What do you think?
Rate this book
Low Budget Hell Making Underground Movies with John Waters
Low Budget Hell is an insider’s story of the outrageous 70s and 80s, where every rule was broken in a mad world of sex, drugs, rock & roll, and hilarious low budget movie-making. In his underground journey, Maier rubs shoulders with Johnny Depp, Ricki Lake, Andy Warhol, Jack Palance, Tab Hunter, Divine, Bill Murray, Sonny Bono, the Coen brothers, artist Jean-Michel Basquait, The Ramones, and Blondie.
- GenresFilmNonfiction
346 pages, Paperback
First published August 31, 2011
8 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Robert G. Maier
3 books4 followersBiography of Robert G. Maier
Author of Low Budget Hell:
Making Underground Movies with John Waters
Robert G. Maier is an award-winning multi-media producer/writer/director with a wide range of documentary, corporate and instructional TV experience. His broadcast credits include the one-hour documentary, Trappist, which appeared on PBS, ABC and NBC networks, and a six-hour series for PBS, Seapower: A Global Journey. His half-hour documentary Nativity is aired regularly as a Christmas special on PBS and the Trinity Broadcasting Networks.
In non-broadcast production, Maier was the co-writer/producer of a 15-hour award-winning teacher development series Creating the Learning Centered School, and 8 hours of productions for the Skylink Family and School Network. He has produced dozens of award- winning instructional videos, TV spots, marketing films and two PBS how-to series The Spirit of Cross Stitch and Homestretch.
Mr. Maier has numerous feature film credits. For New Line Cinema in New York, he was line producer of the award-winning Alone In The Dark, and the original Hairspray. Other New York independent feature credits include House on Sorority Row, Fastlane, The Fox Affair, and Downtown 81. He was also line producer of four feature-length world music documentaries for BMG Films by noted documentarian, Robert Mugge.
Mr. Maier’s first film was Love Letter to Edie (1975), the acclaimed short biography of Edith Massey. It has played around the world for thirty years, been excerpted for programs on Channel 4 (UK), the Discovery Channel, The Criterion Video Collection, and New Line Cinema’s John Waters boxed set. A re-mastered DVD version of his “expanded director’s cut” is in release.
Robert is the author of two textbooks: Handbook of Location Scouting and Management (Focal Press) and Guide to Essential Audio and Video Production (Full Page Publishing).
He has taught graduate-level production courses at The American University’s Summer Film and Video Institute and presented production workshops at the University of Maryland, Florida State University, Johns Hopkins University, Ball State University, Gardner-Webb University, Towson State University, and Davidson College.
Mr. Maier earned a BA (Literature) from The American University and an MA in English (Professional Communications) from East Carolina University. He is an instructor of audio and video production and program coordinator in the Broadcasting Production program at Gaston College.
An interest in Afghanistan led Mr. Maier to travel to Kabul in 2004 to consult in the formation of an educational TV network there. He became involved with a group of Afghan refugee journalists and assisted with the formation of the http://www.kabulpress.org media site English language section. He has been the English Pages editor for several years.
Mr. Maier currently lives in the college town of Davidson, North Carolina with his wife. His two grown sons live and work nearby.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 16, 2012
I give this book 5 stars, because I wrote it.
August 11, 2019
Robert Maier worked with John Waters on Female Trouble through to Crybaby and along the way saw Waters evolve from an amateurish guerrilla filmmaker to a professional Hollywood director. On the positive side, Maier provides the minutiae on the adventures on making movies with virtually no budget, no permits, and no unions. Interestingly, as the budgets on Waters' films increased, a good bit of the increased budget went to licensing music.
I don't understand the vitriol or one-star reviews. You would think that Maier accused Waters of shooting puppies or molesting children. If anything, Maier is complimentary of Waters, though he does point out some inconvenient truths. He makes the interesting observation that Waters was totally immersed in the world of films and directors, yet he knew nothing about the basics of shooting a film. Maier's depiction did not detract at all from my respect for John Waters, though it did tend to reinforce my belief that Waters is more accomplished as a cultural commentator than as a movie director.
