Mr_Ectoplasma "Multiple Maniacs" follows Lady Divine's Cavalcade of Perversion, a wayward traveling group of sideshow freaks who have a penchant for the perverse, which includes murdering their audience members. I've always considered John Waters something of a less pretentious Andy Warhol, and this film-his second directorial feature-reiterates the sentiment in my mind. "Multiple Maniacs" is patent garbage, and I mean that in the most loving way possible. While watching it, it is obvious that Waters and his crew were fumbling their way through learning to make a movie. This is especially clear in the cinematography and performances; actors continually flub their lines, look into the camera, and chew the scenes apart-there is better acting in high school plays. At the center of it all is Divine, who has rightly attained a cult following of his own, playing his signature character, and his performance, though by no means stellar, is what will inevitably draw the audience in.For all the rough edges present, there are themes and ideas circulating throughout the film that are by turns bizarre and unique, and it has rightly earned a reputation for containing a particularly blasphemous montage. The last fifteen minutes ostensibly contain the film's most well-orchestrated moments, with Divine alone descending into madness and chasing civilians through the streets. I don't think anyone could classify "Multiple Maniacs" as a masterwork of filmmaking by any stretch of the imagination-but it does stand as a celluloid capsule of Waters quite literally learning how to make a film, and there is enough wackiness, debauchery, and utter madness to please the most jaded of trash cinema fans. Good or bad, there is really nothing else quite like it. 7/10.

Dalbert Pringle F.Y.I. - Before there was John Waters' "Pink Flamingos" - There was John Waters' "Multiple Maniacs" (released in 1970) which (IMO) should really be re-titled "Multiple Morons".With the word "AMATEUR" clearly written all over it - This regurgitated exercise in low-budget/low-life sleaze (Baltimore-style) tried way too hard to shock and disgust.And, in its feeble attempt to accomplish its atrocious mission - "Multiple Maniacs" quickly deteriorated into a tiresome bore with a decidedly "white-trash" mentality tacked on for good measure.Filmed in gritty b&w - This celluloid atrocity is truly a perverted novelty of early-1970's cinema that (I found) only really came to life in its final 15 minutes of outrageous insanity.

cultfilmfan Multiple Maniacs, is shot in black and white and is about a woman named Lady Divine, who runs a freak show in the woods called "Lady Divine's Cavalcade Of Perversions". They let rich people come in and see the show for free and then Divine, and her friends rob and kill them. Divine's boyfriend is is Mr. David, who is the announcer for the show and he is currently in love with another woman named Bonnie, and sneaks out to see her one afternoon. Edith, from the local diner spots this and reports it to Divine, who goes out looking for them. On the way over Divine, experiences a very weird afternoon and soon goes looking to kill Mr. David, and Bonnie. But little do they know that Mr. David, and Bonnie also have plans for them. Multiple Maniacs, is written and directed by John Waters, who is one of my favourite writer/director's and I have always loved what he has done. His films have great dialog, unusual characters, over the top acting and are so unique and off the wall it is anything but boring. Some people may even be turned off of some of his early films like Pink Flamingos, which I reviewed several years ago but failed to mention the film's plot or too much about it because many reviewers have spoiled the film and basically the whole review I talked about facts behind the film and just basically praised it. Multiple Maniacs, however I was disappointed with. The film is fairly slow moving and it some scenes character's seem to just talk and talk and some of the bits get a little old and tiresome after awhile. And most of the shocking humour in the film is now looking rather tame. And the film's story doesn't really have too much going on and I wasn't engrossed in it or having as much fun as I would be watching other John Waters' films. The film is not terrible and still has some unique ideas and things going on but it is probably my least favourite John Waters movie out of the ones I have seen (and I have seen all except for Mondo Trasho).

csjlong A lot of people look at the performances in Waters' early films as crude but I think both Multiple Maniacs and Pink Flamingos (and, to a lesser degree, Mondo Trasho) are a testament to the talent the Waters' troupe really had. Divine has probably been discussed enough though I think she remains sadly underrated as an actress but what stands out for me in Maniacs is David Lochary's performance. He steals the show and improbably manages to provide some genuine soul to a contemptible character, perhaps because he looks positively saintly compared to Divine. Lochary is funny, sincere, scared and ultimately empathetic as the helpless, brainwashed victim of the implacable force which is the Lady Divine. You couldn't just hire regular actors to play the Lochary or Divine roles - you had to have the real deal and the magic of these movies does come from the superior casting.I think Waters' early films are by far his best, the movies he made before he learned "how to make movies." Some of his later work is cute but never as engaging and fresh as Maniacs and Flamingos. How exactly did Waters manage to combine slimy depravity with wide-eyed innocence in equal doses? The rosary job is perhaps the finest scene Waters ever concocted and then there's Lobstora, one of the most inspired moments the cinema has ever brought us.I don't think of Maniacs as mere camp. I think it's genuinely great film making with far more verve and inventiveness than most of the so-called "well-made" Academy fare.