Wonderful Movie

Simply Perfect

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

This was not my first introduction to John Waters' controversial films. Besides watching his more "clean" works, I had previously watched Pink Flamingos, after a period of gathering courage to do so. I had the expected reaction to it, I was disgusted and shocked as I watched him and his Dreamlanders succeed in the task of making the filthiest film ever. I actually quite enjoyed some of the humour - I recall especially the scene where Divine and Crackers try to contaminate the Marble residence, by spitting and rubbing onto the furniture. I hated the incident involving the chicken, though, but oh well.I thought Female Trouble was going to go the same way as Pink Flamingos, filth-wise, but it doesn't (almost), and I think this is John Waters' best film featuring Divine & co. It made me appreciate and understand more the purpose behind it all. If one watches Pink Flamingos without any previous knowledge of the type of movie it is, and what it stands for, one will be simply shocked and tend to never want to hear about it again (although it will forever be marked in one's mind's eye). Watching Female Trouble, I was able to come to terms with the nonsense jokes and the visual glorification of the grotesque. To me, it doesn't just serve as a comedic vehicle, it's also a genius way to defy society and whatever it's thought to be morally acceptable - for all we know, "cleanliness is next to godliness".And can any film be more subversive and profane in its ideology and ironic portrait of human beings? One of the most iconic quotes is Edith Massey's: "I worry that you'll work in an office, have children, celebrate wedding anniversaries. The world of the heterosexual is a sick and boring life!". Needless to say Divine is absolutely wonderful in this, the rise and fall of a once typical troubled teenager who ends up getting caught in the twisted desires of others, ending up in a sort of maniac narcissistic frenzy. And questions such as the cult of image, beauty and fame at all costs are all presented to us in a hilarious way.Anyway, I'm glad I got to discover this different kind of filmmaking, which is often dismissed for its graphic content, rather than being taken lightly as an interesting critique of American society and a fine exercise of trashy/nonsense humour.

Female Trouble is John Waters' follow up to his breakthrough hit Pink Flamingos and anyone that saw that movie will know exactly what to expect. With this film, Waters delivers yet more bad taste and trashiness; although it's slightly higher quality than the earlier film was and the plot has some extra depth. I think a viewer's opinion on John Waters will largely depend on what exactly they want from movies and thus this is not a film for everyone...and it didn't do much for me. The lead character is Dawn Davenport, a spoilt schoolgirl that wants a pair of cha-cha heels from her parents for Christmas. She doesn't get what she wants, so the brat decides to run away from home, ends up having an illegitimate child and gets involved with a couple of photographers that like to photograph women during acts of crime because that, apparently, is sexy. Davenport eventually makes something of a name for herself; but her fame comes at a price and she ends up on the run from the cops.This film does have more depth than Pink Flamingos; but it's still all about style. No matter what you think of the film itself, you have to take your hat off to Waters for the style of the film, which is completely bizarre and unique. The set design and costumes are completely over the top and this compliments the absurd and disgusting humour well. It's obvious that this film was made on a very low budget; and Waters clearly couldn't afford any good actors. The film does benefit from the presence of Divine, however; the trashy transvestite who delivers another unforgettable performance as Waters' leading 'lady'. The film takes a turn for the surreal on several occasions and Waters adds in plenty of social satire; some of which works (but most of which doesn't go anywhere). The film doesn't pull any punches, and although it is less disgusting than the earlier effort; there's still plenty to make the audience vomit. The structure of the film holds it together well until the ending and Waters does at least tell a story. Anyone that enjoys this sort of stuff will no doubt be in heaven with this trash-fest...but I doubt I'll ever see it again.

Meet Dawn Davenport. Dawn is your typical, ungrateful, outlandish, hog of a teenager. Dawn hates her teachers, and her parents, and she wants what she wants, when she wants it, and on this day, Dawn has her little heart set on a pair of cha-cha heels. Considering today is Christmas, there will be hell to pay if her loving parents let her down. With Christmas now ruined, a disappointed Dawn curses her parents, destroys all the presents, and immediately runs away from home, with tears in her eyes. In a scene, that has to be seen to be believed, this outlandish hog runs through the neighborhood in a blind rage, eventually meeting up with a familiar stranger. Lust takes over, the new love birds find the nearest mattress, and trash-cinema history is made. With Dawn now pregnant, the familiar stranger wants nothing more to do with her, so like any strong woman in her position, she gives birth, to little Taffy, biting through the umbilical cord, and everything. Now, with two mouths to feed, Dawn takes on just about any job available, robbing houses, go-go dancing, hell, even waitressing. The pressures of motherhood are driving Dawn crazy, this kid actually expects poor Dawn to send her to school, and to feed her, kids can be so ungrateful. Luckily, Dawn gets a job (or something similar) at the Lipstick beauty salon, owned by Donald and Donna Dasher, an exclusive salon for exclusive beauties, and these two want Dawn as there customer (or mascot?). Anyway, Dawn ends up married to a guy named Gator, who works at the salon, and looks an awfully lot like Crackers from Pink Flamingos, but isn't. By this time, Taffy is old enough to be played by Mink Stole (in her best role), and between Gator trying to get into her pants, and just being a lousy husband all together, Dawn is fed up, and divorces him, and has him fired from the salon. With Dawn now divorced, and seemingly, on the verge of murdering her ungrateful daughter, the Dashers feel it's now time to move forward with Operation excitement. Drive poor Dawn insane, get her hooked on heroin, and brainwash her into believing that crime is beauty, and that crime is art. All of this is seemingly put on the shelf after Gators outlandish, aunt Ida throws acid (not the good kind) in Dawns face, scaring her, driving her further into insane. Once out of the hospital, Dawn kidnaps Ida, and cuts her paw off, and finally driven over the edge after Taffy joins the hare Krishna's, so, now seems like a reasonable time to end her ungrateful, little life, so she does, and then kills a few more, during her big debut as a star. With Dawn now on the run, and eventually caught, the Dashers, along with Aunt Ida, of course, testify against her, in court. Poor Dawn was found guilty, and is now dead from the electric chair, but on the up side, Dawn was convinced, that in her line of work, "the chair" was like an academy award. Dawn knew what she was doing, no moral needed for this mean-spirited story, Dawn won. So, who cares if we fail? Well, probably no one, but they might, if we kill people.After Pink Flamingos, John Waters probably felt that his next project would have a lot to live up to, so, making an impact would be the only option, and, an impact is what he made. Not to say, Female Trouble takes things further, you understand, but, it somehow, manages to be funnier than Pink Flamingos,. In fact, Female trouble is Waters' all-time, funniest film,, not to mention, the most mean-spirited, and my personal favorite. Although. Pink Flamingos is. of course, the masterpiece, this one will keep you interested for as long as it wants. I'd give just about anything for Waters to make just one more like this. These days, Lloyd Kaufman is our only hope for true, independent trash. But once upon a time, Waters was king, and Dreamland reigned supreme. Recommended to mainstream haters with a rebellious sense of humor. 10/10

I am at a complete loss to understand why this film was not nominated for an Oscar for costuming, makeup and set decoration. It had the most outrageous costuming that I have ever seen. The sets were so hideous that they made me nauseous. The makeup was beyond belief.That was the good things about the film that featured an outrageous star in Divine, a transvestite that played Dawn Davenport. He was so over the top that I couldn't take my eyes off the screen.This is the first John Waters (Hairspray, Pecker) film that I have seen. He is definitely on the cutting edge in outrageous humor, horror, and satire.This film on the outrageous cult of celebrity is no more outrageous than the current obsession in the media with Paris Hilton.If you haven't seen a John Waters film, check out the Sundance Channel for this one.