How John Waters’ Opposite Became His Hero

(Credits: Far Out / YouTube Still)

Fri November 29, 2024 2:15 p.m., United Kingdom

In the 1994 John Waters film Serial momKathleen Turner’s Beverly – the picture of a perfect suburban housewife – can be seen secretly calling her neighbor and shouting obscenities over the phone. “This is the residence of motherfuckers!” she exclaims before hanging up. Sure, it’s silly, but Waters’ film, laced with stupidity and shock, actually makes a profound statement about American suburbia, womanhood, and the crazy true crime phenomenon.

Waters’ ability to provide audiences with meaningful commentary on society while championing outsider characters and reveling in his campiness made him one of the most beloved filmmakers of his generation. He may not make films as epic as Ridley Scott or as brutal as Ken Loach, but his films certainly leave an impact – for better or worse.

When the director started making films, he wanted to shock hippies, he claims, by showing all kinds of ridiculous and obscene images. He wanted people to recognize the excluded and taboo subjects, drawing attention to the type of people who exist on the fringes of society and are rarely seen in mainstream media. With drag queen Divine as his muse, Waters began making films that were inherently DIY.

As he began working with larger budgets and, therefore, bigger stars, he continued to cast his original cast, known as the Dreamlanders, in leading roles in his films. Waters’ tenure as a filmmaker has been rather unique. He went from making weird, low-budget films like Several maniacs And Flamingos to more mainstream and popular films like Crying And Lacquer – Yet he always retained a strong sense of identity, no matter what.

However, Waters admires those who have taken their success a little easier. Talk to NPRhe revealed some of his heroes on the occasion of the release of his book, Role models. He shared that musician Johnny Mathis is a deep inspiration to him, even though they look nothing alike.

“Johnny Mathis is the opposite of me,” Waters recalls. “He never promotes. Have you ever seen a photo of Johnny Mathis at a world premiere? At a party? He doesn’t do any promotion every time he does a big tour – which he still does constantly. I went to them. They are exhausted. He doesn’t try too hard at all. He’s not trying at all. I always have to imagine new projects, go on the road: I’m like a carnie, basically. Go sell the work.

Certainly, Waters attended many events and even wrote several books about his work. Due to the controversial nature of his films, success did not come as easily for Waters as it did for some of his contemporaries – or for Mathis. Although the singer has won countless awards, Waters has unfortunately not been recognized by many institutions for his filmmaking.

Of Mathis, Waters continued: “(He) is the type of mainstream for me that I can never reach. And everyone wants to have hits like that. And Johnny Mathis said to me, ‘I always wanted to be a jazz singer.’ So, in a way, your opposite is also not what you thought it was.

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