Pink Flamingos (1972) User Reviews

RIGHT(tm).

[mxw-2 · 5/10 · 19 September 2000]

The Divine and Doggie bit at the end is a bit much for me; I have to turn away. But a lot of it's pretty hysterical -- and it obviously works since folks are complaining why anyone would make a movie like this.

The answer, of course, is: to annoy folks who would complain why anyone would make a movie like this.

Don't be fooled by those who would have you believe that there's some deep meaning in, or mark of genius on, this film. There isn't. There is, though, a kind of bizarre, kinetic and desperate energy to this nonsensical enterprise.

I didn't hate it. There, that's my review: I didn't hate it.

I tend to agree with Ebert in this regard: this film is an object. It simply "is," and no amount of explaining will settle your nerves after you've seen it, nor convince you to see it in the first place.

A must-see----kind of

[preppy-3 · 7/10 · 18 April 2006]

Babs Johnson (Divine) lives in a trailer with her son Crackers, her daughter Cotton and her mother Edie (Edie Massey). She's in competition with a couple named Connie and Raymond Marbles (Mink Stole, David Lochary) to be named the filthiest person alive. The film shows their attempts to outdo each other.

This film is very much NOT for everyone. It's a in your face no holds barred assault in bad taste. Crackers has sex with a woman with a live chicken between them while his sister watches; the Marbles pick up female hitchhikers, impregnate them, keep them chained in the basement and sell the babies to lesbian couples; Divine and family have a party which includes cannibalism etc etc. It's disgusting but, in a way, not unwatchable. It's SO over the top and is so unapologetic about it that it's kind of fascinating. As director John Waters might say, it's bad taste done well. Also it's kind of amusing to watch--the acting is so wretched (especially by Massey) that you just watch it in disbelief. A friend laughed out loud at how bad Massey was (she improved in later pictures).

This is NOT for people who are easily offended. Even though it's over 30 years old it's STILL shocking. However if you have an open mind and can take a lot of extreme behaviour this is a must-see. The only part that really was too much is what Divine does at the very end.

Fascinating

[funkyfry · 7/10 · 29 October 2002]

A very strange, disturbing but intriguing film. I don't think I ever needed to see what a human being can do with his butt, and I doubt if I'll ever want to see it again. That said, there is much to be amused by, like Divine's take on Jayne Mansfield's classic walk in "The Girl Can't Help It" and putting slabs of meat between her legs in a grocery store. A gritty feel very much like a Russ Meyer film. Generally poor acting, with the notable exception of Divine.

It may be cheap and revolting, but it's got style.

[roarshock · 3 July 2000]

I first saw Pink Flamingos in the mid 70's, back before VCRs. A college dorm had rented a print, and in a drunken state I've not achieved again this past quarter-century, I went to see it. Having finally seen it again only recently, this time sober, I'm here to tell you... it looks a hell of a lot better when you're drunk. Those who call it "great" or a "masterpiece" are plain wrong, they don't recognize what they are seeing. The camera work is a hair's breadth above home movies; the acting and story are... well, they are better than in porn flicks and even some straight-to-video movies, but, jeez, not by much. And then there is the primary purpose behind Pink Flamingos -- to make the most disgusting, revolting movie possible, perhaps even conceivable.

But... BUT... Pink Flamingos is distinctive. Even if you - yes YOU out there - the reader, wanted to make the most disgusting movie in the world and even if you had the money and the skills that John Waters lacked in 1972, you couldn't make a film as good as he did. Yes, GOOD! You couldn't because, first of all, I doubt you have the same quality of acquaintances that Waters had and put into into his early movies. And it's not just a matter of WHAT they will do, but HOW they do it. Waters' actors had a style, no matter how bizarre, that is rarer than most depravities. Could YOU recognize the virtues of, let alone even find, someone like Edith Massey? I doubt it. Which leads to the second point.

Pink Flamingos has panache! It has a free-wheeling sense of daring-do that borders on innocent fun. So, although the movie is so disgusting that I wish it had never been made, it is not a squalid film. And I don't think YOU, the reader, or anyone other than Waters could have pulled that off. It doesn't make Pink Flamingos a masterpiece. It does make it unlike any other film.

Transgression and counterculture

[Fernando-Rodrigues · 7/10 · 15 April 2021]

This is chaotic cinema gold! I love the anarchic vibe of this picture. It has its flaws, and the script is not really Water's best, but it's sure iconic!

