To celebrate the theatrical release of Paul Verhoeven’s latest sensation Benedetta (2021), we’ll be looking back at the furor surrounding his notorious, Vegas-set stripping drama Showgirls (1995). Once disregarded for its bad acting, full-frontal nudity, ultra-frenetic sex scenes, and total rejection of anything resembling good taste, Showgirls has reached near classic status as a provocative satire on American consumerism and the shallow, conniving machinations of the entertainment industry—showbusiness, according to Verhoeven, is a soulless and cynical dog-eat-dog world which treats its performers like cogs in a well-oiled machine. Jeffrey McHale’s lively essay film You Don’t Nomi (2019) follows the film’s redemptive arc from notorious box-office flop and critical bête noire  to misunderstood masterpiece. On the way, we hear from clued-up critical voices and scandalized reviewers, alongside archival footage of scandalized presenters from the era, all of which help put together the puzzle of Showgirls’ critical U-turn and canonical cult status. With this double bill, we invite you to make up your own mind: is Showgirls really one of the greatest films of the ‘90s? And what’s Verhoeven’s obsession with fake nails all about?

To celebrate the theatrical release of Paul Verhoeven&#8217;s latest sensation Benedetta (2021), we&#8217;ll be looking back at the furor surrounding his notorious, Vegas-set stripping drama Showgirls (1995). Once disregarded for its bad acting, full-frontal nudity, ultra-frenetic sex scenes, and total rejection of anything resembling good taste, Showgirls has reached near classic status as a provocative satire on American consumerism and the shallow, conniving machinations of the entertainment industry&#8212;showbusiness, according to Verhoeven, is a soulless and cynical dog-eat-dog world which treats its performers like cogs in a well-oiled machine. Jeffrey McHale&#8217;s lively essay film You Don&#8217;t Nomi (2019) follows the film&#8217;s redemptive arc from notorious box-office flop and critical bête noire to misunderstood masterpiece. On the way, we hear from clued-up critical voices and scandalized reviewers, alongside archival footage of scandalized presenters from the era, all of which help put together the puzzle of Showgirls&#8217; critical U-turn and canonical cult status. With this double bill, we invite you to make up your own mind: is Showgirls really one of the greatest films of the &#8216;90s? And what&#8217;s Verhoeven&#8217;s obsession with fake nails all about?

You Don't Nomi: A "Showgirls" Double Bill

YOU DON'T NOMI: A "SHOWGIRLS" DOUBLE BILL

To celebrate the theatrical release of Paul Verhoeven’s latest sensation Benedetta, we’ll be looking back at the furor surrounding his notorious and prescient Vegas-set stripping drama Showgirls (1995). We invite you to make up your own mind: is it really one of the greatest films of the ’90s?

To celebrate the theatrical release of Paul Verhoeven&#8217;s latest sensation Benedetta, we&#8217;ll be looking back at the furor surrounding his notorious and prescient Vegas-set stripping drama Showgirls (1995). We invite you to make up your own mind: is it really one of the greatest films of the &#8217;90s?