Written and directed by John Waters, after killing her husband, Peggy Gravel and her murderous maid Grizelda wind up in the crazy town of Mortville, where Queen Carlotta presides over a sleazy collection of misfits. Starring: Liz Renay, Mink Stole, Susan Lowe, Edith Massey, Mary Vivian Pearce, Jean Hill, Brook Yeaton and Karen Gerwig.
It takes a very particular kind of filmmaker to create a piece of cinema that is absolute insanity, but also makes perfect sense, and John Waters is one of the special few who fits squarely into that category. So, if you went into Desperate Living with no awareness of Waters or his unique style, it might be a little bit of a shock. Mostly because Waters’ films really only have one speed and that’s full throttle, no holds barred, so you’ll likely either love it or hate it.
Desperate Living opens on this parody note that’s filled with melodrama and it nicely sets the tone, and yet still can’t quite prepare you for what’s to come. As is entirely appropriate for an indie B-movie made in the 1970s, it has a strong penchant for sex and nudity. It’s unapologetically loud and aggressively freewheeling. It’s trashy, grotesque, sleazy, and intense, and comes from a place of fantastical imagination. To call it eccentric would be far from doing it justice because it’s inescapably unique.
It’s a bizarre adventure and one that’s filled with big, relentless, vivacious personalities. The cast brings to life these perfect oddities so well, everything is so fluid and surprisingly convincing. Each of them manages to build this excessive, overt and absurd story without feeling forced, which is actually quite impressive. They undoubtedly create memorable performances, particularly Jean Hill as Grizelda, who is terrific and it’s a shame she doesn’t have an even bigger part in the story. As well as Susan Lowe who really throws everything at Mole, building a grisly, unforgiving persona with that strong love for her partner running beneath, which works inexplicably well.
Desperate Living is peak John Waters cinema, it’s beyond original, melodramatic, intensely vibrant and is fiercely confident. It’s so unafraid of so many invisible boundaries which other films don’t dare to cross. Waters lets his imagination freely take him to some dark, dirty, violent corners for the audience’s enjoyment. Of course, it’s not going to be for everyone, it’s a niche style, but then again, there isn’t really a type of cinema that is for everyone. It’s refreshing to watch something that so unabashedly plays to the beat of its own drum, and undoubtedly had a great time doing it with those outrageously enjoyable costumes and makeup.
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