Nobody loves God more than John Waters…
Not nearly as entertaining nor as provocative as Pink Flamingos (1972) for me personally, and maybe a teeny bit too cognate to it as well, but John Waters’ theory on how its possible for the human mind to turn initial perceptions of disgust and atrocity into that of beauty and comedy as long as you normalize it truly shines in Female Trouble. By employing absurd reversals of typical cultural desperations for self-image, Waters then emphasizes how innate desires for attention and glory really aren’t as exclusive as we may seem to think they are in our own cultures, discerning that our only segregations in them are based strictly on the trendy rules of your social circle. Following these rules though are hardly a match when they become faced with punishment or death! “Now who wants to die for art?”
And yeah, Water clearly finds pleasure specifically however with mocking white trash American lifestyles when it comes to the uber egocentrism of them, overshadowing the love for their future generations and popularizing yet tantalizing their legacy because of it.
Verdict: B-
“Female Trouble” is now available to purchase from The Criterion Collection.
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