They just don't make 'em like they used to.

[Vancity_Film_Fanatic · 8/10 · 10 December 2004]

On the surface "Pink Flamingos" could easily be dismissed as a nostalgic piece of shock cinema. With an unparalleled level of notoriety -- based almost entirely on the final scene, the film has become a curiosity of sorts and a right of passage for those testing their own boundaries of decency. Beneath this seedy exterior however, lies a brilliant and biting satire of society's obsession with fame and the lengths one will go to in order to achieve it. This theme is relevant even more so today than it ever was. Just consider the over abundance of reality TV shows, for example 'Fear Factor' – a show boasting contestants eager and willing to outdo one another by performing a variety of dangerous stunts and eating unimaginable specimens – how is this any different than the characters in 'Pink Flamingos' attempting to outdo one another in an effort to claim the dubious title of the filthiest people alive? Society is (and has always been) captivated with sensationalism; from the Roman era and the coliseum packed with bloodthirsty audiences, to modern day and the likes of the 'Jerry Springer Show' (of which Babs Johnson and the Marbles would make excellent guests!!). The purpose of "Pink Flamingos" is to not only put a hilariously depraved spin on the fascination with celebrity but to also provide a cautionary tone to the dissolution of society itself. The performances are all top-notch; especially the ever-dependable and over-the-top Mink Stole, as heartless Connie Marble; and scene stealing Edith Massey, as Edie 'The Egg Lady'. It's amazing that the film is over thirty-years old because the message is just as fresh today as it was back in 1972.

"Filth is my politics. Filth is my life."

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 28 June 2015]

From the legendary John Waters comes this notorious exercise in camp and trash. It helped him to cement his reputation as a prime purveyor of purely sleazy and grimy material. The pacing isn't the greatest - some scenes really go on too long - but Waters comes up with some truly awe inspiring nuttiness. The viewer won't believe what they're seeing.

The great drag performer Divine plays a character named Divine, now assuming the identity of "Babs Johnson" and living in an isolated trailer in Maryland. Divines' trailer mates include a son, Crackers (Danny Mills), a "travelling companion", Cotton (Mary Vivian Pearce), and an egg-loving mother, Edie (Edith Massey), who's confined to a playpen much of the time. Divine takes great pride in her status as "the filthiest person alive", but the uptight Connie Marble (Mink Stole) covets that title and will do anything to get it.

Also among the sordid characters are Connies' perverted husband Raymond (David Lochary), put upon butler Channing (Channing Wilroy), who's employed to knock up the hapless ladies kept in the Marbles' basement, Cookie the spy (Cookie Mueller), and Edies' beloved egg delivery man (Paul Swift). All of these quirky freaks provide solid entertainment value - Connie sports red hair and Raymond sports blue hair - but Divine dominates them all with a knowingly hammy performance and an incredible "just go for it" attitude.

The various disgusting things that Waters has his people do really shouldn't be spoiled here, so that potential viewers can experience them fresh. The director fills the soundtrack with many catchy golden oldies and gives us a final scene that we're pretty much guaranteed to remember.

Waters did earn this viewers' respect for having the courage of his convictions. He succeeds at creating a cult comedy that is equal parts jaw dropping, offensive, and funny in the most appreciably offbeat way possible.

Seven out of 10.

Pink Flamingos Sucks

[deosil1977 · 1/10 · 20 February 2006]

This movie has absolutely no cinematic value. Orgasmo would win an Oscar compared to this piece of trash. I don't see anything entertaining about screwing a chicken. John Waters stated that they got the chicken from a slaughterhouse and it was set to be killed anyways. WHO CARES?! Waters is going to die someday, too. Maybe we should just shove a watermelon up his butt and see how much he's willing to do for the sake of a movie. At least he would have a choice. The chicken was raped and killed. It doesn't matter if you like chickens or not, or what worth you think they have. They are a living creature that does feel pain. And anyone who is okay with that is a morally desensitized individual. I pity them.

The Original Trailer-Tacky Barf-O-Rama

[gftbiloxi · 8/10 · 21 May 2005]

Like those who listened to radio reports about the attack on Pearl Harbor, every one who has ever seen PINK FLAMINGOS can tell you exactly where they were when they first saw it--and some thirty years later the movie is still one of the most unspeakably vile, obnoxious, repulsive, and hilariously funny films ever put to celluloid, guaranteed to test the strongest stomachs and the toughest funny bones.

