Multiple Maniacs

Plot synopsis:
Lady Divine is the owner and operator of a show called The Cavalcade of Perversion, a free exhibit of various perversions and fetish acts and obscenities such as the "Puke Eater". The show is free, although the various performers must persuade and even physically drag reluctant passers-by to attend.
As a finale to every show, Lady Divine comes in and robs the patrons at gunpoint. This arrangement seems successful to Lady Divine's lover, Mr. David, until Lady Divine becomes bored with the routine, and decides to murder the patrons rather than merely robbing them. After escaping the murder scene, she comes home to her prostitute daughter, Cookie, and her new boyfriend, Steve, a member of the Weather Underground. Lady Divine receives a call from Edith, proprietor of the local bar, who informs Lady Divine that Mr. David had been at her bar with another woman (Mary Vivian Pearce). Divine heads there to catch them, but is raped on the way by two glue-sniffers. While contemplating these events the Infant of Prague appears and leads her to a church. Making her way uncertainly into the church, Lady Divine prays, but is then approached and seduced by a strange young woman. They have a sexual encounter in the church pew, the woman inserting a rosary into Lady Divine's rectum while describing the Stations of the Cross.
Now lesbian lovers, Lady Divine and Mink go to Edith's bar with the intent to kill Mr. David and his mistress, but they are too late; David and Bonnie, his lover, (who have by this time decided that they have to kill Lady Divine to protect themselves) have left. Mr. David returns to Cookie's house to kill Divine, but finds only Cookie and fellow performer Rick there. An argument ensues and Bonnie accidentally kills Cookie. They tie up Rick and hide Cookie's corpse just before Divine and Mink return. When Bonnie tries to shoot Lady Divine, Divine attacks and kills her with a knife. She then turns on Mr. David and eviscerates him as well, devouring his internal organs and becoming more frenzied. Rick appears and surprises Mink, who shoots him. In a fit of anger, Divine accuses Mink of betraying her and stabs Mink. Divine becomes even more crazed upon finding her daughter's body hidden behind the couch. Just after collapsing, exhausted from the ordeal, a giant lobster (named Lobstora) enters and rapes Lady Divine. In the aftermath (mumbling "You're a maniac now, Divine"), she destroys a car, then runs around Baltimore, insane, bloody, and wearing a mink coat, trying to kill anyone she can get at.
The film ends with the appearance of the National Guard, who surround Lady Divine on the street and shoot her down, accompanied by the sound of Kate Smith singing "God Bless America".

Tags: comedy, murder, cult, violence, psychedelic, absurd, satire, comic, sadist

Review:
The films of John Waters aren't to all tastes, but if you like, say Pink Flamingos, then you'll love Multiple Maniacs.Waters' film-making career can be divided roughly into four categories:unseen first works (Roman Candles, Hag in a Black Leather Jacket, Eat Your Makeup)early filthy works (Multiple Maniacs, Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble)more mainstream works (Polyester, Hairspray, Crybaby)later missing-the-mark works (Serial Mom, Pecker, Cecil B.
Demented)In my opinion, there's no question that his early filthy works are the best and that Multiple Maniacs is perhaps the best of the three (or at least tying with Pink Flamingos).Some of the reviewers here criticize the film for being badly acted or low budget.
These are low budget gems that deliver equal amounts of shock and laughter.Multiple Maniacs is one of Waters most perfect films in terms of the dialogue.
The late, great and much-missed Cookie Mueller gives the best performance of her career as the free wheeling daughter of Divine.A black and white treasure from John Waters early career.
Multiple Maniacs (1970) was Waters' second feature length film.
Other than that, it's a very enjoyable movie.Waters will finally perfect his film-making a few years later with the back to back to back releases of Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble and Desperate Living.
The opening at the Cavalcade of Perversions is great ("She is an auto-erotica copraphrasiac and a gerontophiliac!"), but modern audiences might not know what to make out of all the dated cultural references (too much Manson/Tate stuff)...then there's an incredibly tedious and overlong delusion with Divine narrating her version of Christ.
Even more time is padded with endless scenes of characters sitting and/or lying in bed talking (and often forgetting their lines), plus topless jitterbugging from Cookie Mueller, people riding around in cars and Mink Stole ("the religious whore") and Divine walking down the street.Despite all that, the closing sequences (starting with Lobstra) make up for it and are just priceless.
A lot of people look at the performances in Waters' early films as crude but I think both Multiple Maniacs and Pink Flamingos (and, to a lesser degree, Mondo Trasho) are a testament to the talent the Waters' troupe really had.
