Paul Verhoeven on Blu-ray

[latehong]

Originally Posted by El_Fez

So is Showgirls any good? I only know it by it's reputation (and that reputation is . . . not flattering). I love his other criminally maligned work Starship Troopers, so I'm hoping tha this is more of the same?

I've seen three kinds of people: people who sneer at Showgirls because it's such a mess and nothing more; people who rave at Showgirls because it's a messy campy bonkers fun; and people who seriously admire Showgirls because it's genuinely great. I'm in the third group but can totally understand the other two. It largely depends on how you think of a movie's tone, point of view, and reality.

My one theory (never proved, of course) is that if you're a person who believes Verhoeven's post-Hollywood works, especially Elle and Benedetta, represent the essence of his cinema better than his Hollywood productions, there's a good chance you'll appreciate Showgirls.