Filmed with a close-to-zero budget and some of the shakiest cinematography around, PINK FLAMINGOS tells the story of two families that compete for the tabloid title of "The Filthiest People Alive." Just how filthy can they be? Plenty: the film includes everything from sex with chickens to what I can only describe as a remarkable display of rectal control to a heaping helping of doggie doo, and I guarantee that you won't want to eat an egg for at least several weeks after seeing it.

The cast is either wonderful, atrocious, or atrociously wonderful, depending on how you look at it. The star, of course, is Divine... and to describe Divine as the BIGGEST drag queen on the planet would the understatement of the year. She is a mammoth creature given to BIG eye makeup, BIG orange hair, and BIG expressions--she is the Charleton Heston of drag, and whether she is almost running down a jogger, pausing to use the bathroom on some one's front lawn, or startling real-life shoppers by taking a stroll along a Baltimore sidewalk she is both unspeakable and unspeakably funny. Others in the cast include Mary Vivian Pearce, Danny Mills, and the ever-appalling Edith Massey as members of Divine's family; and Mink Stole and David Lochary as the white-slaving, baby-selling couple who challenge Divine's status.

It should be pretty obvious that PINK FLAMINGOS is not exactly a movie that will appeal to just every one, and viewers who know director John Waters only through such later films as HAIRSPRAY and CRYBABY will be in for a major jolt. But if you want to see something so completely different that even Monty Python couldn't imagine it, this is the movie for you. Just make sure you eat before you see it, because you probably won't want to eat afterward--and you might want to keep a barf bag handy just in case.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

John Waters' unique, individualistic style can attach an adjective like 'great' to a noun like 'trash' to form 'great trash'. Now that's an achievement.

[sashank_kini-1 · 7/10 · 21 June 2012]

Pink Flamingos – The Movie is a rare bird which not only makes trash enjoyable but also a good film. Just a single clip of trashy reality TV shows Jerry Springer or The Maury Show on YouTube and what we witness is nonstop display of vulgarity, sleaze and uncontrollable behavior. On the other hand, we have a plethora of terrible films like The Room, the entire Friday the Thirteenth series, Caligula etc that are unintentionally hilarious but all in all unwatchable. Pink Flamingos is a sure shot delight for the voyeurs of violence, sex, deviance, coarseness and trash, albeit one that is made with uncanny expertise. John Walters is the small-scale Quentin Tarantino who can conjure unique, quirky characters and make them cult figures; we are not perturbed by the characters' wrongdoings and we usually end up rooting for them to commit another misdeed.

The story here is narrated in an androgynous manner, probably by a flaming gay man or a transsexual, who takes us into the pink, tawdry and shabby trailer of Divine (who is living as Babs Johnson to evade police attention) and her family- her pretty, lusty blonde traveling companion Cotton who possesses the looks of a yesteryear's' star, her bucktoothed, long-maned chicken loving son Crackers and her egg obsessed cutie-pie mother Edie. Divine has long remained the undisputed 'filthiest person on the planet', unbeaten, unchallenged by anyone and is a small-time cult figure who makes it into shoddy newspapers. She is settled now, and does no harm to others other that warming beef between her legs to save on money. Her son seems more wayward at first, but only in sex (chickens are his favorite partners, it seems). Cotton exhibits only voyeuristic tendencies and likes to hang posters of beefy men next to her bed – but that seems acceptable. And sweet Edie only thinks and talks about eggs, their shape, size and color, Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme, what happens if all the chickens disappear?, when will the egg-man arrive etc. No one seems to transgress modesty to an unlawful extent except perhaps Crackers. But all this changes when the team is challenged by Raymond and Bonnie Marble, a husband-wife team who vie to steal Divine's esteemed (at least according to them) title. Raymond exposes himself to unsuspecting souls but that is just the tip of the iceberg- the couple discreetly orders their homosexual manservant Channing to impregnate kidnapped women, so that the new-born can be sold to happy lesbian couples. The pitiful kidnapped woman in tattered clothes and straggly hair castigates Channing whenever he enters the basement; she hasn't even seen the actual perpetrators of her misery. When this terrible couple takes on Divine and her flamingos, it is WAR!

