DIVINER OF THE DEVIOUS
John Waters wears the title “The Pope of Trash” with some pride, and has made a successful career out of taking ownership of his reputation for artfully delivered filth and subversion. Despite creating such mainstream Hollywood hits as the original 1988 Hairspray film and the Johnny Depp classic Cry-Baby, it is his earlier works that are arguably his most iconic, such as Mondo Trasho, Multiple Maniacs and the shocking cult classic Pink Flamingos.
But for all his proud subversiveness and love of all things confronting, there are still two things that offend Waters.
“I really hate it when critics talk about some big-budget gross-out comedy as being ‘John Waters-esque’,” the filmmaker says. “Because when they say that, usually they just mean the movie is full of fart jokes or cross-dressing, and I hate those movies.
“And you know what I find really offensive? What shocks me? Unoriginal sequels, bad romantic comedies, gross-out movies. I find those kinds of films shocking — and not in the good way.”
Waters visits Tasmania this month with his world-acclaimed one-man show, Make Trouble, appearing in the Nolan Gallery at the Museum of Old and New Art. Waters’ speaking appearances are known for the same kind of comic anarchy that made his films so famous — or perhaps infamous — and his unique brand of outrageous insights and urbane wit.
He treasures Hairspray as one of his greatest achievements, but not for the reasons you might expect.
“Hairspray was amazing. It was a musical for one thing, and it made me more money than anything else I did in my entire life,” he laughs.
“And even better, it snuck me into the living rooms of middle class homes all over the world, which I find quite wonderfully devious.’’
Waters has been touring the world for nearly 15 years doing such shows, serving up salty reflections on the world today, his camp obsessions, and life lessons, such as the downsides to being famous, all filled with anecdotes about (and often cameos from) the larger-than-life stars he has featured along the way, from Divine and Mink Stole to Johnny Depp, Kathleen Turner and Patricia Hearst.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1946, Waters was drawn to movies at an early age — particularly exploitation movies with lurid ad campaigns — and began his career giving puppet shows for children’s birthday parties.
As a teenager, he began making 8mm underground movies influenced by the likes of Jean-Luc Godard, Walt Disney, Andy Warhol, Russ Meyer, Ingmar Bergman and Herschell Gordon Lewis.
“I’ve been doing some form of spoken word show ever since I was 21 years old,” Waters says.
“We would go around colleges showing our films and nobody knew who we were. It used to be Divine and I, and we would come out at the beginning to talk about the film.
“I would introduce Divine as the filthiest person alive, then we would have fake police come on to try and arrest us, and then the film would start.
“Today my show is a 70-minute monologue. It is constantly changing, just like the political climate, but it’s about politics, fashion, crime movies, love life — I even tell you how to beat death — and then 20 minutes of questions after the show.
“I usually do book signings as well, so I get to meet my audience, and one reason I want to keep touring like this is because I really want to to stay in touch with my audience.”
John Waters, Make Trouble, is on Saturday, October 19, 7.30pm at the Nolan Gallery, MONA. Tickets $85/$90 plus booking fee. Book through mona.net.au