Showgirls

I am posting some old capsules that never made it here: http://www.invisiblecinema.ca/rev.html - (one must scroll down to get 'em).

Let's start w/ the film the world collectively needs to rescreen and shake its head in exulted awe for. Paul V's immortal Showgirls.


What people steadfastly refuse to get about the jaw-dropping toxicology report that serves as the consciousness behind the spirited miasma frothing forth from Joe Eszterhas’s living organic nightmare-carnality, is that the fucker NAILS America (especially the Hollywood America, here disguised as Vegas – Mike Tyson disguised as Michael Bolton) as one of its clueless symptoms, and he earned his big-nineties Clinton-town checks as surely as did David Koepp with his uber-sober brinksmanship scriptery for powers beyond his power or designs theretofore. Showgirls is an unstoppable whirligig of ham-fisted Sophocles-style insanity with some of the most confusing and wild performances you will ever witness (apparently Jessica Spano cums likes she’s plugged into a sparking outlet). Gina Gershon is clearly history’s most fuckable coke fiend rotter. Jacques Rivette loves this film and here is why: like his best works (or Cassavettes in Bookie and Opening Night, Ferrera’s fresh Go-Go movie possibly more so (haven’t seen it)) Ho-girls (sic) nails the desperation inherent in artistic creation (compromised by corporate slime and the petty immeasurable vanities of the rich (or rich w/ $ desperation poor) and twisted). This is the film that finally shows us how a truly trashy crackwhore, inherently hot and unlikable, gets made into … what’s the show called again? … oh ya, GODDESS, duh! (Think Whitney Huston). By whom? By money, rape, and stupid grimy Americans, grrrlfriend! The only shocking thing about this film is its brutal earnestness in the guise of the pulpiest of penny-dreadful mill mucous. We’ve had the Turkish Delight, now our Alaska is baked black as a sunk WWII frigate! Take it, bitch, as tenderly as intended … though made, this concoction may be, entirely for paintpeeling bile, it earns its tremendous sympathies.