I believe that the degree of crime committed by Connie and Raymond automatically makes them antagonists; while most of Divine's victims are simply killed without much introduction, we are constantly updated about Connie's victims' sufferings. Even the effect from the disturbing chicken scene with Crackers and the spy Cookie is palliated by the previous scene where we are told of Cookie's deception. . Divine and her gang shoot, chop and eat their victims in one scene but it is too hilariously over-the-top to be offensive. The sexuality on the other hand is something that is bound to gross out or p-ss off certain audiences, with the idea of incest itself can be unnerving for many, but again who really finds Divine to be role model or even a woman, with her androgynous appearance and her ludicrous make up (actual name: Harris Glenn; yes, a man!).

The entire setup seems like shots from a sleazy reality show, the budget of the film being so tight the entire product was the master copy. We see choppy editing, shadows creeping up often in the background, cameras shaking furiously while closing in on a person and passersby gawking at Divine's appearance as if completely unaware of the film. However, it is this low-quality which make the action look more authentic, as if Divine is an actual C-grade celeb who has made her name through malefaction. The songs, a mix of rock and roll and country make the scenes more lively and enjoyable, and also mitigate the actual violent acts that occur when the music is played.

Watch Pink Flamingos if you want to see a kick-ass trashy exploitation film. It is hilarious at moments (the 'trial' scene) and deliciously (in a slightly gross way), wickedly and divinely entertaining.

My Rating: 7.4 out of 10

Not even a little entertaining...

[oscar-egb-93 · 1/10 · 27 June 2013]

******************* CONTAINS SPOILERS ************************ If you're here like me because you're into weird movies, I am warning you, you're going to have a terrible time. This movie was a waste of my time and I still think of what a bad time I had while watching it. If you're in doubt whether to watch it or not, follow my advice and go see another disturbing movie, but not this one. I have seen some perturbed movies like "964 Pinocchio" & "Enter the Void" and none made me feel the way I felt after watching "Pink Flamingos".

If you decide to ignore me and watch it anyway, I'll just list some of the most disturbing scenes of the movie. Don't worry I wont spoil the storyline because there is no plot at all, just bizarre and revolting scenes. 1. A man completely naked opening and closing his anus 2. Divine eating dog feces (which sadly, are real) 3. The emasculation of a man 4. Two persons having sex while crushing a live chicken to death

If you agree and think that any of the things listed above are acceptable and worth watching, then go ahead. I'm not saying that I don't enjoy movies that make you feel sick by the end, however I prefer ones where the actors are remotely good and where the plot is more interesting than 'who is the filthiest person alive'.

"Pink Flamingos" is not a movie where you contemplate life at the end and makes you think about a deeper meaning. John Waters just wanted to shock the audience with disgusting scenes. It will gross you out, but that was Waters intention. Overall the acting is crap, the editing was horrible and I could write a better plot than this. I would rate this 0/10 but the lowest is 1/10.

Wonderfully filthy classic.

[HumanoidOfFlesh · 9/10 · 20 October 2003]

"Pink Flamingos" is a cult classic.The plot of this film revolves around the throwdown challenge to Divine's supremacy as the filthiest person alive."Pink Flamingos" contains some memorably repulsive scenes like a sex scene with a chicken and the scene where Divine eats fresh dog feces.Yes,the movie is shocking and funny at the same time,but the biggest laughs come from the actors' lines.Check out especially this line from Divine:"Kill everyone now!Condone first degree murder!Advocate cannibalism!Eat s***!Filth is my politics!Filth is my life!".On the whole,I really enjoyed this film.Still its tagline "An Exercise in Bad Taste" should be taken to heart and even those used to the gross out movies today may find this gem hard to stomach.Highly recommended.

Totally Tasteless...but...

[kevjfarrell · 7/10 · 23 May 2015]

...enjoyable too in a freakish sort of way!! This is one of John Waters early works (and it shows). But he was starting out and learning his craft by trial and error. This was made back in the early 70's - it doesn't stand up to today's young movie makers starting out. But hey, times were so much different then!!! The facilities that were available to the likes of John Waters back then are comparatively prehistoric to what is available nowadays. John Waters bravely puts out his own personality and dark depths of his mind for anyone to see. There's plenty to be revolted by in this movie, but don' be too hasty to dismiss it as cheap, vile trash. It does have some merit...without it and future films, we wouldn't have the John Waters that we have today. Certainly not a movie for everyone.....but if you like some BAD taste, then you'll find something to amuse yourself in this. Most of his actors appear in his later productions too. Parts of the movie will gross you out!

