I guess you can say that i am proof that these cult classics are timeless. Being a mere seventeen, I like to consider myself wise for my years, and the appalling comedies of John Waters has, in a sense brought me up from my downest of times.

Due to the fact that my parents are divorced, i never really saw my dad much. We never really bonded over anything in my late adolescence, except John Waters. The first film he showed me was Female Trouble, and i remember sitting on his sofa on that winter afternoon, wide eyed in half amazement, half laughter. The film won me over right from the first scene with the meatball sub. It seemed as if everyone in that classroom was someone i went to school with. I thought of it has my favorite movie, and we weren't even fifteen minutes in to it yet. Divine's personality just seemed to shine through her character. As the film progressed, so did my astonishment. I was completely awestruck with Aunt Ida, and the Dashers. I even started to look at my own life differently. None of my hardships could compare and when-ever I feel down I always remember "well Aili, at least you aren't locked in a birdcage."

Immediately I wanted to wear black Cha Cha heels to school.

A few months later, my friend and I had the house to ourselves for a week. W'ed sleep in until about 2pm, watch John Waters until dinner time, and then party all night. We started quoting everything. What we mainly loved about the films was that these "trashy" people seemed to have pretty decent English. And the Satire always managed to make our sides hurt with laughter.

Watching the director's commentary of the films made me realize my own passion. I wanted to direct films, I wanted to write scripts, I wanted to create memorable work. I even wanted to act. Beauty was no longer Natalie Portman to me. Beauty was Divine, beauty was Mink Stole.

- Aili