Jim Jarmusch, John Waters, Mink Stole, Steve Buscemi

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, ...( read more  read more... )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

Flixster Users

76% liked it

708 ratings

Critics

80% liked it

5 critics

Unrated, 105 min.

Directed by: Steve Yeager

Release Date: January 18, 1998

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: July 5, 2000

Stats: 36 reviews

Photos


None yet... Got one?

Your Rating



clear rating

Flixster Reviews (36)


  • August 11, 2009
    A fascinating documentary on the career of John Waters -- from "Hag in a Black Leather Jacket" up to "Pecker". Incredible interviews that I'd never seen before with some of those closest to Waters every step of the way and a really entertaining look into the life of one of my her...( read more)oes and, who I think, is one of the most driven and fascinating men in Hollywood.
  • August 8, 2008
    A great documentary on John Waters' early career. It would be good to have a sequel covering Polyester onwards.
  • July 24, 2008
    While not the best screenwriter on earth, John Waters did raise the bar and made some of the craziest films in history. He's a fascinating individual and this documentary was an entertaining glimpse into his mind and how he became the well-known cult figure he is today.
  • October 7, 2007
    Nice to see some clips of early john waters stuff on dvd.
  • September 27, 2006
    Good documentary on John Waters and surrounding crew.

Critic Reviews


Comments


This board looks lonely. Be the first to talk about "Divine Trash" !

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

More Like This


Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Pink Flamingos
    Pink Flamingos (100%)
  • Crumb
    Crumb (0%)

Facts


No facts approved yet. Be the first

Divine Trash : Watch Free on TV


Movie Quizzes


No quizzes for Divine Trash. Want to create one?

Video Clips


No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Recent News


No recent headlines. Got one?

Most Popular Skin


No skins yet. Interested in creating one?