If you only know one thing about Paul Verhoeven’s 1995 Las Vegas epic, it’s probably that it’s “the worst movie ever made.” It won 13 Razzies (including Worst Picture of the Decade). It was a box office bomb so toxic that some theaters offered refunds.
Skip the R-rated TV edit. It cuts all the nudity and swearing, which removes the entire point. Go for the unrated director’s cut. And when Nomi screams “I’m gonna be somebody!” at the end, remember: She already is.
Whether you’re watching it for the first time or the fifteenth, here is your guide to navigating the glitter, the grime, and the infamous pool scene. Paul Verhoeven is the director of RoboCop and Starship Troopers . He does not do subtle. He does not do “nice.” He does extreme, over-the-top satire of American greed, violence, and hypocrisy.
Let’s talk about Showgirls .