This is NOT one of those cute little John Waters films like CRY BABY or SERIAL MOM that you and your family can watch and enjoy together. No, instead, this is one you rent when your kids are away at grandma's or are at a sleepover. No sane parent would ever want their kids to see this sick film--especially with its frontal nudity and very, very adult subject matter. BUT, for adults with a high tolerance for the weird and bawdy, this is definitely a great film. However, others should be forewarned--it is truly an intentionally offensive and gross film.
Yes, the film is deliberately trashy and shocking--featuring some of the sickest and funniest moments on film. Some examples? Well, when Divine's character runs away from home, she meets up with a guy (actually Devine but NOT in drag) and there is a bizarre sex scene where she (?) makes love to this guy (herself). And, to top it off for grossness and weirdness, the guy has huge brown "skidmarks" in his underwear! Also, there is copious amounts of child abuse, an aunt that is angry that her nephew the hairdresser is NOT gay and she sees this as very unnatural and sick, a Christmas scene that is one of the funniest and most irreverent in history, a hand being chopped off in retribution for acid being thrown into Devine's face, etc., etc. There's just so much over-the-top and funny grossness and awful behavior it's hard to keep track of it all!!
The film appears to have been filmed on a budget of about $16.93--with over-the-top acting (if you can even call it acting), grainy cinematography and a script that seems, at times, like it was just made up as the film was rolling. And, together, these actually give the film some goofy charm and make it an interesting bit of social criticism--particularly regarding the cult of the celebrity and beauty. Divine is at his/her most outrageous--with the only prison movie performance MORE amateurish and over-the-top than Susan Hayward in I WANT TO LIVE--which, in many ways, this film parodies in the final segment.
Violence, mayhem, violation of pretty much all social norms and a stunning electrocution scene--this film's got a little bit of everything! But, if you let your kids see this, they will never be the same again!!! Watch it and then if others ask, deny you ever saw it--and try not to snicker, as it is truly a hilarious film!
By the way, if the raunchiness of this film seems a bit daunting, try watching POLYESTER--it's a bit less sleazy and more mainstream but practically as weird.
Yes, the film is deliberately trashy and shocking--featuring some of the sickest and funniest moments on film. Some examples? Well, when Divine's character runs away from home, she meets up with a guy (actually Devine but NOT in drag) and there is a bizarre sex scene where she (?) makes love to this guy (herself). And, to top it off for grossness and weirdness, the guy has huge brown "skidmarks" in his underwear! Also, there is copious amounts of child abuse, an aunt that is angry that her nephew the hairdresser is NOT gay and she sees this as very unnatural and sick, a Christmas scene that is one of the funniest and most irreverent in history, a hand being chopped off in retribution for acid being thrown into Devine's face, etc., etc. There's just so much over-the-top and funny grossness and awful behavior it's hard to keep track of it all!!
The film appears to have been filmed on a budget of about $16.93--with over-the-top acting (if you can even call it acting), grainy cinematography and a script that seems, at times, like it was just made up as the film was rolling. And, together, these actually give the film some goofy charm and make it an interesting bit of social criticism--particularly regarding the cult of the celebrity and beauty. Divine is at his/her most outrageous--with the only prison movie performance MORE amateurish and over-the-top than Susan Hayward in I WANT TO LIVE--which, in many ways, this film parodies in the final segment.
Violence, mayhem, violation of pretty much all social norms and a stunning electrocution scene--this film's got a little bit of everything! But, if you let your kids see this, they will never be the same again!!! Watch it and then if others ask, deny you ever saw it--and try not to snicker, as it is truly a hilarious film!
By the way, if the raunchiness of this film seems a bit daunting, try watching POLYESTER--it's a bit less sleazy and more mainstream but practically as weird.