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Multiple
Maniacs (1970)
"I
always refer to "Multiple Maniacs" as my "celluloid
atrocity." - John Waters
This was
John Waters' first "talkie" and the first really successful
film he made. It predates the cult classic "Pink Flamingos"
by two years and was Waters' last black and white film.
It is shot in 16mm and has synchronized sound.
"Maniacs"
has many of the same stars that would appear in "Flamingos."
Divine appears in all her glory as Madame Divine, the
curator of a carnival of freaks known as the Cavalcade
of Perversion. This turns out to be a front for ripping-off
and killing uptight suburbanites and business men.
The film
opens with Mr. David (David Lochary), the carnival's
barker and Divine's "boyfriend," hustling townspeople
into little white tents to witness the stars of this
perverse carnival. These scenes are pure Waters with
the acts including a junkie going through withdrawal,
a pornographer snapping pictures of a nude models snatch,
a puke-eater, and two men kissing - on the lips! These
scenes are entertaining and perverse. Divine soon appears
("butt" naked by the way) and immediately begins to
steal the show.
Of all
of Waters' cronies, Divine was always the best actor.
She really shines here. While some of the other actors
stumble through the scenes, Divine revels in them and
seems totally dominated by her character. This is the
film that proved her talent was not just visual.
Water's
whole purpose, he claims in his book "Shock Value" was
to portray carnage and mayhem for laughs." Waters has
the plot include the idea that Divine and Mr. David
were responsible for the Sharon Tate murders. Unfortunately,
Manson and Co. were arrested during filming so that
idea had to be abandoned (meaning verbally discredited
in the film) midway through the filming.
The most
startling and strange sequence occurs about 20 minutes
into the film when Divine meets Mink Stole in a church
and the two begin to have sex. Stole performs a "rosary
job" on Divine which involves a rosary and Divine's
ass. For some reason, Waters inter-cuts this sex scene
with a re-enactment of Christ's crucifixion performed
by his oddball cast (with George Figgs particularly
brilliant as Christ.) The juxtaposition of sex and crucifixion
is unsettling to say the least. Waters' claims it was
for "added sacrilegious shock value" and that making
the film really helped him to "flush Catholicism out
of (his) system."
In addition
to Divine, Lochary and Stole, other Waters' regulars
include Mary Vivian Pierce, Cookie Mueller, Susan Lowe,
and Pat Moran. The film also includes Edith Massey's
(The Egg Lady in "Flamingos") first appearance in film.
Also new to the scene was Vince Peranio who has served
as art director for many of Waters' films. In this film
he was asked to design a large lobster costume which
would attack Divine.
The scene
where Lobstora does attack Divine close to the film's
end is particularly odd. It actually serves no purpose
and sticks out like a sore thumb. It is impossible to
imagine Waters' intent here.
"Multiple
Maniacs" is a shaky, cheap, "home" movie that owes a
lot to Andy Warhol's films of the late 60's. Waters
established himself nationally with this film and it's
success paved the way for the unbelievably bizarre "Pink
Flamingos." Standing on it's own, the film makes a statement
about the early 70's and foreshadows the utter depravity
of the decade.
Waters
is a genius and an American original. He has probably
said more about our values and mores than any other
American filmmaker. "Multiple Maniacs" is not his best
film. Still it says more about what was really happening
underground in 1970 than probably any film of that time.
Report
Card
Script:
A
Acting: B
Cinematography\Lighting: F
Special Effects\Make Up: C
Music: D
Final
Grade: B
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