InYou Don’t Nomi, a chorus of critics and fervent devotees explore the complicated afterlife of 1995’s biggest flop, Paul Verhoeven’s salaciousShowgirls. From disastrous release to cult adoration and extraordinary redemption, it’s all here in the new project. The documentary features Adam Nayman (Vice Guide to Film), April Kidwell (I, Nomi), and Peaches Christ (Milk). Additionally, the movie features archive interview footage with the cast and crew ofShowgirlsfrom around the time that the movie opened in theaters.
WhenShowgirlswas released in 1995, Paul Verhoeven’s NC-17 look at Vegas dancers was met by critics and audiences with near universal derision. But in the intervening decades, the movie has become a cult favorite and has inspired an ever-growing fan community. An impassioned debate over its quality, artistic intent, and messages about sex and gender continues to this day. Guided by critics, scholars, and fervent devotees, Jeffrey McHale’sYou Don’t Nomiexplores the legacy and broader implications ofShowgirls, while diving into its cultural inspirations as well as its place in Verhoeven’s filmography.
Showgirlswas supposed to be the big and controversial break forSaved by the BellstarElizabeth Berkley. However, that was not to be the case. Berkley plays Nomi Malone in the movie and her performance was torn to shreds. But, that was over 20 years ago now. Directors Jim Jarmusch and Jacques Rivette, have gone on the record defendingShowgirlsas a serious satire piece. Quentin Tarantino has stated that he enjoyed the movie, even going as far as to refer to it in 1996 as the “only… other time in the last twenty years [that] a major studio made a full-on, gigantic, big-budget exploitation movie.” The director went on to compare it toMandingo.
In tracingShowgirls' journey fromnotorious flop to cult classicand unlikely artistic resurrection,You Don’t Nomitakes a thought-provoking and entertaining look at an unforgettable piece of American popular culture and the surprising ways we connect with film and each other. This is more of a labor of love than anything as Jeffrey McHale actually has love for the originalPaul Verhoevenmovie. With that being said, that doesn’t mean that the documentary doesn’t take a critical and realistic look atShowgirls.
You Don’t Nomiwas originally going to open in theaters on June 5th, but that obviously won’t be able to happen now. Instead the documentary will be available Digitally and On Demand, starting on June 9th, 2020. In addition to directing, Jeffrey McHale also wrote the documentary. Adam Nayman, April Kidwell, Barbara Shulgasser-Parker, David Schmader, Haley Mlotek, Jeffrey Conway, Jeffrey Sconce, Matt Baume, Peaches Christ, and Susan Wloszczyna all appear in new interviews, which are spliced in with older interviews with the cast and crew whenShowgirlspremiered. You can check out the first trailer forYou Don’t Nomiabove, thanks to theRLJE Films YouTubechannel.
