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Feature: Two of John Waters’ iconic films get a 4k restoration with Criterion
John Waters attends the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 02, 2025 in Beverly Hills.
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Cindy Ord
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Getty Images
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FilmWeek host Larry Mantle interviews American filmmaker John Waters for the rerelease of his 1988 film Hairspray and his 1977 film Desperate Living.
The topic:
Criterion released two director-approved 4k restorations for John Waters’ 1988 film Hairspray and his 1977 film Desperate Living. The disc releases include exclusive commentary tracks from Waters and some of the actors as well as bonus interviews.
Waters’ trash cinema: Known for his provocative, camp films, Waters is considered one of the formative directors of gay cinema. His ‘trash trilogy’ of Pink Flamingos (1972), Female Trouble (1974) and Desperate Living (1977) showcased taboos and profanity that garnered Waters a cult following.
Mainstream attempt: But he also brought in a more mainstream audience with his much more tame and accessible film Hairspray (1988) about an overweight teen in Baltimore who dreams of being on a local TV show that features adolescents dancing. And you can’t talk about Waters without talking about his frequent collaborator and drag performer Divine, featured in a majority of Waters’ films. Divine played Tracy’s mother Edna Turnblad in Hairspray. It was his last film role before he died.
Guest:
- John Waters, American filmmaker known for his cult classics that delve into ‘trash’ and taboo
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