Little Edie dances like nobody’s watching

Why hello there, dearest Filthy Dreams patriots! Come on in and grab yourself a cold one. What’s that? Oh don’t get snotty, queens, it’s July 4th so we only have shitty domestic beer tall-boys. Just a few of those and you’ll be singing at the top of your lungs about amber waves of grain in no time!

For this Independence Day, we, here at Filthy Dreams, have decided to go rabidly and unsettlingly patriotic. I mean, why let the Republicans, Fox News and the teabaggers have all the fun while we have to eyeroll and sulk as godless, Amurika-hating heathens? I want to wear a tricorn hat, wave misspelled signs and shout “U-S-A!!! U-S-A!!!” too!

In order to pump up your American spirits, we’ve selected a group of five films and videos to get you in the mood for flag-waving. Go to your family’s barbecue and scare them with your newfound patriotic zealotry. Pick an unwitting target at your hipster cookout and explain to them just why tofu burgers are un-American. March off while blurting out the Preamble of the Constitution. Isn’t fanaticism fun!

When your family, friends or concerned bystanders on the street ask you where all this came from–just tell them it all started with the fireworks…

1. Little Edie’s Grey Gardens Flag Dance

Little Edie Beale’s unhinged flag twirling revelry is one of the most iconic moments in a documentary filled with iconic, campy, troubling, tragic and role-model worthy moments. Waving her flag in the Albert and David Maysles’ cameras, Little Edie dramatically descends the Grey Gardens staircase wearing her revolutionary costume of the day. And who can blame her–she looks fabulous! Keep marching Edie, you are your own parade!

Important Announcement: For any Filthy Dreams readers that have not seen Grey Gardens in all its cat food-eating, raccoon-feeding, Marble Fawn-appearing, Libra man-yearning, S-T-A-U-N-C-H woman-discussing glory, please rectify that immediately…we can wait.

2. Narcissister’s Hot Lunch

One of the hallmarks of any good 4th of July BBQ is, of course, hot dogs. Well we don’t want to spoil the surprises but after watching aggressively camp performance artist Narcissister’s Hot Lunch, you’ll either never want a wiener again or desperately crave one. I’m not quite sure which….

Greer Lankton in Nick Zedd’s The Bogus Man

3. Nick Zedd’s The Bogus Man (view here on Ubuweb)

Cinema of Transgression filmmaker Nick Zedd’s The Bogus Man poses the question you, dearest viewers, were probably asking yourself all through Narcissister’s video: “Why? Why do my eyes have to see this?” Well, to further this American ocular assault, Zedd’s disturbing film features a clone president, copious finger chopping and artist Greer Lankton dancing in her self-made fat suit in front of an American flag. Watching Lankton inexplicably grind into Zedd’s subversive lens, I dare you not to start belting out “God Bless America!”

4. Fear And Loathing In Gonzovision/Fear And Loathing On The Road To Hollywood With Dr. Hunter S. Thompson And Ralph Steadman

When thinking of patriots, who could be more typically American than the Gonzo journalist who set out with a trunk full of hallucinogens in Bat Country to search for the American Dream? Sure, the Good Doctor Hunter S. Thompson found the American Dream had died a slow and painful death in Nixon’s America, but why not escape from that national disappointment with some drugs, alcohol and insanity? It always worked for him as you’ll see quite clearly in this documentary! Remember: “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.”

5. Elvis’s American Trilogy

Oh blessed be! Elvis in the highest! Nothing could make me more proud to be an American than Elvis and his passionate version of American Trilogy. Watch as he pours sweat in his white studded jumpsuit. And who wouldn’t be a little steamy! You know polyester doesn’t breathe! I’m sure his jumpsuits still reek, which may be exactly why they’re behind glass at Graceland. Such a shame, I know some Presley pilgrims who would like to get a whiff of Elvis’ patriotic flop sweat.