Leah Donato is a writer and an aspiring screenwriter currently living in Nashville, Tennessee. Leah has had an incredibly gigantic passion for film and writing stories since she was a little girl, and she always looks for opportunities to share her love of film with everyone she comes across. Through this, Leah hopes to achieve a sense of connectivity amongst the people around her with the stories she loves and the stories she writes. She wants the work she puts out to the world to be meaningful and provide a sense of comfort, which is what led her to TheHollywood Insider; a media network where she can have a space to share her thoughts and views on the artistic cultural world with a purpose whilst being true to herself and spreading positivity to create a more progressive mindset. When not writing, Leah spends the rest of her spare time watching movies and consuming multiple different types of media such as music and video games.
Sep 4, 2024
John Waters is a beyond magnificent director and is a true auteur; let’s take a look at his work and how his “strangeness” has impacted the way we view Cinema itself.
Weirdness is my schtick, and it’s my favorite aspect of the human condition. For us to consider something as “weird” is subjective; and even so, what we’re even classifying as such is subjective in itself. When I think of something as “weird” or “strange,” I lean more towards what itches my brain in that particular spot that can’t be quite reached by anything else. More or so, what itches my brain, even more, is when a film or TV show is considered “odd” in some way. There is so much power in the world of creating visual content, and achieving an emotional reaction that causes the audience to feel rather off in an exciting way that keeps us intrigued. Overall, we wonder how a creative mind could conjure up something so out-there that doesn’t deter the audience but utterly pulls them in.
When thinking about one of the best examples of this element of media, we can look towards a figure in Cinema who has more than his fair share of influence in the industry. Someone who has embraced the world of the weird and strange, and a director who creates films because he wants to make them – not for the approval of others, but for the satisfaction of seeing his hard work come to life on the big screen.
John Samuel Waters Jr., born April 22nd, 1946, is an American filmmaker, writer, actor, and artist all rolled into one big wonderful ball of an intriguing human being. Many of you may be familiar with his 1990 film ‘Cry-Baby’ (starring Johnny Depp) and his 1994 film ‘Serial Mom’ (starring Kathleen Turner). On top of this, if you’re a fan of musicals, you may be well aware of the fantastic and hair-filled Broadway show (and film adaptation) ‘Hairspray.’ Well, interestingly enough, before the musical took to Broadway, Waters had made the original storyline and film with the same title in 1988.
However, these films aren’t exactly how Waters rose to fame. In the early 1970s, Waters had made the films ‘Pink Flamingos,’ ‘Female Trouble,’ and ‘Multiple Maniacs’ – these films collectively being a part of the transgressive cult film movement. In all of these films, starring the show-stopping and late performer Divine, Waters’ directing within these movies had cemented him into the future auteur he would soon become. As time went on, after these films, Waters created films that would become more mainstream and reach a wider audience. With ‘Hairspray,’ the film would become an international hit which would then influence the creation of the Broadway adaptation – and from then on, more lovely film-watchers would consume Waters’ films. In terms of other notable films Waters has directed, the films ‘Polyester’ (being another film starring Divine), ‘Pecker,’ and ‘Cecil B. Demented’ come to mind.
John Waters is also a man of multiple talents; consisting of a long list of acting work alongside publishing quite a few books as well. Waters has made guest appearances on shows such as ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,’ ‘Search Party,’ and ‘The Simpsons’; on top of starring in small roles in his films as well. The autobiographical books that Waters has published give a rather insightful look into his life and creative process as a whole, and just what makes this figure in Cinema identify as a “filth elder.”
Cultural Influence From Water’s Auteur Work
The reception of Waters’ films seemed to be controversial, as some found Waters’ films to be possibly far too odd. But, as I mentioned before, based on Waters’ memoir ‘Mr. Know-It-All: The Tarnished Wisdom of a Filth Elder,’ he’s always seemed to make films because they made him feel happy – fulfilled even if I might dare say. But, as time went on and his production got better, Waters’ films ultimately became more mainstream and a wider variety of audiences found an appeal to his style of directing. Waters’ auteur work would even go on to influence American pop culture in subtle ways.
The “Trash Trilogy,” which is composed of ‘Pink Flamingos,’ ‘Female Trouble,’ and ‘Desperate Living,’ are the films that would influence future content in pop culture; such as Ursula’s character design and mannerisms in ‘The Little Mermaid’ being inspired by Divine’s look and demeanor, to the campy nature of the “Trash Trilogy” sparking the main plotline for an entire episode of ‘The Simpsons.’ But, these aspects are just scratching the surface of the cinematic influence John Waters would bring to the table. It was from his films alone that future creators would be inspired to create campy films and to develop films that make them happy and to be unashamed of how everything turns out — alongside his films becoming a part of LGTBQ+ cinematic history as well.
