A Dirty Shame is a 2004 satire by John Waters starring Tracey Ullman, Selma Blair, Johnny Knoxville, Chris Isaak, Mink Stole, Patricia Hearst. The film, rated NC-17, was a return to style of the sexually raunchy films of his early pre-Hollywood years, such as Pink Flamingos and Female Trouble. It was filmed on-location in Baltimore on Harford Road, which is prominently featured in the movie.
A Dirty Shame opened on September 17, 2004 on one Baltimore screen to $29,384. The next weekend, it expanded to 133 venues, where it grossed $448,914 ($3,375 per screen). It ended its North American run with $1,339,668.
Overseas, the film earned an additional $529,584, making its global total $1,869,252.
In order to play a part of a stripper with enlarged breasts, Selma Blair had to be fitted with a pair of prosthetic devices.
When the MPAA were asked what would needed to be cut to obtain an R rating, they replied that if everything the MPAA objected to were to be removed, the movie would only be 10 minutes long.
Paul Giamatti was originally meant to play Vaughn Stickles, but dropped out to play in Sideways (2004).
The scene where Sylvia changes her clothes in the back of the cab is based on a true story. John Waters once had to change clothes in the back of a cab on his way from an airport straight to a book signing.
There is an R-rated version of the film sold and available for rental at Blockbuster. It is 84 minutes long (the NC-17 DVD release is 88 minutes).
One scene includes a portion of a TV show, the Ricki Lake show with host Ricki Lake who was a former actor and appeared in four of John Waters's movies: Hairspray, Cry-Baby, Serial Mom, and an uncredited appearance in Cecil B. Demented.Wikipedia
