This review is really intended for fans of John Waters' films--in particular, the earlier and "cheesier" movies that featured the wonderful Edith Massey. Massey, if you are not aware of her, was an incredibly ugly and untalented lady who was perfect in the Waters' films--she had that creepy photogenic and campy quality that made the pictures even better. Her mouth had only a few teeth that were mostly crooked, she was very obese and rather old and her delivery was terrible--and she was very funny in these wacky roles. If you aren't a fan of these earlier films or if you haven't seen them, then perhaps you should NOT watch this short--you probably just don't get it. Or, perhaps you should see them now and see what all the fuss is about and then you'll perhaps understand why she has had a cult following.
The film is a short about Edith and she narrates and talks about herself. Some of her life story sounded very fake, though many of the details turned out to be quite true. She had been a so-called "B-girl", stripper (yuck), barmaid and thrift store owner before being discovered by Waters. I couldn't find any information about whether she was really a madame or some of the other details, but it sure wouldn't surprise me if it's all true! In her own wonderfully campy style, this film is a real treat for fans, as you get to see Edith as she really was--without the whips, fishnet stockings, etc. that you have seen in her films. Plus, she seems like a kooky but very nice person. I sure wish I could have met her.
As far as the production values go, they're not particularly great. It looks and feels mostly like a high-quality home movie. But considering the films she made, this seems rather fitting.
The film is a short about Edith and she narrates and talks about herself. Some of her life story sounded very fake, though many of the details turned out to be quite true. She had been a so-called "B-girl", stripper (yuck), barmaid and thrift store owner before being discovered by Waters. I couldn't find any information about whether she was really a madame or some of the other details, but it sure wouldn't surprise me if it's all true! In her own wonderfully campy style, this film is a real treat for fans, as you get to see Edith as she really was--without the whips, fishnet stockings, etc. that you have seen in her films. Plus, she seems like a kooky but very nice person. I sure wish I could have met her.
As far as the production values go, they're not particularly great. It looks and feels mostly like a high-quality home movie. But considering the films she made, this seems rather fitting.
