Rating: 
Summary: I would give this DVD set 10 stars !!!! * * * * * * * * * *
Review: OH MAN... I can not believe how unbelievably good these two films are. The only other John Waters film that I had seen previously was Serial Mom, so I thought I might enjoy others. I laughed hysterically while watching these films, especially during the package delivery scene in Pink Flamingos. These movies are a must-see for anyone who enjoys trash-cinema and terrible acting. These movies are demented and are only meant to be viewed by people who enjoy a very sick sense of humor. I'm all about John Waters now. HE IS THE MAN!!! I can't wait until I see Desperate Living and Polyester. I just recently ordered that set only days after viewing this dup of DVDs.
Rating:
Summary: ...Who wants to be a celebrity?
Review: "Female Trouble" is my absolute favorite John Waters film. It isn't merely shocking and disgusting, as much of his legendary "Pink Flamingoes" is, but is, in my opinion, a much better film. I believe it is Waters' favorite of his early films, which comes as no surprise. The philosophy and viewpoint of "Female Trouble" are outrageous, which is far more subversive than just eating doggie-do. Water's philosophy that crime makes one an instant celebrity ("Everyone looks better under arrest") is so fully, hilariously realized in this trash epic. Drawing on the sensibility of the old National Enquirer ("I cut out my wife's heart and stomped on it"), and references to crime celebrities such as Alice Crimmins, Richard Speck, and Juan Corona, "Female Trouble" chronicles of the life of Dawn Davenport. From teen-age high school brat in 1960, to petty criminal, to "crime model" for a chic fascist couple, to mass murderer, to martyr to the cause of celebrity, dying in the electric chair, her "biggest curtain call", Waters' superstar, the one and only Divine, gives an Oscar-worthy performance as Dawn Davenport. Dressed in clothes that one wag described as "making Frederick's of Hollywood look like Sears Roebuck", spouting hilariously unforgettable dialogue (Q: "Are you still a thief, Dawn?" A: "Yes I am, not as much as I used to be, but I still rob houses"), bouncing up and down on a trampoline, and "vogueing" down a Baltimore street, Divine is, simply, a star. What a shame that he is no longer with us. The rest of the cast are full of pep, including the late David Lochary, Mink Stole, Mary Vivian Pierce, Susan Walsh, the late Cookie Mueller, and of course the late Edith Massey, play their roles with such relish, one would think their lives depended on it. And the costumes! The sets! The hairdos! Van Smith, Vince Peranio, and Chris Mason created such eye-popping masterpieces of spectacular bad taste, that they take your breath away. I've often described this film to newcomers as the "Star Wars" of bad taste. The picture quality on this DVD is superb-sharp, with brilliant color, and remastered sound, particularly the music. I may also add that the film has been restored to its entirety. There have been numerous VHS releases of this film, with some scenes missing in one print, different scenes in another. "Pink Flamingoes", the more well-known of the two films, looks great. One can actually understand what the actors are saying in several scenes, due to the sound remastering, and the picture is crisp, bright, and clean, so one can see all of the notoriously disgusting activities the way they should have been seen! There are outtakes from the film as well, along with John Waters' wry commentary. So, all you trash aficionados can rejoice in the release of this trash double feature on DVD. Move over, "Citizen Kane"!
Rating:
Summary: I was saving it (Fem Trbl). Like Disney's Fantasia. J Waters
Review: The two best, together. Get it!
Rating:
Summary: Who In Their Right Mind?
