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Elle
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
The Best Showgirl-Inspired Movies to Watch Before Taylor Swift's New Album Drops
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Although the popularity of live showgirls has waned through the years, their iconic presence still looms large in our collective imagination. So, it's no surprise that Taylor Swift has tapped into their glamorous imagery and rich history with her new album, The Life of a Showgirl, which is due October 3. Fans will naturally want to immerse themselves not only in Swift's music, but also in her muse(s). Luckily, many other artists have been inspired by the ostentatious productions of Las Vegas, Broadway's Ziegfeld Follies, vaudeville, burlesque, and every other iteration of the showgirl, and there are many films out there dedicated to the art. Under the glitz, feathers, and coordinated ensembles, each individual showgirl has her own story to tell—just like Swift herself. As she recently explained on Travis Kelce's podcast, 'This album isn't really about what happened to me on stage [during the Eras Tour]. It's about what I was going through offstage.' Below are some of the best movies about the inner life of the showgirl (and other similar performers), and who she is both on stage and off. Scroll through for inspiration on how to shine in the spotlight, no matter what's happening in the wings. This campy dramatic thriller stars Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan, and Gina Gershon. It focuses on a young woman named Nomi Malone who hitches a ride to las Vegas to find fame as a dancer. The film's original NC-17 rating did not stop it from being frequently aired on cable with certain key moments censored for impressionable audiences. However, the movie does contain some extreme sexual violence in addition to graphic nudity, so approach with care. Watch Now on Hulu Set in Las Vegas, Pamela Anderson plays a showgirl who has to make some hard life decisions after her show of 30 years abruptly closes. The film, directed by Gia Coppola, co-stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Kiernan Shipka, Billie Lourd, and Brenda Song. Based on a wildly popular Broadway play, this classic film follows four actresses in a show beset with issues and bankrolled by a secret millionaire. The movie was produced in the heyday of the showgirl era, which coincided with the Great Depression, showing a pretty accurate portrayal of how people escaped their grim reality with spectacle. Watch Now on Prime Video Christina Aguilera should be enough of a draw in this classic story of a small town girl with big dreams, showing the world what she's got. (Of course, Cher and Stanley Tucci are wonderful additions too.) Tune in for the songs, stay for the cast chemistry. Watch Now on Apple TV+ American chorus girl Elsie Marina, played by Marilyn Monroe, catches the eye of a foreign prince while prancing on stage. Their encounter naturally leads to issues for them both, but with a surprisingly romantic conclusion. Set in Paris, this romantic and melodramatic musical stars Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor as two star-crossed lovers who inevitably come to a tragic end. But watching Kidman soar across the stage as the doomed Sabine is worth the ride. Again set in and produced during the Great Depression, 42nd Street follows a group of people trying to get a show up on its feet. While highlighting the challenges of producing such a collaborative work, the movie ends with a celebration of the showgirl over the rest of the team. Most people remember White Christmas as a holiday film about putting on a last minute show to save a very special resort in the post-WWII era. But before that happens, Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye meet Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen playing two sisters who make a living on stage. The movie's musical sequences will always be memorable, but the Haynes Sisters' act might be one of the biggest highlights. The Muppets have done a lot in their many decades on screen, but if there's one thing the merry puppets love to comment on, it's show business. The Great Muppet Caper is a comedic crime thriller, but the film contains a long and loving musical sequence honoring showgirls, starring none other than Miss Piggy herself. Watch Now on Disney+ You might consider Sister Act to be a fish-out-of water story about a woman hiding amongst a bunch of nuns and putting them on the map with musical numbers. What many forget is that Whoopi Goldberg starts her turn in the movie as a showgirl who gets sucked into mafia business and then witness protection. In a way, she makes the rest of her nun friends into showgirls, too. And the Lord approves. While she's not wearing traditional showgirl attire, Marilyn Monroe's turn as a gleeful gold digger singing 'Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend' remains an iconic entry into the oeuvre. The entire film is a delight and offers plenty of other stunning musical numbers. Gypsy Rose Lee is not exactly a showgirl—she dabbles more in the art of burlesque—but her story is arresting. The famous Stephen Sondheim musical was adapted for film and starred Natalie Wood as the child vaudeville star forced into the spotlight by her show monster mother (played by Rosalind Russell). The costumes are stunning, the music is catchy, and Wood is timelessly charming.
