Pecker (1998)

Director:

John Waters

Writer (WGA):

John Waters (written by)

Release Date:

25 September 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

He never realized how far 35 millimeters would take him.

Plot:

A Baltimore sandwich shop employee becomes an overnight sensation when photographs he's taken of his...

Plot Keywords:

Art | Photography | Dysfunctional Family | New York City | Laundromat

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Edward Furlong	...	Pecker
Christina Ricci	...	Shelley
Bess Armstrong	...	Dr. Klompus
Mark Joy	...	Jimmy
Mary Kay Place	...	Joyce
Martha Plimpton	...	Tina
Brendan Sexton III	...	Matt
Mink Stole	...	Precinct Captain
Lili Taylor	...	Rorey Wheeler
Patricia Hearst	...	Lynn Wentworth
Jean Schertler	...	Memama
Lauren Hulsey	...	Little Chrissy
Mo Fischer	...	T-Bone (as Maureen Fischer)
Donald Neal	...	Mr. Bozak
Carolyn Stayer	...	Miss Betty

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality, graphic nudity, language and brief drug use.

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:12 | Argentina:13 | Canada:14A | France:U | Japan:R-15 | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/16 (video premiere) | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R (PCA #36080) | Israel:16

Filming Locations:

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Company:

Polar Entertainment

Trivia:

Pecker's camera is an early model of the Canonet, a compact camera made over a period of more than a decade (primarily in the 1960s) by Canon for the consumer market. The camera takes so-so pictures, and today might be worth $20-$40, when it can be found. It is entirely plausible that Pecker might find such a camera in a thrift store, at a garage sale, or the like.

Goofs:

Continuity: Pecker serves Miss Emily a sandwich with melted cheese. The close-up shows the sandwich with unmelted slices of cheese.

Quotes:

Tina: Hi, Mary.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in This Filthy World (2006)

Soundtrack:

I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter

John Waters for the whole family!

Well, with the right amount of censors, I'm sure anyone would like this. While diehard John Waters fans will be disappointed (There's no obese transvestites that eat dog feces or hilariously hideous trailer park characters) it was still an uplifting film with good performances and several laugh-out-loud scenes. An uplifting John Waters film? Yes. He's also known for dark humor; but this film relied on harmless shock value.

Edward Furlong plays the title character, a kid who takes pictures of everything he encounters in his sleazy Baltimore neighborhood. A NY art agent (Lili Taylor) observes his work and he finds he has the choice between either rising to fame (which he loses his friends and family) or keeping his original lifestyle as a poor suburban dweller.

Give this one a try: Expect nothing, and you won't be disappointed.