Multiple Maniacs
The Cavalcade of Perversion, a traveling freak show, acts as a front for Divine, who is out for blood after discovering her lover's affair.
Why it matters
A chaotic acid trip of transgressive underground horror that upends 1970s exploitation with unhinged energy and raw DIY spirit.
- John Waters unleashes his signature blend of shock and dark humor, laying the groundwork for midnight movie cult status.
- Divine’s charismatic, larger-than-life performance is equal parts grotesque and magnetic, embodying countercultural rebellion.
- Practical effects and grisly set pieces lean into campy gore that’s as unsettling as it is gleefully outrageous.
- For fans of trash cinema and early queer punk aesthetics, this is a vital document of horror’s outsider roots.
Director
Cast
Horror DNA
Gore
85
Slow Burn
50
Psychological
57
Supernatural
0
Creature
0
Disturbing
100
Fun Factor
100
Cerebral
85
Survival
33
