Sophie Bennett
John Waters' 1972 film Pink Flamingos is known for its explicit and controversial content, including a scene in which a chicken is killed. The scene in question involves a sexual encounter between two characters, during which a live chicken is abused and ultimately dies. This scene has been subject to criticism and debate due to its violent and disturbing nature, with some viewers finding it particularly distressing. The film has a reputation for being outrageous and pushing boundaries, and as a result, it has gained a cult following. Despite the controversial nature of the chicken scene, Pink Flamingos has received recognition as a significant piece of American cinema and was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 2021.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of release | 1972 |
| Chicken scene description | A live chicken was beaten, strangled, and used to rape someone. It died as a result. |
| Runtime of the chicken scene | 0:28:40-0:30:19 |
| Chicken scene censorship | The scene was censored in some releases due to animal cruelty and obscenity. |
| Fate of the chicken | The chicken was cooked and eaten by the crew. |
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What You'll Learn
A chicken is killed during a sex scene
John Waters' 1972 film Pink Flamingos has gained a cult following over the years, but it is also infamous for its explicit and controversial content, including a scene in which a chicken is killed during a sex scene.
In the scene, two characters, Cracker and Cookie, have sex in a chicken coop. During the act, they squash a chicken between themselves, killing it. The scene also involves the non-consensual sexual assault of a woman with the dead chicken. The chicken is strangled, thrown against a wall, and its beak is used to rape one of the characters.
The scene has been described as "bizarre" and "bloody," and it has been criticised for its depiction of animal cruelty and sexual violence. Some viewers have found the scene particularly disturbing, with one person commenting that they stopped watching the film in horror after witnessing the chicken scene.
However, some viewers have attempted to rationalise the scene, arguing that the chicken was going to be killed and eaten anyway, and that its death was not intentional but rather a result of the actor's disregard for the animal. Director John Waters has stated that the chicken was cooked and eaten by the crew after it was killed.
Due to its explicit nature, the film has undergone editing and cuts for content in various countries, including the removal or reduction of the chicken scene. Despite the controversy, Pink Flamingos has been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for its cultural and historical significance.
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The chicken is used to rape a character
The 1972 film Pink Flamingos is notorious for its explicit and controversial content, including a scene in which a chicken is killed. The scene in question involves two characters, Cracker and Cookie, having sex in a chicken coop. During the scene, a live chicken is handled roughly, beaten, strangled, and used to sexually assault one of the characters. The chicken dies as a result of the abuse it suffers during the scene.
The scene has been described as a bizarre sexual assault and has been subject to cuts and censorship due to its graphic nature. It is considered one of the most disturbing elements of a film that includes a range of explicit and shocking scenes. The film has been banned in several countries and has faced significant criticism for its depiction of violence, sexual violence, and animal cruelty.
The chicken scene in Pink Flamingos has sparked debate among viewers, with some defending the scene as unintentional and arguing that the chicken's death was accidental. They also argue that the chicken was going to be killed and eaten anyway, so its use in the film was not wasteful. Others, however, argue that the scene is unacceptable and that the chicken's death was unnecessary, regardless of the intentions of the filmmakers.
The film's director, John Waters, has stated that the chicken was cooked and eaten by the crew after it died. Waters has also noted that the film was intended to be an exercise in poor taste and a pursuit of outrageousness. The film has since gained a cult following, with some praising its transgressive nature and its impact on queer cinema.
The scene in question is certainly graphic and disturbing, and it is understandable that it has provoked strong reactions from viewers and critics alike. The use of a live animal in a sexual assault scene, resulting in its death, is a highly controversial creative decision that continues to divide audiences decades after the film's release.
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The chicken is strangled, beaten, and thrown
The chicken scene in John Waters' Pink Flamingos is one of the most notorious and controversial moments in the film. It involves the character Cracker having sex in a chicken coop with Cookie, one of the spies from the other couple. During this scene, a live chicken is introduced as a prop, which Cracker beats, strangles, and throws against a wall. The scene also includes an implied rape, where the chicken's beak is used against one of the characters.
