Movies / Features
50 Years Old, But Still One Of The Sickest Films Of All Time Is...
'Pink Flamingos' was banned in multiple countries, and there's a valid reason for this ban that relates to its shocking content and themes.
It is not uncommon for films to be banned due to political content or extremely violent scenes. Pink Flamingos by John Waters, however, went even further. It became notorious for a completely different reason...
Despite the fact that this film was released over 50 years ago, film enthusiasts still can’t stop talking about it. The film centers on Divine, a drag queen who has dubbed herself 'the filthiest person alive.'
Two criminals, envy-driven, try to dethrone her, pushing Divine further than ever before. Her reputation is at stake, and as a result, viewers are presented with some truly grotesque imagery.
The film, for instance, contains multiple unsimulated sexual acts, including a shocking scene between Divine and her 'son.' This incest scene resulted in Pink Flamingos being banned in four countries.
Although the actors are not related, the combination of incest themes and actual sexual acts was enough for the film to be banned in Switzerland, Australia, and certain regions of Canada and Norway.
But it doesn’t stop there. In Pink Flamingos, Divine actually eats dog feces and commits various murders (thankfully simulated). Despite the scathing reviews, the film grew into a cult classic.
Even the renowned film critic Roger Ebert couldn’t hide his disdain: "If I'm lucky, I won't have to see it again for 25 years. And if I'm not retired by then, I will do so."
However, Waters took pride in this and even used the negative quotes on the movie poster as promotion. It is, however, not surprising that the film is hard to find. No streaming service offers it, and physical copies are rare.
Despite the fact that this film was released over 50 years ago, film enthusiasts still can’t stop talking about it. The film centers on Divine, a drag queen who has dubbed herself 'the filthiest person alive.'
Disgusting
Two criminals, envy-driven, try to dethrone her, pushing Divine further than ever before. Her reputation is at stake, and as a result, viewers are presented with some truly grotesque imagery.
The film, for instance, contains multiple unsimulated sexual acts, including a shocking scene between Divine and her 'son.' This incest scene resulted in Pink Flamingos being banned in four countries.
Shocking Content
Although the actors are not related, the combination of incest themes and actual sexual acts was enough for the film to be banned in Switzerland, Australia, and certain regions of Canada and Norway.
But it doesn’t stop there. In Pink Flamingos, Divine actually eats dog feces and commits various murders (thankfully simulated). Despite the scathing reviews, the film grew into a cult classic.
From Ban To Cult
Even the renowned film critic Roger Ebert couldn’t hide his disdain: "If I'm lucky, I won't have to see it again for 25 years. And if I'm not retired by then, I will do so."
However, Waters took pride in this and even used the negative quotes on the movie poster as promotion. It is, however, not surprising that the film is hard to find. No streaming service offers it, and physical copies are rare.
