A Dirty Shame (2004)

An uptight, middle-aged, repressed woman turns into a sex addict after getting hit on the head, and she then falls into an underground subculture of sex addicts in suburban Baltimore.

Director:

John Waters

Writer:

John Waters

Stars:

Tracey Ullman, Johnny Knoxville, Selma Blair

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tracey Ullman	...	Sylvia
Johnny Knoxville	...	Ray Ray
Selma Blair	...	Caprice
Chris Isaak	...	Vaughn
Suzanne Shepherd	...	Big Ethel
Mink Stole	...	Marge The Neuter
Patricia Hearst	...	Paige
Jackie Hoffman	...	Dora
Nick Noble	...	Weird Paperboy (as Nicholas E.I. Noble)
Lucy Newman-Williams	...	Neuter Yuppie Woman
Scott Morgan	...	Neuter Yuppie Man
Wes Johnson	...	Fat Fuck Frank
David A. Dunham	...	Mama Bear
David Moretti	...	Papa Bear (as Dave Moretti)
Jeffrey Auerbach	...	Baby Bear

Storyline

Middle-aged, sexually repressed Sylvia Stickles is the subject of this John Water's film, set in North Baltimore. She refuses to have sex with her husband, Vaughn Stickles, and keeps her overly-endowed daughter, Caprice, locked in her room, while she serves home detention for moral depravity charges. Sylvia, together with her mother Big Ethel, lead a group calling themselves "neuters" that promotes decency on Hartford Road. When Sylvia is accidentally hit on the head by a lawnmower hanging out of a passing pick-up truck, however, her sexual behavior is changed completely from prude to prostitute. She meets the sex addicted sexual healer Ray Ray Perkins, becoming his twelfth apostle of sex in a journey of pleasure and orgasm.

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Plot Keywords:

sex | sex addict | lust | exhibitionist | neuter | 

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Taglines:

Threatening the very limits of common decency.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive strong crude sexual content, including fetishes

Details

Official Sites:

New Line Cinema [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 September 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Adictos al sexo

Filming Locations:

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$29,384 (USA) (17 September 2004)

Gross:

$1,339,668 (USA) (5 November 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fine Line Features, This Is That Productions, Killer Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min 84 min (R-rated)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Paul Giamatti was originally meant to play Vaughn Stickles, but dropped out to play in Sideways.

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Goofs

Before running out of gas, the car is turned off and in park but is still driving.

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Quotes

Mama Bear: Hi! I'm Mama Bear. Have you met my hus bear?
Papa Bear: I'm Papa Bear, and this is our cub... Baby Bear!
Baby Bear: Grrrr!
Vaughn Stickles: Hi, I'm Vaughn. Welcome to the Harford Road area.
Papa Bear: When we take over, it's gonna be a...
Mama Bear, Papa Bear, Baby Bear: BEAR-QUAKE! GRRRRRR!

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Connections

Features Maniac (1934)

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Soundtracks

"Black Tarantula"
Performed by Jody Reynolds
Written by Jody Reynolds
Courtesy of TruGems Records

User Reviews

Weirdest Waters film since "Pink Flamingos"

After seeing "A Dirty Shame" twice, I was awed at how far John Waters has pushed the envelope with his trademark trashy fun. Also, whenever I hear the Ray Anthony classic "The Hokey Pokey" any more, I now think of what Sylvia Stickles (Tracey Ullman) did...not to give the story away, but it involved a water bottle. That scene has to be up there with Divine's eating doggie-doo-doo in "Pink Flamingos". "A Dirty Shame" will be a classic, in the same league as Waters' pre-"Hairspray" films. Still, the concept of getting horny just by banging your head is weird, to say the least. Especially as the movie goes on, more and more people are realizing that "fact". I would highly recommend "A Dirty Shame". Can't wait for the DVD to come out.