Peaches Christ & The Amy Grimehouse
Peaches Christ & The Amy Grimehouse
10-10-14
In one week's time, the combined forces of London's Amy Grimehouse and San Francisco legend Peaches Christ are bringing to Dalston Paul Verhoven's underrated cult movie SHOWGIRLS!! As the capital's leading purveyors in trash films and b-movies, it's only fitting that the girls of Grimehouse have teamed up with Peaches, who is now on her 17th annual showing of the film at hallowed venue The Castro, with the most beloved, beheeled but tragic drag queens SF has to offer, chewing the scenery and giving out free lap dances- a treat that will extend to next week's screening too! Meanwhile here in London, the Amy Grimehouse are the brains behind the recent 12 hour long John Waters's Filth Fest at Electrowerkz, as well as hosting regular nights over at the Hackney Attic screening cult and queer classics and entire evenings devoted to divas such as Cher and Kate Bush.
Ahead of the whole festivities, we caught up with both Peaches Christ and the girls of The Amy Grimehouse to find out just why they love Showgirls...
What is your favourite incomprehensible Showgirls quote?
Peaches Christ: "You are a whore darlin'." I love the way Cristal delivers it in such a matter of fact way. Plus, I really love the word whore. I love saying it, calling people it… even being it.
Amy Grimehouse: You actually are a whore Peaches.
Which of Nomi's "outfits" do you think you could pull off? Or would you be raiding Cristal Connors wardrobe?
PC: I love Nomi's revenge outfit at the end of the movie a whole lot, but Cristal's look is my favorite. I'm all about that midriff showing and the cowboy hat.
AG: We're more into the Versayce dress. Classy Brit birds y'see.
What's your theory on how Kyle McLachlan was blackmailed or bribed to be in Showgirls?
PC: I think he probably saw its value as an over-the-top spectacle. I also think he probably saw the value, literally, in his MGM paycheck.
AG: He's a clever guy. It's the best movie ever made. Who wouldn't want to be a part of that? PLUS the dolphin pool sex romp... curiosity probably got the better of him.
Peaches, how did you make Night Of A 1000 Showgirls "interactive" this summer at The Castro? And why is The Castro such a great venue to show Showgirls?
PC: Audiences are always encouraged to dress up and become part of the event. I also like to give permissions to react loudly to what's happening while the movie screens. Also, our "FREE lap-dances with every large popcorn" gimmick really does deliver. It puts performers right into the laps of the audience, warming them up, and getting them all prepped and aroused for the movie itself.
The screening at The Rio is two weeks before Halloween... what would be your dream all-nighter film bill for Halloween?
PC: I think the original Halloween still delivers as the ultimate holiday movie. I would LOVE to do an event with the John Carpenter classic screening and an onstage interview with Ms. Jamie Leigh Curtis herself. That would be a dream come true.
AG: The film Halloween is definitely up there and as we say, 'on the list'. Ticks all the boxes and Jamie Lee is brilliant. We've done a William Castle double bill including The Tingler in full percepto which was ridiculously fun. Would love to do a Vincent Price all-nighter actually. And Elvira. Picking which movie to screen at Halloween is always AGONY, but this year we're doing Beetlejuice at the National Trust's Sutton House. We love having a big old scary house to play in!
Do you love Doggy Chow or are you a brown rice and vegetables kinda girl?
PC: Doggy chow all the way!
AG: I love doggy chow too! *looks seductively into Peaches eyes*
Okay, what is your take on that lunch scene- what is REALLY going on here??
PC: Lesbianism.
AG: Peaches has nailed it.
Who's giving out the free lapdances with the large popcorn?
AG: London's Hot Heels dancers are pulling out their most erotic moves and we've trawled Soho's finest establishments.
PC: And we are even bringing over some California girls to help out.
Is Showgirls even your favourite Paul Verhoeven film?
PC: Definitely.
AG: Showgirls for sure, but Starship Troopers comes a close second, and then Total Recall, Basic Instinct, Black Book... We love that there's always at least one gratuitous boob shot at some point in his films.
And because everyone always wonders what happened to the protagonist after the film ends, could you tell us what you picture Nomi doing in a hypothetical sequel (Showgirls 2: Penny's From Heaven does not count as a sequel in this context)….
PC: I'd love to see Nomi leave Vegas and end up starting a new life for herself with a new name and start to become a conservative republican politician- like Sarah Palin. She could still exhibit all the histrionics of Nomi but really be getting ahead preaching bullshit in the charismatic way she's so good at. Of course her past would eventually start to catch up to her in Act 2. And in Act 3… we'd somehow wind up back in Vegas for a Republican conference or rally where all would be revealed… Get it? All would be revealed? Basically, she'd strip again.
AG: Shit. How do we make this happen? No really. *Grabs camera and ice cubes*
Join John Sizzle at Dalston Superstore for the Amy Grimehouse pre-party on Friday 17th October before 11pm before heading over to The Rio Cinema for the screening of Showgirls with special host Peaches Christ.
Amy Grimehouse ticket holders also get in free to Superstore after the screening. To book your ticket to see Showgirls, head to The Rio's website.
Peaches Christ & The Amy Grimehouse