DVD: This Filthy World

Cult director John Waters (Cry Baby, Serial Mom) follows Kevin Smith and punk icon Henry Rollins into the spoken word arena with this engaging, theatrically run stand-up performance.

It’s a simple film, made in 2004 with the same directorial minimalism as the performance videos Ricky Gervais and Jethro put out at Christmas time. Those who enjoy Waters’ films will probably already be familiar with his writings, such as the books Shock Value and Crackpot, and they’ll likely own his Christmas album. It’s they who’ll benefit most from this purchase.

Once the king of underground cinema Waters has transformed himself into a spokesperson for depravity, a brand and even a mainstream icon thanks to the theatrical reworking of Hairspray, recently filmed. But Filthy World brings the true Waters to the fore.

This intimate ‘evening with’ performance is comprised of anecdotes from his twisted youth, adventurous early films and all manner of depraved fascinations. Full of enlightening sexual musings, This Filthy World is much more than a one-man retrospective. Waters tells of his journey from renegade to fringe icon but like all of his  films, at heart it’s a celebration of the absurd and shocking.

In an age where the internet and Jackass have raised the bar on tastelessness it’s interesting to see that Waters, still notorious for the grotesque Pink Flamingos, can still surprise us. Even alone on a stage.     Richard Hawes

Buy this here.