A Dirty Shame (2004)
New Line Home Entertainment
Cast: Tracey Ullman, Selma Blair, Johnny Knoxville, Chris Isaak
Extras: Commentary Tracks, Documentary, Deleted Scene, Theatrical Trailer
Rating:

When a grumpy and repressed convenience store worker named Sylvia Stickles, played by Tracey Ullman, has a freak accident causing her to experience a minor concussion, her personality is altered in a very peculiar way. Rushing to her aid is sexy tow truck driver Ray Ray Perkins (Johnny Knoxville), who is seen by Sylvia as more of a sexual healer than a typical serviceman as the injury seems to have turned Sylvia’s prudish ways into lust-filled, sexually charged cravings. Ray Ray then introduces Sylvia to other people throughout her hometown that have experienced the same sexual ’awakenings’ after similar accidents. Sylvia’s mother, Big Ethel (Suzanne Shepherd) unsuccessfully attempts to spread decency in a town filled with sexually perverted oddball characters in John Water’s latest film ’A Dirty Shame.’ Rounding out the cast is Sylvia’s daughter Caprice, a go-go dancer with larger than life breasts, played by Selma Blair, who is known to her adoring fans as ’Ursula Udders,’ and Sylvia’s husband Vaughn, played by Chris Isaak.

New Line Home Entertainment presents ’A Dirty Shame’ in a widescreen anamorphic transfer that is quite pleasing with balanced colors that never seem too oversaturated. Skin tones appear quite natural and there is good detail noticed throughout the film with balanced deep blacks. There are some minor compression artifacts visible, but are not in any way distracting.

The soundtrack, which offers both Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby 2.0 surround, is nicely presented with good overall balance. Dialogue and effects are reproduced well and sound very natural.

Extras for ’A Dirty Shame’ include a documentary on the film titled ’All the Dirt on A Dirty Shame’, a deleted scene, commentaries from director John Waters, and various cast and crew, a theatrical trailer and previews from other New Line Films.

’A Dirty Shame’ will constantly bombard you with outrageously strange and often perverted images that will leave you laughing while feeling uncomfortably dirty at the same time. This is a film that will be searching for the die hard John Waters fans out there while possibly confusing the heck out of the curious film fan. One thing is for sure, after viewing this film, you will never look at the innocent ’Hokey Pokey’ dance the same way again.