Very well executed

This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

I am the co-author of the original short story that Outrageous was based on. We never expected nor intended a sequel be considered when the original first few books of short stories were published. One reviewer says Margaret was bi-polar, Margaret's way of removing the stigma of schizophrenia. The term did not exist 40 years ago! From her adolescence onwards, she had been hospitalized on a few occasions. During our marriage on several occasions Margaret went off her meds to prove she did not have schizophrenia with ensuing issues and short-term hospitalization to get her back on her meds. Comments by the other reviewers are interesting and mostly heartfelt. Craig became an excellent female impersonator. He would practise in front of a mirror, of course, and in front of his circle of friends. At the time I knew him, he never considered nor discussed serious acting. He liked performing. This explains why, in the TV programme Streets of San Francisco, Craig did not act. He did the voice-overs for all of the singing of the female impersonator character. With regards to his impersonation of Mae West, Craig was her personal secretary for a period of time. This was well before his drag career. 40 years ago is a long time to remember details.

What an unexpected treat.Long before Pricilla and all the others, there was Craig Russell. His impersonations remains vividly embedded in my brain because besides the look and mannerisms, I perceived the soul of the characters in question. They are not caricatures but tributes. His Judy Garland is heartbreaking and his Mae West hilarious.As if all that was not enough we have a screenplay of such intelligence and wit that I'm surprised this film is not a classic. When Holly's doctor finds out she lives with a man, he tries to warn her about the risks (she's bi polar) of an emotional, sexual entanglement. She reassures him telling him "Don't worry, we sleep in separate worlds" Lovely.

It's low budget shows in its grainy print and poor sound, but the quality performances by the entire cast make up for the films shortcomings.The late Craig Russell pulls out all the stops as he displays his talent for female impersonation. Hollis McLaren is the ideal nut case. And Helen Shaver, in one of her earlier roles, is ideal as the friend who is accepting of people for who they are, embellishing their positive traits.My one criticism of the film is the costuming. Not Russell's drag apparel, which matched each of his impersonations perfectly. But other wardrobe choices in the film were distractingly awful, especially during the Christmas party scene. Russell's jumpsuit was about 3 sizes too small, and Shaver's dress was something out of Ringling Brothers' clown reject closet.Still, students and lovers of independent film will admire this one for its style, its daring, and its overall effort.

Outrageous! is a truly remarkable film, and an attest to the genius of Craig Russell. The film opened in Manhattan during the early fall of 1977 without so much as a trailer or publicity of any kind...just word of mouth. Within one week people were queuing up in droves to see it! Not coincidentally, Craig Russell, the film's star, was staging his brilliant one man show "A Man And His Women" right around the block from the cinema. This masterful stroke of showmanship made him the toast of Manhattan. Outrageous! is a film about human relationships and acceptance...of loving, supporting and encouraging those people whom you care about. It's filled with character studies that are rich and evocative. Craig Russell was truly a genius. He was in my opinion the greatest female "impressionist" of all time. By utilizing his own vocal talents, facial expressions and simple make-up and costume changes, he would transform into Mae West, Talulah Bankhead, Bette Davis, Judy Garland, Carol Channing or Peggy Lee (to name but a few) so seamlessly, one would easily forget they weren't witnessing the genuine article. His one man show "A Man and His Woman" which played at "Theatre East"in Manhattan allowed audiences to see the true extent of his talent that was only touched upon in the film. Outrageous! is a film that dramatically changed and enriched my life. The film should be restored and reissued both theatrically and on DVD. It sends a profoundly positive message that should be passed on to future generations.Cheers,R. Stephen Weber Burbank, CA