I was going to write my own plot outline for this masterpiece but I love the one that Google provides- ‘A bizarre fat woman (Divine) and her misfit family compete with a Baltimore couple (David Lochary, Mink Stole) to be named the filthiest people alive.’ Perfect.

Waters purposely set out to make a transgressive piece of bad taste that was as funny as it is gleefully repulsive and he hits every bullseye he aims for. Everything from cannibalism to voyeurism is tackled and then there’s THAT scene (with ‘How Much is That Doggy in the Window’ playing over it) . Never copied, never bettered. And it got the film noticed. I remember a review of the film by Mark Kermode who very foolishly said that apart from the final scene, there was little to recommend the film for.

This is utter rubbish. Pink Flamingos is killer dialogue, iconic performances, a film that captures the zeitgeist of underground cinema whilst establishing a sense of kitsch for items from the past whilst influencing the future (Pink Flamingos was punk before punk). It also helped establish the tradition of ‘midnight movies’ to boot. That’s pretty good going.

Pink Flamingos also acts as a barometer for potential future friends. Ask them about this film. If they love it and can quote scenes, you have a new friend. If not then…As the great Connie Marble would say, ‘There’s only two types of people…’

A much longer essay I’ve written is here- https://meathookcinema.com/2024/05/28/trash-triptych-1-3-filth-is-my-politics-filth-is-my-life-examining-john-waters-pink-flamingos-1972/

5 out of 5 stars