at the 1996 Razzie Awards, picking up a trophy as the worst director of the year.

• Behind-The-Scene Featurettes (SD) provide 12 EPK-style interviews and footage from the production of "Showgirls."

• "A 'Showgirls' Diary" (10:54, SD) is as close to a genuine piece of production observation as it gets, isolating a few days of filming, monitoring the mood of the set with help from Verhoeven's personal script notes and storyboards. It's fun to see the twitchy director at work, providing further proof that he's the one ultimately responsible for the tone of the picture.

• "Lap Dance Tutorial Featuring The World-Famous Girls of Scores" (5:08, SD) provides a step-by-step education in the ways of DIY sensuality and grinding.

Showgirls 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Despite strange, topless energy from Lin Tucci (here as zaftig insult comic Henrietta Bazoom), various graphic references to menstruation, and a grand finale that spotlights a brutal gang rape (allowing the effort to cross a line into unfiltered viciousness that induces nausea), "Showgirls" can, ever so slightly, provide a merry time of mockery, creating a swell of stupidity that's fun to surf. Perhaps it's best to view the film ironically, otherwise the glittery grotesqueries start to feel like a rash that will itch forever in uncomfortable places.