Review: Who in their right mind would ever watch a John Waters movie? (Which begs the question of who would ever make one?) These movies are vile, vulgar, rude ... and that's the entire point! Waters puts the entire concept of "Right Mind" on trial. Daring to go beyond mere social satire, charging beyond the safe limits of irony & subtle overstatement, John Waters aims directly at the viewers socially constructed taboos. Well, he certainly seemed to push most of my buttons with these movies. (And even as I write this review, something inside demands that I point out I didn't pick this DVD out for myself, it was =GIVEN= to me. But an even louder voice claims, nay, it demands, that I announce from the rooftops how eagerly I accepted this DVD and how I raced to watch the movies!) And that's exactly the point. Waters reminds us that our taboos, our "buttons" are conditioned. When he stomps on the teats of our sacred cows we must either turn of the TV or remember that any sense of revulsion or disgust is socially constructed--it is not real in any objective sense. At its root, the experience of these movies reminds us that what is "nice," "pleasant," and "pretty" exists only by consensus and not as some higher standard by which all must be judged. The "outrageous" displays, behavior, and story lines give us the opportunity to vicariously live outside the social boundaries, whether the boundaries of mainstream society, or even the boundaries of a counter-culture. We can regress to a time when finger-painting with our own feces was a pleasure, before parental shame taught us to deny, to repress, to leave the unacceptable parts of ourselves buried in shadow. And how could I get so far without mentioning humor? Surreal, absurdist, satirical, ironic, physical, and it's-better-to-laugh-than-to-cry ... these movies ooze humor, they reek of humor, humor that your mommy would have washed your mouth out with soap, sent you to bed without supper, and spanked your bottom with a hairbrush for. Forbidden humor. Taboo humor. Is "anal retentive" hyphenated? If you know the answer to this question (and especially if you know when to hyphenate & when not to), you need to watch these movies, perhaps repeatedly, until you enjoy them. Free your head! Five stars for masterpieces of shadow humor & social deconstruction. Negative stars for "good taste" -- but that's the entire point, isn't it? (If you'd like to discuss this DVD further, you scare me, please don't click the "about me" link above & email me! Just kidding, I love dialoguing about books & videos I've enjoyed. Thanks!)
Rating:
Summary: "Taffy, you are most definately retarded!"
Review: Welcome to the world of John Waters' trailor park jet set. Dawn and Taffy Davenport, Edie the Egg Lady, Raymond and Connie Marble, Cookie, Crackers, Gator, Babs Johnson, Chiclet and Aunt Ida. Pure and uncensored psycho genius. Out of the two, I prefer Female Trouble as it has an actual plot. Pink Flamingoes is more like a perverse travelogue. These films are like nothing else you have ever seen, well maybe with the exception of Paul Morrisey's Andy Warhol classics. Here are the stories of some very colorful sociopaths who will stop short of nothing in their desire for Fame. The casts of unknowns are excellent and much of the dialogue seems to spring spontaneously from their eccentric minds. After 25 years, the costumes and make-up still look outrageous and fresh.
Towering above everyone, literally, is DIVINE. Never before and never again will a drag queen destroy all your preconceptions about the 60's, Elizabeth Taylor, mother/daughter/son relationships and the seduction of fame. These films will never be shown on the Sundance or Independant Film Chanels as they are too strange and lewd. I guess that is their power. John Waters only hit the offensive mark again with Desperate Living, his tribute to the Wizard of Oz, fugitive lesbians and thrift store dressing. His later films became sweet sendups of B-movies and with their inclusion of real celebrities/actors they lost much of their bite.
Rating:
Summary: Double Dose of Depravity
Review: "Pink Flamingos" pits Babs Johnson (Divine) against Connie and Raymond Marble (Mink Stole and David Lochary) for the title of filthiest person alive. The Marbles earn a living by kidnapping young girls, having their butler impregnate them, and then selling their babies to lesbian couples. In addition, they are heavily into foot fetishism, commit arson and, when time permits, Raymond likes to expose himself to young girls. Babs, her mother Miss Edie (Edith Massey), her son Crackers (Danny Mills) and their traveling companion Cotton (Mary Vivian Pearce) are itinerant thieves. They engage in illegal drug taking, bestiality, murder, cannibalism, and incest. The Marbles don't stand a chance against them. For good measure, Babs ends the film by actually eating dog poop, proving that Divine was willing to do anything to achieve stardom and John Waters would go to any extreme to achieve notoriety. "Pink Flamingos" always delivers disgusting delights. "Female Trouble" isn't quite as revolting as its predecessor, but boasts a more coherent plot and strong performances from its lead characters. As Dawn Davenport, Divine goes from a teenage runaway and rape victim to a murdering diva who proves the theory that "crime is beauty." Mink Stole steals the movie as Dawn's bratty and demented daughter, Taffy. In addition, Edith Massey shines as sexy Aunt Ida, whose acting style goes far beyond over-the-top. "Pink Flamingos" and "Female Trouble" reach the pinnacle of perversion, from which John Waters has descended into the valley of more mainstream movies.