To be sure, "Low Budget Hell" is not a five-star book. He misspelled May Vivian Pearce's name for chrissakes. He also misspelled Jean-Michel Basquiat's name, which is fairly amazing since he actually owned a Basquiat. Maier's sentence construction is awkward at times, though not as bad as some of the one-star reviews would have you believe. While Maier tried to be even-handed, you could sense the lingering bitterness of someone who felt like he was cast off and left behind.
I don't understand the vitriol or one-star reviews. You would think that Maier accused Waters of shooting puppies or molesting children. If anything, Maier is complimentary of Waters, though he does point out some inconvenient truths. He makes the interesting observation that Waters was totally immersed in the world of films and directors, yet he knew nothing about the basics of shooting a film. Maier's depiction did not detract at all from my respect for John Waters, though it did tend to reinforce my belief that Waters is more accomplished as a cultural commentator than as a movie director.
To be sure, "Low Budget Hell" is not a five-star book. He misspelled May Vivian Pearce's name for chrissakes. He also misspelled Jean-Michel Basquiat's name, which is fairly amazing since he actually owned a Basquiat. Maier's sentence construction is awkward at times, though not as bad as some of the one-star reviews would have you believe. While Maier tried to be even-handed, you could sense the lingering bitterness of someone who felt like he was cast off and left behind.
April 9, 2012
Not the best-written book, but the details of working with John Waters and the insights into the world of independent film in general give it value.
May 28, 2012
I bought this book off Amazon after running across the author on a yahoo group and the subject interested me. I was so impressed with it I wrote this rather lengthy and heartfelt review as I have fought many uphill low budget battles in my own life and this book totally connected:
5.0 out of 5 stars Low Budget Hell - An Entertaining Cautionary History, May 26, 2012
By
Alan K. Sumrall "Al Sumrall" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
Amazon Verified Purchase(this means I bought the book on Amazon)
This review is from: Low Budget Hell Making Underground Movies with John Waters (Paperback)
Low Budget Hell succinctly tells the personal experiences of the author in the low budget film industy in the 70's and 80's. Mainly but not totally, under John Waters, he recalls events and how they affected him and the many people who sacrificed and worked their heart out trying to create films under crushing pressures and often incredibly unreasonable demands of often clearly sociopathic people intent on only their own visions and needs. Maier writes in a very smooth, pleasing style, like he is talking to a friend over a cup of coffee. He also creates the imagery that puts you comfortably there by his shoulder as he works in interesting situations with some people that are as good as gold, others that are flawed and damaged and yet fighting to stay relevant, and others that are near demonic in their nature. As in life, some of the situations are humorous and you often find yourself chuckling when you feel you shouldn't be, after all it is reality. What is described in low budget hell was intense, deadly serious, incredibly hard, sometimes passionate, and in some cases pathetic, especially in those cases where individuals would place themselves in positions of physical and mental abuse for the "artistic" vision or financial greed of people that really didn't give a damn for them but would use any means to get to their personal interpretation of "the top". The book also shows the many very good people that contributed and sacrificed much just to be a part of the "film industry"; a few succeeded, some failed, and many just got by until they found themselves kicked or pushed out. Maier, who apparently was able to hang on through the thick and thin much longer than most, does not get bogged down by details, he includes in a seamless style many of the challenges of the film projects he worked on and he finds different interesting things to say about each project, but but he does not dwell on any of them. You never get bored. You share his frustration and sometimes despair when working with often ill-spirited, selfish people. Yet, you also share his own amazement when most of the projects actually get completed despite all the odds, surviving the bizarre incidents and interference. You are introduced to the constant emotional and financial bribery in the low budget film industry, the constant swallowing of elephants yet choking at gnats mentality of low budget film producers and backers who are everything but professional. But occasionally you do meet a professional who is also a good human being. You also find yourself often in sympathy with many people that you would walk on the other side of the street to get away from. Maier succeeds in showing the humanity of some very bizarre folks and you find yourself linked to that person and their often bitterly hard lives that they tried to overcome, but as this is reality, some succeeded, some survived, some didn't. Of course you meet those that wallow in illegal, immoral, and self destructive behavior also. There is sleaze (especially in some mentioning of film content which was at times beyond the pale of any form of decency) but you do see at least in Water's films, an attempt at making things professional. The films themselves are only discussed in terms of the particular event of production described. You see people driven to desperate and sometimes underhanded behavior, usually needed to get what needed to be done, but also creating at times potential loss and damage to others. Occasionally you get to see some real stars in their more human form. Maier shows them as real people, often when they are working the business end of their "craft". And yes, you get interesting insight in what makes some creative people "tick", especially John Waters. You find out that there are little people and big people in the industry and rarely do they meet except in fleeting moments of creation. All of the above makes for a very entertaining and interesting book and I am glad the author has shared his experiences. There is much to learn from this book. You don't have to be a fan of John Waters, you don't even have to know him as you will learn about him in the book from Maier's personal perspective, and if perhaps you think you know him you might find something new in his personal dealings with Maier. There is something here for so many people, especially those who dream of creating something from nothing, especially on a low budget. But beware of the Hell that awaits....the human cost which will never be "low budget".
