Best/Worst John Waters Movie???
I'd say..
Best: Desperate Living.
Worst: Cry-Baby.
What do you think???
Best: Female Trouble
Worst: A Dirty Shame
MovieChat Forums > Desperate Living (1977) Discussion > Best/Worst John Waters Movie???
Best: Desperate Living
Worst: Mondo Trasho
Although Waters himself seems to think that Mondo Trasho was his least interesting film (it's silent, black and white, and a little slow-paced), there is no worst John Waters film. Each one involves his own personal obsessions and features memorable characters and exaggerated dialogue (except MT). His career as a comedy filmmaker has been wonderfully consistent; his eccentric viewpoint makes every film worth viewing. Pink Flamingos is still my favorite, because it's so relentlessly over the top!
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Mulitiple Maniancs was amazing. Lobstoorrraa! Lobstoorrraa!
shareCecil B. Demented and Dirty Shame were both real disappointments. It's almost like he was trying to revisit his early work and it just DIDN'T work. Although, Selma Blair made me laugh with her dance routine! Otherwise...Water's needs to explore new territory.
shareI honestly do not think that John Waters has a so called "worst" movie. You're either a fan or you're not. If I had to choose a favorite movie however, I would choose Polyester because I think he was able to bring the best of both worlds to that movie; meaning that he was able to bridge the gap from his earlier movies and make something that middle america could watch while still maintaining his sense of filth that we all know and love. Tab Hunter rules!
shareYeah I go for Polyester as my favourite too... love that flick!
* I can only express puzzlement, which borders on alarm. *
I love all of them in their own way (except for "Dirty Shame", which I don't like). As for thinking his later films are "mainstream" that is ridiculous. None of his films are mainstream. "Hairspray" is a sweet and non-vulgar movie but it was never a mainstream movie. And his vulgarity steadily decreased over time since Pink Flamingos - why? Because hyperbole is a dead end, and he knows that because he is a great artist. Many artists do not understand that - hyperbole is a boring treadmill, which is why so much modern art is so boring.
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"What goes on out there, is a disgrace": http://deathwishcreeps.com
I think this is my least favorite of his movies, as far as favorites go I love too many it's a three way tie between Cecil B Demented, Hairspray and Pink Flamingos.
Being a troma fan I love how both troma films and John waters films have this gritty and over the top nature hence why Troma has the bragging rights of "one of the few truly independent cinema companies".
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Best: Polyester/serial mom/female trouble
Worst: Pecker/cry baby
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Old school:
Best: "Polyester"
Worst: "Multiple Maniacs" (but I still love it)
New school:
Best: "Hairspray"
Worst: Cry Baby"
Pre Hairspray,
Favorite: Female Trouble
Least favorite: Polyester (I still love it)
Post Hairspray,
Favorite: Serial Mom
Least: Cry Baby (this seems to be a least favorite of JW films)
Best: Female Trouble
Worst: A Dirty Shame
Desperate Living falls somewhere in the middle. All that this film is missing is Divine. I really don't think any John Waters' film is complete without Divine. They had a rare alchemy together, doing their respective best work together.
We're desperate, get used to it. It's kiss or kill...
my favorite still is "pink flamingos", it was the first one i saw, i was 17 and it really hit me. awesome film. as the "worst" i'd label "mondo trasho", but i still really like it. i chose it just because it didn't feature waters' hilarious dialogues.
Where are you, Mount Everest? Give me some Everest.
best - A Dirty Shame or Desperate Living
worst - Cecil B. Demented
"Polyester" may be my favorite, but I really enjoy all of his films so much that it's hard to pick just one. I'd also pick "Multiple Maniacs" and "Female Trouble" among his best films.
I have to say, I actually don't find "Pink Flamingos" to be as funny as I'd expected. "Female Trouble" strikes me as far superior (it may have the best dialog), and "Desperate Living" certainly does a great job of capturing the filth and misery of its characters. I've never been as crazy about "Hairspray" as some viewers are either, but that's only because I prefer Waters' earlier efforts.
The only one of his films that I didn't particularly care to see a second time was "A Dirty Shame", which felt somewhat tired compared to even "Pecker" and "Cecil B. Demented".
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