Showgirls is a 1995 erotic drama film written by Joe Eszterhas and directed by Paul Verhoeven starring former teen actress Elizabeth Berkley, It centers around the character 'Nomi' formally known as Polly. The opening scene begins with her skipping town on a journey to Las Vegas. The premise of the film involves the life of Nomi as an erotic dancer who strives to be famous Las Vagus showgirl. Without breaching too far into the plot, the film displays a lot of nudity and erotisicm, When I first watched watched the film I assumed, due to the level of nudity and portrayal of sexual acts, that it was a film that simply objectified women's bodies for the purpose of bringing pleasure to the spectator. However, as the movie progresses I realised that Nomi as the main protagonist in the film is presented as strong female character who is in control of her body and life despite the lack of respect shown by the overarching patriarchal messages seen through the images in the film.. The film ends with a scene that proves that although Nomi is alone in a world corrupted by men believing they have complete control over women, not just with regards to their bodies, but also their lives. She manages to boss that shit and leave Las Vegas knowing she has kept her sense of control of her life and sexuality.
The film is beautifully shot and it resonated with me and my artwork as I have focused on female empowerment in many of my older pieces. I am inspired now, perhaps, to create some 80s inspired illustrations from the film to showcase my appreciation for the beauty of Elizabeth Berkley and other females in the film.
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