Multiple Maniacs

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Wylie T John Waters’ Multiple Maniacs is pure chaos, and that is exactly what makes it unforgettable. Shot in black and white on a very small budget, the film feels like a mix between underground theater, a strange home movie, and an act of artistic rebellion. Divine’s performance is wild, funny, and strangely powerful, carrying the film with total confidence and madness. The story is not the main point. It is full of murder, blasphemy, and shocking scenes that test the limits of taste. But under all the filth and craziness, Waters is laughing at the hypocrisy of polite society. The movie makes fun of what people think is normal by going so far that you cannot help but look, and maybe even admire its fearless attitude. It is not an easy watch. It is crude, messy, and sometimes disgusting. But Multiple Maniacs also feels alive in a way few films ever do. It is the kind of movie that shows why people call Waters the “Pope of Trash.” Weird, gross, and unforgettable, this is a punk classic that celebrates bad taste with heart and humor. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/05/25 Full Review George G Watching this in my own time by cult cinema class, I was kinda surprised by the film. It's definitely weird and kinda gross with the way it's presented queerness at the time, like I feel it would be controversial if it came out today but for its time and how it's used in the film, it works. Love is presented throughout the film, obviously in a twisted way but it was funny with how crazy the film is. I mean it's hard to explain, this film was weird but definitely had a story underneath it, while simultaneously presenting a bunch of oddities throughout the movie. Divine is the main character and the way she is presented and the way she talks, you know when she appears on screen, she'll steal the show every time. The film at the end of the day is confusing but I feel that's the point since you're just entertained by the film. There are some things that hold it back for me and its mostly representations that feel outdated but I won’t go into detail about that. I would recommend it to others but I say be advised with representations since it can be offensive. I give this film a 3/5 stars. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/04/25 Full Review Abigail C John Waters’ Multiple Maniacs is a wild, chaotic carnival of the bizarre—a surreal acid trip down the darker, weirder corners of American counterculture. This cult classic doesn’t just ask for your attention; it grabs you by the collar and drags you into its twisted world with an unsettling grin. At its core, Multiple Maniacs is a fever dream of carnivalesque madness, where the lines between comedy, horror, and raw human vulnerability blur into a kaleidoscope of shock and satire. Divine, in one of her earliest and most iconic roles, commands the screen with a fierce, unapologetic energy that is both grotesque and mesmerizing. Her portrayal of Lady Divine, the leader of a bizarre freak show, is a radical act of rebellion wrapped in glitter and blood. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/24/25 Full Review Noah S Not even 5 minutes into the movie and I'm already weirded out by the "act" that was put on by the male and female performers. Overall a very strange movie and the lobster scene made the movie even more strange. Not my type of movie and would not recommend watching it. Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 09/24/25 Full Review Cindy D This film had me feeling all over the place which is what I feel like the movie gave overall; just messy. It had its moments where it was interesting, odd, silly, confusing on what was exactly happening, especially watching it towards the end where you see the lobster appear out of nowhere. It wasn’t a bad nor a good film, I would say it was okay, just not the type of film I would watch as it felt weird yet It somehow still had me hooked. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/16/25 Full Review Brooke S It was a movie that made me think what is going on. It was funny, and just like a silly movie. I couldn't take it seriously. Espically the end I was just like okay...what is this lobster doing like... Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 09/08/25 Full Review Read all reviews

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