[J Harker]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Striptease (1996)

Coming just a year after the much vilified Showgirls, Striptease didn't stand much of a chance as it's essentially seen as several strip club sequences with a story thrown round them much like
1987's dreary Stripped to Kill was.

In reality it's actually far better than that description and is only really let down by some drastic shifts in tone throughout. It seems director Andrew Bergman has tonal problems, as his most appreciated film, Honeymoon in Vegas (1992), also suffers from the same thing in my opinion.

The story of a single unemployed mum who gets a job in a strip club to make ends meet as she tries to gain custody of her child from it's alcoholic father is a typical Hollywood drama that could play out on Channel 5 on a Monday afternoon were it not for the frequent nudity. However when you add in the political subplot of murder and corruption which begins when Burt Reynolds US senator accidently kills a punter in the club then things get a bit sticky. Reynold's senator is practically a comedy relief character as is Ving Rhames night club bouncer and there are plenty of laughs to be had. It's just when Armande Assante's cop arrives to investigate and CSI's Paul Guilfoyle starts offing people without the senator's knowledge that the tone shifts from scene to scene. Long strip sequences followed by beatings and tear jerk melodrama don't really go hand in hand.

It's all nicely acted though. Burt Reynolds is clearly having a blast as is Rhames, but the film is most famous for star Demi Moore's nudity. It seems she'd just had a new boob job and wanted to show them off. Many people don't rate silicon implants but i think she looks really good in this film. Super toned body wise, she makes for a decent dancer and in my eyes comes across more convincing than Elizabeth Berkely did in Showgirls (Although that might not be hard). Interestingly, one of the dancers, Rena Riffel, is in both this and Showgirls, typecast? Probably. Big breast lovers will want to keep an eye out for Pandora Peaks as she does her routine, although it's unlikely you'll miss em'.

Striptease is difficult to recommend as it's sort of good and a bit rubbish at the same time. I suppose the best way to describe it is as a guilty pleasure.

Showgirls is shit. I really enjoy Striptease.