(1994)To truly appreciate Serial Mom you first have to appreciate the unhinged humor of John Waters. The beginning tells you that this is based on a true story. One might loosely connect it to the case of the cheerleader's Mom who murdered her daughter's teammates to insure her a spot at the top. I see little to no connection there. Any truth in this film is more likely a potpourri of court cases blended together with Waters' warped sense of humor and a cast of real characters.
Kathleen Turner does a fantastic job as the June Cleaverish Mom, Beverly Sutphin. She bakes, keeps a spiffy clean house, watches the happy little birdies, recycles and never ever chews gum. Beverly just likes everything to be sunny and pleasant in her world, like a cardboard cutout perfect tv family. The trouble is she'll do anything to make it happen. When her son Chip's teacher pisses her off in a meeting she runs him down with her car. When her daughter Misty is stood up by a boy he meets a grisly demise by way of fireplace poker. Once her family begins to piece together Beverly's little problem they are all stepping on eggshells not wanting to upset the balance of her perfect little world.
I absolutely love this film. The contrast of Pleasantville meets murderous rampage is so enticing. I love how Beverly acts as if the killings are just a necessary evil to keep things in order. Secretly she is enjoying the hell out of it and we know it. One of my favorite scenes involves Beverly crank calling her neighbor Dottie Hinkle, brilliantly played by Waters regular Mink Stole. After sending Dottie a nasty anonymous note reading: 'I'll get you, pussy face,' Beverly, sweet as honey just moments before gets on the phone and in a gruff voice says, “Is this the cocksucker residence?" The call escalates from there and I'm smirking now just thinking about it, funny as all hell.
I'm a big Waters fan so I wasn't so surprised to find that I liked it. What surprised me is knowing that a lot of other people would like it too. As a rule, John Waters is kind of an acquired taste when it comes to film. Most people either love him or hate him, “get” him or don't. Serial Mom is the exception to the rule. There is something in this film that appeals to just about everyone. Maybe we all secretly wished to see June Cleaver stealing a banana at the grocery store, sneaking a cigarette or having a little side action behind Ward's back. Anything that would show us she was less than perfect. This is it, June Cleaver being bad and it's oh so good.
On a side note, the band L7 appear in this film as the band Camel Lips (yes that is a burning body on the stage with them).
Not to be confused with these lips...
...but these camel lips.
6 comments:
Yeah, this movie's great. I love that Beverly continues with her bad behavior even after the cops suspect her enough to watch her constantly -- and she still manages to get away with it.
And Patty Hearst is in it! (As in Patty Hearst the socialite daughter who was kidnapped and brainwashed by domestic terrorists in 1974.) White shoes after labor day!
Not only is Patty Hearst in it but in watching the extras I learned that Kathleen Turner brought Sandra Day O'Connor onto the set one of Patty's days. Can you imagine! What a combination.
I don't know what made me throw this in the queue this year, I hadn't seen it in years but I'm glad I did.
As soon as I saw the title, I was like, "I hope she mentions the Camel Lips."
Excellent work. I always dug L7, and their costumes as the Camel Lips (VERY explicit spandex pants, with requisite close-ups) were fantastic. And the song they play, "Gas Chamber," is a solid rocker. On the iPod in heavy rotation.
Great review, and a movie I always think about when that song comes around on Random.
L7 Rock Tidbit: the lead singer once pulled out a tampon on stage and threw it into the crowd. (And pulled it out like not from her pocket or purse, if you follow me.) The rumor is that a fan grabbed it and ate it, but I don't know if that part's true.
Rock n roll, man!
That tampon thing is so gross. I once saw a picture of her holding it before she threw it. I feel bad for the person who got hit with it.
There was a guy in a screenwriting class I took that wrote a character that pulled off her used maxi pad while on stage and had a guy from the audience make out with it. He was supposed to think it was her tongue. The entire class was secretly appalled. Now I see where he got the idea.
Eeeeewwww!!!
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