Stripper movies pull back the curtain on the exotic dancing industry, and show the artistry and humanity behind the business. Whether stripping is merely a gimmick to sell tickets, or the film makes legitimate commentary on the art form, stripper movies have grown and changed as moral standards shift. At their heart, films about stripping use the medium as a backdrop to tell compelling stories, and they often say a lot about larger issues in society.

Many movies about stripping put exotic dance at the forefront of their stories, and those films have offered a mixed bag of quality, from award-winners to notoriously panned flops. Additionally, stripper movies often also cross over into other forms of dance, with some of the best dance movies involving stripping as their main subject. As with any other art form, stripper movies are ultimately about expression, and though there are common plot threads across the subgenre, each offers a compellingly original take on the profession.

20 The Stripper (1963)

Starring Joanne Woodward

The idea of stripper movies is not new, as there was a movie about the subject as far back as 1963. The Stripper stars Academy Award-winning actress Joanne Woodward as Lila Green, a woman who wants a career in movies. However, after finding very little success in Hollywood, she s some traveling entertainers in Kansas with her boyfriend, Ricky Powers (Robert Webber). While visiting a friend (Claire Trevor), she catches the eye of the young Kenny (Richard Beymer), who becomes infatuated with her.

The movie plays into the idea of Lila working as a stripper when she needs money and finding that she has ruined the ideal that young Kenny had built of her in his mind when he sees her dancing. The Stripper is a product of its time, with the idea of women embracing their sexuality looked down upon by society, but it also is a sad tale, because Lila did what she had to do to make ends meet, even if this was something that idealistic outsiders could never wrap their minds around.

19 Titane (2021)

Starring Agathe Rousselle

Titane might be unlike any movie a person will ever see, and it is also one that uses the role of a stripper in a very different take. Agathe Rousselle stars as Alexia, a woman who was injured in a car accident when she was a child. As a result, she had a titanium plate inserted into her head, and she was never the same. As an adult, she began working as a stripper at a motor show, but this was mostly used for her side gig as a serial killer who targets both men and women.

The less known about the movie before seeing it, the better, but be warned, this is a body horror movie with some gruesome and very controversial horrific moments. It also involves a woman who, somehow, literally has sex with cars. The film was praised by critics and fans of body horror movies, and it even won the Palme d'Or, the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Titane has a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and remains an underrated modern-day horror classic.

18 Dogma (1999)

Starring Salma Hayek

While stripping plays a very small role in this movie, the idea of who the stripper is makes this an interesting addition to the genre. In Dogma, Kevin Smith tells one of the most ambitious tales of his career. Two angels (Matt Damon and Ben Affleck) have been banished to Earth for years and wander aimlessly until they come across a demon (Jason Lee) who offers them a way back. The only downfall is they would destroy humanity to do so. It is up to Jay, Silent Bob, and a descendant of Jesus Christ to stop them.

On their mission to stop the angels, Jay, Bob, and the last scion, Bethany, meet a variety of people, including the angel Metatron, Rufus (the Thirteenth Apostle), and Serendipity. It is this last character, Serendipity (played by Salma Hayek), who is the stripper in the movie. She is a Muse, which is an actual angelic being who provides inspiration for people of the world, and she does so as a stripper. She says her talents on the stage helped inspire nine of the 10 highest-grossing movies of all time.

17 Exotica (1994)

Starring Mia Kirshner

The 1994 erotic thriller Exotica remains one of the most underappreciated stripper movies ever made. The Canadian film stars Bruce Greenwood as Francis Brown, a tax auditor who frequents a strip club called Exotica. He spends most of his money on dances from a stripper named Christina (Mia Kirshner), who performs in a schoolgirl uniform. This angers the club's DJ, who used to date her. However, the plot sees Francis as a man grieving the death of his wife and daughter.

Exotica is a tale of trauma, with the main locale being the strip club. While the club provided the atmosphere for the film's setting, the story is about the power of loss, both from Francis and Christina, although their true connection is not revealed until the film's end. Critics praised the story and acting, and it sits high on Rotten Tomatoes with a 95% positive rating, with critics saying the sex and obsession in the movie is a nice cover for the strong character study.

16 Gypsy (1993)

Starring Bette Midler

There was a version of Gypsy made in 1963, but it was a movie that the author of the stage musical, Gypsy: A Musical Fable, disowned. He almost wouldn't allow this second version to be made until the son of the real Gypsy Rose Lee pushed for its production. This version was a movie made for TV, which aired on CBS in 1993.

