Showgirls is a sexploitation 1995 film (1995 in film) directed (film director) by Paul Verhoeven. It stars former teen actress (child actor) Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan and Gina Gershon. The film centres on a drifter who ventures to Las Vegas (Las Vegas metropolitan area) and climbs the seedy hierarchy from stripper (striptease) to showgirl.

Significant controversy and hype surrounding the films amounts of sex (sexual intercourse) and nudity preceded its release. In the United States, the movie was rated NC-17 (List of NC-17 rated films) for "nudity and erotic sexuality (Human sexuality) throughout, some graphic language (profanity) and sexual violence." Showgirls was the first and only NC-17 rated film to be given a wide release in mainstream theaters. United Artists dispatched several hundred staffers to theatres across the United States playing Showgirls in order to assure that patrons would not be sneaking into the theater from other films, and to make sure the film goers were over the age of 17.

Though the movie did not do well in theaters, Showgirls enjoyed success on the home video market, generating more than $100 million from video rentals and became one of MGMs top 20 all-time bestsellers. For its video premiere, Verhoeven prepared an R-rated (Motion Picture Association of America film rating system) cut for rental outlets that would not carry NC-17 films. This edited version runs 128 minutes and deletes some of the more graphic footage, in particular frames from the infamous lap dance sequence and love scene between Nomi and Zach. Showgirls has since become regarded as a cult classic. It was released on Blu-Ray for the first time in June 2010.