Mike Mingoia

movies bio information Mike Mingoia pops up in cult circles because of “Sometimes Aunt Martha Does Dreadful Things” from 1971, a movie that’s got this wild mix of crime, camp, and just plain weirdness. The plot’s honestly a fever dream. You’ve got two guys, Paul and Stanley, who are running from the law after a robbery gone sideways. Instead of laying low like normal people, they end up in the Miami suburbs and decide hey, let’s do something real odd—one of them, Stanley, disguises himself as “Aunt Martha,” complete with a wig and house dress, to keep their cover. It’s not exactly subtle, but subtlety never was the point here. The movie bounces between dark comedy and genuinely uncomfortable moments. There’s this offbeat energy, with Stanley’s “Aunt Martha” persona getting more and more unhinged. He’s controlling, nosy, and kind of a nightmare roommate, honestly. Paul, meanwhile, just wants to party, flirt, and pretend everything’s normal, which—spoiler—not a great combo with a paranoid cross-dressing criminal watching your every move. It’s got all the fingerprints of low-budget 70s filmmaking: odd camera angles, colors that look like they came out of a thrift store, and a soundtrack that’s somehow both groovy and unsettling. People remember it because it feels like something John Waters might have dreamed up on a weird night. The whole thing’s a bizarre blend of crime thriller, drag performance, and twisted domestic drama. Not for everyone, sure, but if you like your cult movies with a side of “what did I just watch?” this is one for the list.