5.0 out of 5 stars Low Budget Hell - An Entertaining Cautionary History, May 26, 2012
By
Alan K. Sumrall "Al Sumrall" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
Amazon Verified Purchase(this means I bought the book on Amazon)
This review is from: Low Budget Hell Making Underground Movies with John Waters (Paperback)
Low Budget Hell succinctly tells the personal experiences of the author in the low budget film industy in the 70's and 80's. Mainly but not totally, under John Waters, he recalls events and how they affected him and the many people who sacrificed and worked their heart out trying to create films under crushing pressures and often incredibly unreasonable demands of often clearly sociopathic people intent on only their own visions and needs. Maier writes in a very smooth, pleasing style, like he is talking to a friend over a cup of coffee. He also creates the imagery that puts you comfortably there by his shoulder as he works in interesting situations with some people that are as good as gold, others that are flawed and damaged and yet fighting to stay relevant, and others that are near demonic in their nature. As in life, some of the situations are humorous and you often find yourself chuckling when you feel you shouldn't be, after all it is reality. What is described in low budget hell was intense, deadly serious, incredibly hard, sometimes passionate, and in some cases pathetic, especially in those cases where individuals would place themselves in positions of physical and mental abuse for the "artistic" vision or financial greed of people that really didn't give a damn for them but would use any means to get to their personal interpretation of "the top". The book also shows the many very good people that contributed and sacrificed much just to be a part of the "film industry"; a few succeeded, some failed, and many just got by until they found themselves kicked or pushed out. Maier, who apparently was able to hang on through the thick and thin much longer than most, does not get bogged down by details, he includes in a seamless style many of the challenges of the film projects he worked on and he finds different interesting things to say about each project, but but he does not dwell on any of them. You never get bored. You share his frustration and sometimes despair when working with often ill-spirited, selfish people. Yet, you also share his own amazement when most of the projects actually get completed despite all the odds, surviving the bizarre incidents and interference. You are introduced to the constant emotional and financial bribery in the low budget film industry, the constant swallowing of elephants yet choking at gnats mentality of low budget film producers and backers who are everything but professional. But occasionally you do meet a professional who is also a good human being. You also find yourself often in sympathy with many people that you would walk on the other side of the street to get away from. Maier succeeds in showing the humanity of some very bizarre folks and you find yourself linked to that person and their often bitterly hard lives that they tried to overcome, but as this is reality, some succeeded, some survived, some didn't. Of course you meet those that wallow in illegal, immoral, and self destructive behavior also. There is sleaze (especially in some mentioning of film content which was at times beyond the pale of any form of decency) but you do see at least in Water's films, an attempt at making things professional. The films themselves are only discussed in terms of the particular event of production described. You see people driven to desperate and sometimes underhanded behavior, usually needed to get what needed to be done, but also creating at times potential loss and damage to others. Occasionally you get to see some real stars in their more human form. Maier shows them as real people, often when they are working the business end of their "craft". And yes, you get interesting insight in what makes some creative people "tick", especially John Waters. You find out that there are little people and big people in the industry and rarely do they meet except in fleeting moments of creation. All of the above makes for a very entertaining and interesting book and I am glad the author has shared his experiences. There is much to learn from this book. You don't have to be a fan of John Waters, you don't even have to know him as you will learn about him in the book from Maier's personal perspective, and if perhaps you think you know him you might find something new in his personal dealings with Maier. There is something here for so many people, especially those who dream of creating something from nothing, especially on a low budget. But beware of the Hell that awaits....the human cost which will never be "low budget".
