The Showgirls of its day

“Nothing can destroy her talent; but she’ll destroy herself”

The Showgirls of its day. All the years I’ve heard of Valley of the Dolls referred to as a cult camp classic, I was expecting fun. Dean Martin and Sharon Tate in The Wrecking Crew sort of fun. Not once was I aware, or remotely expecting, to bear witness to one of the most devastating tragedies to deal with the all-too familiar story of the price to pay for fame and fortune. Like Showgirls, you see the rise of Barbara Parkins, Patty Duke and Sharon Tate’s characters, struggling to make a name for themselves, and slowly, as they rise through the entertainment industry, are overwhelmed by their success, becoming shadows of their former selves, relying on pills, alcohol and selling their body, mind and souls to keep themselves going, which, as we know from films like The Red Shoes or Mulholland Drive, either lands you back to square one where you came from or death.