Multiple Maniacs (1970) review

Early - and very, very, very crude - Waters effort ("cleaned up" by the Criterion crew) that's inspired (surprise!) by the Manson Family: Miss Divine (playing a demented version of herself) and crew kidnap people and rob them - later on, she has a "religious conversion" in a church with Mink Stole (gotta clean off that rosary), murders (and cannibalizes) her unfaithful lover (David Lochary) and gets raped by a lobster (out of nowhere!). "Rating" a Waters movie has always been a fool's game - he knew what he was doing - and the temptation to call it 'amateurish' (which it technically is) isn't totally fair: at least the druggies and outcasts and freaks he gathered to make this thing enjoyed doing it and worked hard with what limited resources (and abilities) they had. It's also proof the combination of troublesome social situations (the Vietnam War was well underway), LSD and a Catholic upbringing produce some ... curious artistic projects. [Rating Not Applicable]