In the story, Bette Midler plays "Mama" Rose Hovick, a mother who relentlessly wants to push her daughter into becoming a vaudeville headliner. However, when her daughter June rebels and leaves, Mama Rose decides she will take her other daughter, Louise (Gypsy Rose), and force her into the role whether she likes it or not. Midler won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television, while Cynthia Gibb was nominated for her role as Gypsy Rose.

15 Striptease (1996)

Starring Demi Moore

The 1990s saw an increased fascination with exotic dance as an art form, and many stripper movies during that era began to take the business seriously. In the case of Striptease, ex-FBI assistant Erin (Demi Moore) begins stripping to earn money to regain custody of her daughter, but she soon runs afoul of David Dilbeck (Burt Reynolds), a local politician who desires her.

Now a beloved piece of '90s cheese, Striptease was lambasted by critics for its overt melodrama and ham-fisted approach to the art of stripping. The negative reception to it sadly impacted Moore's career, effectively ending her time as one of Hollywood's A-listers. Nevertheless, the film never failed to entertain and Moore shined alongside a surprisingly villainous turn for Reynolds. The movie also became a box office success despite the critical reception, earning $113 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo).

14 Dancing At The Blue Iguana (2000)

Starring Daryl Hannah

Though a bit verbose, Dancing at the Blue Iguana attempted to show the harsh realities of the world of exotic dance, while largely ignoring the art form itself. The indie hit centers on dancers at the Blue Iguana Club, with a strong cast featuring Sandra Oh, Daryl Hannah, Jennifer Tilly, Charlotte Ayanna, and Sheila Kelley, who each yearn for a better life.

Despite being unfair to the profession, the film offered enough compelling storylines to stay interesting, and the acting was top-notch. While many stripper movies try to peel back the veneer and show the "real dancing business," Dancing at the Blue Iguana was hit or miss.

One of the most interesting elements is the accompanying documentary made by Hannah called Strip Notes, which details her research into this world to prepare for her role. It makes for a fascinating double-feature look at this world.

13 Magic Mike's Last Dance (2023)

Starring Channing Tatum

Closing out the trilogy of Magic Mike films, Magic Mike's Last Dance was a mostly satisfying conclusion to the beloved series of stripper movies. Mike (Channing Tatum) has taken to bartending after his business went bust but he is lured to London by socialite Maxandra (Salma Hayek) to perform once again.

Magic Mike's Last Dance offered closure for the series that spanned a decade...

Like the previous installments, Last Dance had plenty of scintillating dancing and didn't abandon the human element behind the performers. Despite the fact that the movie saw original director Steven Soderbergh returning to the franchise, the third movie fell somewhat short of the previous films in of box office and critical reception. The story was considered somewhat flat comparatively and was a more understated conclusion than the trilogy perhaps demanded.

Regardless, Magic Mike's Last Dance offered closure for the series that spanned a decade. It is also interesting to look at characters who have aged out of the erotic dance profession with Mike still having a ion for it and finding a way to continue to embrace his talents.

12 The Players Club (1998)

Starring LisaRaye McCoy

Though The Players Club featured a stock-standard story seen in many stripper movies, the details were what made it a legitimately engaging film. Diana (LisaRaye McCoy) strips to her family while also keeping on the straight and narrow by helping younger strippers make it in the business.

Deftly blending its comedy and its drama, The Players Club featured a stellar cast of Black stars from the late 1990s. Never dipping into melodramatics, Diana's story is both interesting and uplifting, and the story is realistic and fair to those in the profession.

The movie was directed by rap star Ice Cube, who also stars, and features some amazing talent, including Jamie Foxx, Bernie Mac, and Terrence Howard. The Players Club has been praised for its insight into the lives of these characters as well as McCoy's performance, which elevates the project. The movie marks Ice Cube's only directorial feature, but he was praised by critics like Roger Ebert for his balancing of the film's many different styles (via RogerEbert.com)

11 From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

Starring Salma Hayek

Stripping is only one small part of From Dusk Till Dawn, written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by Robert Rodriguez, but it serves as the turning point for the film. On the run from the law, the Gecko brothers flee to Mexico and find themselves at a bar that is a haven for vampires.

From Dusk Till Dawn hilariously changes genres halfway through, going from a crime thriller to a monster movie. Salma Hayek's lengthy strip sequence was largely meant to titillate the audience, but it also served as the transition in the story where the horror began. Hayek helps to make the moment truly iconic with her hypnotic performance feeling seductive yet also foreboding as the audience gets the sense danger is building even if they can't predict how weird things are going to get.

The movie itself is an impressive mix of the two collaborators. The first half of the film shines as a brutal yet entertaining crime saga mirroring Tarantino's previous movies. The second part is where Rodriguez's style comes out to play with the outlandish and cartoonish horror elements. It makes for a truly unique genre mash-up.