Divine has probably been discussed enough though I think she remains sadly underrated as an actress but what stands out for me in Maniacs is David Lochary's performance.
You couldn't just hire regular actors to play the Lochary or Divine roles - you had to have the real deal and the magic of these movies does come from the superior casting.I think Waters' early films are by far his best, the movies he made before he learned "how to make movies." Some of his later work is cute but never as engaging and fresh as Maniacs and Flamingos.
The rosary job is perhaps the finest scene Waters ever concocted and then there's Lobstora, one of the most inspired moments the cinema has ever brought us.I don't think of Maniacs as mere camp.
Divine's long interior monolog inside the church, essentially a long meditation on being different, the Way of the Cross, and the crucifixion scene are all keys to the film's message.
Waters draws the parallels very clearly, but most people view the film in such a middle-class way that they can't see Divine and Waters' troupe of hippie- weirdos as allegorical Christ figures.
Of all of John Waters films, this is the only one that offended me in some way.
I was surprised to see that this early John Waters movie was available on video, presuming it would be long out of print (like "Mondo Trasho" and "Female Trouble")!
It can usually be found for sale dirt cheap or for rent easily.Divine stars as a brunette for the first time in Waters' first sound film.
The sound, cinematography, and editing is real rough, but it gives "Multiple Maniacs" a priceless documentary-like quality that is enhanced by the near flawless delivery of Waters' hilarious dialogue!
Great performances worth catching are given by Divine, David Lochary, Mary Vivian Pearce, Cookie Mueller, and Rick Morrow.
Mink Stole gives one of only two mediocre roles in Waters' films (the other is "Mondo Trasho") and Edith Massey is not as great as she would be in her subsequent appearances in "Pink Flamingos", "Female Trouble", "Desperate Living" and "Polyester"!
I just thought these scenes are the sickest things I've ever seen done in a Waters film (topping even the dog sh*t-eating in "Pink Flamingos")!
The film does get a bit boring after Divine's rape by Lobstora, but the ending shows the lust for violence found in Vietnam Era America, juxtaposed with Kate Smith's "God Bless America" playing in the background.
The supporting cast consists of the classic John Waters regulars, so if you haven't seen this film before, go about renting it or purchasing it.
But the high points are some of the most inspired of any John Water's flick: the surreal appearance of "The Emperor of Prague," played by small boy in full monarch regalia who guides Lady Divine, and the completely unsolicited cameo of "Lobstora," the enormous lobster prop who, like nearly everybody in the early films, has its way with Divine.
Multiple Maniacs is a bit different from the other Waters trash classics of the 70's.
Multiple Maniacs mostly comes off as a rough draft for Waters next and most famous trash epic, Pink Flamingos.
Multiple Maniacs is the first real example of what this John Waters guy was all about, rubbing you the wrong way.
Multiple Maniacs was Waters' first film that wasn't silent, as well as his last black & white.
If a movie in which an obese drag queen gets comically raped by an obviously fake giant lobster does not sound as if it would be your cup of tea, chances are you will not enjoy "Multiple Maniacs".
Fans of John Waters, on the other hand, will find plenty to love in this weird and wild glimpse into a world of filth.Perverted, silly, shocking, and blasphemous, "Multiple Maniacs" is one of film history's least conventional masterpieces.
The iconic filmmaker John Waters told the capacity audience at the Charles Theatre that in 1969, he had to borrow money from his dad to make the trashy cult classic, "Multiple Maniacs." It didn't go over that big with moviegoers when it was released in 1970, but it did somehow slide by the Maryland Censor Board.
Some of the opening scenes, Waters said, were filmed in his back of his parents' home in Baltimore County.At the showing on Monday, September 12th, there were some talented folks, like Pat Moran, Susan Lowe, Mink Stole, Vincent Peranio and George Figgs, in the audience.
To learn more about the film's restoration, check out the article in "Variety" dated, August 6, 2016.Rotten Tomatoes, a movie review website, Walters reminded the audience, has given "Multiple Maniacs," a hundred percent rating.
Multiple Maniacs is on par with John Waters' Pink Flamingos when it comes to sleaziness and filth, though not quite as polished.
The black-and-white cinematography gives the film a certain raw and crude quality, but that outrageous, hilarious Waters' dialogue, though in its infancy stages here, is already wielding an undeniable power over those of us who love trash cinema.
