A Look Back on the Iconic Queer Movies of John Waters

July 4, 2022
NSFW.ARMY

Last week there was a great announcement in Hollywood!

John Waters, the self-proclaimed “Pope of Trash” was announced as the next Hollywood luminary with their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This honor is so deserved and long overdue for a man who made his own genre of Queer cinema. Waters created some of the most celebrated Queer films of all time and they all still hold up today.

Let’s have a look at the Best of the Worst from our favorite bad moviemaker.

Pink Flamingos

Waters first widely distributed feature film was the one that put himself and his most frequent star, the legendary “Divine” on the map. It was also one of the first films to have an NC-17 rating. Divine plays, well...Divine, a Baltimore drag queen who proudly wears the title of “The Filthiest Person Alive.” When an even more disgusting couple threatens to steal that title, Divine goes into violent action.

Polyester

This film not only brought back Divine, but it also marked the first Queer film of Tab Hunter’s career. Hunter had been a mainstream leading man in the 1950s and '60s. His turn as the lover of a drag queen was very brave for its time. In his later years, Hunter lived happily as an out of the closet gay man with a longtime partner. He also called Divine, “one of his finest leading ladies.”

Female Trouble

If one drag queen isn’t enough for a John Waters movie, how about three? Divine (yet again) plays Dawn Davenport, a “girl” who goes from school girl to fashion model to serial killer. Fellow Waters legends, Susan Walsh and Cookie Mueller (best stage name ever!) play the fashion photographers who turn the good girl bad!

Hairspray

Probably Waters most mainstream and critically-praised film, this story about a plump school girl who makes it big on a TV dance show in 1960s Baltimore is now a bonafide cult classic, and not just in the LGBTQ+ community. It even inspired the Tony-winning Broadway musical and another all-star movie adaptation where Waters made a cameo as himself. The only debate is if we prefer Divine or John Travolta in drag better. A must!

Serial Mom

With her femme fatale personae of the '80s and a voice deeper than most men’s, Kathleen Turner proved she was another great muse for the John Waters' touch. Her performance as a suburban housewife who moonlights as a serial killer is now regarded as one of the actress' best performances and remains one of Waters' best remembered films.