The scene is considered by many to be an instance of animal cruelty and has been the subject of much criticism and debate. Some viewers have expressed horror and distress at the scene, with some unable to finish watching the film. The scene was so disturbing that it was cut from some versions of the film.
The chicken's death has also been a point of contention, with some sources claiming that the chicken died accidentally during filming. However, it is generally accepted that the chicken was killed on-screen and that this was not accidental. The chicken was reportedly cooked and eaten by the crew after its death, which some viewers have used to justify the scene, arguing that the chicken was going to be killed and eaten anyway.
The scene is indicative of the film's overall tone and content, which explores themes of exhibitionism, voyeurism, sodomy, masturbation, gluttony, vomiting, rape, incest, murder, animal cruelty, and cannibalism. Pink Flamingos has been described as "an exercise in poor taste" and is known for its outrageousness, nudity, profanity, and pursuit of frivolity. Despite its explicit nature and controversial content, the film has gained a cult following and has been inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
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The cast and crew ate the chicken
The chicken scene in Pink Flamingos is one of the most controversial moments in the film. During the scene, a live chicken is handled roughly and killed while being used in a sexual assault on a woman. The chicken is strangled, thrown around, beaten against a wall, and its beak is used to rape one of the characters. The chicken dies as a result.
The scene was considered so disturbing that it was cut from some versions of the film. The BBFC, for example, required compulsory cuts to the chicken scene before the film could be released.
However, the cast and crew of Pink Flamingos ate the chicken after it was killed on set. Some have argued that this at least prevents the chicken's death from being in vain. The chicken was going to be killed and eaten anyway, and it did not die merely for the sake of art. Indeed, one viewer commented that it "made out like a bandit" by ending up in a movie and a sex scene before its death.
The decision to eat the chicken may also be seen as a way to respect the animal by not letting it go to waste. This is especially true considering that many animals killed onscreen in the 1970s and 1980s were discarded and thrown away. Eating the chicken may have been a way for the cast and crew to acknowledge the impact of its death and perhaps even to come to terms with the disturbing nature of the scene they had just filmed.
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The scene was cut in some versions
Due to its explicit nature, Pink Flamingos has been edited for content on several occasions worldwide. The film was never submitted for classification to the BBFC until 1989, presumably because distributors believed that the film would be unable to be classified without significant cuts. As a result, the film was only screened occasionally in members-only cinema clubs during the 1970s and 1980s.
The chicken scene was cut in some versions of the film. In the scene, a live chicken is beaten, strangled, and used to rape one of the characters. The chicken dies as a result. The scene was cut for video release in 1990, and the film was classified as 18. The scene was also cut for the 25th anniversary DVD release in 1997. However, in 2008, the BBFC concluded that the film could be passed as 18 uncut.
The decision to cut the chicken scene was justified on grounds including sexual violence, degradation, animal cruelty, and obscenity. Some viewers have expressed discomfort with the scene, with one user on MovieChat stating that they could not finish watching the film due to the chicken scene. Another user on Reddit described the scene as "torture and abuse".
However, some viewers have also defended the scene, arguing that the chicken was going to be killed and eaten anyway, and that its death was not a waste. The film's director, John Waters, has stated that the chicken was cooked and eaten by the crew after it died.
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Frequently asked questions
In the chicken scene, a live chicken is used in a sexual assault on a woman. The chicken is beaten, strangled, and used to rape the woman. The chicken dies as a result.
Yes, a real chicken was killed on screen during this movie.
Yes, the scene was cut for the film's release in some countries. The UK's BBFC, for example, requested cuts to the scene in 1990, 1997, and 1999.
The scene was controversial due to its graphic nature, depicting animal cruelty and sexual violence. Some viewers were disturbed by the scene, while others argued that it was integral to the film's transgressive nature.
