What is John Waters' best movie?

I like Female Trouble best and Multiple Maniacs is a very close second. I love Polyester too.

I don't like any of his movies but i like his stand-up in the documentary This Filthy World. Love his story about Farrah Fawcett NOT wanting to be introduced to him.

The cha-cha heels scene is beloved on DL, but I wonder if Female Trouble, as a whole, is more notable than Pink Flamingos.

Chucky

Early = Female Trouble. Late = Serial Mom. With a word for Hairspray as well (his warmest film, and the first one I saw).

My fave is Serial Mom but he's done many great movies.

Upon repeat viewings Serial Mom gets less and less entertaining. It totally rides on Turner's shoulders. And seeing as Waters isn't much of a director- some actors have reported he 'directs' by acting out what he wants them to do(!)- my guess is she directed herself. The other actors are a mixed bag of amateurism and/or overacting.

It still baffles me that he has always had trouble getting films financed. Shame.

[quote]my guess is she directed herself.

She did a good job then R7.

I have a soft spot (ha!) for Pecker. It's got some very funny moments.

I met him once and found him to be witty and charming.

Hairspray is his best film as it's the best written and performed. Well shot, every scene works just as it should. So strong in structure and rich in characters that it not only survived but thrived in the Broadway stage musical, big budget Hollywood film musical, live TV musical, and countless stage productions. The dialogue (with only minor changes here and there) holds up in all versions. It's actually about something and not just a collection of gags, yet it still has Divine and has Waters stamp all over it. But the funniest is a toss up between Female Trouble and Polyester. Both hilarious and great from beginning to end. The rest range from very good to just ok. But they're all worthy for his unique vision.

I know it’s not popular and it’s probably the whore in me but I really like A Dirty Shame. Not his best though.

I disagree with R7. I've watched Serial Mom many times and I laugh every time. The brilliance of the Patty Hearst and Dottie Hinkle storylines alone are worth the watch.

They all have winning elements but Serial Mom is my favorite based on the scene of Kathleen Turner prank calling Mink Stole alone.

Loved Pink Flamingoes in his early work but I’m another voter for Serial Mom. It was just all around fun, and watching Kathleen Turner let loose and chew the scenery is fantastic. (See example clip in post above)

Hairspray is a classic but Serial Mom is just the best. Thank god Sarandon pulled out and Kathleen Turner took on the role.

I also have a soft spot for Pecker. That's when I first came across Mary! as a thing.

John Waters should team with Glenn for her big Oscar triumph.

Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble, Polyester, Hairspray, and Serial Mom are all great comedies.

Multiple Maniacs and Desperate Living aren't as good, but have great moments and scenes throughout them both.

I don't really remember Pecker or Cecil B. Demented that well.

Cry Baby is probably my least favorite.

Hard to choose, but Polyester just wins for me - it hits the sweet spot between the insanity grossness and bad taste that Pink Flamingos and Desperate Living excelled with, and the slickness and better production values of the later films like Hairspray.

I havent seen Cecil B Demented or Serial Mom though. I agree with R19 that Cry Baby is probably his weakest film, although its still not too bad and still a far better film than Waterworld which probably had 100x the budget

So many great memorable scenes in just about all of them though. The one in Female Trouble with sex on a filthy mattress at the dump is a classic