Animal torture and murder

[AuntieShawna · 1/10 · 8 December 2020]

I am giving this movie a star one star rating because of the graphic torture and murder of a chicken on film. This scene was kept in the movie, and the torturous death of the chicken is fully visible throughout the scene. Also, there is the sound of the chicken's muffled squawking in pain as blood is visible while the chicken is injured and killed.

Y'all Ain't Ready For This...

[Schlockmeister · 1 November 2000]

There is no film to put beside Pink Flamingos by way of comparison. It is a film genre of it's own. I read and hear reviews of this movie that express disgust and horror and I picture John Waters chuckling. This was the intent, it was meant to upset the status quo and in "politically correct" times that we live in, isn't it a small surprise to see this film come to the forefront again? This is a movie that will freak out the uptight for as long as it exists in any media. It was meant to. As much as "Clockwork Orange" talked about "ultraviolence" this movie is all about ultra-bad taste. We can numb ourselves to sex and violence but Pink Flamingos is a movie you just will never get used to. There will be something in this movie that will get to you. As a last resort to make sure everyone is offended before you leave the theatre, John includes the always discussed poodle scene. No reason for this scene, except to make sure he gets you and also to make sure you leave talking about it. Obviously filmed on a budget, and using Water's stock cast, this is a movie simply about a contest to see who are the filthiest people alive. All the characters are bizarre in one way or another. This movie reminds me of "Rocky Horror Picture Show" in that everyone in the film has something odd about them and both movies joyfully celebrate these uniquenesses. Not a movie to buy for Mom on Mother's Day... but worth seeing just to say you did.

Pink Flamingos (1972)

[jonahstewartvaughan · 7/10 · 8 January 2023]

Cult Cuts Volume 2

#4/4: Pink Flamingos (1972)

(7/10):So this is the John Waters Cult Phenomenon,well it certainly is Poor Taste.

I can't say I absolutely love it but I can't say that I dislike it either,it's a film that has managed to more than any other film,split an audience,with some absolutely adoring it and others finding nothing but complete trash.

If you're looking for a plot then you can find it elsewhere as this one is pretty barebones;It follows Divine who is,yes a man in drag,as she and many others are competing to become the filthiest person alive,that's your plot.

It's got lots and lots of moments that are designed to get a reaction from the audience,it's shock value,but it's still a bit more than just shock value,it's also a symbol in gender identity being portrayed in film not to mention it has become one of the most iconic cult films ever made, so it's more important than one would think.

This movie is still unique even to this day,as I have never seen anything quite like it before,ever.

This movie is also quite disgusting and even uncomfortable. Many scenes of amateur nudity and sexual acts.

It's also got a scene that closes out the movie where Divine, eats literal Dog poop,I'm not making this up, she eats dog feces.

The rest of these disgusting events I'll spare you from so only the daring can find out for themselves.

Anyone who is at all interested in Cult Cinema,this is a necessary viewing,it's Quintessential Cult and I can't recommend it to anyone except people who are interested in Cult Film.

Divine Fury

[nycritic · 10/10 · 10 March 2007]

Italy had Pasolini. Germany had Fassbinder. Spain has Almodovar, but there was a time when he was daring to go that extra mile and rip the concept of what a movie should be to shreds, before he became a respected director and has gone to mainstream yet high quality films. England had Jarman. We still have John Waters, and thanks to him, we can enjoy the "Hunh?" kind of movie that PINK FLAMINGOS is.

Give an extremely subversive, creative person enough freedom of expression and a camera and you will have a bona fide movie director. Way back in a time before the advent of YouTube and viral videos, you had those people who genuinely, despite their almost nonexistent academic knowledge of cinema per compounded many times over by this genius that, like the fire which burns Divine's trailer down, raged through their finished product, had something special -- something indescribable, indefinable -- that made them automatic cult figures and icons-to-be for an entire future generation.

