I'm not big on John Waters, and I absolutely detest Melanie Griffith, but I figured that any movie that stands up against mainstream Hollywood cinema has gotta be good...right? Uh...no. To the power of ten.
I viewed this movie and thought to myself, "Geez, the story is about the overthrowing of mainstream cinema by the underground...yet this movie is exactly the same as any other teen angst film from the past twenty years!"
But then I thought, "Are they doing THAT on purpose? Is there irony in the fact that a film preaching the coolness of the underground cinema is following all of the standard Hollywood ideals and benchmarks needed to put together a movie such as this?"
Either way, the movie, in my opinion, comes off horribly. "Demented" sticks to the guns of past teen angst films by having a large central teen cast, each with specific quirks (there's the leader, the bad girl with black hair, the hussy, the nerd, and so forth) getting fed up with the "system" and revolting against stuffy grown-ups. However, Waters adds a new senseless twist...killing! That's right Teenage America! If there is something you don't like, grab a bunch of your stereotypical buddies and shoot up as many as you can!
Melanie Griffith is horrible, as usual, and Rikki Lake proves once again why she has a trash talk show and NOT a career in low-budget films. The only redeeming factor of the film is the potshots it takes at Hollywood features, like "Lake Placid" and "The Flintstones". But it's got a lot to make up for. For example, the group orgy at the drive-in where half the characters are offed while performing their sexual duties within the last five minutes (what was that all about ANYWAY??). Or how about the character of Cecil himself climbing into a wheelchair, lighting himself on fire, and "saving the day". Just complete and utter stupidity.
If you feel the need to stand up against Hollywood (like I did), and look to "Cecil B. Demented" for salvation, you'll be very disappointed. The film you thought would make up for the sins of Hollywood in the past year (see "Gone In 60 Seconds", "Hollow Man", "The Art Of War", etc.) only proves that you've once again been duped. This anti-Hollywood picture is just another bad Hollywood picture in disguise. Your money would be better wasted on "Empire Records" or any other film made in the last ten years that promotes teen unity and revolution.
I viewed this movie and thought to myself, "Geez, the story is about the overthrowing of mainstream cinema by the underground...yet this movie is exactly the same as any other teen angst film from the past twenty years!"
But then I thought, "Are they doing THAT on purpose? Is there irony in the fact that a film preaching the coolness of the underground cinema is following all of the standard Hollywood ideals and benchmarks needed to put together a movie such as this?"
Either way, the movie, in my opinion, comes off horribly. "Demented" sticks to the guns of past teen angst films by having a large central teen cast, each with specific quirks (there's the leader, the bad girl with black hair, the hussy, the nerd, and so forth) getting fed up with the "system" and revolting against stuffy grown-ups. However, Waters adds a new senseless twist...killing! That's right Teenage America! If there is something you don't like, grab a bunch of your stereotypical buddies and shoot up as many as you can!
Melanie Griffith is horrible, as usual, and Rikki Lake proves once again why she has a trash talk show and NOT a career in low-budget films. The only redeeming factor of the film is the potshots it takes at Hollywood features, like "Lake Placid" and "The Flintstones". But it's got a lot to make up for. For example, the group orgy at the drive-in where half the characters are offed while performing their sexual duties within the last five minutes (what was that all about ANYWAY??). Or how about the character of Cecil himself climbing into a wheelchair, lighting himself on fire, and "saving the day". Just complete and utter stupidity.
If you feel the need to stand up against Hollywood (like I did), and look to "Cecil B. Demented" for salvation, you'll be very disappointed. The film you thought would make up for the sins of Hollywood in the past year (see "Gone In 60 Seconds", "Hollow Man", "The Art Of War", etc.) only proves that you've once again been duped. This anti-Hollywood picture is just another bad Hollywood picture in disguise. Your money would be better wasted on "Empire Records" or any other film made in the last ten years that promotes teen unity and revolution.