We all know and love Showgirls here. It is an unrefuted Skin classic! In 2019, a documentary about the film came and went without much fanfare. Well, I simply cannot abide by that. Let's give the documentary its due praise right now and take a look at the sexy Showgirls documentary You Don't Nomi.
Jeffrey McHale directed this fascinating documentary about the cult classic Showgirls by Paul Verhoeven. Previously Jeffrey McHale directed an Azalia Banks music video and some shorts here and there, so this feature-length film was a big deal for the rising filmmaker.
It is also a big deal for fans of Showgirls who still feel that the film was unfairly maligned. That is exactly what the documentary investigates: the film's reception and how the film's reception and fandom have changed over the years. It is now considered real entertainment by plenty (and we here at Skin Central are inclined to agree).
When Showgirls was released in 1995, the movie was panned by critics. People hated this film and made fun of the over-the-top nudity and the campy acting - particularly from star Elizabeth Berkley who played Nomi (thus the Nomi reference in the documentary title). This was huge for the young babe who was a teen starlet on Saved By the Bell. This was going to be the film that proved that Berkley wasn't some goodie-two-shoes teen actress. She was a real adult who was ready to tackle adult roles.
She certainly did do that...but it did not have the immediate effect that she had hoped. Berkley allegedly really believed that this film was going to be an important hit, but other actresses on set sort of caught a clue as to what kind of film this would be and acted accordingly.
In the decades that have followed the film's release, a legitimate cult following has formed around this movie. It has become a campy classic - oddly especially for women and gay men who love this kind of thing - and it gets shown as a midnight movie in theaters across the country.
So what is You Don't Nomi? This documentary takes a look at the film and gives us new behind-the-scenes footage featuring Elizabeth Berkley practicing her moves in a black bra and panties. Ms. Berkley also shows off her cleavage in the present-day in a little black dress with a plunging neckline that really shows off her jumbo yum yums. She looks stunning! She has aged perfectly and she is a total babe in her interviews.
We also get to see clips from an off-Broadway parody musical about Showgirls in which April Kidwell takes on the role of Nomi. We get to know her because she is topless for a lot of the show. She dances topless and she also sits at the table topless. I would give anything to buy a front-row ticket to that show! Imagine watching April shimmy and shake up close.
So, if you are a fan of Showgirls then you will have quite a show watching You Don't Nomi. Check it out!
