Pink Flamingo (1972): National Film Registry 2021

December 2021–The Library of Congress announced the latest annual additions to the National Film Registry, its compendium of pictures that were judged to be culturally, aesthetically or historically important and worthy of preservation for future generations.

In addition to Hollywood studio classics and box office hits, the Registry also protects independent films, documentaries, experimental works, cartoons, music videos, educational films, advertisements, and even amateur home movies, in what is the most democratic of all film lists.

LAWRENCE IRVINE/© NEW LINE CINEMA, COURTESY WARNER BROTHERS

Not all entrees in the National Film Registry are what you would call in good taste. In fact, Baltimore filmmaker John Waters would run from such a description, as his 1972 underground cult comedy is a celebration of really bad taste.

“Pink Flamingos” tells the tale of Babs Johnson (played by the drag queen Divine), who has been named “the filthiest person alive” by a tabloid paper, and about the other aspirants to the title who scheme to dethrone her.

However, as the film’s final, scatalogical scene demonstrates, no one can out-filth Babs.

Pink Flamingo (1972): National Film Registry 2021

“Pink Flamingos” (1972)

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