Multiple Maniacs (1970)

Three determined women, Divine, Cookie and Mink Stole, set out to solve the Sharon Tate murders.

Director:

John Waters

Writer:

John Waters

Stars:

Divine, David Lochary, Mary Vivian Pearce

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

The travelling sideshow 'Lady Divine's Cavalcade of Perversions' is actually a front for a group of psychotic kidnappers, with Lady Divine herself the most vicious and depraved of all - but her life changes after she gets raped by a fifteen-foot lobster...

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Plot Keywords:

shock humor | fetish | cigarette burn | homosexual kiss | bare chested male | 

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Taglines:

You won't believe this one!

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Horror

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Waters: [Catholicism] The Infant of Prague appears to and assists Lady Divine, and a sequence takes place in a Catholic church.

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Goofs

When Lady Divine is attacked on the street by the two huffers, a shadow of the cameraman is clearly visible on the sidewalk and across the trio as they fight.

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Quotes

Bonnie: Hurry, Mr. David. Because I want to perform acts with you more than anything in this whole wide world! And it makes me sad to hear you being so upset because of that Lady Divine. She's not a very friendly person. But, I gotta admit she sure is beautiful and glamorous. But, I bet she couldn't do some of the things that we can do.

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Crazy Credits

And George Figgs as Jesus Christ

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Alternate Versions

The unrated version is almost complete. It features all sex and nudity and the full 'rosary job' scene. The one cut is to when Divine tortures the cavalcade patrons after dropping the net on them. In the unrated print, the scene ends with Divine saying 'I said no shit and I mean it!'

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Connections

Referenced in Lady Divine (1975)

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Soundtracks

He's Got The Whole World In His Hands
Traditional
Performed by Alan Dean
Courtesy of Pickwick Group Limited
(from 2016 version's on-screen credits)

User Reviews

A Lobster Monstre makes it all worthwhile

This film suffers from what a lot of low-budget-inexperienced-director films suffer from: long intervals in which nothing happens in an attempt to get to the better parts of the movie. This one has it is spades, which makes it hard to sit through to get to the highlights. But the high points are some of the most inspired of any John Water's flick: the surreal appearance of "The Emperor of Prague," played by small boy in full monarch regalia who guides Lady Divine, and the completely unsolicited cameo of "Lobstora," the enormous lobster prop who, like nearly everybody in the early films, has its way with Divine. I found these scenes far more interesting than the film as a whole, despite the (possibly unintentional) social commentary of the opening sequence. Here, a crowd of "straights" visit the Carnival of Perversions and witness horrors ranging from the "Puke Eater" to the "Homosexuals." Each attraction is viewed with similar disgust from the suburbanites, yet they make no effort to leave the show, which seems to call to Water's fascination with the American public's fascination with the fringe of society.

Details

Official Sites:

Criterion [United States] HBOMAX [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 April 1970 (USA)

Also Known As:

Multiple Maniacs

Filming Locations:

Saint Patrick's Church - 319 South Broadway, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,814, 7 August 2016

Gross USA:

$33,036

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$38,403

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dreamland

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min 97 min (restored)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1