Movie review - "Multiple Maniacs" (1970) ***

 Overshadowed by Pink Flamingos but the vision was fully formed by this one - John Waters freaky friends causing chaos, lots of bitchy lines and insane encounters, melodrama with a twist. Goes too long - really this should be a tight 30 minutes. But it's fun to hang out with Waters and his mates - Mink Stole, Divine, David L, Cookie, Edie. You feel like you're over at their house as they play dress ups.

Movie review - "Bruiser" (2001) ***

 Thoughtful. Interesting. Jason Flemyng maybe too handsome in the lead - could have used a real whimp. Attractive women - Romero liked a bit of toplessness. Peter Stomare hams it up. The mask is wonderfully effective. The big flaw-  lacks a central love story. Phantom of the Opera had that. A person for us to identify with who's not a killer. Like Martin we spend a lot of time identifying with a killer

Confidently directed. 

Script review - "Female Trouble/Desperate Living" by John Waters

 Getting through these audio readings by Waters of his scripts. Both are crime-ish melodramas - like most of these early Waters films he takes a series of wacky characters and haves some way-out exchanges. For me Desperate Living worked better - the insults felt funnier, an "innocent" in a trash town, though Female Trouble is fun too

Movie review - "Survival of the Dead" (2009) **

 George Romero's last feature. It looks ugly, shot in bland digital, the acting isn't much, the encounters tiresome. It's about some National Guardsman who stumble on a feud. Lots of Irish accents and people being shot in the head. There's a decent amount of action and no character I cared about or found interesting.

Movie review - "The Dark Half" (1992) **1/2

 Solid. Steven King wrote an interesting book based on his own work as Richard Bachman, and the voices in his head. Tim Hutton isn't convicing as a writer. A really great star would've made this sing. Amy Madigan must be so sick of playing wives. Michael Rooker solid as a cop.

Not sure they got the POV of this right. Maybe better via Rooker? Or be upfront about Hutton? 

Good story though. 

Movie review - "Day of the Dead" (1985) ****

 Tight. Music propels it. Well acted. Tries to be different. They're studying zombies, in a bunker. Builds logically. Enjoyable crazies. I liked it. Solid gore. Love that it's on film.

Script review - "Pink Flamingo" / "Forever Flamingo" by John Waters

 I listened to Waters do an audio version of these. They have similar structure. I enjoyed the first more than the movie - Waters is so fun doing the voices. The second was fine, just repetitious. The cast would've made it work.