Killer Drag Queens on Dope

Positively dreadful--if you are looking for a campy ala John Waters you will be extremely disappointed.

It is so completely boring. Lousy plot, acting, cinematography, acting, production, sound, etc.

If you have to watch such a movie you are in very sorry state and need years and years of therapy.

I was completely disposed to like a movie with a title like that, but.....as much as I tried to make mental notes excusing this sad movie, but finally it is boring, stupidly written, produced and while they spent serious thought on their provocative title--wish they had not run out of gas in the very first frame.

Movies of this genre (in the manner of John Waters et al) have a very special place in the movie world. They bi-pass the stultifying effect of commercial studios who are aiming for the big bucks.

PLOT: 'Killer Drag Queens On Dope'. The title of the film says it all. Alexis Arquette (A.K.A. Eva Destruction) and Omar Alexis play 2 drag queens, Ginger and Coco, who are hired killers. Oh, yeah, and they do some drugs. (Nothing worse that what you see on TV.)

PRO'S AND CON'S: This may not be an Oscar Award winning film, as it is low budget. The fight scenes are below the Matrix level, but flow smoothly. I think it just adds to the humor.The music is enjoyable. It has a 70's buddy-cop sound to it. You know, the funky guitar along with some techno beats.

This film is light and upbeat. With Coco's doll obsession, the crazy 'jobs', and wacky characters, this film is very comical! I found myself laughing often throughout the movie.

WHAT I LEARNED

There are 4 things I learned from this film:

1. Be your fabulous self and proud!

2. Being 'in-between' male and female can be the best of both worlds.

3. When planning a murder in costume, make sure your weapons match your outfit.

4. Alexis Arquette has nice legs (I think I knew that before though...)

To conclude, go out and see Killer Drag Queens On Dope!

This is as simple as it gets; the title is the plot. Ginger (Alexis Arquette) and Coco (Omar Alexis) are two drag queens that snort coke, drink daiquiris, and do hits for Uncle A (Don Edmonds in his last performance). Actually Uncle A is sending Bobby (Mario Diaz) to do the hits, but Bobby has his "girlfriend" do them.

When the mark asks Ginger to sit on his face, she does, but with a pillow under her to snuff him out.

Ginger dresses as a nun in her next hit. "You have been judged a sinner, and you must atone." The last hit goes bad due to a Lovely Linda doll that CoCo goes cuckoo over, letting the mark escape. Everything unravels from there leading to a grand finale with Ginger in a roller derby outfit on skates as she saves Coco and the day, and the doll.

Funny as hell with some great lines.

Killer Drag Queens On Dope has all the hallmarks of a trash classic: An outrageous plot, memorable one-liners, excessive drug taking and a killer drag queen on roller skates. This film was obviously made on a budget of next to nothing and the production values are pretty basic. However, this is more than compensated for by the sheer originality and humour of the undertaking.

The film revolves around two drag queens, Ginger and Coco, who take a lot of drugs and carry out hits for Ginger's mobster boyfriend, Bobby. That is basically it. Killer Drag Queens On Dope doesn't waste time on anything as dull as character or plot development. Instead, it strings together a series of wonderfully bizarre vignettes of Ginger and Coco murdering Bobby's enemies. The "hits" are hilarious in their own right. Ginger kills one man by literally sitting on his face, while another memorable assassination sees Ginger dressing up as a nun. There are also poison darts, fencing duels and the brilliant (and almost impossibly camp) roller finale. When not bumping off mobsters for Bobby, the twosome indulge in their other passion - illicit drugs. One of the film's best sequences involves Ginger and Coco taking acid, then stealing a car and visiting a psychic.

The film owes a lot to the highly charismatic presence of the cutting edge Arquette, the always entertaining Alexis. Alexis plays Ginger with a large dose of wit and sympathy. Unlike most actors who have appeared in drag, Alexis never feels the need to turn the character into a walking punchline. His ease with Ginger probably stems from his own incredibly fierce alter-ego, Eva Destruction. Omar Alexis also does a great job as Coco, the daydreamer who obsesses over Lovely Linda dolls. The supporting cast is fun, particularly the actors who play Uncle A and Mr Fly. The quality acting is matched by a highly amusing script and competent directing.

Killer Drag Queens On Dope is a return to the days of the loud and proud B-movie. This film knows its audience and doesn't bother trying to appeal to the masses. I love this film's irreverent tone and winning humour. Fans of John Waters and early Almodovar will find Killer Drag Queens On Dope a highly enjoyable experience.

I just saw the remastered DVD that Laguna Productions will be releasing on February 6, and they did a color correction, fixed the sound design, and put on some other post touches that make the movie look a lot better.

It's a fun, campy, goofy flick. Don't take it too seriously. Just go with it and have fun.

I've watched the first half of it so far, and it's pretty funny. And the cast looks like they had a good time making it.

So if you want to have a fun movie night, get the DVD and have some friends over to watch it. You'll be surprised at how much fun you have.