Be sure to look and listen for Divine and Cookie flubbing their lines, Divine's wig almost falling off as he is being violated by Lobstora, and Mink Stole trying not to laugh as a male pedestrian walks by when she and Divine are discussing the murder of Mr. David and Bonnie.
John Waters is quoted in Hoberman & Rosenbaum's "Midnight Movies" (1981) as saying, with "Multiple Maniacs" he had finally flushed all the remaining religion out of his system, and that his intent was to "scare the world." In 1970, he likely did so with this.
So bad it's good, but only if you're already a Waters/Divine Fan. Even as someone who enjoys films that are a little odd, I found this movie strange.
However, it is worth the time it takes to finish it.John Waters first tried to get New Line to distribute this film, but was turned down.
He followed this with Pink Flamingos, which almost would seem like a sequel to this film(without ruining the end of this film, it's not possible unless the entire end of this is all in Divine's mind).Scenes that make this film worth it are the beginning, the Rosary scene between Mink Stole and Lady Divine, and of course the Lobster scene.
You can see an interesting scene film after the fact where Divine reads about Manson "taking credit" for her work.And remember "Think of the stations of the cross...
It is really amazing to hear David Lochary, Mink Stole and Divine spout out lines of harsh, cutting dialogue...but to appreciate it, you really need to see the other wonderful movies he has done, especially Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble...well, just about anything!
Multiple Maniacs (1970) ** (out of 4)Lady Divine (Divine) and her weirdo followers are a part of a traveling freak show who rob the people who come to see them.
Divine soon learns that her husband is cheating on her and this here sends her into a crazed mental state that leads to murder.MULTIPLE MANIACS was the movie that John Waters made right before PINK FLAMINGOS and I guess you could say that the cult film-maker was slowly building up his level of outrageous trash.
Not only is this film not as "shocking" as some of the others but I also thought it wasn't nearly as good.Yes, I know that Waters' has a large cult following and most of his fans love everything that he has done but I just found too many flaws with this picture.
Divine is also quite good in his role and we get several Waters' regulars including the one and only Edith Massey.MULTIPLE MANIACS isn't an awful film and it's worth watching if you're a fan of Waters but there's no question that he would go onto much better..
Fortunately, John Waters (Divine & Mink Stole) got so much better with each film.
The other acting performances were great in their John Waters fashion as well.
The reason Pink Flamingos has been recognized as John Waters' signature film of the 'exploitation' genre is the uncomplicated script with the sole purpose to titillate with acts of depravity.
The film was shot in color, and thus could highlight some of the outrageous palette John Waters used for the house and Divine's costumes.
All these reasons give Pink Flamingos its noteworthy status in the world of trash, not just the singular coprophagous moment.Multiple Maniacs released about two years before Pink Flamingos and made on a shoestring budget (even though the latter itself was a low-budget film) of about 5000$.
Edith who plays both a bar owner and Virgin Mary wasn't a part of the Cavalcade, otherwise the reviewer's explanation would've held more credit) The film is shot entirely in black and white on 16mm and the camera shakes horribly at times and is sometimes so overexposed you can barely see the actors' bodies.
Honestly, this film is dreadful and rather introductory to John Waters' Pink Flamingos, a vastly polished effort compared to this shoddy piece of junk.When I read the plot line, my mind swirled with images of a colorful circus with Divine and her crew treating the audience with their acts only to slaughter them in the end.
In fact, while it was Divine and Mary Vivian Pierce (who plays Bonnie) taking on the duo of David Lochary and Mink Stole in Pink Flamingos, the characters are simply switched here.
With my recent discovery of John Waters' "Multiple Maniacs", I think I found my personal limit.
Divine and some other cast members (like Cookie Mueller and Edith Massey) are unique performers, that's for sure, and a handful of scenes are insanely perverted, like the rosary job and – of course – the giant lobster rape.
Multiple Maniacs, is shot in black and white and is about a woman named Lady Divine, who runs a freak show in the woods called "Lady Divine's Cavalcade Of Perversions".
Multiple Maniacs, is written and directed by John Waters, who is one of my favourite writer/director's and I have always loved what he has done.
The film is not terrible and still has some unique ideas and things going on but it is probably my least favourite John Waters movie out of the ones I have seen (and I have seen all except for Mondo Trasho)..
One of the things John Waters likes to do with his films is to shock and offend his audience, and this film is one of his more successful attempts.
But in Multiple Maniacs, John Waters prime target is the Catholic Church.
I can just see John Waters as a mischievous young man filming the scene with a gleam in his eye, knowing the kind of reaction it will evoke..
