Nostradamus had written a lot about the end of the world. He foresaw volcanoes, hurricanes, religious fanatics nuking major cities, and some guy named Hister committing human rights violations all over Europe. In all his prophecies, somehow he missed the terror of “Showgirls” and the fact that somebody would destroy western society by making a sequel.
For those who have never seen Showgirls, don’t let the title or still pictures from an internet search fool you. Yes, on the surface this movie looks like something that would inspire poker players to practice a whole different kind of Texas Hold'em; preferably one done in the privacy of their own bedroom. While this is not a poker movie, it is about the casino culture. Anyone who has spent any time in a casino poker room probably has an interest in the things that happen in and around a casino. It is also famous for not only deflowering a “Saved by the Bell” girl in front of the movie going public, it also is known for being one of the worst movies ever made. In defiance of all logic, someone is making a sequel.
In poker terms, sequeling this film is like playing Texas Hold'em in your favorite casino poker room, seeing the flop while holding an unsuited 2-7, then with a board that reads A-K-Q-Q-J, making the decision to go all-in. Any poker player who knows his craft would never do that, and any director who knows anything about filmmaking should stay far away from the Showgirls franchise.
Instead of following the formula of hiring a television “good girl” and giving her a wardrobe of cheese cloth and massage oil instead of a script, Showgirls II is going to be, somehow, a murder mystery. They will follow one of the obscure characters from the original, as she goes to Germany to avenge the death of a family member…while wearing only cheese cloth and massage oil.
Poker blogs along with casino related articles and film critics will probably pan this movie before it even comes out, and rightfully so. Maybe if enough poker blogs get on this, it will go straight to DVD and western civilization will be saved.
