After a heartbreaking loss to Mikey Madison (Anora) for the Best Actress Oscar, The Substance’s Demi Moore’s 1996 box office bomb, Striptease, is climbing the global Max top 10 chart. Released during the prime summer season, the film was supposed to be a high-profile box office hit, but ended up being a massive financial failure in North America. It is widely considered one of the worst films of all time.
Striptease was based on Carl Hiassen’s 1993 novel and follows Erin Grant, who lost her FBI job after her loser ex-husband, Darrell (Robert Patrick), was arrested for drugs. And soon after, she loses custody of her daughter, Angela (played by real-life daughter, Rumer Willis) to said loser ex-husband. Grant becomes a stripper at the Eager Beaver strip club in Miami, Florida, to get the $15,000 needed to file an appeal for reprieve. Soon, she catches the eye of a creepy Congressman named David Dilbeck (Burt Reynolds).
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Demi Moore Explains How People Have Misconceptions About One of Her Most Panned Movies
Demi Moore shared her thoughts on her sleazy 1996 movie, and how many missed one important aspect of its purpose.
The movie had a lot of potential: it was written, co-produced, and directed by Andrew Bergman, whose The Freshman with Matthew Broderick and Marlon Brando is a little-seen gem of a movie. He also wrote Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles (1974) and The In-Laws (1979). Meanwhile, Moore had starred in several hit films just a few years prior, including the classics Ghost (1990) and A Few Good Men (1992), along with Indecent Proposal (1993) and Disclosure (1994). The original novel was highly rated and went on to become a bestseller. Adding in a stacked supporting cast that included Ving Rhames and Armand Assante, Striptease had the makings of a major hit.
The film opened on June 28, 1996, and was an immediate box office bomb, earning $12.3 million its opening weekend on the way to a terrible $33.1 million total domestic gross against a reported $50 million budget. But an interesting thing happened: the film was a big hit at the international box office, where it earned $80.2 million for a global box office total of $113.3 million.
Meanwhile, critics savaged the film, and it currently sits at an awful 13% critical and 24% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The critical consensus summed it up perfectly: “Striptease can’t decide whether it is a lurid thriller or a sexy satire – which becomes a moot point as it proves disastrously incapable of pulling either off.” It won six Razzies including Worst Picture and Moore won twice for Worst Actress for her roles in Striptease and The Juror.
What’s Next for Demi Moore Following ‘The Substance’s Success?
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Despite winning multiple acting awards for her classic performance as Elisabeth in The Substance, Moore was sadly robbed of a Best Actress Oscar. The actress took to social media and wrote, “As this awards season comes to a close, I’m so overwhelmed with gratitude for this journey. It’s been the ride of a lifetime, and we’re just getting started!”
Moore had a small role in Landman, which will be expanded in a possible season 2, and will next be seen in I Love Boosters, written and directed by Boots Riley (I’m a Virgo, Sorry to Bother You). The movie is about a group of shoplifters who target a fashion maven (Moore). She is also being highly selective as she chooses her next project.
Striptease
Release Date
June 23, 1996
Runtime
117 Minutes
Director
Andrew Bergman
Writers
Andrew Bergman
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