International Business Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- International Business Times
FACT CHECK: Did Taylor Swift Copy Popstar Britney Spears' Iconic Look for Her New Album as Internet Sleuths Spot Uncanny Resemblance?
When Taylor Swift revealed the burlesque-inspired artwork for her 12th studio album The Life of a Showgirl, she appeared in a rhinestone bra, fringed arm bands, and a bedazzled nude thong that looked strikingly familiar. And Swift is being alleged to have copied the entire look. Swift, 35, may have drawn inspiration from one of her idols, Britney Spears, who wore a nearly identical Bob Mackie–designed outfit during her $53.3M-grossing, 69-date Dream Within a Dream Tour in 2001. Mackie, now 86 — an iconic designer and a favorite of stars like Cher and Carol Burnett —created the Ziegfeld Follies–inspired sparkling costume for the 1981 Las Vegas stage show Jubilee! Copy Cat Taylor Swift poses for her new album X On April 1, Julien's Auctions sold the 43-year-old Grammy winner's bra, panties, and armbands for a staggering $78K. A replica of Britney's rhinestone-studded, low-rise Levi's 501 medium-wash jeans — created by Corbin Struck — went for $2,925. In 2023, Spears recalled online about first meeting Swift backstage during her $40.9M-grossing, 88-date Oops!... I Did It Again Tour around 2000–2001. "My good friend at the time was the assistant to my manager who was trying to become a manager himself," the semi-retired pop star—who boasts 41.8M Instagram followers - wrote. "There was a knock, and then he said, 'I have a girl named Taylor who wants to come in and sing for you.' I was like of course! He walks in, and she sings a beautiful song with her guitar. "I was like, 'Wow wow she's unbelievable!' We took a picture, and she then became the most iconic pop woman of our generation. Kinda cool she plays stadiums, and I prefer her videos over movies any day. She's stunning! Girl crush!" The admiration went both ways, with Swift telling GMA in 2004, "I think Britney Spears is awesome just because she has this aura that, you know, being around her in real life, people just change, and she's just so just awesome that way. "She has this aura that people just can't resist. And that's what I love about Britney Spears because she's just like nobody else and she's very different." In the Mood for Love Britney Spears X The 14-time Grammy winner announced Wednesday on her boyfriend Travis Kelce's New Heights podcast that her new album, "The Life of a Showgirl", will drop on October 3. The 12-track project features two songs — Ruin the Friendship and CANCELLED! — which many believe address the breakdown of her relationship with Blake Lively. The disgraced 37-year-old actress allegedly tried to blackmail Swift in February, threatening to leak ten years' worth of private text messages unless Swift publicly supported her during her legal battle with Justin Baldoni. On May 30, the "How Does It End" singer regained ownership of the masters for her first six studio albums — "Taylor Swift, Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989, and Reputation." According to Billboard, Taylor spent roughly $360M to repurchase her music catalog from Shamrock Capital after "bully" Scooter Braun sold her masters to the private equity firm in 2020 — a year after acquiring them from Big Machine. Meanwhile, Britney is gearing up to launch her first jewelry line, B. Tiny, and is reportedly heavily involved in her fully authorized biopic for Universal Pictures, directed by Wicked filmmaker Jon M. Chu. Spears — who recently joked about adopting "a beautiful baby girl" — will soon mark the 19th birthday of her son Jayden Federline on September 12. In November, the singer made her final $20K child support payment to her second ex-husband, Kevin Federline, whom she was married to for just two years before their 2007 divorce.
