Desperate Living 4K 1977

This film marked the beginning of my journey with the brilliant John Waters. I fell in love with it at first sight and have since watched it at least ten times. It’s hard to explain exactly what makes it so captivating. It turns out that Waters’s incomparable humor strikes a chord deep within your soul, making you not just love his films, but be absolutely crazy about them.

Is it worth mentioning that the film is perverse? In my opinion, no. Because in this film, perversion serves as art, the authenticity of which Waters’ fans do not doubt in the slightest. As for the rest of the audience, it’s hard to recommend this film to everyone. Perhaps, after watching it, your life will never be the same again, as the impact of the film is akin to a bomb going off.

The specificity of its humor makes ‘Desperate Living’ almost an elitist film. It is a classic example of “cinema not for everyone.”

Although the scenes in this film may seem unrealistic or even grotesque at first glance, upon closer inspection, you can draw parallels with our own lives, which are glamorous only on screen and in the pages of glossy magazines. Far more realistic things happen right here at home. John Waters’ genius lies precisely in his hyperbolization of life’s realities.

The acting is top-notch. Mink Stole, Joan Hills, Liz Renée, Edith Massie, Mary Vivian Pierce, and of course Susan Lowe as a monstrous, combative lesbian are absolutely delightful!

An excellent film for fans of the incomparable Waters and for those ready to embrace the new and unconventional.