July 2, 2019
For fans of John Waters or those interested in the ins and outs of low budget movie production management
February 8, 2013
I recommend this book to people who not only LOVE John Waters, but can handle the criticisms and (possible) shortcomings of a human being.
All in all this is an enjoyable read. It offers one perspective outside of John's view as to what happened in these films (Female Trouble to Cry Baby) and with these people.
I will say, this book needed an editor. There are a few typos (and grammatical errors), which is annoying since he has written textbooks.
More importantly, he and John appear to no longer be friends. I don’t want to say Mr. Maier is jaded, but he definitely makes it clear How Hollywood Works; and he certainly doesn't blame Waters for all that has happened, but he does imply that John did not “change” for the better. I disagree, as I think John grew up and became more refined, while still enjoying a VERY dark aesthetic. Also, New Line did everything in it’s power to watch the bottom line and become the powerhouse that it is.
In addition to stories about making the movies (FT, DL, Polyester, Hairspray, & CB); there are stories about Low Budget Movies in the Hamptons, working with Debbie Harry and Chris Stein (Polyester!), the New York art scene in the early 80s.
Again, this book is for those who love John Waters; not just his books.
All in all this is an enjoyable read. It offers one perspective outside of John's view as to what happened in these films (Female Trouble to Cry Baby) and with these people.
I will say, this book needed an editor. There are a few typos (and grammatical errors), which is annoying since he has written textbooks.
More importantly, he and John appear to no longer be friends. I don’t want to say Mr. Maier is jaded, but he definitely makes it clear How Hollywood Works; and he certainly doesn't blame Waters for all that has happened, but he does imply that John did not “change” for the better. I disagree, as I think John grew up and became more refined, while still enjoying a VERY dark aesthetic. Also, New Line did everything in it’s power to watch the bottom line and become the powerhouse that it is.
In addition to stories about making the movies (FT, DL, Polyester, Hairspray, & CB); there are stories about Low Budget Movies in the Hamptons, working with Debbie Harry and Chris Stein (Polyester!), the New York art scene in the early 80s.
Again, this book is for those who love John Waters; not just his books.
July 1, 2014
Robert Maier has a few axes to grind as the cast-aside producer of John Waters' early work. Throughout this bitter memoir, he offers ample evidence that although he was very hard-working, he was not likely a very easy person to work with.
He mentions early on that he decided to get organized by creating a binder for each film he worked on. No problem. But the entire book reads as though he has those binders at his elbow: there are countless paragraphs detailing expenses and personnel choices, and that is truly not interesting reading. He relies much too heavily on the minutiae to tell the story. Details are important, but not in a filmmaking memoir.
The other issue beyond the content is that he's a mediocre writer at best. Sentences are choppy, and it's cringe-inducing when he uses "gentile" consistently when he means "genteel." This book suffers from the lack of a good critical editor; had someone cut the flotsam out and made the vocabulary corrections, there may have been a decent story.
Movie-making appears to be an endless hassle if you go by Maier's account, and there is certainly more than a grain of truth in that. Reading about movie-making is a hassle, too, but at least this book is short.
He mentions early on that he decided to get organized by creating a binder for each film he worked on. No problem. But the entire book reads as though he has those binders at his elbow: there are countless paragraphs detailing expenses and personnel choices, and that is truly not interesting reading. He relies much too heavily on the minutiae to tell the story. Details are important, but not in a filmmaking memoir.
The other issue beyond the content is that he's a mediocre writer at best. Sentences are choppy, and it's cringe-inducing when he uses "gentile" consistently when he means "genteel." This book suffers from the lack of a good critical editor; had someone cut the flotsam out and made the vocabulary corrections, there may have been a decent story.
Movie-making appears to be an endless hassle if you go by Maier's account, and there is certainly more than a grain of truth in that. Reading about movie-making is a hassle, too, but at least this book is short.
