By the late 1980s, John Waters was ready for a change. After a decade of shocking audiences with boundary-pushing midnight movies, he set his sights on something a little more… family-friendly. The result was HAIRSPRAY — a pastel-soaked 1960s dance-party satire that retained Waters’ signature weirdness while appealing to a much broader audience.

In this episode, we dig into how Waters transitioned from underground cult provocateur to mainstream darling, how a then-unknown Ricki Lake became the face of the film, and how HAIRSPRAY overcame a modest box office performance to become one of the most enduring and beloved films in Waters’ entire filmography — inspiring a Broadway musical and a big-budget Hollywood remake nearly two decades later.

With POLYESTER, John Waters cleaned up his act — well, sort of. This 1981 melodrama spoof marked a major turning point in Waters’ career: a bigger budget, a suburban setting, and his first taste of (semi-)mainstream success. It was also the first time he cast 1950s teen idol Tab Hunter, a move that shocked audiences and opened doors.

In this episode, we explore how POLYESTER emerged from Waters’ desire to move beyond pure shock and into broader satire. We’ll talk about his collaboration with New Line Cinema, his use of William Castle–style gimmickry with the infamous “Odorama” scratch-and-sniff cards, and why POLYESTER might be the most deceptively subversive film of his early career.

Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.

For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net

With DESPERATE LIVING, John Waters pushed his vision into wild new territory — a surreal, grotesque fairy tale set in the trash-strewn, totalitarian town of Mortville. Made without Divine for the first and only time in this era, the film instead centers on an unhinged cast of women revolting against a corrupt, fascist queen.

In this episode, we explore the chaos and controversy behind the making of DESPERATE LIVING, including the film’s challenging production, its reception in the underground film circuit, and how it further expanded Waters’ mythology of filth and transgression. This is John Waters at his most unrestrained — and unhinged.

Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.

For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net

After the underground success of PINK FLAMINGOS, John Waters and his Dreamlanders set out to make a film that was just as transgressive — but with a more structured narrative and bigger ambitions. The result was FEMALE TROUBLE, a grotesque satire of fame, beauty, and the American obsession with crime.

In this episode, we explore how FEMALE TROUBLE pushed the boundaries of taste even further, casting Divine as a teenage delinquent turned homicidal glamour icon. We dig into the production of the film, how it was received by fans and critics, and how it solidified Waters’ place as the Pope of Trash.

Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.

For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net

In this episode of John Waters: Divine Filth, we’re diving into the depraved, legendary cult classic that made John Waters and Divine underground icons: PINK FLAMINGOS (1972).

Shot for just $10,000 on 16mm, PINK FLAMINGOS follows Divine in a grotesque and hilarious battle for the title of “Filthiest Person Alive.” With scenes of chicken sex, foot licking, public indecency, and a now-infamous final act that still repulses audiences, it quickly became a film that viewers had to dare their friends to sit through.

But what really turned PINK FLAMINGOS into a phenomenon was the midnight movie circuit. After a disastrous daytime premiere, the film found its true audience in the middle of the night—where its transgressions were greeted with laughter, cheers, and sometimes walkouts. It ran for years at New York’s Elgin Theater, earning its place alongside El Topo, The Harder They Come, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show as one of the foundational films of the midnight movie movement.

In this episode, we explore how John Waters turned his underground vision into a national scandal, how Divine became a drag icon, and how PINK FLAMINGOS helped launch a whole new era of transgressive cult cinema.

Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.

For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net

"One must remember that there is such a thing as good bad taste and bad bad taste." — John Waters

The filth hits the fan in the very first entry of our new series John Waters: Divine Filth, as we dive headfirst into the gloriously blasphemous chaos of MULTIPLE MANIACS (1970).

Filmed on a shoestring budget with Waters’ early Dreamland crew, MULTIPLE MANIACS is a black-and-white barrage of bad taste — featuring Divine, a traveling sideshow of depravity, a giant lobster named Lobstora, and a certain unspeakable act involving a rosary.

In this episode, we explore how Waters transitioned from underground Super 8 provocateur to cult cinema legend, how MULTIPLE MANIACS built on the DIY ethos of Baltimore’s art freak scene, and how Divine fully embraced her emerging status as the filthiest star alive.

It’s a film that’s confrontational, hilarious, and shockingly personal — and it set the stage for everything that would follow in Waters’ career.

Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.

For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net

He seems like the perfect husband. The ideal father. But behind that neatly trimmed mustache and suburban charm… is a body count.

In this Cinema Shock Roulette episode, we’re digging into the underrated 1987 psychological slasher THE STEPFATHER, starring the terrifyingly good Terry O’Quinn as a man obsessed with building the “perfect” family — no matter how many lives he has to destroy along the way.

We’ll explore the real-life crime that inspired the film, how it emerged as a sleeper hit amid a sea of 1980s horror, and why O’Quinn’s chilling performance helped the movie achieve cult status. Plus: how this sharp, satirical horror gem fits into the era’s wave of domestic thrillers.

Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.

For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net

Curious what we're discussing next? Join us as we spin the wheel to find out which random movie we're gonna talk about for the next episode of Cinema Shock Roulette!

After the massive success of SPIDER-MAN 2, all eyes were on Sam Raimi to deliver an even bigger third chapter. But SPIDER-MAN 3 ended up becoming one of the most divisive superhero films of its era.

In this episode, we unpack how SPIDER-MAN 3 spiraled into creative conflict — from studio-mandated villains to an overstuffed narrative that left even Raimi unsatisfied. We’ll trace the production struggles, explore the backlash, and examine how the fallout derailed plans for SPIDER-MAN 4 and pushed Raimi away from the franchise altogether.

Love it or loathe it, SPIDER-MAN 3 is a crucial chapter in the evolution of superhero cinema — and one that reshaped Sam Raimi’s career.

Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.

For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net

After the massive success of SPIDER-MAN, expectations for a sequel were sky-high — and somehow, SPIDER-MAN 2managed to soar even higher.

In this episode, we dive into the making of what many fans and critics still consider one of the greatest superhero films ever made. We’ll cover the behind-the-scenes drama that almost kept Tobey Maguire from returning, the casting of Alfred Molina as Doc Ock, and how Raimi balanced action, emotion, and slapstick horror to create a sequel that improved on the original in nearly every way.

We’ll also explore the evolution of Peter Parker as a character, the film’s now-iconic train fight sequence, and how SPIDER-MAN 2 helped solidify the modern superhero movie as both art and commerce.

Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.

For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net