Thursday, April 18, 2013

The Diane Linkletter Story (1970)

Director: John Waters

Starring: David Lochary, Mary Vivian Pearce, Divine

More info: IMDb

Plot: This improvised film, directed by John Waters, is based on the 1969 suicide of TV personality Art Linkletter's daughter, Diane. In the film, Mr. and Mrs. Linkletter fret about their daughter's recent behavior, which includes taking drugs and dating a lowlife named Jim.


My rating: 6/10

Will I watch it again? Yeah.

I wish I knew the story behind the film before I watched it.  It makes a lot more sense now.  The back story gives you some context.  Otherwise it didn't have much meaning.  It's great seeing these three actors who are so prominently featured in John Waters's early films.  They're a gas.  The problem is that Lochary and Pearce go on and on and on about their daughter doing drugs.  It's funny though how they throw in some social commentary about not being involved in their daughter's life more. Then there's Divine showing up being the difficult daughter.  Funny shit, that.  And of course there's the last half minute where Divine ends it all. Upon watching it I was thinking that this is just Waters & pals making a short film that didn't make a whole lot of sense as to why they made it.  Now I know and it'll make the next viewing that much better.  Now it's tasteless and I respect it.

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