Independent producer and author John Pierson (Spike, Mike, Slackers and Dykes) defines the 1970s American indie scene as "the three Johns: John Cassavetes, John Sayles, and John Waters." John Waters, Baltimore's king of sleaze, in such classy company? According to Pierson in this 1998 documentary, Waters had an even more profound impact on American cinema. Director Steve Yeager, a Waters intimate for decades (he plays a bit part in Pink Flamingos), gathers the surviving members of his stock company for a portrait of the director, from backyard puppet show impresario to the transgressive underground and exploitation director who grossed out America in the 1970s. A generous array of film clips is enriched with archival interviews with Divine, David Lochary, and Edith Massey, and a chorus of film critics and underground and independent directors.
Fully half of the film chronicles the making of Pink Flamingos, with actual behind-the-scenes footage from the shoot (including the most priceless direction ever captured on film: "David, act some more"). A plentiful portion pays tribute to Divine ("the Godzilla of drag queens"), whom Waters calls "my Elizabeth Taylor." The only real disappointment in this rich and highly entertaining documentary is that it ends with Flamingos, as if his entire career since is a mere coda to this cultural touchstone. But this portrait is so rich and detailed that it's a forgivable directorial choice. --Sean Axmaker
2.
Climaxing with Waters filming Divine's infamous "dog-excrement eating scene" for the American filth masterpiece PINK FLAMINGOS, Yeager's documentary is a loving portrait of the outré artist as a young man. Beginning with Waters's unusual childhood fascinations with bloody car wrecks and storybook villains, Yeager traces the self-proclaimed "Sultan of Sleaze's" career progression from amateur puppeteer to guerrilla filmmaker and celebrated cult phenomenon. Waters comes across as an ambitious artist with a singular vision, unflagging work ethic, and flair for salesmanship, combining the pluck of Benjamin Franklin with the aesthetic of a deranged Douglas Sirk. The interviews feature his parents, friends and collaborators (Pearce, Stole, Massey, Lochary, Divine), fellow filmmakers, critics, art curators, the beleaguered Maryland State censor who had to rate all of his films, and the director himself. Combined with exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and montages of classic scenes from his early body of work (ROMAN CANDLES, EAT YOUR MAKE UP, MULTIPLE MANIACS, FEMALE TROUBLE, PINK FLAMINGOS, and more), the film pays tribute to Waters's influential approach to filmmaking and to his biggest star, the 300-pound drag queen Divine (nee Glenn Milstead), while simultaneously exploring his diverse influences (HOWDY DOODY, WIZARD OF OZ, exploitation filmmakers Hershel Gordon Lewis and the Kuchar brothers, as well as Warhol and Godard) and lasting contributions to American cinema.
Mooviees.com is not the official site for this film.
All editorial views and opinions expressed here are for entertainment purposes only.
Movie Database
In Theaters
