Flaming Creatures

Story

Synopsis

Filmmaker and artist Jack Smith described his own film as a “comedy set in a haunted movie studio.” Flaming Creatures begins humorously enough with several men and women, mostly of indeterminate gender, vamping it up in front of the camera and participating in a mock advertisement for an indelible, heart-shaped brand of lipstick. However, things take a dark, nightmarish turn when a transvestite chases, catches and begins molesting a woman. Soon, all of the titular “creatures” participate in a (mostly clothed) orgy that causes a massive earthquake. After the creatures are killed in the resulting chaos, a vampire dressed like an old Hollywood starlet rises from her coffin to resurrect the dead. All ends happily enough when the now undead creatures dance with each other, even though another orgy and earthquake loom over the end title card.

Director

Jack Smith

Writers

Jack Smith

Language

English

Country

United States of America

Release date

29 April 1963

Budget

$300

Ensemble

Cast

• Francis Francine

  Francis Francine

• Sheila Bick

  Delicious Dolores

• Joel Markman

  Our Lady of the Docks

• 

  Mario Montez

  The Spanish Girl

• Arnold Rockwood

  Arnold

• 

  Judith Malina

  The Fascinating Woman

• 

  Marian Zazeela

  Marian Zazeela

• Beverly Grant

  Whirling Dervish

• 

  Piero Heliczer