MovieChat Forums > Showgirls (1995) Discussion > Can't believe how many people don't read...

Can't believe how many people don't read between the lines..

posted 8 years ago by patrickhhoff
13 replies | jump to latest

This film is satire. Just like Starship Troopers was. And Robocop. And some other of Verhoevens films. It's a satire of American culture.
Now I think of it, I'm not thát surprised.

[–] stefanheikel 8 years ago

IMO it attempted to be a satire on misogyny in the entertainment industry. However, it ultimately failed since the main character is so unlikable.

[–] douces 7 years ago

However, it ultimately failed since the main character is so unlikable.

She's supposed to be unlikable. She achieves her goals by being awful as opposed to virtuous as one would normally expect. Verhoeven goes one step further and actually punishes the one likeable character (the black friend) by having her brutally raped and beaten.

[–] spookyrat1 7 years ago

Tried to, but there's a lot of space between them lines.🐭

[–] Elephantlips 8 years ago

Uh... No. This is just a f--King train wreck of a movie, plain and simple.

Good try though.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

You don't think much about the movies you see, do you?

[–] RobSac 8 years ago

It was intended to be serious but once they realized how bad it was, they embraced the satirical effect it had on most viewers. The director even showed up to collect his Razzie award.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

If you honestly think it's meant to be taken 100% seriously, you are out of your mind. Verhoeven is clearly making a satire on the entertainment industry here, just as he did with RoboCop on fiscal conservatism and Starship Troopers on jingo militarism. The guy knows how to make serious films when he tries (Black Book, Elle), this just wasn't one of them.

[–] GroovyDoom 8 years ago

Thank you, I agree. I think the initial disappointment in "Showgirls" came from people who had certain expectations of it based on its press at the time, namely the fact that it was a big budget NC-17 film with a cast member from "Saved By the Bell" in the lead. People expected it to be big budget porn, which it is not.

It is admittedly a very strange film, with weird and bizarre images, but that seems to be what the director was going for. Verhoeven defied the expectations of the audience, and the price was a box office bomb. And I'm sorry, no matter how many people rag on Elizabeth Berkeley's performance, she is not terrible here, or overacting. She's doing exactly what the director told her to do, and she's giving it her all. Anybody with even the most general knowledge of how films are made should be able to recognize how brutal that dance scene must have been for her, the one when she dances at Cheetah's while Zach and Cristal are watching in the audience. I'm not saying she deserved an award, but she also didn't deserve the vitriol that she received because of it, either.

groovydoom.blogspot.com

[–] CharmingAss_hole 8 years ago

How can you not see it as satire? The irrational emotional swaying? The blatant stereotyping across the board? The story of the black character (with lines like "bitch, I'm tellin you the truth")? And that ridiculous rape scene? It's an obvious jab at American culture. The prudes who condemn this need to grow up and see it for what it actually is.

Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe f_uck yourself.

[–] walleye-42537 7 years ago

I concur. Regardless, Elizabeth Berkley is so Effin hot who cares if the acting is bad. It did have many laughable moments with the reactions of the Actresses to situations. Seriously who would have those reactions in real life?

Smokin' hot, killer bod, and rich is a damn fine combination. Whenever I get a chance to watch this movie, uncut of course, I do. Some people take life way too seriously which is too bad.

Elizabeth Berkley probably makes more than most of us ever will just from royalties on Saved by the Bell.

And for Gods Sake, don't even get me going on Gina or I am going to have to take a cold shower lol.

[–] R_Kane (15828) 4 years ago

If you think a SQUARE ASS is hot, well, that makes 1 of us. You must not get out much.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Yeah, I thought that was extremely apparent and obvious while watching it. How anyone with half a brain can't see this is way beyond me. With that said though, I'm not really sure how much substance there is to be found in this film. It's certainly saying something about the nature of showbiz, but I don't know if there's anything deeper to be found that isn't readily obvious to those who've seen their fair share of movies about the entertainment industry (the big wigs are perverts, everyone's shallow, women will do anything it takes to get to the top etc). Still though, I really like it nonetheless.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Regardless, it still doesn't make it a good film.