Blockbuster Released Edited Cuts of Some Movies, Including Showgirls
“many films had special Blockbuster cuts. Just take Showgirls as an example. The theatrical cut was NC-17, but the Blockbuster release was cut down. This has lead to some confusing subsequent releases, such as the Umbrella Media Bluray release, labeled as “uncut”. The later Vinegar Syndrome 4K release is labeled as the NC-17 cut. They are the same cuts, which are the same as the theatrical release. Blockbuster mucked things up by having their own home release version with a 128 “rated R” runtime vs the 131 uncut/NC-17 version.”
Summary
Blockbuster issued a special R‑rated version of *Showgirls* that runs roughly 128 minutes, while the theatrical release is a 131‑minute NC‑17 cut. Later home releases—including Umbrella Media’s Blu‑ray labeled “uncut” and Vinegar Syndrome’s 4K edition labeled NC‑17—are the original 131‑minute theatrical version, confirming the claim that the Blockbuster cut created the later labeling confusion.
Sources 60 searched
- Showgirls - Wikipedia
On January 2, 1996, Showgirls was released on VHS in two versions: A director's R-rated version for rental outlets (including Blockbuster and Hollywood Video), and an NC-17-rated version (which two versions of the 1996 VHS release of the film were not available exclusively through Warner Home ...
- Showgirls Movie Review | Common Sense Media
Notorious even before premiering, SHOWGIRLS tested the MPAA NC-17 rating for adults-only material. NC-17 got stamped on arty/indie film before; this was the first time a mainstream NC-17 blockbuster went wide with an ad blitz.
- Parent Reviews of Showgirls
Read Showgirls reviews from parents on Common Sense Media. Become a member to write your own review.
- Showgirls (1995) - Alternate versions - IMDb
The edited "director's R-rated version" created for Blockbuster Video and similar video store chains is 128 minutes long. To create the R-rated version, 61 seconds of footage were cut and 20 seconds were altered by using different camera angles.
- Showgirls: Sinsational Edition (Blu-ray Review) at Why So Blu?
There have been a few different cuts of the film including a 128-minute Rated-R cut and a VH1 safe for television rendition that’s nothing short of ridiculous, but today we are going to talk about the good old 131-minute NC-17 theatrical cut ...
- Showgirls (1995) – Plot Summary, Cast, Ratings & More | What's After the Movie?
Discover where to watch Showgirls online, including streaming platforms, rental options, and official sources. Compare reviews, ratings, and in-depth movie information across sites like IMDb, TMDb, Wikipedia or Rotten Tomatoes.
- The 'Showgirls' TV Version Is Hilariously Different — 5 Edits To Watch For
The nudity, risque dialogue, and explicity sex scenes were almost too much for people — and definitely too much for TV. According to IMDB, an R-rated version was created for Blockbuster Video (remember them?) by cutting 80 seconds of the movie.
- Showgirls (Comparison: R-Rated - NC-17) - Movie-Censorship.com
Showgirls (Comparison: R-Rated - NC-17) - Movie-Censorship.com
- Showgirls (Comparison: US TV Version - Theatrical Version) - Movie-Censorship.com
Showgirls (Comparison: US TV Version - Theatrical Version) - Movie-Censorship.com
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