After stopping by Cannes with one of the best films of his career, Elle, Paul Verhoeven returns in more ways than one this year. A new trailer has arrived for the French 4K scan of his 1995 erotic drama and cult classic Showgirls. The film concerns street-smart Nomi Malone (Elizabeth Berkley) who climbs the hierarchical ladder of dancing in the Las Vegas scene, and was known for its controversial depiction of sexuality and nudity with its NC-17 rating — a depiction Verhoeven believes couldn’t be made today:
“I don’t think that it’s a movie that could ever be made anymore. Ever. Because nudity is more taboo than ever in the United States. You see these movies and the sex scenes are reduced to a couple of dissolves where you see a hand on a back, but there are really no sex scenes in American movies anymore. There are exceptions, of course. But not many.”
Still, Verhoeven calls it “the most elegant movie I’ve ever done” and says it is more “anti-erotic than erotic.” This new scan does look rather spectacular, with Verhoeven’s colorfully aesthetic eye capturing twirling dancers, flames, and Vegas lights with verve. See the trailer below.
The restored Showgirls will be released on Blu-ray in France, along with opening in French cinemas on September 14th, with hopefully a U.S. release in the works.