Showgirls (1995)
Sex + Violence: The Films of Paul Verhoeven (Part 5)
After his third major success with BASIC INSTINCT, Paul Verhoeven had the Hollywood clout to do something truly audacious for his next film: He was going to direct a film that he wouldn’t have to cut down to get an R-rating, something he’d struggled with on all of his American productions so far.
The resulting film is the infamous SHOWGIRLS. Hailed as one of the worst films of all time when it was released in 1995, SHOWGIRLS has gone on to be re-evaluated. Over the last quarter century, it’s evolved from pariah to camp classic to, in recent years, being seen as a misunderstood film, one that’s much better than its reputation would indicate.
In this episode, we’ll explore the creation of the film itself, from an idea scribbled on a napkin by writer Joe Ezsterhas, through its production, release, and critical evaluation, all the way through its more recent resurgence.
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.