Multiple Maniacs (1970)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

John Waters

Writer:

John Waters (writer)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Horror

Tagline:

You won't believe this one!

Plot:

The travelling sideshow 'Lady Divine's Cavalcade of Perversions' is actually a front for a group of psychotic kidnappers...

Plot Keywords:

Lobster | Rape | Giant Lobster | Dark Comedy | Underground Film

Cast

Divine	...	Lady Divine
David Lochary	...	Mr. David
Mary Vivian Pearce	...	Bonnie / Cavalcade Patron
Mink Stole	...	Mink / Cavalcade Patron
Cookie Mueller	...	Cookie Divine / Cavalcade Patron
Edith Massey	...	Edith / Virgin Mary
Susan Lowe	...	Cavalcade pervert
Rick Morrow	...	Ricky
Howard Gruber	...	Gilbert
Paul Swift	...	Steve (Cookie's boyfriend)
Vincent Peranio	...	Freak
Jim Thompson	...	Freak
Dee Vitolo	...	Freak
Ed Peranio	...	Freak
Bob Skidmore	...	Cavalcade Patron
Margie Skidmore	...	Murdered spectator
Jack Walsh	...	Straight Person
Susan Walsh	...	Female Church-Goer
Gilbert McGill	...	Freak
Pat Moran	...	Cavalcade Patron
Paul Landis	...	Freak
Mark Lazarus	...	Straight Person
Harvey Freed	...	Straight Person
Susie Nichols	...	Freak
Steve Waters	...	Lover's Lane Boy
Julia Richardson	...	Freak
William Kirby Cullen	...	Freak (as Will Cullen)
Jack Roberts
Mark Isherwood
Berenica Cipcus	...	Cavalcade Pervert
Hawley Peterson
Tom Wells	...	Freak
Michael Renner Jr.	...	Infant of Prague
Cowboy Foulke	...	Freak
George Figgs	...	Jesus Christ
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alan Reese	...	Extra (uncredited)

Directed by
John Waters

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
John Waters		writer

Produced by
John Waters	....	producer

Cinematography by
John Waters

Film Editing by
John Waters

Art Department
Vincent Peranio	....	designer: lobstora

Special Effects by
Ed Peranio	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Lawrence Irvine	....	still photographer

Other crew
Howard Gruber	....	production assistant
David Lochary	....	production assistant
Bob Skidmore	....	production assistant
Mink Stole	....	production assistant
Jack Walsh	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Dreamland

Distributors

• American Home Entertainment (video)
• Cinema Group (video)
• Falcon Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Film-Makers' Cooperative
• New Line Cinema
• Palace Video (1982) (UK) (VHS)
• Palace Video (1982) (UK) (video) (Betamax)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:R | USA:X | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Company:

Dreamland

Trivia:

"Lobstora" was inspired by a postcard Waters had of the beach at Provincetown, Massachusetts with a big lobster in the sky.

Quotes:

Lady Divine: Oh, think of it, Mink. We can perform extreme unction nationwide - Ronald Reagan and his family, the entire Baltimore Police Department, and BARBRA STREISAND!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in This Filthy World (2006)

Probably the most personal movie by John Waters

I have seen all of John Waters' films, but something in this one seemed to stick out. I noticed that in his other movies, the characters are rarely developed, and if they are, you never get a glimpse at their personal lives.

This film is different in that way... it begins as racy as all of his other films, with "Lady Divine's Cavalcade of Perversion" a circus for perverts, drug addicts, homosexuals, and weirdo's. Mr. David, Lady Divine's boyfriend, wants Lady Divine to let Bonnie into the cavalcade, but she quickly dismisses the idea.

From here on, the film switches to a bizarre, and long, view of the characters personal lives. This is done by, long monologues, long shots in which the camera does not change, and very long scenes. These long scenes aren't that badly written, but it is more that they are real, and not part of a movie. After the first 10-15 minutes characters seem to have disassociated themselves from the original plot of the film, and it becomes some sort of a deranged soap opera. But just when you think that this film is different from all other of John's films, a giant lobster appears out of nowhere (and for no reason), named "Lobstora", and it rapes Divine. Divine then goes insane and goes on a rampage, and is then put to death by the national guard.

Besides the fact that Divine is killed in the end, it seems to be a prequel to a young Divine's life that is later portrayed in "PINK FLAMINGOS". This because in "PINK FLAMINGOS", Divine, is supposedly in hiding from the FBI, for murder. This murder which happened in "MULTIPLE MANIACS" of basically all the characters.

All in all, this is most definitely a must see for John Waters fans, it will bring new meaning to his other films.