History Film / Showgirls

* ScrewTheRulesImFamous[=/=]ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections: Andrew isn't charged for raping Molly because he's a celebrity and Zak helps cover it up. [[spoiler:Subverted as Nomi tracks him down and [[PayEvilUntoEvil makes him suffer for it]].]]

->''"You are a whore, darlin'. We all are. We take the cash, we cash the check, we show ‘em what they wanna see."''

->''"You are a whore, darlin. We all are. We take the cash, we cash the check, we show ‘em what they wanna see."''

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, [[SocietyMarchesOn 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'' is a 1995 sexploitation film written by Joe Eszterhas and directed by Creator/PaulVerhoeven. It is also the only movie to receive a wide release under the NC-17 rating.

* NotSoDifferent: Cristal is proud of Nomi for having lied, cheated, and backstabbed her way to the top because she did the exact same thing to the lead showgirl before.

* ToplessFromTheBack: Before entering the stage for her show, Nomi catches a glimpse of Cristal topless in her underwear.

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 will 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.

* RapeAsDrama: The rape scene is infamous, not only because it [[ShockingSwerve 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.

* DepravedBisexual: Part of Cristal's "evil" seems to be in her willingness to sleep with anyone, of whatever gender, solely for the purpose of controlling or humiliating them.

''Showgirls'' is a 1995 sexploitation film written by Joe Eszterhas and directed by Creator/PaulVerhoeven. It is also the only movie to receive a wide release under the NC-17 rating. 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 will 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 "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}}'', that took the opportunity to deal the final knockout blow to UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode and didn't foul it up by becoming a hailed film classic.

* BisexualLoveTriangle: Zach/Nomi/Christel.

* PinkIsErotic: Nomi starts her journey to becoming a Las Vegas showgirl by becoming a stripper at Cheetah's, a seedy gentlemen's club that has pink lights both inside and outside.

* PinkIsErotic: Nomi starts her journey to becoming a Las Vegas showgirl by becoming a stripper at Cheetah's, a Las Vegas gentlemen's club that has pink lights both inside and outside.

* DarkAndTroubledPast: [[spoiler:Zach eventually discovers that Nomi saw her parents die in a MurderSuicide and spent years hooking in various states (in addition to assaulting someone with a deadly weapon)]] before she arrived in Vegas.

* ConvenientlyAnOrphan: Nomi. [[spoiler:We find out at the end of the film that her father killed her mother and then killed himself.]]
* CrapsackWorld: Las Vegas.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Zach eventually discovers that Nomi [[spoiler: saw her parents die in a MurderSuicide and spent years hooking in various states (in addition to assaulting someone with a deadly weapon)]] before she arrived in Vegas.

* LostAesop: The film seems to be trying to prove ''something'' but neither the viewers or the movie itself seem to grasp just what that message is. At first it may seem like it's trying to say that a person should never compromise their morals, where Nomi is shown refusing to put ice cubes on her breasts to make her nipples stand up and refuses to do something that's implied to be prostitution... But this would only work if the character were a legitimate StripperWithAHeartOfGold, in that stripping was the worst thing she did. She had no problems pushing the lead dancer down the stairs to injure her, sleeping with her boss to get higher in the position to be said dancer's understudy. She seemed to be very happy with the idea of doing ''extremely'' graphic things on the stage of the old strip club. So "don't compromise your morals" can't work because the character's morals are borderline psychotic. Her interactions with other characters seem to indicate that the message is something about how Nomi really ''is'' a bad person at heart, that Cristal was right and Nomi really was a whore, who while at first denied it, began to accept it willingly or not. But then every other character in the entire movie acts as if Nomi is an absolute saint, no matter what she does. Even the girl she pushed down the stairs calls her a whore as if it were a compliment.

''Showgirls'' is a 1995 sexploitation film written by Joe Eszterhas and directed by Creator/PaulVerhoeven. It is also the only movie to receive a wide release under the NC-17 rating. This tale of the lives of UsefulNotes/LasVegas strippers set to the plot of ''Film/FortySecondStreet'' 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 will 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.

** The pool sex scene between Nomi and Zach, complete with unrealistic impossible sexual positioning and the climax looking like a seizure.
** Nomi licking a pole during her dance looks titillating, until you think about all the germs and diseases on that metal pole.