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Summary: "Good, Bad Taste" at it's BEST.
Review: If you want the Best in Trash films, look no further. Pink Flamingo's is as "good" as it gets. Pink Flamingo's is the type of film that is more fun to watch with an audience not familiar with the film or any of John Waters earlier works. The birthday party scene with the singing A-hole (to the tune of Paw-Paw-Oo-Mow-Mow) and the last minute of the movie (the dog doo-doo snack) are worth the price of the DVD. If you want to be shocked or you want to shock those hard to shock friends, then this is the film for you. Read the other reviews, they tell it all like it is. Thanks John Waters.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't even mention Christmas, Chicklet.
Review: Pink Flamingos is what it is: extreme, absurd, hysterically funny, amateurish. But it's a must-own if you want to folllow the course Waters took to get where he is (And pick up a copy of his book, Shock Value, while you're at it, to complete the picture. It's a hoot).
The long-awaited Female Trouble is the one that has it all: Waters payiing more attention to a plot, Divine honing her acting skills with great success, and a real sense of joy that comes from this bunch of oddballs having a great time making a movie. Viewers unfamiliar with Waters always take his films so seriously, and doing so could cause distress. But it's hard not to notice that it's all in great fun--gross at times. just plain silly at others.
The best scene in the fillm: Dawn, Chicklet and Concetta in the bathroom right after Dawn is caught eating in class. Every line uttered is so funny, you'll find yourself using them in your own daily life: "I never get enough Christmas presents--everyone's so damn cheap"; "I'm gonna get alot, and I'm gonna take 'em all back and get the money. You can do that, you know"; "I hate this school and all these ignorant teachers who don't know one thing. I'm the one who should be teachin'." It's laugh after laugh, time after time, with Female Trouble.
Rating:
Summary: Trash Cinema 101
Review: The seedy allure of these two fine films is almost too much for a single package. The multifold disc jacket and clear holders are a spiffy touch, though one might prefer a vibrant fun fur lining. The films are both presented in their entirety, and the picture quality is a considerable improvement over the last few VHS releases. The vibrant colors in the costuming and the sets spring out with lurid intensity; that alone makes it worth the price of admission. Throw in some outtakes and rare goodies and you've got yourself a sale. Descriptions of both "Pink Flamingos" and "Female Trouble" generally don't do the material justice. Any John Waters film is an experience, rather than a conventional story with an unconventional cast. Call it slumming if you will, but enjoying these two films is hardly an acquired taste. The things I find most enjoyable in both these DVDs are the dialogue, the plot twists, and the manic over-acting. What a shame that so many of the Waters' troupe have passed on in last twenty + years; these films represent the best work of the original acting ensemble in my opinion. Divine is of course the star of both films, and though some fans might think it sacriligeous, I much prefer her in "Female Trouble." The latter isn't as gross-out-zany as "Pink Flamingos," and its' story gives Divine a bit more room to flex her acting chops. Edith Massey is a consistent highlight in both films, going from harmless, innocent Egg Lady to an acid-throwing harridan in pleather. Mink Stole nabs two plum roles as well, not to mention some really nasty outfits. The rest of the cast is unfailingly energetic, or manic, and their enthusiasm is infectious. As '70s underground cinema goes, John Waters' films are essential viewing. Thankfully, the appeal of his work has grown significantly with time, and that's what saved these films from bad (or non-) distribution. Fans of Waters and Divine will snap these great 2fers up, but if you're not really acquainted with this material you have a few choices. If you want to endure the hardcore Waters experience, this set is the one you want. Turd eating,(. . . ) acid-throwing, hand-chopping...these films have it all. And since none of them are more than passing images, it's safe to say you can try closing your eyes if such things bother you. If you'd rather try something a little lighter, the "Serial Mom / Pecker" 2fer is your best squeaky clean bet. If you've bought this set and want some more trash-festing, the "Desperate Living / Polyester" combo will more than fill you up. J
Rating:
Summary: Cookie, Mink, Edith, Divine and David ROCK
Review: What a gift from Heaven. Let's start with Female Trouble- OH MY GOD, from the theme song(Divine being FABU) throughout Taffy's tribulation- this movie rocks. Attention readers- buy this set now.
Ah, Pink Flamingos- so classic, the "dog s**t" scene is Oscar worthy.
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