Cecil B. Demented (Widescreen): Amazon.ca: Melanie Griffith, Stephen Dorff, Alicia Witt, Adrian Grenier, Lawrence Gilliard Jr., Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jack Noseworthy, Mink Stole, Ricki Lake, Patricia Hearst, Michael Shannon, Kevin Nealon, John Waters, Anthony DeLorenzo, Fred Bernstein, John Fiedler, Joseph M. Caracciolo Jr., Mark Tarlov, Pat Moran: DVD

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John Waters spoofs independent filmmaking at its most absurd fringe with this affectionate portrait of a guerrilla filmmaking collective that declares war on Hollywood drivel. Bitchy screen queen Honey Whitlock (Melanie Griffith, whose kewpie doll voice and aging baby face are right at home) is kidnapped by would-be auteur Cecil (Stephen Dorff), a slogan-spouting bottle blonde with a cult-like crew of cinema outlaws called "The Sprocket Holes." Cecil has declared war on Hollywood with the ultimate underground movie, "Raving Beauty," and his reluctant star Honey soon adopts her young misfit captors like a worried Mommy as her cultural cachet rises: the falling star has turned into a cult cinema rebel. It's a bizarre revision of the Patty Hearst story (with Hearst herself in a supporting role) full of film insider jokes and '60s revolutionary references, but it's more spoof than satire. Waters's primitive style is often clumsy, and the picture moves in fits and starts, but the cast's enthusiasm brings it to life. Waters has always celebrated misfits, outcasts, and cultural rebels and their self-made families, and this is his most outrageous, anarchic such bunch in decades. Through all the shootouts, bomb throwing, and fights with angry teamsters and suburban moms, there's an odd sense of innocence to the enterprise. It's as if Waters wants to remind us: it's only a movie.

The DVD also features commentary by Waters and the featurette Canned Ham: Cecil B. Demented Behind the Scenes, which was originally produced for Comedy Central. --Sean Axmaker

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Customer Reviews

49 Reviews

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

Average Customer Review

3.7 out of 5 stars (49 customer reviews)

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1.0 out of 5 stars What a disappointment, April 23 2004

By

Joseph P. Weber (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Cecil B. Demented (Widescreen) (DVD)

I am a huge John Waters fan, but this movie does not come close to living up to his usual standards. It seems Waters is trying to balance between mainstream filmmaking for the larger audience appeal, and keep his previous biting cutting-edge. Serial Mom was able to do this -- this movie absolutely failed. It is poorly written, poorly acted (Melanie Griffith a bad actor? Yeah, that's a stretch), and poorly editted.

The movie is suppose to be making a statment against Hollywood turning out so much mediocore garbage. This movie is a prime example of the type of garbage that shouldn't be turned out.

John Waters' movies are by all means still worth buying and watching, just avoid this one.

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1.0 out of 5 stars Typical Waters Garbage, Jan 26 2004

By

Howie "tomas" (United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Cecil B. Demented (Widescreen) (DVD)

There's a reason why the vast majority of Waters' film get a turkey in ALL the review books: his movies suck. Period.

I kept picking this one up at the local library, but not taking it home. This week I finally relented and gave it a spin.

What a waste of 90 minutes! I should sue Waters' for the time I lost!

First, this movie isn't funny. Not one single smile cracked my face. Now, before you call me a prude, or a retard, I love wacky cinema. Some of my favorite movies are off-the-wall films that most of my friends see as stupid and immature.

This one, though, never got so much as a smirk out of me.

The writing is dreadful, the directing and editing turn much of the overall plot into a sycophantic mess. Some of the acting is fairly good, but so much profanity comes out of their mouths.

You know, just because someone says f#%k 1,000 times doesn't make them funny. In fact, I find the use of profanity a sign that the comic has run out of ideas and is trying solely to shock.

And watching Waters crow over his work in the special features was painful. He's such a no-talent freak, and you could tell his cast was imbarassed to be seen in the same shot is him. (He reminded me of someone the Coen Brothers would make up in one of their paradoys - but I kept pinching myself, saying, "this guy is REAL!" Pathetic.)

Take your filmmaking back in the closet, John. How you get any funding is beyond anyone's comprehension....

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3.0 out of 5 stars funny and wonderful, Dorff is the man, Dec 12 2003

By

Michael Bolts (superior, wiusa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cecil B Demented (VHS Tape)

Stephen Dorff(Blade and S.F.W.(So **cking What) is Cecil B. Demented and he kidnaps Melanie Griffith to do a crappy film that he is gonna direct, but nobody wants it so then he trys to get his way and Griffith makes up her mind and goes on with the show. Dorff is over-the-top in this funny and wonderful movie. Directed by John Waters..if you know him then you know him, if you dont you dont

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Melanie Griffith's Finest Moment
The cinematic pairing of John Waters and Melanie Griffith is a match that has been waiting to happen- the master director of "Pink Flamingos" and "Desperate... Read more

Published on Aug 1 2003 by Eileen Kelly

5.0 out of 5 stars very nutty!
i've seen this movie more than 8 times now and whenever i come across it on the tv i'm very likely to watch it again. a small gang lead by Cecil B. Read more

Published on July 3 2003 by torquemada