Transcript note: This transcript is based on the original working script. It may contain production notes, draft wording, spelling mistakes or other material that differs from the finished video - these scripts were meant to be spoken, not read.

Serial Mom - It’s a weird premise.

Let’s not pretend it isn’t and acknowledge that elephant in the room.

Kathleen Turner. Suburban all American Mother, who just happens to be a serial killer.

And as daft as it sounds, it’s actually quite genius in its simplicity.

Serial Mom sees us following Beverly Sutphin.

She has the perfect house and the perfect family.

She bakes, she cleans and she keeps her house running

Everything in its place.

But-she also has a bit of a temper - Heh - And by “temper”-I mean she murders people.

Usually over something… fairly minor.

Someone cutting her off in traffic, not rewinding a videotape, wearing the wrong shoes and that kinda thing.

There’s no big dramatic shift, no real tipping point.

It’s just… her life.

And it’s all wrapped up in an early 90’s comedy wrapper, presented to us as a true life story.

Let’s take a look at what makes Serial Mom - Cult, Actually.

[intro]

It came out in 1994 and was written and directed by John Waters and it was met with pretty mixed reviews when it was released.

Which, in hindsight is kind of understandable - It’s a pretty mixed film in a lot of ways, right from the get go.

We have Kathleen Turner at her peak, Sam Waterston , Ricki Lake and an early role for Matthew Lillard all thrown together and presented as a classic slice of American suburban life.

Nice house, traditional american values with a typical family - The Dad works, the Mom stays at home and the kids have a muted sense of edgy about them - They like Horror movies and things in a world that generally finds that stuff distasteful.

It might all seem perfect, but it’s not long before we start to see the cracks.

As the Sutphin family are eating breakfast they’re disturbed by two police officers - They’re doing an investigation after one of their neighbours has put in a report that they’re being harassed with poison pen letters and nasty phone calls.

The Sutphins are shocked that such a thing can happen, but can’t really help - The police move on and go about their day, and so does the family.

The husband goes off to work, the kids go off to school and Beverly - Well, she jumps on the phone and starts making those obscene phone calls she had just been asked about.

As it turns out, she was the one responsible for them and she’s entirely gleeful about getting back to them as soon as she can.

From there, it’s down hill - Or, up hill - Depending on your perspective.

As far as we know, her killing spree begins after a meeting with her son's teacher goes bad and she runs him over in the car park afterwards.

There could have been more before that but we can’t be sure - It’s revealed later that she has a collection of various bits of serial killer memorabilia.

And after that, it seems that anyone else who in some way upsets her family is fair game.

We’re never really told why Beverly has suddenly decided to make her neighbour’s life a misery, or why her escalation into offing other people suddenly seems to happen - and we don’t really need to be either.

It’s first and foremost a satire - It’s what happens when the idea and the pressure of expectation gets the better of someone.

It pokes fun at the suburban lifestyle, how ridiculous it all is and how petty it can all be - And it never really lets its foot off the pedal either.

The best part is, the film seems to know how ridiculous it is - But it never admits it - There’s no wink to the camera, there’s no sly grin - It plays it straight.

And, for me - I think this is where the divide comes in from those who get it and those who don’t - Where it clicks, or it doesn’t.

It’s almost like your stereotypical early 90s comedy romp - But done dark - The comedy here is very black - and has a very deliberate tone.

Kathleen Turner just commits to it - she plays Beverly perfectly straight the whole way through - As though all of this is perfectly normal

And that’s just, funny - Even if you don’t like the film itself you can’t say she didn’t do her bit.

Watching her is both funny and uncomfortable at the same time - The way she justifies doing something completely insane with the absolute confidence that she is correct - couldnt’ have been done any better

Eventually, of course - Beverly’s deeds get noticed and it all comes crumbling down around her quite quickly.

And then the clever part of the film really kicks in.

Up until now, the joke has been about the perfect suburban mother and her extreme actions in sticking to the rules, damning anyone who doesn’t.

But once she’s the target, the film widens its scope.

Suddenly, it isn’t really about Beverly and her antics anymore.

It’s about everyone else.

The media.

The crowds.

The courtroom.

The people turning up because they want to see her.

This woman is a mass murderer at this point, and people are queing up to buy t-shirts with her face on them while she’s on trial.

She’s become, a celebrity

And that’s when the film shoves its tongue in its cheek and moves firmly into satire gear.

Serial Mom starts by poking fun at suburban America.

By the end, it’s poking fun at how quickly everyone can turn something horrific into entertainment.

And, to some extent - Us.

And in case there is any doubt at this point - No - It isn’t a true story, that's all part of the joke.

And watching it again recently - I think this bit has aged a bit too well, it’s one of those times where you can look clever and say things like “it was before it’s time”.

Except I don’t think it was written that way at all - It just happened.

It’s not a polished film, and it’s not trying to be - More popular films with bigger cult followings have been and gone since Serial Mom came out with the same core message.

Serial Mom doesn’t take itself that seriously - Which is why I don’t think it ever meant to be as clever as it seems in hindsight.

Or. maybe it did.

The humour though - it doesn’t land for everyone - Some of it feels over the top and some of it seems like it’s pushing to see how far it can go.

But, it’s very on brand when it does this - There isn’t any interest in being subtle, much the same way a lot of 90s comedies weren’t either.

It’s trying to make a point.

Done in this way - Films either disappear, or stick around.

And Serial Mom - Kind of did both.

To a lot of people, it’s a forgotten oddity that happened.

To others, it stuck around because of how distinct it all is.

It found its own little place - Somewhere between a horror and a comedy.

And I guess that’s really the reason it’s ended up with a solid cult following today.

It being the brainchild of John Waters helped of course, he had already got a cult following from his earlier films, like Pink Flamingos so when it came time for Serial Mom it basically arrived ready for its cult audience.

Accounts of the commentary track have Waters calling Serial Mom one of his personal favourites, and saying that some of Beverly’s irritations were actually his own.

There are also accounts that the studio wanted a softer touch and a more definitive ending for Beverly, but Waters apparently pushed back and what we see on screen is his original vision.

He’ll still more than happily talk about the film with live commentaries even today, it’s pretty much still his baby that way.

It probably helps that it’s probably even more relevant now than it was when it was released - If you’ve not seen it recently then I heartily recommend a rewatch and apply its messages to the world we find ourselves in today.

Hell, even if you didn’t like it the first time around you might now.

Anyways.

I’ve been Paul and Serial Mom is Cult, Actually.

If you’ve enjoyed this video then do me a favour and drop me a like, Subscribe as well if you want while you’re there - Or - Don’t, I’m not going anywhere.

Hopefully, I shall catch you on the next Rewind all the same.

Thanks for watching