Mondo Trasho

Seeing any film by John Waters is an "at-your-own-risk" movie experience -- the story of CINDERELLA is one of several fantasy sequences within the film with "foot" or "shoe" themes. The WILD SOUND takes some adjustment for persons used to lip-synched dialogues. The movie could have been edited down to 77 enjoyable minutes, but I think Mr. Waters was preoccupied with including as much shock/schlock into his footage that he possiby could. IT'S WORTH SEEING AT LEAST ONCE. It is curious that Mr. Waters never made a twisted 'JEAN HARLOW' bio story, considering that Mary Vivian Pearce was a startling look-a-like during her teen years. The film is in black & white, and the opening scenes are astonishing!

One can safely expect to sit still for a couple of hours, block-out the world around them, and pay attention to what's happening upon the screen for the duration of a film, right? Well, for most films, yes.

This isn't like most films, lol.

"Mondo Trasho" is one of my favorite John Waters flicks. I first rented this film back in 1998 after seeing "Pink Flamingos" the previous year. I've definitely seen "Mondo Trasho" over a hundred times by now. It's a real treat for us John Waters fans but it definitely is NOT for your common movie-goer.

You must already be familiar with and appreciate John Waters' film-making in order to get anything out of this film. It's also advisable to do something while watching this film. Yes, you read that correctly - do something while watching this. It's a great film to have on while working on your computer or while organizing and cleaning-up the place. As long as you've got a view of the screen at all times, you'll be OK. I don't think I've ever watched this film sitting down and doing nothing. Pay attention too closely and you will either grow impatient or fall asleep.

This is a very turbulent film. It's like a weird dream. It's grainy, gritty, and garish. The soundtrack jumps around erratically and can sufficiently mystify the viewer upon hearing what at first seems like odd choices in music. That impression quickly gives way to irony that is often times invoked by the soundtrack playing against its accompanying visuals. The effect is often times striking, sometimes silly, other times charming, and many times just plain bizarre. Though, there never is a bad musical-visual sequence, as all of Water's choices blend together beautifully to create an audio/motion-picture collage that feels more like a tweaker's nightmare than an Academy Award-generating production. But that's what makes it so great!

Putting this soundtrack together was obviously a monumental task for Waters and his efforts are probably what makes this film what it is. As I've already mentioned before, this film is definitely not one to sit through. It's like those videos that play upon multiple T.V. screens at dance clubs - nobody really pays too much attention to them but they provide an orgy of visuals, teamed-up with music and designed to stir the senses far beyond what most people are ready for.

John Waters feature length film debut is a schlocky montage of crazy events following Mary Vivian Pearce and Divine as they travel throughout the gutters and alleyways of "Charm City" Baltimore. I can't do this film just by trying to describe the events that transpire. This film has to be seen to be believed. There's no dialog in this film, most of the soundtrack is a collage of 50's and 60's pop music, They're used as dialog and as a Foley track. I wonder if Mr. Waters received permission from the performers for use in this film?

Filmed on a shoe string budget and shot on 16mm uses a cast of friends, Waters hit the Midnight Movie/cult circuit big time. Only a sign of things to come.

Recommended, if you can find it.

Mondo Trasho (1969)

** (out of 4)

If you're looking for a deep plot then you're certainly not going to find it here. The film starts off with a weird man in a mask cutting up a live chicken. From here we meet a woman who goes out for a walk and is eventually stalked by a man who likes feet. From here we meet another young lady (Divine) who ends up killing a person and from this point on we just see how this messed up day goes.

John Waters' first feature has a wide range of reviews and different opinions. Some call it a trash masterpiece while many call it one of the worst films ever made. I think both of those opinions are a bit extreme because this is easily one of the director's less interesting films but at the same time it's impossible not to find parts of it interesting and entertaining.

I think the film will work best for fans of the director who want to see him at the start of his career. Obviously there are some shock moments here including the bit with the chicken but I think this film works as a curiosity because you can view it and see how the director would change over the next couple pictures. Of course, there are several people here that would appear in future films from the director so again you've got that to hold your attention as well.

MONDO TRASHO, for the most part, isn't all that funny and I personally didn't find it too shocking. There are some really long stretches in it where not much happens so one wishes that Waters had gone further and delivered more shocks. Still, if you're a fan of the director then it's worth watching.

All of John Water's films have their quirks and their staying power and each one is truly a beautiful piece of art but nothing comes close to "Mondo Trasho", John's earlier trash epic. Not only does it have a faster pace than some of his other films but the "story" keeps on coming with more and mnore drug induced imagery. Divine, John Water's regular performer, delivers an hilarious over the top performance as a gum chewing trashy splendor, driving about looking for men until she is distracted by a nude hitcher and runs over an un-named fashion fanatic played by Mary Vivian Pearce. In the course of the next 24 hours, they go through a variety of different adventues, each one unique. This film boasts some great performances by the likes of Mink Stole, David Lochary, Divine and Mary Vivian Pearce. The film also features a great soundtrack, comprised of hundreds of John Water's favorite tunes. No good tune is left untouched in this trash epic. The film is definitely a more mild one than, say, "Pink Flamingos", meaning that this film doesn't have a lot of gross acts although it does have chickens being killed for real and toe sucking. This John Waters film is definitely one of his most unkown and one of his best.