"Multiple Maniacs" follows Lady Divine's Cavalcade of Perversion, a wayward traveling group of sideshow freaks who have a penchant for the perverse, which includes murdering their audience members.
At the center of it all is Divine, who has rightly attained a cult following of his own, playing his signature character, and his performance, though by no means stellar, is what will inevitably draw the audience in.For all the rough edges present, there are themes and ideas circulating throughout the film that are by turns bizarre and unique, and it has rightly earned a reputation for containing a particularly blasphemous montage.
I don't think anyone could classify "Multiple Maniacs" as a masterwork of filmmaking by any stretch of the imagination-but it does stand as a celluloid capsule of Waters quite literally learning how to make a film, and there is enough wackiness, debauchery, and utter madness to please the most jaded of trash cinema fans.
- Before there was John Waters' "Pink Flamingos" - There was John Waters' "Multiple Maniacs" (released in 1970) which (IMO) should really be re-titled "Multiple Morons".With the word "AMATEUR" clearly written all over it - This regurgitated exercise in low-budget/low-life sleaze (Baltimore-style) tried way too hard to shock and disgust.And, in its feeble attempt to accomplish its atrocious mission - "Multiple Maniacs" quickly deteriorated into a tiresome bore with a decidedly "white-trash" mentality tacked on for good measure.Filmed in gritty b&w - This celluloid atrocity is truly a perverted novelty of early-1970's cinema that (I found) only really came to life in its final 15 minutes of outrageous insanity..
Probably the most personal movie by John Waters.
I have seen all of John Waters' films, but something in this one seemed to stick out.
I noticed that in his other movies, the characters are rarely developed, and if they are, you never get a glimpse at their personal lives.This film is different in that way...
it begins as racy as all of his other films, with "Lady Divine's Cavalcade of Perversion" a circus for perverts, drug addicts, homosexuals, and weirdo's.
But just when you think that this film is different from all other of John's films, a giant lobster appears out of nowhere (and for no reason), named "Lobstora", and it rapes Divine.
This murder which happened in "MULTIPLE MANIACS" of basically all the characters.All in all, this is most definitely a must see for John Waters fans, it will bring new meaning to his other films..
"Multiple Maniacs" is my first John Waters' underground film and I wasn't sure what to expect.
But, Waters' films seem to thrive on the ugly quality of all I have mentioned above, in particular, the subject matter and unpolished narrative(what little there is).The movie focuses on Lady Divine, her boyfriend Mr. David, and other deviants who embrace a sleazy lifestyle of habitual sex, drugs, and murder.
The best reason to watch this early John Waters film is because it is the debut of one of the funniest and strangest actresses in history, the snaggle-toothed Edith Massey.
While she is in a relatively normal role (and nothing like the Egg Lady in PINK FLAMINGOS), it's great to see her continually messing up her lines even worse than usual.As far as the rest of the film goes, it's a heck of a lot better made than Waters' previous full-length, the almost unwatchable MONDO TRASHO.
In many ways, despite being in black and white, it's a lot like later films like POLYESTER, FEMALE TROUBLE or DESPERATE LIVING.
But that's not all...by the end of this scene, the room is filled with bodies and fake blood.So, there's been a "Cavalcade of Perversion Show", sex in church, multiple murders, cannibalism and lots of nudity....so what could possibly come next?!
As sick as it is, however, aside from all the sacrilege, it's not nearly as gross and unappealing as the next film, PINK FLAMINGOS, which sets the standard for grossness in a John Waters film.
The early Super-8's (the few I've seen) are short, crude and original; the first features, including "Multiple Maniacs", "Mondo Trasho", "Pink Flamingos", "Female Trouble" and "Desperate Living" are all very interesting, though not all classics; the films that followed from "Polyester" are Waters Lite, strange birds documenting Waters' struggle to please the mainstream financiers and broaden his own creative output.
Naturally, I like the middle period.When I think of "Multiple Maniacs", I think of David Lochary inviting conservative punters to come and seeing the most disgusting show of their lives.
The Lobster scene goes on forever and the trek to Calvary is almost as long as Gibson's "Passion of the Christ".The beauty of "Multiple Maniacs" is its pus-filled heart, not its aesthetics.
Many people would describe John Waters films as horrific (and rightly so), but Multiple Maniacs is the only one that really approaches the horror genre.
The show climaxes with the appearance of psychopathic Lady Divine, robbing and murdering the patrons (look for bewigged Mink Stole, Cookie Mueller, and Mary Vivian Pearce among the victims).