[ John Waters ]  [ John Waters Gallery ] [ John Waters Interviews ]

Interview with John Waters

by tim nasson

"There was never a question in my mind, even as a pre-teen, that what I wanted to do once I "grew up,' would pertain to movies. I didn't exactly know "what' it was that I wanted to do in the movie business, but I knew it was the field I would end up in.

My love for movies was so great that I subscribed to the New York Times at thirteen, just because they had a better movie section than The Boston Globe's and I wanted to be the first in my neighborhood and circle of friends, to know about what movies were on their way to Boston, since a lot of films are released in New York City long before they make their way to other cities."

Fifty-year-old, gay director, John Waters, the decrepit mind behind such cult classics as "Pink Flamingos' and "Polyester,' also knew where his career was headed very young in life and at twelve years of age started subscribing to Variety magazine.

His most talked about film, "Pink Flamingos,' was originally released twenty-five years ago, while I and many others who frequent the movies today were still in the womb or were mere dreams or nightmares of our parents. Thanks to the resurgence of the "re-release,' Waters' most adored (or detested, depending on whom you talk to), film "Pink Flamingos' is back for all who loved it when it was originally released and for those who never had the pleasure of being entertained or disgusted by it.

"Hopefully the rerelease of "Pink Flamingos' puts a stake through the heart of this new genre." says Waters, "Maybe it should play a double bill with [the just rereleased] "The Garden of Finzi-Continis," he continues, with a wicked laugh.

Of course "Finzi-Continis" seems the least appropriate film to couple with "Pink Flamingos," seeing that "Finzi" is a film about WWII and the Holocaust.

"The rerelease of "Pink Flamingos' was planned way before the "Star Wars' phenomenon. It was planned over a year ago when the biggest rerelease of the year was "Belle Du Jour," he adds, trying to sound as if he or the film's distributor, Fine Line, are not jumping on the bandwagon.

As a child, Waters was quite the clever entrepreneur. "From the age of six, when my parents took me to the "Howdy Doody' show, I always knew I wanted to be in show business. At twelve [years of age] I was doing three puppet shows a week, earning $20 per show.

A lot of money for a kid that young. After a couple of years though, I wanted to be cool and was too embarrassed to continue doing the shows."

Waters was well on his way however, to "clawing [his] way to the bottom." "I never took myself seriously, but began making movies, in between doing LSD and other such drugs," he says.

For those who are familiar with his films, stars such as drag queen extrodinaire, Divine, and Edith Massey, his regulars and favorites, create a special, if offensive, magic not familiar to any other film directed by him or anyone else.

"That was another reason I wanted to clean up and bring "Pink Flamingos' back," he adds, "Both Divine and Massey are gone and this was the only way I could work with them again."

What he has done in addition to restoring the print that has been in his attic for years, is add thirteen minutes of footage that includes scenes where Edie, (Massey) tells sex stories to her eggs (you have to see it to believe it) and a semi-nude scene between Divine and Cotton (Mary Vivian Pearce).

Waters found his most revered actor, Divine, in his own Baltimore neighborhood. "Divine was an only child and not like anything you could ever imagine. He never went out of the house until he was seventeen, because of his self consciousness. I knew that he was the perfect person however, to play certain roles that I had in mind and I was right."

"Pink Flamingos," is considered and pegged one of the most disgusting films ever made and was compared to "an exploded septic tank' by one critic when it was released originally. The rerelease version was slapped with the dreaded NC-17 rating. A rating less than a dozen film have earned that have been released in theaters since its inception seven years ago.

What could possibly be in a twenty-five year old film that cost pennies to make, you may ask? For starters, how about a scene where Divine eats dog shit?

The scene is probably the one most questioned in motion picture history as to its authenticity. Does Divine really pick up a piece of steaming dog shit and actually eat it?

"Did you see a cut in the frame while watching the film?" asks Waters. "It was the cheapest in both senses of the word, special effect in motion picture history. Forget about "Twister' and "Independence Day. Will people still be talking about their special effects in twenty-five years?,'" he continues, laughing.

More to the point, "Pink Flamingos' is the story of two families competing for the title, "The Filthiest People Alive.' Divine, current holder of the title, lives in a pink/gray trailer with her mental mother Edie, delinquent son Crackers (Danny Mills), and traveling companion Cotton.

Across town live Connie and Raymond Marble (Mink Stole and David Lochary), proprietors of an illegal adoption ring. They kidnap young girls, impregnate them and sell them to lesbian couples.

The competition begins and the "filth' never lets up.

The film is so disgusting that Divine forbade her parents to see it when originally released and since she has passed away, Waters is going to make sure they do not see the new and improved version.

"Would you want your parents to see you dressed in drag, blowing someone and eating dog shit?" he asks when questioned as to why Divine's parents have never seen the film.

Waters still keeps his main residence in Baltimore, the main setting for all of his films from "Pink Flamingos' to "Hairspray,' the 1988 film starring a then fat Rikki Lake. However, he also keeps an apartment in NYC.

"I am glad that "Pink Flamingos' is resurfacing after all these years for a number of reasons. Mainly though, I think crazy people need nostalgia too - like "that was the first time I got beat up by a date for bringing them to this film' or "that was the first movie I blew someone at'. Also though, it is a great opportunity for young people to see the film as it was intended; amidst a large group, on a big screen," he says.

"I never thought I would survive twenty-five years in this industry, let alone the film "Pink Flamingos' itself," he adds.

Next on Waters' agenda is a film called "Pecker.' "I really don't have much to say about it. It is still in the planning stages. I have a lot of people in mind for the film. People I think would be perfect for it, yet they don't even know I am interested in them yet so I can't really mention names. It, of course, will be filmed in Baltimore as all my other films have been."

Will "Pecker' most resemble "Pink Flamingos' or the more tame "Hairspray?' Who knows? For now however, all can wallow in the disgusting filth of Divine and friends in a most satisfying trip to the cinema. One word of advice though. Don't buy too much popcorn, because you won't be eating much of it once the film starts.

Article from: http://www.inthelife.com/fea9705c.htm

Top of Page