The following is based on a “true story”. I became a fan when the film hit VHS a few months after it bombed in theaters, and it’s a title I revisit yearly because even after dozens of viewings Waters’ film feels fresh and relevant as ever. Making his murderer a housewife whose chipper disposition belies the bloodthirsty monster within tackles many slasher stereotypes with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Waters perfectly nails the balance between happy home and horror with Serial Mom (1994), a subversive serial killer satire that plays against expectations. Tackling serious subjects with gallows humor requires a delicate balance of both. After delivering back-to-back retro musicals, Waters turned to a more serious subject: murder. He softened a bit in the late 80’s and began making pictures with a little more commercial viability, albeit still without major success. His early films were packed with both, usually earning an “X” rating when it came time for general release. John Waters’ style is generally understood among serious cinema aficionados, enough so that anyone going into one of his pictures would rightly expect two things: subversion and perversion. Starring Kathleen Turner, Sam Waterson, Matthew Lillard, Ricki Lake
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