Dirty Shame (DVD)

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Perhaps the funniest characters are a Yuppie couple who were in my opinion the only true "normal" people in the film. Moderates in between two extremes. They are aghast at the intolerance of the Neuters, but are disgusted and chased away by the insane limits at Sylvia and company take. It's unfortunate they get a short amount of screen time. The production design is well done as the natural erotic forms found in nature are accentuated. Much like the characters, I found myself seeing things in a whole new light during a second viewing of the film. "Dirty Shame" opens on a typical suburban household surrounding by trees and shrubs. A second look allowed me to notice the phallic shapes that some of the bushes formed.

The performances are rather good as well. Talented comedienne, Tracey Ullman, goes full out with her character and certainly saved most of the picture for me. It's a shame she seems to have been overshadowed by a little animated short that served as a bumper for her old show. I'm talking about "The Simpsons", naturally, which Waters appeared on once. Former "Jackass" star and soon-to-be star of what will probably be 2005's worst movie of the year "The Dukes of Hazzard", Johnny Knoxville is tolerable as Ray Ray, somewhat of a variation on Stephen Dorff's in "Cecil B. Demented." He's mainly an obnoxious jerk which isn't a stretch as I find him to be an obnoxious jerk in real life as well. Not surprisingly, Waters was a huge fan of "Jackass", seeing it as a natural progression of the filthy behavior he presented in "Pink Flamingoes."

VIDEO:
The video is presented in anamorphic widescreen with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1. No complaints here. The images are sharp and the colors pop out.

AUDIO:
The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Surround Stereo. Both are crisp and clear. The sounds stand out against each other.

EXTRAS:
There are two commentary tracks. The first is by John Waters and he is always a hoot to listen to. The second features an assortment of people that include casting director/associate producer Pat Moran, production designer Vincent Peranio, costume designer Van Smith, and prop master Brook Yeaton. They discuss their jobs and the making of the film, although it's hard to tell sometimes who is talking without some kind of notice or heading.

"All the Dirt on A Dirty Shame" is a behind-the-scenes tour that runs 82 minutes and is split into 16 chapters. It discusses not only the making of the film, but also Waters' career and his love of Baltimore. Some information is repeated here and in the commentary tracks, but both are very informative and it isn't the typical "I love working with this guy" EPK stuff.

You'll also get the theatrical trailer and promos for other New Line/John Waters releases and a deleted scene (more of an outtake) featuring a typical Johnny Knoxville stunt.

FILM VALUE:
The success of "South Park", "American Pie", and the Farrelly Brothers may have spurred Waters into trying his hand again at gross-out humor. He achieved those goals with mixed results in "A Dirty Shame." I found myself laughing out loud one moment and groaning another, not because of something disgusting but because of something completely unfunny. Waters has always been an acquired taste and those of you who don't like him won't like this one. Those of you who do might find "A Dirty Shame" entertaining, if not very memorable.