Multiple Maniacs (1970)

dir John Waters

“You think just because I’ve known you for six years that I won’t suspect you of trying to get on my nerves?”

The amount of people I wish I could say that to…

Multiple Maniacs was my first ever Waters film, watched at midnight at The Frida Cinema after the 2016 remaster. It was also the first time I ever took an edible. I split it with a friend who ended up getting so stoned that he was worried about pissing his pants. Anyway, not too much about that. Back to the film.

John Waters made something beautiful here. I looked up the production budget and turns out this was made with only $5,000 (about $40,000 today) that was loaned from John’s dad. It may be a little undercooked, but it sure is damn good. The composition is stunning. The performances are the perfect balance of sincere and dramatic, the platonic ideal of CAMP! And the contrast is boosted way up, which only serves to further accentuate Divine’s crazy beauty.

Divine is really fucking gorgeous. A true star. I love her. She’s everything. She’s Gloria Swanson. She’s God. She’s Godzilla. Her iconic voice, her exaggerated makeup, the way she walks in her heels, how she banters with the men around her. Sexual! Sensual! I honestly don’t know if I want to bow down and worship her or kiss her on the lips.

David Lochary is so pathetic…and so fabulous. The religious vignettes during the lesbian rosary job…chef’s kiss. Divine and Mink Stole killing cops and exchanging lipstick…so hot. And that ending Godzilla-esque rampage…another chef’s kiss, but this time with tongue.

Don’t ask me about the lobster. I don’t want to talk about the lobster.