Now on DVD:

This Filthy World (Grade A)

Bumping into John Waters on the street a few weeks ago inspired me to watch some of his old movies, and yesterday I discovered that his stand-up comedy film This Filthy World just came out on DVD. Filmed over two nights at the Harry De Jur Playhouse in New York City, the show is hilarious from start to finish. My partner laughed so hard that he dredged up mucus from his lungs, and he's not even sick. In keeping with his nickname - The Pope of Trash - Waters does his simultaneously scathing and charming shtick on a set that looks like the unholiest of Catholic altars, complete with fuzzy pink carpeting and garbage cans. It's impossible to do justice to Waters' countless raunchy zingers in print. Suffice it to say that he serves up a generous portion of childhood memories, fondly recalls his influences (such as schlock horror director William Castle) and takes us behind the scenes of all of his films.

What's his most alarming confession? He's itching to murder everyone who exercises in airports and all those moronic enunciators out there who desecrate the word "picture" by saying "pit-cher."