Bad Films We Love to Hate

This week marks a milestone in home cinema, for it is the week in which the Showgirls V.I.P. edition exposes itself to the public.

Only time will tell if this amped-up, camped-up contender to the throne of cheesecake cinema will be considered "classic" like its cinematic brethren Myra Breckenridge and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, but 10 years following its release it is still regarded as one of the "best of the bad."

Its new DVD release was marked by simultaneous screenings in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami and Toronto.

This titanic trash heap of a movie has wedged its way onto many a guilty pleasure list, including The Advocate’s Christian McLaughlin, who last year described the pic as such:

"Elizabeth Berkley snarls, shrieks, and humps her way through this masterpiece like a lubed-up wolverine. Liz gives the role of Nomi Malone her awful all—she even did her postproduction looping topless. Gina Gershon, the only actor who realizes what movie she’s in, oozes wicked diva magic as Nomi’s archrival and obligatory lesbo crush. Quite simply the best and beastliest bad movie ever made."

For those interested in just what’s so very important about Showgirls V.I.P. edition, here’s a glimpse at all you get:

• Showgirls shot glasses

• Playing cards

• Nipple tassles

• "Pin the Pasties on the Showgirl" game

• Photo cards of the cast members

• Commentary track of the film titled "The Greatest Film Ever Made" by David Schmader, who hosted annotated screenings of the film, and enlightens the audience with such wisdom as

"Showgirls triumphs in that every single person involved in the making of the film, from the writers, actors, gaffers, every single one of them is making the worst possible decision at every possible time, and it’s this incredible density of failure that makes Showgirls sublime."

Each year, Hollywood pats itself on the back with countless awards show, from the Oscars to the Screen Actors Guild Awards, and yet so many lesser films go unnoticed, like the wallflower during the junior high dance.

Certainly there are a glut of films released annually that are herded into the multiplexes, then limp quietly onto the local DVD shelves, but once in a while, films are so excruciatingly awful that they deserve to be honored in their own special way.

A film such as Showgirls certainly has a lot of competition out there, and there is one group dedicated to celebrating the bottom of the pile—the Razzies.

For the past 24 years, The Golden Raspberry Awards have kept tabs on the bottom-feeding detritus that washes upon our cinematic shores. They have bestowed various "dis-honors" for Worst Achievements in Film since 1980 in categories ranging from the obvious (Worst Picture, Actor and Actress) to the obtuse (Worst Remake or Sequel and Worst Screen Couple)

Their yearly bestowing of Tinsel Town’s Tackiest Trophies is regularly covered by all three major worldwide wire services (AP, UPI and Reuters) CNN, major market TV network affiliates across the U.S. and on nationwide ABC, NBC and CBS Network Radio news.

The awards were founded by cinephile and author John Wilson (who published, Everything I Know I Learned at the Movies).

They also receive print coverage in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Hollywood Reporter, Premiere and People-on-Line magazines.

Plans are also in the works for a television broadcast by 2005.

So who are some of the top contenders in this rabble-rousing Razzie roundup?

Here are some of the hallowed howlers:

Sylvester Stallone, with "wins" for such distinguished work as:

• Worst Actor (1984) Rhinestone

• Worst Actor, Director & Screenplay (1985) for both Rambo II and Rocky IV

• Worst Actor (1988) Rambo III

• Worst Actor of the Decade (1990—for the 1980s)

• Worst Actor (1992) Stop or My Mom Will Shoot!

• Worst Screen Couple (1994) Shared with Sharon Stone in The Specialist

• Worst Actor of the Century (2000) for "95% of Everything He’s Ever Done."

The Runner-up is Kevin Costner, with 16 nods and 6 awards (so far).

For Actresses, who can measure down to the level of The Material Girl herself? Madonna has provided Razzie voters with such film fodder over the years, it’s hard to keep track. Thus far, Madge has racked up 15 nominations and 9 awards, in the following categories:

• Worst Actress (1986) Shanghai Surprise

• Worst Actress (1987) Who’s That Girl?

• Worst Actress (1993) Body of Evidence

• Worst Supporting Actress (1995) Four Rooms

• Worst Actress of the Century (2000) For all of the above!

• Worst Actress (2000) The Next Big Thing

• Worst Actress and Worst Screen Couple (2002) Swept Away

• Worst Supporting Actress (2002) Die Another Day

The Runner-up is Bo Derek with 11 Nominations and 6 Awards, including Worst Actress of the Decade for the 1980s.

For more information on the Razzies, check out Razzies.com and keep "abreast" on such heavy hitters from the Hollywood heap.