History Film / Showgirls

''Showgirls'' was -- and still is -- a rather controversial film. It flopped at the box office, which killed the chances of future NC-17 movies getting wide releases. However, it attracted a cult following on home video, chiefly as a [[SoBadItsGood "guilty pleasure"]] film infamous for its excessive sex, even more excessive nudity, and hilariously inane story and dialogue. By contrast, take a look at the 1967 film, ''Film/{{Blowup}}'', which took the opportunity to deal the final knockout blow to UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode and didn't foul it up by becoming a hailed film classic.

* {{Feelies}}: The 2004 "V.I.P. Edition" includes pasties, shot glasses, playing cards, movie cards, and a poster.

This tale of the lives of UsefulNotes/LasVegas strippers, set to the plots of ''Film/FortySecondStreet'' and ''Film/AllAboutEve'', may have also been partially responsible for the rating's decline, as it was basically an X-rated movie that went through the ratings process (which actually isn't required for an X rating; anyone wanting to make an X-rated movie can gladly release it as such on their own). That said, when compared to the explicitness of today's cable television series, even the unrated version of this movie would barely qualify for an R rating today.

[[caption-width-right:300:''[[{{Tagline}} Leave your inhibitions at the door.\\

* ItsNotPornItsArt: This movie is/was intended to be a social commentary on the sex industry (and maybe capitalism in general) and a satire of Hollywood 'rising star' narratives. That's not the reason [[ADateWithRosiePalms most]] [[SoBadItsGood people]] watch the movie, however.

* RapeAsDrama: The rape scene is infamous, not only because it [[CoitusEnsues comes out of nowhere midway through the final act]], but also because it's handled realistically and to the most sympathetic character in the movie.

* BrokenPedestal: Andrew Carver, and ''how'', as seen in BreakTheCutie above.

** Molly's gang rape.

An unofficial spin-off sequel, ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Showgirls_2:_Penny%27s_from_Heaven Showgirls 2: Penny's from Heaven]]'', focused on the minor character Penny, played by Rena Riffel (who also wrote, produced, edited, and directed the film) was released direct-to-video in 2011.

ChekhovsGunman: Julie, who backs up Nomi's BlatantLies of not knowing how Cristal fell down the stairs.

* BittersweetEnding: Nomi hitchhikes to UsefulNotes/LosAngeles and is implied to be returning to prostituting and inflicting violence on people just like before but she makes up with her friend Molly and makes peace with her rival Christal before leaving.

[[caption-width-right:300:''[[{{Tagline}} Leave your inhibitions at the door. The show is about to begin.]]'']]

This tale of the lives of UsefulNotes/LasVegas strippers set to the plots of ''Film/FortySecondStreet'' and ''Film/AllAboutEve'' may have been partially responsible for the rating's decline, as it was basically an X-rated movie that went through the ratings process (which actually isn't required for an X rating; anyone wanting to make an X-rated movie can gladly release it as such on their own). That said, when compared to the explicitness of today's cable television series, even the unrated version of this movie would barely qualify for an R rating today.

''Showgirls'' was -- and still is -- a rather controversial film. It flopped at the box office, which killed the chances of future NC-17 movies getting wide releases. But it attracted a cult following on home video, chiefly as a [[SoBadItsGood "guilty pleasure"]] film infamous for its excessive sex, even more excessive nudity, and hilariously inane story and dialogue. By contrast, take a look at the 1967 film, ''Film/{{Blowup}}'', which took the opportunity to deal the final knockout blow to UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode and didn't foul it up by becoming a hailed film classic.

* ThePollyanna: Nomi Malone is a more believable and seemingly more cynical version of this trope. Nomi carries a knife, appears street savvy and effectively confronts a truck driver for hitting on her. However, she is shown to be ultimately trusting, to her detriment, leaving her luggage in his car to be stolen. Throughout the film she is betrayed for her trust. The callous Las Vegas show director Tony Moss mysteriously refers to her more than once as looking like a "Pollyanna", the first time for no apparent reason, the second time possibly due to her dress (though this still gives us no clue as to why he would name her as such).

* ColorblindCasting: Molly was written in the script as a chubby Caucasian girl. In the film, she's a slim, athletic African-American.