Multiple Maniacs (1970)

[silverlakephil]

I've just read the Hollywood Reporter's review of the rerelease, and it said that since John Waters never gotten clearance for using music from his record collection for the soundtrack, a "rockabilly score" by a musician named George S. Clinton will be used instead

[danner]

I'm awfully curious if there are plans for Criterion taking on any of his other movies as well. Most of his pre-Hairspray movies are currently out of print on DVD. I had to fork over $30 for a used copy of Female Trouble a couple of months ago.

[postmodel]

Originally Posted by danner

I'm awfully curious if there are plans for Criterion taking on any of his other movies as well. Most of his pre-Hairspray movies are currently out of print on DVD. I had to fork over $30 for a used copy of Female Trouble a couple of months ago.

I would personally love that. Maybe even a "Trash Trilogy" collection of Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble, and Desperate Living.

I'm still hoping some old shorts and/or Mondo Trasho makes an appearance on the eventual Multiple Maniacs Criterion release.

[schlock]

I know it's doubtful, but it would be great if Criterion could offer both the matted and open-matte versions for this film (and other early Waters films if they can get them from WB/New Line). Although they may have been shown matted in theaters, especially Pink Flamingos and on, it appears Waters was composing for full-aperture when shooting his early films and not giving much thought to how it would eventually look in widescreen/matted, at least through Female Trouble. His very early films were originally mostly shown in underground locations, not regular theaters, so they were most likely projected full-aperture.

The New Line DVD's are all matted and there are crucial parts of the image missing because of that. In Female Trouble, e.g. when Dawn is stomping the presents, you barely see what she's stepping on. Even worse, while listening to Waters' audio commentary on that film, he was apparently viewing the full-aperture version while recording the commentary, because he mentions things that you don't see on the matted version on the disc but that he clearly wanted to be seen (Divine's butt-crack cleavage in the salon scene, and there's a slow pan-up scene of Edith Massey from her feet to her face, where the matting covers her shoes so it makes it look like the pan starts at her ankles instead - which no one would ever compose a shot that way, especially since Waters even talks about her shoes (that you don't see) in that shot on the commentary). Many other moments are cropped or very tight like that on the DVDs.

I originally saw PF and FT in the theater so they must have been matted and I just didn't know anything was off. But having seen the full-frame versions for years now, that aspect ratio looks way more correct. And if Arrow can give both aspect ratios for some early Herschell Gordon Lewis films where it looked like Lewis wasn't putting much thought into eventual matting, why not Waters?

I've only seen Multiple Maniacs and Mondo Trasho on the old VHS releases so I have no idea what a matted widescreen version will even look like, but a day-one purchase regardless.

[demonknight]

Caught a screening of this last night. Was fantastic! A glorious kind of terrible that only could come from early John Waters. Will certainly buy. Looked fantastic too.

[chas speed]

Originally Posted by schlock

I know it's doubtful, but it would be great if Criterion could offer both the matted and open-matte versions for this film (and other early Waters films if they can get them from WB/New Line). Although they may have been shown matted in theaters, especially Pink Flamingos and on, it appears Waters was composing for full-aperture when shooting his early films and not giving much thought to how it would eventually look in widescreen/matted, at least through Female Trouble. His very early films were originally mostly shown in underground locations, not regular theaters, so they were most likely projected full-aperture.

The New Line DVD's are all matted and there are crucial parts of the image missing because of that. In Female Trouble, e.g. when Dawn is stomping the presents, you barely see what she's stepping on. Even worse, while listening to Waters' audio commentary on that film, he was apparently viewing the full-aperture version while recording the commentary, because he mentions things that you don't see on the matted version on the disc but that he clearly wanted to be seen (Divine's butt-crack cleavage in the salon scene, and there's a slow pan-up scene of Edith Massey from her feet to her face, where the matting covers her shoes so it makes it look like the pan starts at her ankles instead - which no one would ever compose a shot that way, especially since Waters even talks about her shoes (that you don't see) in that shot on the commentary). Many other moments are cropped or very tight like that on the DVDs.

I originally saw PF and FT in the theater so they must have been matted and I just didn't know anything was off. But having seen the full-frame versions for years now, that aspect ratio looks way more correct. And if Arrow can give both aspect ratios for some early Herschell Gordon Lewis films where it looked like Lewis wasn't putting much thought into eventual matting, why not Waters?

I've only seen Multiple Maniacs and Mondo Trasho on the old VHS releases so I have no idea what a matted widescreen version will even look like, but a day-one purchase regardless.

They should certainly do that, the same way that Evil Dead was offered on Blu-ray. I don't want to see John Waters films with the top of the picture cut off.

