Divine Trash (1998)

Independent producer and author John Pierson (Spike, Mike, Slackers and Dykes) defines the 1970s American indie scene as "the three Johns: John Cassavetes, John Sayles, and John Waters." John Waters, Baltimore's king of sleaze, in such classy company? According to Pierson in this 1998 documentary, Waters had an even more profound impact on American cinema. Director Steve Yeager, a Waters intimate for decades (he plays a bit part in Pink Flamingos), gathers the surviving members of his stock company for a portrait of the director, from backyard puppet show impresario to the transgressive underground and exploitation director who grossed out America in the 1970s. A generous array of film clips is enriched with archival interviews with Divine, David Lochary, and Edith Massey, and a chorus of film critics and underground and independent directors.

Fully half of the film chronicles the making of Pink Flamingos, with actual behind-the-scenes footage from the shoot (including the most priceless direction ever captured on film: "David, act some more"). A plentiful portion pays tribute to Divine ("the Godzilla of drag queens"), whom Waters calls "my Elizabeth Taylor." The only real disappointment in this rich and highly entertaining documentary is that it ends with Flamingos, as if his entire career since is a mere coda to this cultural touchstone. But this portrait is so rich and detailed that it's a forgivable directorial choice. --Sean Axmaker Amazon.com

The Story Behind The Most Bizzare But Undeniably Influential Director Of All Time!!

This is a great documentary DVD for fans of the over-the-top
cult director John Waters! I didn't discover his movies until
the early 80's when I was bored with whatever selection
of VHS that the video store had that week and came across a
title called "Female Trouble" with an interesting-looking
group of characters on the cover! I took it home, popped it in
and was shocked, horrified and laughing uncontrollably throughout!
It was everything that your mother tried to protect you from,
your clergy warned you about, and it tickled my darkest funny bone
and need for the new & exciting in a way nothing had before!
I was transported past the shotty sets and cinematography
and drawn in by "Dawn Davenport", played masterfully by the
one and only late-great DIVINE, a 300-pound drag queen that was
doing her own kamikaze anti-drag/drag thing in her unique
larger-than-life way, as well as the rest of the purient
sicko cast of zanies like Mink Stole, the great-late Edith Massey,
etc. etc.!!--I was forever changed!
I went out the next day and rented the infamous but crucial
"Pink Flamingos", "Desperate Living", "Polyester" and even
"Lust In The Dust", which was not a John Waters vehicle,
but was just as hysterical anywayz!
This is a very in-depth back story behind John Waters,
DIVINE, and his cast of zanies that is definitive!--
I enjoyed it immensely!
September 3, 2007

The "Brain" behind the "Beauty!"

All freaks and weird people have experienced, by now, the absolute beauty and glamor if the 300 lb monstrosity, "Divine!" But what kind of Frankenstein could have created "HIr?" This little movie provides the answer!

Of course, the answer is: the deliciously hillarious perverted mind of John Waters! William S. Burroughs coined him as "The Pope Of Trash!" Yet Waters was raised normally in an upper class Baltimore family! Is it his fault that he became as a child obsessed with car accidents, trials of murderers and sleasy "B" movies? How could such environmental influences create the most tastefully outrageous antics depicted in his earlier films? This movie provides the answer!

There is a difference between mere shocking bad taste and bad taste that is so good that it generates a cult following! Here we see the delicious Divine give interviews that are as shocking as HIr films! We see the deliciously ugly Edith Massey glory in her new roles of glamor and stardom in John's movies. We see the hours and hours of rehearsals that Divine and the Dreamlanders did in front of the perfectionist Waters' cameras. There was a lot of work and planning that went on in even the most notorious scene of "Pink Flamingos:" the infamous Dog-Spoor scene!

John Waters.... we all await the day that you can once again release the tiger in you that created your early works! We all are getting too old to be "pattycaked" by your newer works! SHOCK US AGAIN! April 14, 2007

Behind the Greatest Movie Ever Made

If your mind withstood "Pink Flamingoes", this is the movie for you. More than you ever wanted to know about John Waters and Divine (Peace Be Unto Him/Her). October 30, 2006

DIVINE Trash is another mans treasure

This is a gr8 documentary on John Waters & DIVINE. Very informative & well put together. Talks about how John got his start in his insane flicks, has a mini interview with Edith Massey, behind the scenes footage & of course this DVD would not be complete without "DIVINE". DIVINE Trash is simply the best garbage i've seen in years. Loaded with unseen video footage & surprises. DIVINE Trash is a MUST 4 any Waters/DIVINE fan. Check it out, U won't regret it!! Schroeder (DJ WACK "O") (ORBITAL TRAXX RECORDS & Cult Movies Magazine). October 2, 2005

Yeager is genius

I am a growing film maker, and currently belong to a film session, that is directed by this film's director, Mr. Steve Yeager, and he is a good friend of mine. All I'd like to say is that this movie is a great documentary, and if you havent seen it yet, i highly consider it. Steve also mentioned to me that it won "best documentary" in 1998 for the Maryland Film Fest. Pretty impressive! I also think that it is a great film that basically tells the story of the Baltimore-native film maker, John Waters. It includes so great early footage when John's film making was beginning to spark. Interviews with Water's parents, Steve Buschemi, and many more. Mr yeager is a great man, and this documentary is a great film. June 29, 2005

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