It didn't make them a threat to the movie industry and it doesn't now. Such people, like Luis Bunuel back in 1929 when he did UN CHIEN ANDALOU, live in their own Universe and It moves at its own pace. John Waters could hardly be called anything at all: his movie, which premiered nearly 35 years ago, was greeted with dazed reaction. Some called it the best thing since CRIES AND WHISPERS. Some called it trash. Pure filth. People didn't really know what to make of it then, and even now, when purportedly we've come a long way, it stands on its own pedestal, defies explanation, defies a rating, and shrieks out its outrageousness by ways of the furious persona of Divine who does things that can only be summarized in one word: gasp.

What plot there is, well, here it goes: Babs Johnson (Divine), also known to tabloids as the "Filthiest Person Alive" lives in a trailer outside Baltimore with her son/lover Cracker and her daughter Cotton. Another couple, the Marbles, have plans of becoming themselves the "Filthiest People Alive". They run an illegal baby ring for lesbians via two kidnapped girls via the man servant who gets them pregnant. Once the Marbles burn Babs' trailer down, Babs vows revenge. Then she takes it just a little bit farther up the scale, and what happens later has to be seen to be believed.

Does it aim to shock? Well, for those who like their movies classy and elegant, this one will probably kill their party. It features some of the most bizarre scenes ever filmed, and there is that one moment right at the end when Divine decides it would be rather fun to do something unspeakable with what comes out of a small dog's rear end. The music John Waters uses is so jarringly out of place that it makes the scene insane, and it will take a strong stomach and willpower not to scream (in equal parts laughter and disgust) at how "there" the movie goes.

Now, here is the hard part: can I recommend PINK FLAMINGOS? I would have to say yes, because it's become a part of outrageous cinema. Its documentary, home-movies style is a main part of its charm: it makes a complete mess of a movie brilliant. Even when it touches certain themes best left for the Marquis de Sade (such as coprophagia, rape, incest, dismemberment, voyeurism, bestiality) it does so in such a balls-out hysterical way it's impossible to take it seriously. All anyone can do is watch in awe, and see the man who in later years became tamer and went mainstream with HAIRSPRAY, who once was as punk as Sid Vicious. This is as hardcore as hardcore gets for Waters. And that is a compliment.

"Oh my God Almighty! Someone has sent me a bowel movement!"

[sadnuggetofchicken · 6/10 · 29 November 2022]

Before watching this film, keep in mind that it is not for the faint of heart, it includes, but not limited to: Chicken brutality, Chicken uhhh intercourse, dog feces consumption, feces, vomit, cannibalism, and more. Hopefully that paints a picture.

The film, if you're into films, is very notorious. Before watching this movie a day ago it was always brought up that dog feces had something to do with this movie. They were not lying, nonono not one bit. What a way to buy my first Criterion film huh?

If you ask me, this film isn't too funny. The humor, for me, was mainly just gross-out-- which isn't all that funny, i was just sort of laughing at how absurd it was and how uncomfortable i was. For reference, this isn't my first rodeo with disturbing, nasty, and shocking films. I've seen the Japanese Guinea Pig movies alongside many others that pop into your head when i mention that. This film always seemed to be recommended to me , due to me enjoying the shock value.

There are so many things to say about this film and i'm not interested in spoiling it. My main problems are : Strange drawn out scenes, done only for shock--parts in the movie that just make no sense and don't need to be there-- and every scene Crackers is in. Crackers somehow happens to make every scene he's in (i'm exaggerating, i'm talking about two in particular) uncomfortable and needless.

Now what this film has going for it is John Water's visuals, dialogue, quotables, and bizarre plot. If you were to attempt at explaining this movie from start to finish to somebody, scene for scene, it would be quicker to just show them the damn movie. Its definitely a cult classic, not perfect, but not bad and i look forward to doing a rewatch in the future.

Although i don't love this movie as much as most, if you can handle it, id consider giving it a watch.

Not disturbing or ironic in any way... just crap.

[goodm0urning · 1/10 · 13 June 2004]

In technical respects, this film is total amateur night. I've seen freshman film students handle a camera and a razor blade far better than this. Content-wise, Waters clearly tries to push the envelope as far as it will go, but to what purpose? Like the awful The Last House On The Left, the way Pink Flamingos tests the censors has very little impact or meaning in the post-A Clockwork Orange era. Incidentally, Orange not only pushed the envelope further and did it earlier, but it also did so to espouse a powerful message--Flamingos has no such message. As a result, this ineffective piece of shock cinema is both completely empty and devoid of any sort of entertainment whatsoever.

