Documentary Roles
John Waters is renowned for appearing in documentaries about all kinds of topics. This list is by no means exhaustive, but aims to give you a starting point for some highlights.
Velvet Vision: The Story of James Bidgood and the Making of Pink Narcissus
Written and directed by Bart Everly. Velvet Vision is the story of photographer/director James Bidgood whose 1960s beefcake photographs were unlike any others. Depicting elaborate fantasy scenarios drenched in lush color they transcended the genre. Bidgood's work was a huge influence on John Waters.
Tura!
Written and directed by Cody Jarrett. Tura Satana, legendary star of Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill, is profiled in this film featuring commentary from John Waters, Dita Von Teese, and Margaret Cho.
Little Richard - I Am Everything
Directed and produced by Lisa Cortes. John Waters obviously loves Little Richard, so it's only natural that he would appear in this doc about the rock-and-roll pioneer's life and work.
Living With Chucky
Directed by Kyra Elise Gardner. This doc is told through the eyes of a filmmaker, cast and crew, and the personal connections formed among those involved in the "Child's Play" series. John Waters apopears as an actor in a Chucky film and TV series. He has also appeared in other docs about Chucky including Chucky Be Demented and Doc of Chucky!
Lynch/Oz
Directed and written by Alexandre O. Philippe. This film explores the influence of the Wizard of Oz on the work of David Lynch. Each of six chapters is narrated by a different filmmaker including John Waters.
The Andy Warhol Diaries
Directed by Andrew Rossi, produced by Ryan Murphy. This six-part series about Andy Warhol is based on his personal diaries, published after his death, and recorded by Pat Hackett. John Waters was naturally a fan of Warhol and loosely orbited around him at various times in his career, so he is a natural person to have contribute POV on the Warhol mystique. Streaming on Netflix.
The Velvet Underground
Directed by Todd Haynes. The legendary band is immortalized in this love letter of a film by the fantastic Todd Haynes. John Waters naturally provides his take on the band and the scene. Streaming on Apple.
Plagues & Pleasures on the Salton Sea
Directed by Chris Metzler and Jeff Springer, narrated by John Waters. This lovable film gets friendly with the natives of the Salton Sea, an inland ocean with massive fish kills, rotting resorts, and 120-degree nights located just minutes from urban Southern California. This award-winning film details the rise and fall of the sea, from its heyday as the "California Riviera" to its present state as a decaying, forgotten ecological disaster.
Crisply and hilariously narrated by our own John Waters, Plagues melds high camp with stark realism, offering both a sobering message about the consequences of tampering with nature and a heart-warming tale of individualism.
That Man: Peter Berlin
Directed by Jim Tushinski. Peter Burian came to the US as a young man and ended up in 70s San Francisco. As gay clones took over the streets of the mecca, he developed the Peter Berlin character, which consisted primarily of walking the streets alone in hyper-sexualized clothes that would accentuate his natural physique. He starred in two legendary porn flicks, That Boy and Nights in Black Leather. Watch on YouTube.
Jim Tushinski directs with a loving touch, using lots of photos by Peter and film footage from the 70s and 80s. John Waters is interviewed, as are Rick Castro, Armistead Maupin, Wakefield Poole, Jack Wrangler and lots of other queer legends.
The Cockettes
Directed by David Weissman and Bill Weber. The Cockettes were something to see. And so is this charming documentary. With thrift store costumes, plenty of LSD, and genderfuck attitude, this crazy troop of stoned performers in San Francisco became tremendously popular by staging haphazard musical shows.
Divine, already established as the star of John Waters' underground films, was invited out to join them, and in fact performed with them a few times. In addition to Divine, the Cockettes gave drag legend Sylvester his start on the stage. The doc has lots of interviews with original Cockettes, amazing archival footage, and reflections from John Waters too, who glows when he talks about this unique time in underground entertainment.
Pie In The Sky
Directed by Shelly Dunn Fremont and Vincent Fremont. This documentary tells the fascinating story of one of Warhol's overlooked Superstars — Brigid Polk a/k/a Brigid Berlin. John talks about his personal obsession with Brigid in the film, and his pal Patty Hearst discusses her rather unusual family connection to the neurotic, weight-obsessed debutante turned art world-shocker.
It Came From Kuchar
Directed by Jennifer Kroot. The Kuchar Brothers, George and Mike, are legendary among fans of underground films. They have made countless movies starring unknowns, made for little-to-no money. This charming 2009 documentary includes commentary by John Waters who discussed their influence on him at an early age. Watch on YouTube.
Of Dolls and Murder
Directed by Susan Marks, narrated by John Waters. In the 1930s and 1940s, heiress Frances Glessner Lee created dollhouse crime scenes to help train detectives in the art of reading crime scenes. The film follows how these intricate dioramas are still used to train homicide detectives, despite all the technological advances in death investigation. The film is narrated by John Waters in his most spooky timbre.
Tab Hunter Confidential
Directed by Jeffrey Schwarz. We all know Tab Hunter from his star turn in John Waters' Polyester, and his co-starring role with Divine in Paul Bartel's Lust in the Dust. This doc explores his history as a teen heartthrob in the celluloid closet. The film includes extensive commentary from John Waters, and other friends and colleagues of Hunter: Debbie Reynolds, Lanie Kazan, George Takei, Clint Eastwood and Robert Osbourne to name just a few!