Shock Value

By John Waters

Book Overview

"Beware, if your sensibilities are delicate, if you see yourself as a person of taste, if 'outrageous' is not your adjective of choice. Because this is a story about filmmaker John Waters, whose early career is marked by such startling cult raves as Multiple Maniacs, in which its heroine is raped by a 15-foot broiled lobster; Polyester, which featured scratch-and-sniff cards; and, most notorious, Pink Flamingos, in which its transvestite star Divine eats fresh dog feces." -Tampa Tribune In Shock Value, the autobiography of notorious filmmaker John Waters, "the Sultan of Sleaze" recounts his career & explains the inspiration behind his movies. Through pictures, anecdotes, & interviews, get to know the stars of Waters' films-like Divine, Kitten, & Edith Massey-in ways that should make you queasy, or at least uncomfortable. Along the way, Waters explains what his filmmaking philosophies are & attempts to justify what he's done to American movies. "Shock Value is shocking. Any honest account of human experience must be shocking. For it is the function of art to make the reader or viewer aware of what he knows & in most cases doesn't know that he knows & doesn't want to know." -William S. Burroughs

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385289030
• ISBN13: 9780385289030
• Release Date: August 1970
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.01 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 7.1" x 9.9"

Customer Reviews

Early memories of a crackpot.

John Waters is a very funny, albeit very warped, man, but if you're considering buying this book, you probably already knew that. In this book he tells his life story (up to about 1980, when this book was first written), focussing on the making of his movies; on his friends (such as Divine, Mink Stole, Edith Massey etc) who became his regular cast and crew; and on some of his more unusual hobbies and obsessions (such as his fascination with high profile criminal cases and his love of Baltimore); and it is every bit as hilarious as his movies (although slightly less disgusting). In addition, it also includes interviews with Divine and Waters' heroes, Russ Meyer and Hershiell Gordon Lewis; a brief biography of Edith Massey (the egg lady from "Pink Flamingos"); and a large number of black and white pictures. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, although I did find the interviews to be a bit tedious, particularly since I am not a fan of Meyer or Lewis (to me they felt like filler, put in solely to make the book a publishable length). Nevertheless, this book should appeal to all fans of Waters' work, and to anyone interested in the process of film making.

Early memories of a crackpot

John Waters is a very funny, albeit very warped, man, but if you're considering buying this book, you probably already knew that. In this book he tells his life story (up to about 1980, when this book was first written), focussing on the making of his movies; on his friends (such as Divine, Mink Stole, Edith Massey etc) who became his regular cast and crew; and on some of his more unusual hobbies and obsessions (such as his fascination with high profile criminal cases and his love of Baltimore); and it is every bit as hilarious as his movies (although slightly less disgusting). In addition, it also includes interviews with Divine and Waters' heroes, Russ Meyer and Hershiell Gordon Lewis; a brief biography of Edith Massey (the egg lady from "Pink Flamingos"); and a large number of black and white pictures. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, although I did find the interviews to be a bit tedious, particularly since I am not a fan of Meyer or Lewis (to me they felt like filler, put in solely to make the book a publishable length). Nevertheless, this book should appeal to all fans of Waters' work, and to anyone interested in the process of film making.

The Filthiest Person Alive

John Waters is fantastic. His true talents are not in his films, but in his writing. He can take the mundane and make it extraordinary, the creepy and strange and make it funny, and the ugliest of the ugly and make them things of beauty. Though he's an old man now, and his movies have gone mainstream, this book is a look back at his hilarious youth and all the mischief making that made him and the Dreamland cast stars. This book covers the making of all his films, the biographies and interviews with his famed cast members, as well as his inpirations (ex. Rus Meyer). You enjoy their antics and feel as if you are right along side them in the making of their hilarious movies and tasteful adventures in bad taste. You can't put it down and are actually laughing out loud as you read. And he even writes about his family. How punk rock! One thing he taught me to do was to love my hometown. People never seem to like their hometowns, whether they are in the most flashy of cities or the tiniest one horse town. Life is what you make of it, and John put the hairdo capital of the world (Baltimore) on the map with his hijinx and adoration of all things weird and wonderful. He takes his enemies and makes them into glowing monsters we can all throw rotten tomatos at in his absence. The creepy weirdos aren't monsters, they're glorious, misunderstood creatures we are to embrace. Look for the scariest, craziest places and have the most rip roaring time with the clientele. I've taken his advice and now have the ability to talk to anyone, because there are loads of lonely lunatics out there just dying to be friends with you.

Delightful, distasteful, nauseating and fun!

This book is impossible to describe in one word. It's no surprise that Water's life is funnier, and more bizare then any of his films can ever hope to be. We learn about Baltimore life, his childhood, Divine, Edith Masey, Pink Flamingos,Desperate Living,and more. THIS needs to be his next film project! The only thing sad about this book is that it feels dated at certain parts (especially when it refers to Divine in the present tense, since this was written before he died...and before Cookie Muller died...and Edith Masey). But it remains a fascinating read that really encourages people to feel grateful for living in Baltimore(or makes you wish you lived there).

John Waters rules

I read this book in its french translation "Provocation" and it's one of the best I've ever read in the genre. It's funny, clever, sincere. I'm a big fan of Big John's work but reading this, I've discovered he was not only the king of bad taste but also a very moving person who's faithful in friendship and in his ideas. I can only recommend this maserpiece to anybody who's open-minded and wants to discover one of the most brilliant filmmaker of his generation.