Zero out of four stars. It's pure crap. Avoid it.

Yep, it's real!

[lee_eisenberg · 10/10 · 18 October 2005]

My 10/10 rating of course applies only if you're willing to get completely and utterly grossed out*. Because you know that only John Waters can do that. In "Pink Flamingos" (his directorial debut), he portrays two families locked in combat to see who can be the filthiest person alive. What Divine famously does at the end pretty much answers the question. But even aside from that, the movie is basically an excuse to shock people beyond what anyone would usually imagine. You had better have a very strong stomach to watch this movie. Even some of the lines are rather mind-blowing.

*Otherwise, avoid this movie like you would the ebola virus!

Pink Flamingos

[jboothmillard · 7/10 · 4 March 2017]

I watched a small portion of this film in Film Studies in college, and it features in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, I knew the most disgusting moment at the end, I was prepared for whatever else was in store, from the aptly named "Prince of Puke", cult writer and director John Waters. Basically on the outskirts of Phoenix, Maryland, in a pink and green caravan, with a pair of eponymous plastic pink flamingos, lives underground criminal Divine (Divine, real name Harris Glenn Milstead), with her mentally ill, egg-loving mother Edie (Edith Massey), hippie delinquent son Crackers (Danny Mills), and travelling companion Cotton (Mary Vivian Pearce). Divine has gained herself the reputation of "the filthiest person alive" by a tabloid paper, jealous rivals the Marbles, Connie (Mink Stole) and Raymond (David Lochary), set out to destroy her career and take this title for themselves. The Marbles run an "adoption clinic", a black market baby ring, where they kidnap young women, their manservant Channing (Channing Wilroy) impregnates them with artificial insemination, they sell the babies to local lesbian couples, and the money they make they invest in heroin to sell in schools. The Marbles send their spy Cookie (Cookie Mueller) to search for Divine, there is a scene where Connie and Raymond have sex, while crushing a live chicken between them, Cookie looks through the window, before coming in to tell them he has found Divine, living under the pseudonym "Babs Johnson". Divine is celebrating her birthday, she is shocked to find a box containing human feces sent to her as a present, with a card calling her "Fatso", and the writers proclaiming themselves "The Filthiest People Alive", worried her title has been seized, Divine vows revenge, and to kill whoever sent the package. The birthday party continues, with the Marbles spying, Divine receives an assortment of gifts she is happy with, including live shampoo, a pig's head, and an axe, they also have a topless woman dancing with a snake, and a contortionist who "sings" with his anus to the rhythm of "Surfin' Bird". One of the guests, the Egg Man (Paul Swift), who delivers eggs to Edie daily, confesses his love and proposes to her, she accepts and he carries her away in a wheelbarrow for a honeymoon around the egg industry. The Marbles attempt to get Divine and the other arrested, but this proves unsuccessful as they kill the officers, their bodies are hacked up with the axe, and the party- goers goers eat them. Divine finds out the Marbles' address from local gossip, Patty Hitler (Pat Moran), she and Crackers go to their house, they lick and rub everything to spread their "filthiness", excited they also engage in oral sex, they find Channing locked away, but do not free him, the free two captive women from the basement, off-screen they punish Channing. Connie and Raymond burn down Divine's beloved trailer to the ground, when they return home they find their furniture, having been "cursed" by the licking and rubbing, "rejects" them, they also find the two girls escaped and Channing has bled to death from castration. Divine is furious finding her home has been destroyed, so they return to the Mables' house, holding them hostage at gunpoint, and the local tabloid press are called to witness their trial and execution. Divine holds the "kangaroo court", asking Cotton and Crackers for their biased testimony, the Marbles are found guilty "first-degree stupidity" and "assholism", and sentenced to death, bound and gagged they are tied to a tree, covered with tar and feathers, Divine shoots them in the head, the media leave satisfied, having seen a live homicide. In the end, Divine, Crackers and Cotton relocate to Boise, Idaho, the end shot sees them stop excited to see a dog defecating on the sidewalk, Divine takes the feces in her hand and puts them in her mouth, proving she is not only the filthiest person in the world, but also the world's filthiest actress, she gags twice, before apparently swallowing and grinning at the camera. Also starring Susan Walsh as Suzie and Linda Olgeirson as Linda, with narration from John Waters. Drag queen Divine proves herself the ultimate sleaze superstar, the rest of the actors are obviously amateurs, the film is the lowest of low budgets, and does absolutely everything it can to cause disgust and outrage: obscenity, chicken sex (or animal cruelty), real sexual acts, a performing rectum, and of course the final coprophagia (the consumption of feces). But this unashamed, notorious, gross-out movie does kind of work, aside from the vulgar stuff it does make you laugh, because it is so stupid, it's good because it's bad, a surprisingly funny cult satirical melodrama. Very good!

