Cecil B. Demented

Starring Melanie Griffith, Stephen Dorff, Alicia Witt, Larry Gilliard Jr, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Eric M. Barry, Zenzele Uzoma, Erika Lynn Rupli, Harriet Dodge, Adrian Grenier, Jack Noseworthy, Mink Stole, Ricki Lake

John Waters was once referred to by a journalist as Cecil B. Demented, and one gets the feeling that if he could get away with the plot of his latest feature, he would!

Stephen Dorff stars as Cecil and along with his gang of renegade filmmakers – the Sprocket Holes – kidnaps Hollywood superstar Honey Whitlock (Melanie Griffith in her finest role since Working Girl) forcing her to star in their underground film. The Sprocket Holes take vows of celibacy for celluloid, and brandish their favorite directors' names as tattoos (a practice started by our own Dreamland Fan Eve Severe!). The film is extremely violent. There is rampant drug use, gerbil porn, terrorism, hairdos on fire, a battle with teamsters, and parents who just don't understand. Plus a soundtrack of rap, punk and Liberace! Here's Cecil's manifesto:

"Cinema terrorists - join the revolution against Hollywood movies! From the empty seats of every good movie theater in America, we will rise up and take back the screen. No english language remakes of foreign films! No more movies based on stupid video games! No sequels to tiresome big-budget blockbusters! Become an avenging angel for underground cinema! ... Stop the mass distribution of mediocre movies! ... Sabotage the cinema, take back the screen! Vandalize the movies, bring back the dream! CELLULUNATICS AND CINEMA SURVIVALISTS, MAKE GOOD MOVIES OR DIE! DEATH TO THOSE WHO ARE CINEMATICALLY INCORRECT!!"

There are lots of cameos: legendary Dreamlanders Channing Wilroy, Patricia Hearst, Susan Lowe & Mary Vivian Pearce; new Dreamlanders Dennis Dermody, Tim Caggiano & Scott Morgan; and celebs like Kevin Nealon, Eric Roberts and Roseanne Barr!

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Cecil B. Demented

2000, 35 mm, color, 88 minutes

Released by Artisan Entertainment. Available on VHS and DVD through Artisan.