Pink Flamingos
Director: John Waters
Actors: Divine, David Lochary, Mary Vivian Pearce
PlotIn a quest to uphold the title of the "filthiest person alive," a notorious criminal living in a trailer with her family faces a dire threat from a conniving couple who covet her status. The story unfolds in a surreal and twisted environment where society's norms are pushed to absurd extremes. This underground struggle for infamy introduces audiences to an eccentric cast, including a voyeuristic son and a lustful yet naïve companion, both of whom aid their matriarch in her outlandish endeavors. The seedy underbelly of the city serves as the backdrop, accentuating an array of grotesque scenarios that highlight defiance against even the most basic decency. The grotesque couple seeking to dethrone her engages in bizarre schemes designed both to bolster their own notoriety and degrade their rivals.
As transgressive deeds multiply, these two forces clash openly and covertly in escalating combat. Undeterred by immorality, they exhibit noir-like determination to overtop each other's depravity. Maneuvers include explicit sabotage and morally disturbing spectacles, pushing the boundaries of credibility. The outrageous attempts to outdo one another result in shocking spectacles intended to capture public imagination and cement their reputations. Operations teeter between humor and horror as each side strives to exemplify the pinnacle of tastelessness. Their unrelenting, comedic escalation towards an inevitable confrontation is marked by unpredictability, with each successive act more extravagant in its bid for shocking recognition. Ultimately, these chaotic power plays lead to a climactic frenzy rooted in excess and eccentricity.
Writers: John Waters
Release Date: 31 Mar 1976
Runtime: 93 min
Rating: NC-17
Country: United States
Language: English
Home Video Reviews
Despite polarizing content, 'Pink Flamingos' is a daring satire that remains influential, now vividly restored in a Criterion Blu-ray with excellent bonuses.
Read our review of Pink Flamingos Blu-ray to find out more