Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- irreverent
- campy
- sardonic
- cult movie night
- cinephile gathering
What critics said
Critics found the anti-Hollywood premise and provocative ideas appealing but broadly judged the execution sloppy, underdeveloped, and less shocking than John Waters's earlier work.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Cecil's guerrilla crew kidnaps a studio actress to make an unauthorized film attacking Hollywood's studio system.
Cecil and his fellow filmmakers treat kidnapping, public disruption, and criminality as extensions of their cinematic manifesto.
The crew scripts Honey's dialogue while overtaking film-industry events and using Baltimore as their improvised production set.
The film's guerrilla production premise and episodic set pieces champion low-budget independent cinema against blockbuster entertainment.
Films like Cecil B. Demented, and why
Hairspray
provocative satirical comedy, outsider filmmaking, and transgressive performance
Living in Oblivion
meta-cinematic satire, cult sensibility, and anarchic comedy
The Player
anti-Hollywood satire, cinephile provocation, and abrasive dark humor
Serial Mom
criminally chaotic comedy, irreverent tone, and outsider rebellion
Movie Details
- Director
- John Waters
- Release Date
- 2000-08-02
- Runtime
- 88 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (309)
Cast
- Melanie Griffith
- Stephen Dorff
- Alicia Witt
- Adrian Grenier
- Maggie Gyllenhaal
- Lawrence Gilliard Jr.
- Jack Noseworthy
- Michael Shannon
- Harry Dodge
- Eric Barry
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Cecil B. Demented about?
- A kidnapped Hollywood star becomes the unwilling centerpiece of an outlaw filmmaker's gleefully destructive revolt against the studio system.
- What is Cecil B. Demented like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Cecil B. Demented as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Cecil B. Demented violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Cecil B. Demented as moderate.
- What did critics think of Cecil B. Demented?
- Critics found the anti-Hollywood premise and provocative ideas appealing but broadly judged the execution sloppy, underdeveloped, and less shocking than John Waters's earlier work.
- Which films are like Cecil B. Demented?
- Films with a similar feel include Hairspray, Living in Oblivion, The Player, and Serial Mom.
- How long is Cecil B. Demented?
- Cecil B. Demented runs 88 minutes.
- Where can I watch Cecil B. Demented?
- In United States, Cecil B. Demented is available to rent or buy from Google Play Movies, YouTube.
