It is almost 30 years sinceElizabeth Berkley“killed” her career by appearing in Paul Verhoeven’s controversial erotic dramaShowgirls, but the actress recently showed how times have changed during her appearance at a screening of the movie at the Academy Museum’s David Geffen Theater on Wednesday. In front of an appreciative, sold-out crowd of 1200, Berkley proved that any disappointment and shame she previously held about starring in the film are now well and truly in the past.
As a 21-year-old used to the world of TV sitcoms thanks toher role inSaved by the Bell, Berkley made her move to feature films in a movie that instantly derailed her ability to get other work. But as in many cases, that is only half the story. DespiteShowgirlsattempting to tap into similar themes that gaveVerhoeven a big hit withBasic Instinctjust three years earlier, it was slammed by critics, ridiculed by audiences, and regained only half of its $45 million budget during its theatrical run. Three decades on and the movie has become a huge cult classic, and is now something Berkley feels that she can be proud of for a number of reasons.
After noting that she originally asked her agent whether the film could potentially win her an Oscar she quipped:
Every girl in Hollywood had fought for this role. So it was not a strange thing to ask. So tonight, I’d like to thank the Academy…Museum.
She continued to talk about the movie’s impact on the LGBTQ community, and choked up as she noted that it “really pushed the boundaries at that time that now have been embraced — not misunderstood but truly embraced. And I’m so grateful that the film has found its way not only in your hearts but especially the LGBTQ community.” This led to the audience getting to their feet to applaud the star once again.
How Showgirls Has Defied Its Reputation
As her closing words, Berkley continued to show a lot of love and emotion for her audience as she said to them:
You stood by the film. You always believed, as did I, and for that I’m eternally grateful.
The reputation ofShowgirlsand its impact on Berkley is something that both the actress and director Verhoeven have addressed in the past, but the film stands as another one of those rare Hollywood offerings that is reappraised as years go by and begins to see a redemption that never seemed possible.
Showgirlsstill holds the unwanted record for the most nominations at the Golden Raspberry Awards – the film earned 13 nominations and won seven of them – which was not exactly the awards recognition that Berkley envisioned when taking on the role. Alongside its lowly 23% approval rating from critics, the film only gained 34% from audiences, but a deeper dive into recent reviews shows a distinct split in opinions. The film is either slammed as a nudity-filled piece of garbage, or a brilliantly satirical portrayal of the industry in which it is set.
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Although it seems that there will never be a true consensus as to whetherShowgirlsis a masterpiece from a director who has never played coy when it comes to using either sex or violence – or both at the same time – or something that is, as the Rotten Tomatoes’ consensus proclaims, “vile, contemptible, garish, and misogynistic.” Perhaps that was the point he whole time. Either way, it seems that Berkley has well and truly vanquished any remaining demons, and both she and the movie have found their place in cinema history.
