It Doesn't Suck: Showgirls (Large Print 16pt) - Softcover

""It Doesn't Suck" isn't just a book about "Showgirls," but about the way we perceive such films and how that perception changes over time. As an extended conversation on one of the most ridiculed films of the past two decades, Nayman's book is a valuable gift." -- "Slate" "The book is, quite simply, stiletto-sharp, and succeeds in something extraordinary: It makes one want to revisit Showgirls not for laughs, or titillation, but for (gulp) understanding. That's some accomplishment." -- "The FilmStage.com" ""Showgirls" doesn't suck. That's the thesis of the short, entertaining new book "It Doesn't Suck," and author Adam Nayman goes a long way towards proving it . . . His book definitely demonstrates that "Showgirls" is a coherent statement, and that its excess, its ridiculousness, and its tastelessness aren't arbitrary, but thematic." -- "The Atlantic" "For lovers of "Showgirls" or controversial films in general, "It Doesn't Suck" is likely to be a great conversation piece. It facilitates discussions and inevitable arguments about the film, offers good background and contextual information and equips the reader to carry on the argument with his or her own friends, accepting or rejecting as many of Nayman's arguments as desired." -- "Paste Magazine" "Nayman's passion is entertaining, like sitting down with a friend who has just realized that you need to watch "The Wizard of Oz" while listening to Pink Floyd." -- "Las Vegas Weekly" "This book is virtually a legal defense dressed as film criticism. Adam Nayman gives us heart, soul, and history, yes, but he also gives us something more: tools to win at '"Showgirls" sucks.' It doesn't. Adam demonstrates not only the ways in which the movie means something to all of us, he allows for the possibility that the movie "is" us." -- Pulitzer Prize-winning "Grantland" film critic Wesley Morris "The scene where Nomi and rival Cristal (Gina Gershon) bond over having eaten dog food is probably the film's most mocked, but Nayman convincingly illustrates how -- even here -- Verhoeven purposefully breaks the grammar of conventional film continuity to create the effect that each woman is talking to herself." -- "Cineaste Magazine"

The Worst. Movie. Ever. is a masterpiece. Seriously. Enough time has passed since Showgirls flopped spectacularly that it's time for a good, hard look back at the sequined spectacle. A salvage operation on a very public, very expensive train wreck, It Doesn't Suck argues that Showgirls is much smarter and deeper than it is given credit for. In an accessible and entertaining voice, the book encourages a shift in critical perspective on Paul Verhoeven's Showgirls, analyzing the film, its reception, and rehabilitation. This in - depth study of a much - reviled movie is a must read for lovers and haters of the 1995 Razzie winner for Worst Picture.