You Don’t Nomi (Blu-ray Review)
RLJE Films, a business unit of AMC Networks, is releasing the acclaimed documentary YOU DON’T NOMI on July 21, 2020. The feature screenwriting and directorial debut of Jeffrey McHale, YOU DON’T NOMI is available on DVD for an SRP of $27.97 and on Blu-ray for an SRP of $28.97. In YOU DONT NOMI, a chorus of film critics and fervent devotees explore the complicated afterlife of 1995s biggest film flop, Paul Verhoeven’s Showgirls, from disastrous release to cult adoration and extraordinary redemption. The film features Adam Nayman (Vice Guide to Film), April Kidwell (I, Nomi) and Peaches Christ (Milk).
Film 
You Don’t Nomi is the new feature length documentary that highlights Showgirls in a way I had never seen before. Through voiceover, the viewer is guided on a rambunctious tour of the hot mess of a film known as Showgirls. From archival interviews with the actors, director Paul Verhoeven, authors, critics, drag queens, and everyone in-between.
The first thing that struck me was that the filmmakers of You Don’t Nomi opted for a strictly voice over narrative for the documentary. There are no sit-down interviews with anyone featured in the documentary and any interview footage with the actors and Paul Verhoeven was taken from archive footage. Viewers will also be taken on a journey of Paul Verhoeven’s filmography, so be sure to keep that mind, because there some spoilers throughout with regards to his films, especially his early Dutch films.
As mentioned before, we get a pseudo “film school” to go along with the dissection of how important Showgirls was to the pop culture aesthetic. Writer Adam Nayman (Showgirls: It Doesn’t Suck) really goes in-depth and made a believer out of me. I know when I first saw back in high school, it was just for the gratuitous sex and nudity. I was easy back then and Showgirls filled the void. Twenty-five years later and having watched You Don’t Nomi, has made me think that it may possibly be one of the most subversive films of all time.
I mentioned that Showgirls had an influence on stage performers, so much so, that a touring musical was launched called I, Nomi. The April Kidwell, the lead actress, shares some of her insight on playing the character originally inhabited by Elizabeth Berkeley — and what a cathartic role it was for her in her own life. I can honestly say that after watching You Don’t Nomi, and Showgirls right before I wrote this review, I have a newfound appreciation for the source material. It may have taken twenty-five years but here we are.
Video
Encoding: MPEG-4 AVC
Resolution: 1080p
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Clarity/Detail: This one is a bit strange because documentary is comprised of voiceover narration, archive footage, and the I, Nomi stage show. Depending on the source used, footage may or may not have a lot of detail. Sharpness levels may also fluctuate.
Depth: The stage show footage looks great and puts the viewer in the front seat.
Black Levels: Black levels also fluctuate a bit depending on the source material.
Color Reproduction: The color palette fares the best, especially during the stage show production that intersects with footage of the film.
Flesh Tones: The stage show performers looked great a
Noise/Artifacts: Again, for this documentary, I just went down the middle considering the sources used. Noise and artifacts vary depending on what footage was sourced from where.
Audio
Audio Format(s): English DTS HD-MA 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH
Dynamics: You Don’t Nomi gets the DTS HD-MA 5.1 lossless treatment. It’s a dialogue driven affair, with most of the action coming through use of archival footage of Showgirls and other films.
Low Frequency Extension: Yes, this documentary does have an LFE channel and it’s okay. Most of the LFE is from the footage used throughout the film showcasing Paul Verhoeven’s films.
Surround Sound Presentation: Ambient levels are fine and are usually reserved for onscreen action of the stock and archive footage used.
Dialogue Reproduction: Being that it’s a documentary, dialogue levels sound great, they’re front fired and in voice-over, sound clear and distinct when the guests speak over the footage.
Extras
N/A
Summary
You Don’t Nomi was a hilarious and poignant documentary showcasing one of the biggest train wrecks in 90’s film history. Some folks made it out unscathed and some did not. The video and audio specs are fine, but it’s a shame that there are no special features included on the Blu-ray. You Don’t Nomi is highly recommended!
The images used above within the review are not actual Blu-ray screenshots. They are for illustrative purposes only.
You Don’t Nomi is released
on Blu-ray July 21, 2020!
ORDER NOW!
Gerard Iribe
Gerard Iribe is a writer/reviewer for Why So Blu?. He has also reviewed for other sites like DVD Talk, Project-Blu, and CHUD, but Why So Blu? is where the heart is. You can follow his incoherency on Twitter: @giribe
