Multiple Maniacs

Multiple Maniacs

Year: 1970

Runtime: 96 mins

Language: English

Director: John Waters

CrimeComedyHorror

A celluloid atrocity! The Cavalcade of Perversion, a traveling freak show, acts as a front for Divine, who is out for blood after discovering her lover’s affair.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Multiple Maniacs (1970)

Trace every key event in Multiple Maniacs (1970) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Opening of The Cavalcade of Perversion

The Cavalcade of Perversion opens as a free, roaming exhibit of perversions and obscenities, with Lady Divine at the helm behind the scenes. Performers lure passersby into the acts, turning the street into a carnival of bizarre spectacle.

The Cavalcade of Perversion
2

Finale robbery and Divine's decision to murder

During the finale, Divine robs the patrons at gunpoint, a spectacle that pleases Mr. David but hints at a deeper change. Divine grows bored with mere robbery and decides to murder the patrons instead.

The Cavalcade of Perversion
3

Divine murders the patrons

Divine escalates from robbery to outright murder, carrying out killings during the finale. The act marks a decisive shift in her relationship with the troupe and with Mr. David.

The Cavalcade of Perversion
4

Divine returns home to Cookie and Steve

After escaping the murder scene, Divine returns home to Cookie and her new boyfriend Steve. The domestic scene re-ignites old tensions and sets the stage for further betrayals.

Divine's home
5

Edith informs Divine; rape on the way to the bar

Edith informs Divine that Mr. David was at her bar with another woman. Divine heads toward the bar, but on the way she is raped by two glue-sniffers.

On the way to Edith's bar (Baltimore streets)
6

David and Bonnie's sex acts at David's home

At the home David shares with Divine, Mr. David and Bonnie engage in sex, with Bonnie eager to join the troupe and using a dildo during the encounter.

The home David shares with Divine
7

Infant of Prague leads Divine to the church; Mink seduces

The Infant of Prague appears and leads Divine to a church. In the church, Divine prays briefly before Mink seduces her in the pew, describing the Stations of the Cross as they kiss.

Church
8

Divine and Mink plan to kill David and Bonnie but miss them

Divine and Mink, now lovers, go to Edith's bar with the intent to kill David and his mistress, but they are too late—David and Bonnie have already left.

Edith's bar
9

Bonnie kills Cookie

Back at Cookie's house, Bonnie and Ricky argue and Bonnie accidentally kills Cookie. They tie up Ricky and hide Cookie's corpse as the tension spirals.

Cookie's house
10

Bonnie's murder by Divine

Divine and Mink return to the house. Bonnie attempts to shoot Divine, but Divine overpowers her and kills Bonnie.

Cookie's house
11

Divine kills David and cannibalizes him

Divine turns on Mr. David and eviscerates him, cannibalizing his internal organs as her frenzy deepens. The brutal murder cements Divine's transformation into a fully unhinged predator within the Cavalcade's circle.

Cookie's house
12

Ricky shoots Mink; Divine stabs Mink

Ricky unexpectedly confronts Mink, and she shoots him. Divine, furious at Mink’s betrayal, stabs Mink in a burst of rage.

Cookie's house
13

Divine collapses and is raped by a giant lobster

Exhausted from the carnage, Divine collapses on a couch and is raped by a giant lobster. The surreal assault underscores her complete descent into mania.

Cookie's house
14

National Guard shoots Divine in Baltimore

The National Guard surrounds Divine on a Baltimore street and shoots her, bringing the rampage to a violent end. The scene fades to the anthem 'America the Beautiful' as the chaos resolves.

Baltimore street

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:13

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Multiple Maniacs Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Multiple Maniacs

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