[bruce holecheck]

Originally Posted by schlock

I know it's doubtful, but it would be great if Criterion could offer both the matted and open-matte versions for this film

John specifically requested it be matted to 1.66:1 in order to hide the splice and glue marks.

[chas speed]

Originally Posted by bruce holecheck

John specifically requested it be matted to 1.66:1 in order to hide the splice and glue marks.

I don't know. These films were made for 2 cents. It seems like he is being a little anal, but there his films. I will just pass if they come out letterboxed and stick with my VHS copies.

[bruce holecheck]

Originally Posted by chas speed

I don't know. These films were made for 2 cents. It seems like he is being a little anal, but there his films. I will just pass if they come out letterboxed and stick with my VHS copies.

1.66:1 is barely matted -- I wouldn't sweat it. I caught a screening here in Baltimore and it looks fine.

That said, I'm hanging onto my VHS of MULTIPLE MANIACS regardless, since it contains the original soundtrack.

[Worship.my.wreck]

Has there been any update on the blu Ray yet?

[chas speed]

Originally Posted by bruce holecheck

1.66:1 is barely matted -- I wouldn't sweat it. I caught a screening here in Baltimore and it looks fine.

That said, I'm hanging onto my VHS of MULTIPLE MANIACS regardless, since it contains the original soundtrack.

I got to admit I did like the letterboxed "Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill" Blu-ray and I'm guessing that was shot full frame.

[bigshot]

Originally Posted by chas speed

I got to admit I did like the letterboxed "Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill" Blu-ray and I'm guessing that was shot full frame.

Russ Meyer was an excellent cinematographer and knew exactly what he was doing. Waters was operating largely on the fly. Just judge by your own eyes. They'll tell you if there's a problem.

[bigshot]

Originally Posted by bruce holecheck

1.66:1 is barely matted

Compared to what? There's a considerable amount of cropping compared to 1.33.



When I saw this film at the Nuart theater in LA way back when, I'm pretty sure it was projected 1.33.

[Scottie]

It should be announced today.

[Smegma]

Excited but disappointed about the soundtrack at the same time. Will still purchase.

Like others, I hope Criterion at least puts out Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble, and Desperate Living. After these films I think there was a step decline and my interest rapidly drops off. Maybe I'd get Polyester, but I think that's about it for me.

[demonknight]

Originally Posted by Smegma

Excited but disappointed about the soundtrack at the same time. Will still purchase.

Like others, I hope Criterion at least puts out Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble, and Desperate Living. After these films I think there was a step decline and my interest rapidly drops off. Maybe I'd get Polyester, but I think that's about it for me.

I think their interest would decline after Polyester too. But I actually prefer the later Waters canon, for the most part, with my 2 favorites being Cry-Baby & Cecil B. Demented.

[iamnoone]

Originally Posted by demonknight

I think their interest would decline after Polyester too. But I actually prefer the later Waters canon, for the most part, with my 2 favorites being Cry-Baby & Cecil B. Demented.

I prefer Waters' earlier films, but I do really like several of his later era, especially Cecil B. Demented and Pecker. I've seen Cry-Baby several times, not because I like it, but because I can never remember if I've even seen it before because it's so forgettable. But at least it's better than Serial Mom which I find very forced and unfunny (...ducks out quietly....)

[GasmaskAvenger]

Shame on you. Serial Mom is a rather funny movie, i'd say.

The UK blu-ray is pretty good, but could use a good upgrade with more bonus features and a new transfer.

[javi92]

This will be my first Waters film. Always looking to expand my horizons.

[Scottie]

The gloriously grotesque second feature directed by John Waters is replete with all manner of depravity, from robbery to murder to one of cinema’s most memorably blasphemous moments. Made on a shoestring budget in Waters’ native Baltimore, with the filmmaker taking on nearly every technical task, this gleeful mockery of the peace-and-love ethos of its era features the Cavalcade of Perversion, a traveling show mounted by a troupe of misfits whose shocking proclivities are topped only by those of their leader: the glammer-than-glam, larger-than-life Divine, out for blood after discovering her lover’s affair. Starring Waters’ beloved regular cast the Dreamlanders (including David Lochary, Mary Vivian Pearce, Mink Stole, Susan Lowe, George Figgs, and Cookie Mueller), Multiple Maniacs is an anarchic masterwork from an artist who has doggedly tested the limits of good taste for decades.

Disc Features
DIRECTOR-APPROVED EDITION:

New 4K digital restoration, supervised by director John Waters, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
New audio commentary featuring Waters
New interviews with cast and crew members Pat Moran, Vincent Peranio, Mink Stole, Susan Lowe, and George Figgs
More!
PLUS: An essay by critic Linda Yablonsky

https://www.criterion.com/films/28954-multiple-maniacs