Bowen Yang Hails John Waters as a 'Timeless Shocker' During Exclusive Criterion Closet Interview

As he undergoes his transformation from "Saturday Night Live" to cinemas featuring movies such as "Wicked" and an anticipated reinterpretation of Ang Lee's work by director Andrew Ahn "The Wedding Banquet," Bowen Yang is using this moment to honor the filmmakers who've influenced his preferences. In a brief visit to the Criterion Collection, he expressed admiration for directors like Wim Wenders and Whit Stillman, though he saved his greatest respect for another filmmaker. "pope of trash" himself, John Waters.

Yang praised Waters as "likely my most beloved director," and upon receiving the award for his movie "Multiple Maniacs," he emphasized the filmmaker’s skill in transforming the "repulsive" into something "beautiful, elevated, and cinematic."

“What Divine and Mink Stole did in the church is probably one of the most startling things I’ve witnessed,” stated Yang. “I’m not easily scandalized; it takes quite a bit to surprise me. John Waters has always been a consistent source of astonishment.”

Shifting slightly backward chronologically, Yang picked Joseph Mankiewicz's Academy Award-winning 1950 film, "All About Eve," where Bette Davis portrays a veteran actress on Broadway whose professional life gets jeopardized by a cunning protégé portrayed by Anne Baxter. This concept has since resurfaced in numerous later works such as Olivier Assayas’ “Clouds of Sils Maria.”

“I am a gay man after all,” Yang stated as he chose to emphasize the classic. “Of course, with Bette Davis, there’s the famous quote, ‘Fasten your seat belts; it’s going to be a bumpy night,’ but for me, one particular line has always stood out—no matter how many times I watch it, her delivery makes it unforgettable. The scene unfolds where she remarks, 'As it happens, there are certain facets of my existence over which I wish to retain complete and absolute control,' or something along those lines. Then Bill asks, ‘Such as?’ To which she replies, ‘Your presence.’ This moment is... etched deeply in my memory.”

Rarely receiving much attention within the Criterion Collection, Stillman's "The Last Days of Disco" was selected by Yang as his subsequent pick. The film features Kate Beckinsale and Chloe Sevigny portraying two young professional women navigating the ups and downs of the New York club culture in the 1980s.

Yang expressed that he believes this movie doesn’t get discussed often enough, particularly considering its focus on night life, which is notoriously difficult to portray effectively. He mentioned having long-cherished ideas for making a night life-themed film in some form or another, but acknowledged their complexity. According to him, such movies are challenging both to script and bring to life authentically. The essence of what it feels like to hit the clubs simply cannot be adequately captured.

Other selections made by Yang encompass Jim Jarmusch's "Mystery Train," along with Jackie Chan's "Police Story." You can watch Yang’s full Criterion Closet visit below.

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