"Like a septic tank explosion, it has to be seen to be believed."
A reviewer said this about John Waters' smash trash hit, Pink Flamingos, over 25 years ago. If you think we are getting desensitized to gore, violence, etc. in the movies, pop in Pink Flamingos. It's surprising how a movie made 30 years ago can still make you lose your lunch, dinner, and breakfast. Of course, this isn't a bad thing.
Chances are, if you heard about this flick, you've also heard about the notoriously vile activities that go on in this movie. Yes, a 300-lb drag queen eats dog shit with no special effects (unless you consider pot-ingestion special effects). Yes, someone fucked a chicken, also without special effects. In fact, the chicken ended up really dying from being fucked and they grilled it and ate it a couple scenes later. Oh, and that bowel movement that Babs receives from the post office is, in fact, a real bowel movement (Divine actually took a shit in the box prior to the scene for cinematic posterity). Yes, this is all true. Back then, there were no "animal cruelty" laws or laws about eating shit. Not to mention, back then, John Waters was really, really fucked up on drugs.
So now, you are either repulsed or intrigued. If you are repulsed, end your reading of this review right now. If you are intrigued, then pull up a chair. Pink Flamingos, in all its vile glory, is not a bad film at all. It is a very low budget film, but did the most of its budget. Divine plays the vile Babs Johnson, who holds the title as "The Filthiest Person Alive". She lives with her mother in a trailer park. Her mom lives in a child's playpen and has a bizarre fetish for eggs. However, Babs' life is soon to be disrupted as she is about to realize she has some hostile competition for her title.
Though the film is the blackest satirical comedy I have ever seen, I never laugh at it. This isn't to say any less about the film. I just find that it's so dark that it is mesmerizing instead of hysterical. Some will disagree and say it is the funniest thing they ever saw. To each, their own. I still enjoy it just as much as those fans, but in a different way. This film is also the only film I can not view while eating. Again, this
is not a bad thing. Having negative emotions during a film can be just as fulfilling as laughing your ass off during one. Much like horror fans who want to be petrified in a movie, trash film fans want to be repulsed. These traditionally negative emotions can be fun when released in the safety of a theater or your own home. Pink Flamingos does exactly that.
Only if you are a true lover of being shocked into incoherence will you even have a chance of enjoying Pink Flamingos. This film is the ultimate niche film which is only to be enjoyed by people who are convicted of assholism, enjoy being nauseated, or have fetishes for the most disgusting of bodily functions. If this sounds like your bag, then by all means go for it. For the right psychopath, this movie can be the most fun ride you ever had by a piece of celluloid trash.
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