Absolutely horrible!

[laceysmurf · 1/10 · 28 July 2005]

I understand that this movie is supposed to be disgusting, but I really didn't think that the animal cruelty (raping a woman while throwing chickens around and squishing them between their naked bodies) was very cool. I was completely disturbed. There is no reason to harm innocent animals for the sake of entertainment. They could have used fake chickens, but these were obviously real chickens and I found it completely barbaric and crude. Anyone who is an animal rights activist, or just loves and respects all animals (and all of God's creatures), would not find this very funny or entertaining. The writer should be ashamed of himself. The film could have been made without the abuse of helpless little animals of any kind.

Delightful Trash

[baileycrawly · 8/10 · 21 March 2020]

John Waters notoriously reads his bad reviews, and he's probably a lot less concerned about people like myself, who see the humour in what he's creating and consider myself a fan of his work. Pink Flamingos is infamous. It seemingly came out of nowhere and it was doing things that no other film would dare to do. It challenged obscenity laws and gave censor boards something to complain about for a good long while. This is an extremely unusual film. It's extremely easy to see how low-budget the film is, with actors yelling to make sure the dialogue is heard on the films. From Divine's over-exaggerated Babs Johnson to Edith Massey's genuinely shocking character, this is not your typical movie by any means. It's an honest attempt to pack as much material to disturb and upset and audience in the length of a film as it possibly can, and it succeeds in doing it. This movie is disgusting. But it's all, in an odd way, done in good taste and it's actually hilarious. John Waters is truly a special, unique director who, by exploiting the laws of his day, was able to make some of the most iconic cinematic moments in history... and make a living off the films he's made. If nothing else, one must respect the dedication John has to his work. The world is a better place for films like this existing.

Family drama

[dmgrundy · 7/10 · 17 August 2020]

'Pink Flamingos' is a family drama. Rather, it's a drama of two families: mapping onto two separate spaces and dwellings, one within the city, one on its margins. On the one hand, the suburban house and the straight (if perverse) couple (with its underbelly or torture and violence locked away in the cellar); on the other, the queer, mutually supportive (if homicidal) community of the trailer, which suburbia must eventually destroy, setting fire to the trailer--though of course, Divine has the last laugh. Of course, that's too schematic a summary: these are the 'filthiest people alive', and their aesthetics, activities and interactions must exceed all summary.

Outrageously Sick, Disgusting and Grotesque But Also Funny

[claudio_carvalho · 5/10 · 11 September 2006]

The filthiest person alive, Divine, is using the codename Babs Johnson and living in a trailer in the woods with her retarded mother Eddie (Edith Massey), who loves eggs; her mad hippie son Crackers (Danny Mills); and her mate Cotton (Mary Vivian Pearce). The envious couple Connie (Mink Stole) and Raymond Marble (David Lochary), who abduct and impregnate female hitchhikers to sell their babies to gay and lesbian couples, using the money to invest in heroin and sell in schools, hire Cookie (Cookie Mueller) to have sex with Crackers and spy Divine to compete for the title of "the filthiest people alive". When the competition begins, Connie and Raymond Marble learn why Divine has this title.

The underground "Pink Flamingos" is outrageously sick, disgusting and grotesque… but also funny. John Waters' intention is certainly to shock the audiences and is certainly very well succeeded. The bizarre characters present some of the most scatological and gross scenes I have ever seen, like Divine chewing excrement of dog, or Crackers "singing" with his anus, and there is no limit for the sick mind of John Waters. The viewer has to have empty stomach to see the whole movie. In the Extras of the DVD, John Waters presents deleted scenes, inclusive with the fate of Cookie. The trailer used to promote the film in 1972 is hilarious, since it does not show any scene, but people being interviewed about the movie. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Pink Flamingos"