IMDb > Desperate Living (1977)
Desperate Living
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Desperate Living (1977) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   2,660 votes »
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Down 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
John Waters
Writer:
John Waters
Contact:
View company contact information for Desperate Living on IMDbPro.
Genre:
Comedy | Crime | Fantasy | Horror See more »
Tagline:
It isn't very pretty.....
Plot:
A rich housewife enlists her maid's help to murder her husband; they go on the lam and end up in Mortville, a homeless community built into a garbage dump. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
NewsDesk:
(20 articles)
11 Fugitive Romances to Prepare You for Mud
 (From MovieWeb. 19 April 2013, 2:03 PM, PDT)
2012 Lausanne Underground Film Festival: Official Lineup
 (From Bad Lit . 18 October 2012, 10:55 AM, PDT)
2012 Melbourne Underground Film Festival: Official Lineup
 (From Bad Lit . 17 August 2012, 5:00 AM, PDT)
User Reviews:
you'll either laugh or barf in your hand See more (55 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Liz Renay ... Muffy St. Jacques

Mink Stole ... Peggy Gravel

Susan Lowe ... Mole McHenry

Edith Massey ... Queen Carlotta
Mary Vivian Pearce ... Princess Coo-Coo

Jean Hill ... Grizelda Brown
Brook Yeaton ... Bosley Jr. (as Brook Blake)
Karen Gerwig ... Beth
Jay Allan ... Kid
Al Strapelli ... Doctor Evans
George Stover ... Bosley Gravel
Turkey Joe ... Motorcycle Cop
Willie Brooks ... Pieman
James Yeaton ... Dead Bum
Ed Peranio ... Lieutenant Wilson
Steve Butow ... Lt. Grogan
Channing Wilroy ... Lieutenant Wilson
Steve Parker ... Goon
Pete Denzer ... Goon
Chuck Yeaton ... Goon
David Klein ... Goon
Ralph Crocker ... Goon
Peter Koper ... Goon
Sally Albaugh ... Hag
Kenny Orye ... Eater
Warren Newcomb ... Page
Roland Hertz ... Muffy's Husband
Pirie Woods ... Baby Sitter
Damien Overholser ... Baby In Refrigerator
Ed Butner ... Referee
H.C. Kliemisch ... Big Jimmy Dong
Paul Swift ... Mr. Paul
George Figgs ... Herbert
Marina Melin ... Shina
Cookie Mueller ... Flipper
Pat Moran ... Bathroom Pervert
Sharon Niesp ... Shotsie
George Hulse ... Sex Change Doctor
Delores Delux ... Nurse
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank J. Butler ... Harmonica Player (uncredited)
Richard Ellsberry ... Patient in Waiting Room (uncredited)
Alan Reese ... Extra (uncredited)
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Directed by
John Waters 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
John Waters 

Produced by
James McKenzie .... associate producer
William Platt .... associate producer
David Spencer .... associate producer
John Waters .... producer
 
Original Music by
Chris Lobingier 
Allen Yarus 
 
Cinematography by
Thomas Loizeaux (director of photography)
John Waters 
 
Film Editing by
Charles Roggero 
 
Art Direction by
Vincent Peranio 
 
Costume Design by
Van Smith 
 
Makeup Department
Jon Aaron .... assistant hair stylist
Celeste Hall .... assistant hair stylist
Christine Mason .... hair stylist
Van Smith .... makeup artist
 
Production Management
Robert Maier .... unit manager
Pat Moran .... production manager
 
Art Department
Delores Delux .... assistant art director (as Dolores Deluxe)
Steve Parker .... assistant set designer
Ed Peranio .... assistant set designer
Vincent Peranio .... set designer
 
Sound Department
Richard Ellsberry .... assistant sound
Robert Maier .... sound
 
Special Effects by
Ed Peranio .... special effects
Tom Watkins .... special effects
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Laurel Douglas .... still photographer
David Insley .... assistant camera
Kevin Weber .... lighting assistant
Steve Yeager .... still photographer
 
Music Department
Chris Lobingier .... music arranger
Allen Yarus .... music arranger
 
Other crew
William Platt .... video
Alan Rose .... credits
Pete Garey .... production advisor (uncredited)
 
Crew believed to be complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
See more »
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
90 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Australia:R | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | UK:18 | USA:R (re-rating) | UK:(Banned) (1977) | France:-18 | USA:X (self applied) | New Zealand:R18 | Argentina:18
Filming Locations:
Baltimore, Maryland, USASee more »
Company:
Charm City ProductionsSee more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
Production designer Vincent Peranio cooked a real rat so that it could be "eaten" during the opening titles.See more »
Goofs:
Continuity: When Mole first meets Peggy and Grizelda she tells them that there are no toilets in Mortville, but at the lesbian bar there are toilets, where Peggy is harassed by the 'bathroom pervert'.See more »
Quotes:
Princess Coo-Coo:Oh Herbert, we're safe now. I'm sorry I had to drag you all that way, but those silly nudists wanted to BURY you! Oh I love you too, my darling- Mother can't hurt us now. We'll get married tonight. You don't look so well, I hope you perk up for our honeymoon!See more »
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Problem Child 2 (1991)See more »

FAQ

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User Reviews

   (Review this title)
3 out of 3 people found the following review useful.
you'll either laugh or barf in your hand, 12 April 2002
Author: Lumpenprole from United States

I loved this film. I saw it for the first time at Peaches Christ's Midnight Mass in San Francisco. It's a film a drunken mob can really adore. I dunno if I could sit through it some evening by myself. There are dozens of memorable gags, several moments of humor so low it's hard to believe what you're seeing (like a long shot of a roach quietly strolling across an obese woman's massive ass cheek.)

The `memorable quotes' section isn't nearly big enough here on the IMDB.

Was the above review useful to you?
See more (55 total) »

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Desperate Living (1977)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
What happend to the nurse/maid? Lips98
Felt sorry for Edith Massey tgemberl
A John Waters Christmas, New York robert-1107
favorite line dorkessfreak
What's with Mink Stole's leg brace? crescentfresh7
The wrestler's eye Fry-threethousand
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