If you refreshed Spotify every five seconds at midnight for Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl,” you’re not alone. And if you wrecked your sleep schedule listening on repeat all night, you’re also not alone. But Swift wasn’t the first showgirl — and she won’t be the last.
That’s the point. Throughout the album, Swift pays homage to the showgirls who came before her, from Marilyn Monroe to the Busby Berkeley starlets of the ‘40s. Once you’ve finished watching “The Fate of Ophelia” music video for the hundredth time (and still haven’t mastered the choreography), take a trip down showgirl memory lane.
‘Cabaret’
Cabaret (1972) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers – YouTube
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Life is a cabaret, old chum. And yes, “Cabaret” actually exists beyond “Schitt’s Creek,” as both a musical and a movie. Long before Stevie belted “Maybe This Time,” the show debuted on Broadway in 1966, then hit the big screen in 1972 with Liza Minnelli as Sally Bowles and Bob Fosse directing.
Set in 1931 Berlin, “Cabaret” might look whimsical with the Emcee’s mime makeup, but its story cuts deep, chronicling the apathy that lets fascism fester. Songs like “Life is a Cabaret” carry an eerie relevance today. For anyone who thinks musicals are just showtunes and sparkle, “Cabaret” proves they can tackle queer representation and social issues decades ahead of their time.
Rent/buy on Prime Video or Apple TV
‘Showgirls’
Showgirls (1995) HD Official Trailer – YouTube
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You either love or hate “Showgirls”; there’s no in-between. The 1995 film was trashed on release (and yes, “Gilmore Girls” fans, Rory wasn’t wrong about that infamous DVD cover), but controversy has only fueled its cult status.
Vegas showgirls are all about glitz, feathers, and fantasy — exactly what Nomi (Elizabeth Berkley) dreams of when she hitchhikes to Sin City. Her rise from stripper to headliner is pure camp, complete with bisexual tension and chaotic glamour. Like many showgirls before her, Nomi wrestles with whether it was all worth it.
Watch on HBO Max
‘Chicago’
Chicago | Official Trailer (HD) – Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones | MIRAMAX – YouTube
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Showgirls … but make it murder. “Chicago” trades a chorus line for death row, following wannabe star Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger) and nightclub sensation Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones) as they turn their murder trials into full-blown performances.
The 2002 film, set in the roaring ’20s and adapted from the 1975 Broadway show, blends crime, media spectacle, and razzle-dazzle with biting wit. Rob Marshall directs, with Bill Condon adapting the script alongside original creators John Kander and Fred Ebb.
Watch on Paramount Plus
‘Moulin Rouge!’
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“Moulin Rouge!” may remix everything from Elton John to Nirvana, but its heart beats in 1899 Paris. Club owner Harold Zidler (Jim Broadbent) tries to sell his star Satine (Nicole Kidman) to a wealthy duke, until a case of mistaken identity pairs her with broke poet Christian (Ewan McGregor) and, naturally, love complicates everything.
Despite its glitter and jukebox charm, “Moulin Rouge!” doesn’t shy from the darker side of showbiz: women as property, illness and heartbreak. Still, it’s a dazzling spectacle, with Baz Luhrmann’s signature maximalism paying homage to Monroe and modern pop divas alike.
Rent/buy on Prime Video or Apple TV
‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes ‘
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) Trailer #1 – YouTube
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Marilyn Monroe defined the showgirl archetype: glamorous, witty and all too aware of the industry’s double edge. In 1953’s “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” she stars as Lorelei Lee opposite Jane Russell’s Dorothy, two showgirls sailing from New York to Paris in search of love (or, in Lorelei’s case, diamonds).
Sure, Lorelei’s a “material girl,” but she’s also sharp and self-aware, a performance that’s both comedic and subversive. The musical numbers sparkle as brightly as her jewels, especially “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.”
Rent/buy on Prime Video or Apple TV
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