Filthy: The Weird World of John Waters

by Robrt L. Pela

Looks at the life, career, and films of the avant-garde director.

Genres: Nonfiction, Film, Biography, Humor

209 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2002

Reviews

[Prima Seadiva · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a holiday gift. Very quick read. I have already passed it on to a fellow native. Thanks for the readable size font too.
I grew up in Baltimore, went to art school there. One of my best friends there was Vince Peranio, genius of junk, whose place was always like the Dorothy Parker salon for stoner art students. He really has played a huge part in the look of John's movies. Vince made and was Lobstera in Multiple Maniacs, the accordion player in Pink Flamingos, and his last on camera appearance was in Female Trouble as the guy who died for art. He then moved to behind the scenes. Like other Dreamlanders he created an interesting career out of his participation.
The fact that once vilified, John now has the key to the city and a show at the Baltimore Museum of Art amuses me greatly. The hilarious irony of the influence of his and others' work with him on the media is shall we say "Divine".
This must be flashback season for me, see my review of Hippie Food.
When he met John and Divine, introduced them to Edie our groups intersected where I was peripheral until I left for the west coast. Since then John's movies have always been for a me, like the home movies my family never took, a bit of a visit back in time and place.

John has worked hard to create his persona and become famous as was his desire. This is John Waters' world through the eyes of the author Pela.
Included are summaries of the movies. One of the best scenes ever as is the legendary Christmas scene in Female Trouble making it my number one holiday movie though how the smoking in the bathroom scene in was left out of the summary is inexplicable.

I think the best and funniest part of the book were the visits to rabid fans.

[Bert · Rating 3 out of 5]

About 3 quarters of the book are really good and then it’s let down by the end just being too rushed and wrapped up all of a sudden. The remaining 50 pages is just a rehash of the films and info about them. But if a shame it ended so abruptly because the beginning of it was great and really well written.

[Erin Tuzuner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even for someone such as myself who has read all the books, watched all the films, I thoroughly enjoyed this. The facts remain as edgy and scruffy as ever, but the oddball element of his fans really got me. The psychic contacting Divine, the man who claimed his cat Jayne Mansfield wrote John Waters' movies... were so entertaining. An excellent bus or bar read for the trivia alone. Who wouldnt sleep with someone reading this in public!

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Artistically Incorrect: the Photographs and Sculpture of John Waters at Laumeier Sculpture Park 10.11.08-01.11.09

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this a while back. It is hilarious.
I give it a thumbs up but I love John Waters so I could be more than a little biased.

[Robert Thermopolis · Rating 3 out of 5]

By the time I finished this I realized I should just read some of John Waters’ many books.