September 16, 2015
True story ... once I bought and started reading this book, I realized the author, one Robert Maier, once threatened to sue me a decade or two ago over bootlegging a documentary about John Waters that used, maybe, 10 seconds of Maier's own short film "Love Letter to Edie." I was amused that he (1) bought what was advertised as a bootleg with original commercials and had never been released on VHS or DVD (I was selling a VHS version) just so he could (2) get the tape and then threaten me with a lawsuit over a British TV documentary that had NOTHING to do with him personally and (3) then send the tape back and demand a refund with his lawsuit saber rattling. Of course, now that I've read his book on low budget film-making and his experiences with John Waters and New Line Cinema (and how he skirted the shady edges of ethical behavior), I sort of understand his overreaction ... and yet, it also makes me go "WTF, dudge?" Anyway, if you like Waters, you enjoy this book. I think Maier is a honest writer, and it accurately paints his love/hate relationship with "The Prince of Puke." I enjoyed myself, and think you'll learn a lot in regards to how low budget films operate behind the scenes.
December 29, 2015
Reviews I read on this rather slam it for supposing it a John Waters smear. It really does not feel extreme or far off the mark I expected of this hardworking innovator. Really, it is a career memoir of a worker in low budget movies, including five Waters' opuses on through Crybaby. There is also Also Cocaine Cowboys (1979) , slashers like Alone in the Dark (1982) where Jack Palance and especially Donald Pleasence get more of a smear than Waters. Beside the insider tales on Waters and his camp, this adds background to the movies like building and maintaining Mortville and reality for actress Edith Massey. Also, anyone looking to get into indie films to become a Producer, Production manager or other Miscellaneous Crew may find this tale of indie films to public television to commercials, etc. eye-opening.
April 16, 2012
In the afterward, it's noted that Waters commented that the unauthorized manuscript of Low Budget Hell was without humor. While there are some laughs from the early years, much of the book has an eye turned toward number crunching, bitterness & old feuds. It can get dark but it's mostly dry; that the author has mostly written textbooks should come as no great shock. And while I plowed through this book in less than 48 hours, the aftertaste was not kind. I kept coming back to the note on Waters reaction & have to fall back on a quote from Woody Allen: "The audience has a right when they sit down, to be entertained." I will say that Maier is excellent at handling various types of information & stories with equal attention. That said, you will read just as much about how much craft services cost the budget on every single film Maier and Waters worked on as you will behind the scenes stories. If you want to be entertained by the latter, this is not the place to do it.
December 3, 2011
This is the perfect book for the hardcore John Waters fan who thinks they know everything but would like to learn more. Maier's book goes way behind the scenes with the Prince of Puke, detailing the nuts and bolts side of making movies like Pink Flamingos and Desperate Living. Casual fans who just want to read funny stories about Divine will be disappointed (though there is quite a bit about Divvy in the book), but Waters fans who are curious as to what it was like to actually make the classic movies will be satisfied. My biggest gripe about the book is that it could have used the services of a good proofreader. I cringed every time Maier made reference to "Basquait", and there were quite a few other glaring typos lurking throughout the book. Spelling gremlins aside, Low Budget Hell is a great reference for the diehard Dreamlander fan.
July 29, 2016
Entertaining and packed full of tragic, hysterical truths about low budget film-making. Almost masochistic reading. John Waters fans may be in for a surprise, as the author reveals just how heartless and exploitative even an exploitation "artist" can be--especially once the hipster costume becomes persona . At least Waters would agree with all the assessments. Anecdotes galore.
April 23, 2012
Sloppy--but very interesting, especially for Waters nuts and aspiring filmmakers. Waters didn't authorize it, but it ain't a bio; it's his sometimes-production manager's memoir, and it doesn't really paint him in anything but a human light.
January 11, 2012
sounds like a great deal of fun, if hair-raising. difficult to guess what's omitted re the author's unpopularity, but the heartless workings of the industry ring all too true
May 30, 2012
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book. I grew up in the 70`s-80`s in Baltimore and the memories are flooding back...Thank you Robert. Charlotte Fazio
September 18, 2012
A personal romp through the world of low budget movie making from the 1970s-1990s, by a man who helped produce 5 John Waters films, as well as others in NYC and Baltimore.
April 21, 2014
Very enjoyable look at low budget film making and early John Waters films.
March 21, 2015
Full of lies...a waste of money and time
May 30, 2015
Needed a much stronger editing hand. Interesting, though, at least in parts.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews