Pink Flamingos: A Forgotten Film I Wish Had Stayed Forgotten
Langdon Auger
I thought I understood John Waters. I thought he was a funny counter cultural guy. I had seen his films Hairspray and Crybaby and thought they were kitschy fun throwback films that reveled in poor taste. He even did a voice on The Simpsons. But then Pink Flamingos arrived on my Netflix queue. Gone are the notions of the mischievous gay man pointing out the foibles of mainstream society. In its place is me, a shattered human being who is still trying to come to terms with what he saw.
Langdon Auger
I thought I understood John Waters. I thought he was a funny counter cultural guy. I had seen his films Hairspray and Crybaby and thought they were kitschy fun throwback films that reveled in poor taste. He even did a voice on The Simpsons. But then Pink Flamingos arrived on my Netflix queue. Gone are the notions of the mischievous gay man pointing out the foibles of mainstream society. In its place is me, a shattered human being who is still trying to come to terms with what he saw.
Many of my friends had told me about this film and all they could bring themselves to say was “Divine eats dog poop.” After having seen this movie I begin to wonder about some of my friends. Why is that the scene that is so memorable?
When the movie begins there are pregnant women in the basement being used as baby farms for lesbian couples, a man having sex with a chicken, rape, toe licking, a grandma forced to live in a cage, and a sister watching her brother have sex. That's when I turned the movie off.
Later there is cannibalism, twitching buttholes, and castrations (as related to me by my roommate who finished the film). Maybe because I didn’t see it, but I can’t understand why the dog crap scene is so well remembered. Never did any of my friends tell me about the rest of the film. I think aside from the fact that it was real there is very little reason to claim it as the most outrageous scene in the movie.
When the movie begins there are pregnant women in the basement being used as baby farms for lesbian couples, a man having sex with a chicken, rape, toe licking, a grandma forced to live in a cage, and a sister watching her brother have sex. That's when I turned the movie off.
Later there is cannibalism, twitching buttholes, and castrations (as related to me by my roommate who finished the film). Maybe because I didn’t see it, but I can’t understand why the dog crap scene is so well remembered. Never did any of my friends tell me about the rest of the film. I think aside from the fact that it was real there is very little reason to claim it as the most outrageous scene in the movie.
Even though I could not finish the film, it is quite admirable. Or maybe because I could not finish the film it is admirable. Let’s not pretend that I am a prude. I am a proud fan of South Park and I love Dave Attell’s standup comedy. This film elevates filth to an entirely different level that for lack of a better word can be called art.
When you look at “degenerate” movies today they just pale in comparison. John Waters makes those guys from MTV’s Jackass look like little 12 year old girls with skinned knees. I thought I knew what degeneracy was, but then I saw Pink Flamingos.
When you look at “degenerate” movies today they just pale in comparison. John Waters makes those guys from MTV’s Jackass look like little 12 year old girls with skinned knees. I thought I knew what degeneracy was, but then I saw Pink Flamingos.
I think I will go pray now.
-LA
-LA