John Waters began his filmmaking life with just a camera and a dream, and he has now achieved being one of the most recognizable and wonderfully shameless director auteurs of our time. It is through his utter undeniable adoration for Cinema that Waters proves himself to be a director that deserves to be remembered for years to come. This love for film shines through in a multitude of ways from his Criterion Collection closet picks to being a board member of the Maryland Film Festival since 1999 (hosting one of his favorite films each year).
In this article, I’ve only just scratched the surface of the strange beauty that is John Waters’ talent, and who he is as a whole, and fantastic, human being. I deeply encourage you, with the utmost certainty in my heart, to go check out John Waters’ films if you haven’t already. He’s a success in the eyes of true camp and weirdness, and his love for films is entirely inspiring. With everything I’ve talked about through my words, it is for these reasons that John Waters is ultimately one of my top three favorite directors. I adore him with my entire being, and he inspires me to be shameless about the work that I create myself. Overall, I do hope that through this article, you (at least) find him inspiring in some sense; and that, in turn, he will soon grow to become one of your favorite directors as well.
By Leah Donato
Click here to read The Hollywood Insider’s CEO Pritan Ambroase’s love letter to Cinema, TV and Media. An excerpt from the love letter: The Hollywood Insider’s CEO/editor-in-chief Pritan Ambroase affirms, “We have the space and time for all your stories, no matter who/what/where you are. Media/Cinema/TV have a responsibility to better the world and The Hollywood Insider will continue to do so. Talent, diversity and authenticity matter in Cinema/TV, media and storytelling. In fact, I reckon that we should announce “talent-diversity-authenticity-storytelling-Cinema-Oscars-Academy-Awards” as synonyms of each other. We show respect to talent and stories regardless of their skin color, race, gender, sexuality, religion, nationality, etc., thus allowing authenticity into this system just by something as simple as accepting and showing respect to the human species’ factual diversity. We become greater just by respecting and appreciating talent in all its shapes, sizes, and forms. Award winners, which includes nominees, must be chosen on the greatness of their talent ALONE.
I am sure I am speaking for a multitude of Cinema lovers all over the world when I speak of the following sentiments that this medium of art has blessed me with. Cinema taught me about our world, at times in English and at times through the beautiful one-inch bar of subtitles. I learned from the stories in the global movies that we are all alike across all borders. Remember that one of the best symbols of many great civilizations and their prosperity has been the art they have left behind. This art can be in the form of paintings, sculptures, architecture, writings, inventions, etc. For our modern society, Cinema happens to be one of them. Cinema is more than just a form of entertainment, it is an integral part of society. I love the world uniting, be it for Cinema, TV, media, art, fashion, sport, etc. Please keep this going full speed.”
Leah Donato is a writer and an aspiring screenwriter currently living in Nashville, Tennessee. Leah has had an incredibly gigantic passion for film and writing stories since she was a little girl, and she always looks for opportunities to share her love of film with everyone she comes across. Through this, Leah hopes to achieve a sense of connectivity amongst the people around her with the stories she loves and the stories she writes. She wants the work she puts out to the world to be meaningful and provide a sense of comfort, which is what led her to TheHollywood Insider; a media network where she can have a space to share her thoughts and views on the artistic cultural world with a purpose whilst being true to herself and spreading positivity to create a more progressive mindset. When not writing, Leah spends the rest of her spare time watching movies and consuming multiple different types of media such as music and video games.
Leah Donato is a writer and an aspiring screenwriter currently living in Nashville, Tennessee. Leah has had an incredibly gigantic passion for film and writing stories since she was a little girl, and she always looks for opportunities to share her love of film with everyone she comes across. Through this, Leah hopes to achieve a sense of connectivity amongst the people around her with the stories she loves and the stories she writes. She wants the work she puts out to the world to be meaningful and provide a sense of comfort, which is what led her to TheHollywood Insider; a media network where she can have a space to share her thoughts and views on the artistic cultural world with a purpose whilst being true to herself and spreading positivity to create a more progressive mindset. When not writing, Leah spends the rest of her spare time watching movies and consuming multiple different types of media such as music and video games.
Leah Donato is a writer and an aspiring screenwriter currently living in Nashville, Tennessee. Leah has had an incredibly gigantic passion for film and writing stories since she was a little girl, and she always looks for opportunities to share her love of film with everyone she comes across. Through this, Leah hopes to achieve a sense of connectivity amongst the people around her with the stories she loves and the stories she writes. She wants the work she puts out to the world to be meaningful and provide a sense of comfort, which is what led her to TheHollywood Insider; a media network where she can have a space to share her thoughts and views on the artistic cultural world with a purpose whilst being true to herself and spreading positivity to create a more progressive mindset. When not writing, Leah spends the rest of her spare time watching movies and consuming multiple different types of media such as music and video games.
Limited Time Offer: Join for FREE today and get unlimited
The Hollywood Insider is against gossip and scandal, fully focused on substance & meaningful entertainment.
We choose quality over quantity, compassion over oppression, wisdom over intelligence.
Newsletter Subscription
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok
