Basic Instinct (1992) was a global sensation that propelled director Paul Verhoeven’s career to new heights. Expectations for his next film ran high in the media even before its release. Showgirls centres on a girl-next-door vagabond who heads to the hedonistic underbelly of Las Vegas to be a top showgirl. The film’s star, Elizabeth Berkley, was a television actress determined to shed her good-girl image and sought a breakthrough role through her collaboration with the risque Verhoeven, much like what Sharon Stone had achieved. Unfortunately, the outcome was far from what was hoped. Showgirls received scathing reviews upon release and ultimately garnered seven wins at the parodic Golden Raspberry Awards for cinematic failures, which caused a significant blow to Berkley’s career.

However, the film’s journey didn’t end with its theatrical disappointment. Showgirls gradually gained popularity in the home video market, becoming a favourite among audiences who wanted to watch a movie ‘so bad, it’s good’. The elements that had drawn criticism—the ridiculous plot, awkward dialogue, and over-the-top acting—transformed the title into a quintessential piece of camp cinema.

Paul Verhoeven (b. 1938, the Netherlands) witnessed the horrors of World War II as a child in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands, informing the graphically explicit satires that he later made in his career. He first found popular success in his native country with the romance film Turkish Delight (1973). After moving to Hollywood, he directed one hit after another, including Robocop (1987), Total Recall (1990), and Basic Instinct (1992). The controversial Showgirls (1995) was panned by critics and bombed at the box office but has since developed a cult following. Starship Troopers (1997) is also a cult favourite, while his recent films, Elle (2016) and Benedetta (2021), have made him a festival darling.