Latest news with #ElizabethBerkley
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Showgirls review – Paul Verhoeven's kitsch-classic softcore erotic drama is pure bizarreness
Martin Scorsese's Casino wasn't the only Las Vegas movie of 1995, there was also Showgirls – now on rerelease for its 30th anniversary – whose pure bizarreness has over three decades achieved its own identity, like Dick Van Dyke's cockney accent in Mary Poppins. It is the softcore erotic drama from screenwriter Joe Eszterhas and director Paul Verhoeven that has made a slow ascent from critical flop to kitsch cult favourite and now to a supposed tongue-out-of-cheek classic melodrama. Maybe it's the last great mainstream exploitation picture, a film which owns and flaunts its crassness; a bi-curious catfight version of All About Eve or Pretty Woman. Elizabeth Berkley plays Nomi, a mysterious, beautiful, super-sexy drifter who arrives in Vegas, hoping to make it dancing in one of the hotel shows. She is befriended by Molly (Gina Ravera), a good-natured pal whose help gets Nomi a start in a low-grade strip joint called Cheetah's. Nomi soon upgrades to the supposedly classier Stardust where she is dazzled by the gorgeousness of leading lady Cristal Connors, played by Gina Gershon with an entirely ridiculous way of addressing everyone as 'darlin'' in a Texas accent. Nomi has a sexual frisson with the club's owner Zack, played by Kyle MacLachlan (whose presence helps give the film a mild and accidental Lynchian flavour) and also with Cristal herself, whose understudy she aspires to be. Throughout it all, Nomi shows she is a survivor with a streak of ruthlessness. The question has to be asked. Why? Why? Why the strange, clenched, maniacal acting and directing, which Verhoeven never actually demonstrated before or ever again, and which really doesn't resemble any other 90s erotic thriller. It looks more like an erotic horror with the horror removed. Berkley's baffling performance, abruptly switching back and forth between sultry pouting and pop-eyed badass defiance, is that of a Stepford sexbot; though it has to be said it is managed, like the rest of the film, with a fanatically focused consistency and Berkley's onscreen appearance is impressive, even awe-inspiring in her trance-like beauty. Everything is deeply strange: the angular, jolting choreography, the persistent, repeated and pedantic revelation of naked breasts, and the grotesque treatment of ageing stripper Mama Bazoom, played by Lin Tucci, who is portrayed with absolute misogyny, though arguably no more so than anyone or anything else. Then there is the rape scene, which is not really redeemed by the rape-revenge scene. There is one tiny touch which gives Showgirls a kind of human dimension: poor out-of-towner Nomi buys herself a fancy gown and mispronounces the word 'Versace' as 'Ver-sayss' and is mocked by the sneery Vegas insiders (although Zack rather gallantly glosses over it). That whole moment seems to come from another film entirely. Are we rushing to clothe the naked emperor by contriving emollient or contrarian explanations for all this? Perhaps. (The hip young cinephiles in Mia Hansen-Løve's 2014 film Eden are shown debating whether the awfulness of Showgirls is deliberate.) It remains weirdly innocent in its absurdity. Showgirls is in UK and Irish cinemas from 6 June.
The Sun
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Nineties TV legend looks unrecognisable 32 years after teen telly fame as she poses with controversial Doctor Who star
THIS nineties TV legend looks totally unrecognisable 32 years after reaching telly fame as a teen. The sitcom star posed alongside a controversial Doctor Who actor at a fan convention in Palm Springs. 5 The 51-year-old rose to fame as a child star in 1989, joining the cast of the High School comedy, Saved by The Bell, where she played Jessie Spano for four years. Now over three decades later, Elizabeth Berkley looks like she's barely aged a day. At a fan convention, Elizabeth posed alongside controversial Doctor Who star John Barrowman. The pair embraced whilst then comically posing in the pics uploaded to John's Instagram. He wrote: 'I had no idea @elizberkley knew who I was. 'She is iconic and an ally. We chatted, laughed and hit some poses. Then the B**** pushed me down the invisible stairs! A new friendship has erupted.' Controversial John was sacked from ITV's Dancing On Ice in 2021 when historical sexual misconduct claims surfaced. He was accused of flashing at the cast on Doctor Who and its spin-off Torchwood where he appeared as Captain Jack Harkness between 2005 and 2011. Elizabeth is no stranger to controversy herself, after leaving Saved By The Bell to try to break into film, she got the role of Nomi Malone in the problematic 1995 film Showgirls. The saucy film which featured extensive nudity was widely slammed by critics, but over the years has gone on to become a cult classic. Star of hit nineties sitcom looks unrecognisable in popular drama - but can you guess who it is? Elizabeth, who has a PhD, went on to become a bestselling author with her self-help book, as well as appearing on the West End and Broadway and in TV shows like CSI: Miami. Fans took to the comments gushing over the pair, one user said: 'Two of my favorite celebrities, this is the collaboration of talent I've always wanted to see' 'Jessie Spano X Captain Jack!' chimed another. 'Love her!! Awesome pictures,' added a third. Other TV shows Elizabeth has appeared on include Titus and most recently the hit Netflix show Cobra Kai starring Ralph Macchio. The mom-of-one shares son Sky with actor, fashion designer and painter Greg Lauren. He is also the the nephew of the world renown fashion designer Ralph Lauren. Greg and Elizabeth tied the knot in 2003 after the duo met at a dance class three years prior. 5 5 5
