How much is that doggy in the window?: The ‘Pink Flamingos’ scene deemed a step too far
For decades, movies have been released that audiences have watched with a sense of uneasiness in their stomachs, possibly even reaching for a sick bucket while they try to sit through shockingly gory or disgusting images. From Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom, to The Human Centipede trilogy, cinema, as a visual medium, has allowed filmmakers to test the ultimate limits.
But, for some strange reasons, many of us are attracted to these kinds of transgressive movies, actively seeking out gross and outrageous pieces of media. John Waters has made a whole career out of making such art, utilising amateur actors and on-location shooting to make his early movies, which established him as one of cinema’s most controversial filmmakers.
Waters has been dubbed the King of Filth, with his movies drawing associations to ‘Camp’, a term which Susan Sontag discussed in her essay, Notes on Camp. According to the writer, “The essence of Camp is its love of the unnatural: of artifice and exaggeration.” Watch any Waters film, and you’ll instantly see over-the-top acting, drag queens, unusual set design (such as the red-coloured room where Aunt Ida is imprisoned in Female Trouble) and hilariously unnatural one-liners (“I wouldn’t suck your lousy dick if I was suffocating and there was oxygen in your balls!”).
Waters’ early movies contain many insane moments, particularly Multiple Maniacs, Female Trouble, Desperate Living and, most infamously, Pink Flamingos. The latter really put Waters on the map with its non-stop grotesqueness. The whole movie is about a battle between Divine, undercover as Babs Johnson, and a couple, the Marbles, who both want to be crowned the filthiest people in the world. Throughout the movie, many uncomfortable scenes arise, challenging the viewer to make it to the end.
At one point, we see a character get raped, all while live chickens are squashed between her and the attacker. It’s one of the most concerning scenes due to the fact that real chickens were actually being abused as the assault scene painfully plays out. We also see a man flexing his prolapsed anus, Divine and her pals tucking into human flesh after murdering a bunch of policemen, castration, flashing, and real oral sex between Divine and Crackers, who is meant to be her adult son.
However, the movie is best known for its iconic end scene, which sees Divine pick up some fresh dog poo and eat it. It’s a vile image that can cause you to gag when you just think about it. Divine really did place the faeces in his mouth, although he didn’t swallow it. Still, that’s impressive dedication.
Mink Stole, one of Waters’ most frequent collaborators, who played Connie Marble in the film, discussed the revolting moment with Another Magazine, revealing that she was unsure whether Divine would actually go all the way and perform the final stunt. “I wasn’t sure if the infamous scene would actually happen. You know, John wanted me to set my hair on fire in the film, and I originally agreed to do it before I realised that was absolutely insane.”
She continued, “I’d refused to do something I originally agreed to do, and I thought Divine would refuse as well because eating dog shit is absolutely insane.” Yet, Divine knew that actually placing it in his mouth would help the film become even more notorious – there was no point backing out now. “It was truly repulsive, but Divine did it, and it was completely real, and it made history. I still cannot watch that scene without throwing up! Divine was always a real trouper and he committed to his work absolutely.”
