Alternately known as Baltimore’s Pope of Trash and Prince of Puke, transgressive filmmaker, writer, actor, and artist John Waters is a true American original. Born when Truman was president, and raised in the atomic mid-century Eisenhower era, where rock and rolling teen rebels and anti-communist conservatives collided in a battle for America’s soul, Waters emerged as a paragon of bad taste, combining his love of arthouse and grindhouse cinema into surreal, post-modern film comedies all his own.
John Waters is a genius. I mean, have you seen “Pink Flamingos”? That film’s a masterclass in transgressive humor. The way he blends high art and lowbrow sleaze is just incredible. And let’s not forget his influence on the whole trash cinema movement - he’s the one who paved the way for all those outrageous, over-the-top films that we love. Waters’ irreverent style and willingness to push boundaries have made him a hero to fans of cult cinema everywhere.
Polyester is one of my favorite movies of his. So quotable!
I love it
John Waters is a legend. I mean, who else could make a film like “Pink Flamingos” and turn it into a cult classic? I’ve always been fascinated by his ability to blend humor with transgressive subject matter. His influence can be seen in a lot of grindhouse cinema, especially in the works of Herschell Gordon Lewis. Waters’ irreverent style has inspired a generation of filmmakers to push the boundaries of good taste.
John Waters is a genius. I was lucky enough to catch him at a Q&A in Berlin, and he was just as outrageous and hilarious as I’d hoped. When asked about the future of transgressive cinema, he deadpanned, “We’ll just get more ridiculous.” He’s right, of course. The more we push the envelope, the more we need to push it some more. That’s the spirit of grindhouse cinema, baby - where the wild and the weird reign supreme. Long live the Pope of Trash!
