Poison (1991)

76% of critics liked it
(21 reviews)
65% of users liked it
(1,695 ratings)

This film has become infamous thanks to the efforts of the Rev. Donald Wildmon, who publicly questioned the fact that NEA dollars were spent on this "filth." While Wildmon's point was certainly overstated, this debut feature from Todd Haynes is quite disturbing. The Poison in question is sex, and… More This film has become infamous thanks to the efforts of the Rev. Donald Wildmon, who publicly questioned the fact that NEA dollars were spent on this "filth." While Wildmon's point was certainly overstated, this debut feature from Todd Haynes is quite disturbing. The Poison in question is sex, and its toxic effects are explored in three segments which have been shuffled together like a deck of cards. "Hero" is a pseudo-documentary about a seven-year-old boy who shoots his father and then ascends into the sky. "Horror" is a mad-scientist story filmed like a Roger Corman "B"-movie. The scientist in question has managed to distill the essence of the human sex drive into a test tube. When he inadvertently drinks it, he turns into a leprous monster, terrorizing the city. "Homo" is a gay love story set in a prison. All three segments are based on the writings of Jean Genet. ~ John Voorhees, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: NC-17, 1 hr. 25 min.
Directed By: Todd Haynes
Written By: Jean Genet, Todd Haynes
Genres: Drama, Horror, Art House & International

In Theaters: Apr 5, 1991 Limited
On DVD: Feb 15, 2000
Studio: Zeitgeist Films

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
I could have done without the designer prison, but most of the other stylistic conceits work.
Rob Nelson, Village Voice
Arguably the strongest American debut feature of the '90s.
Variety Staff, Variety
Todd Haynes' Poison is a conceptually bold, stylistically audacious first feature, a compelling study of different forms of deviance.
David Ansen, Newsweek
Boldly self conscious, Poison switches channels among its three stylistically varied but thematically linked tales with cumulative, claustrophobic power.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
The movie needs to evoke more than the ghost of Genet to give it resonance.
Hal Hinson, Washington Post
Its effect, as a whole, is like that of an especially vile infection; it moves diabolically through your system, spreading fever and nausea as it goes.
, Film4
A stylish study of human deviance at its dirtiest.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
An exercise in cinema of ideas that, while audacious and occasionally compelling, is ultimately less than the sum of its parts.
John A. Nesbit, Old School Reviews
captures the spirit of Genet's work
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
A very tough, queasy film, but extremely powerful and a strong feature debut for Haynes.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Haynes' brilliant feature debut is a triptych of visually divergent episodes, each set in a wolrd dying of panicky fright. Of the three tales, my favorite is "Horror," a poignant parody of b/w movies shot in slightly exaggerated noir vein.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Compelling and quirkily intelligent; Genet, one feels, would have been impressed.
Rob Vaux, Flipside Movie Emporium
Todd Haynes boldly announces himself as a force to be reckoned with.
Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks
A mysterious, funny, sexy, and scary triptych; each film works beautifully on its own, and even better in relation to the others.
Mark Robison, Reno Gazette-Journal
The overall effect shows a born director following his creative instincts fearlessly.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Repellent in a way few films ever have been
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
The stories don't really work together, and Haynes attempts to compensate by intermingling them, trying to force viewers to see patterns.
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle
"The whole world is dying of panicky fright" are the words that open the movie. Poison makes the fear palpable.

Read all 18 critic reviews

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Creep F

A beautiful, deeply eerie, and disgusting film. This controversial NC-17 movie is a small masterpiece. Story 1: "Hero" <img src="http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm89/JDHallowEEn/Hero.jpg"> Tells the story of seven-year old Richie Beacon, who kills… More
A beautiful, deeply eerie, and disgusting film. This controversial NC-17 movie is a small masterpiece. Story 1: "Hero" <img src="http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm89/JDHallowEEn/Hero.jpg"> Tells the story of seven-year old Richie Beacon, who kills his brutally abusive father, and disappears in a mysterious way, according to his mother. Hero is shot in a documentary style, with interviews from people's accounts on the story and re-enactments. This story was the creepiest to me, especially the shocking and most bizarre ending. Everything in this story felt very real, and it was always convincing. What really happened to Richie Beacon? And most of all...who was he REALLY? Chilling stuff! Story 2: "Horror" <img src="http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm89/JDHallowEEn/Horror.jpg"> Shot in black and white, and plays off like a 50's sc-fi movie. Horror tells the story of a scientist who isolates the elixir of human sexuality, drinks it, and becomes a festering, contagious murderer. This story was fu*king gross. Disgusting and nauseating. But it was great too! It's a love story entangled with sheer terror. Very fascinating...and icky at the same time! Story 3: "The Homo" <img src="http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm89/JDHallowEEn/TheHomo.jpg"> Revolves around lifelong prisoner John Broom's obsession with fellow inmate Jack Bolten. Told through Broom's thoughts, much of this story within a story is communicated through flashbacks and vignettes that develop the characters of the two men. The Homo is a depressing and revolting story. Amazing character development and storytelling, but very difficult to stomach, especially the "spitting" scene. It's sad, bleak, and uncompromising. This one will leave a bad taste in your mouth. All these stories are told throughout and are in no specific order, although each are linked thematically to make a whole. It's a shocking, and bizarre movie, but yet has lot's of meaning. Great performances and solid storytelling, and great script. A very disturbing movie, but I highly recommend it to people who are looking for something quite different. "Todd Haynes's "Poison" is a vision of unrelenting, febrile darkness. It presents three disparate stories in three greatly varied styles, all inspired by the work of Jean Genet, and its effect, as a whole, is like that of an especially vile infection; it moves diabolically through your system, spreading fever and nausea as it goes." - Washington Post "Poison weaves a trio of disparate stories into a fragmentary, postmodern triptych, one held together (however vaguely)by lurid themes of sexuality, violence, and personal revolt. The movie wants to shock, and it does." - EW "Poison is a very tough, queasy film, but extremely powerful and a strong feature debut for Haynes." - Celebrity Wonder "Many films try to be subversive, try to undermine the status quo in ways large and small (and Haynes is still up to that, to a lesser extent), but few succeed, too often ending in broad strokes or empty campiness (John Waters' films). Poison works because it is unafraid of being shocking, but still has a point to get across, and handles the balance well." - HDFest "Poison is a disturbing film. It will make you uncomfortable, but it also will make you think." - Filmreference "Part horror film, part drama, part expose, Poison is 1991's most controversial film." - Café DVD "Poison is a wholly original, provocative, unsettling and intelligent film that is a must-see for adventurous videophiles." - TLA Video
Mike T

The small budget for this film did not hold back Todd Haynes' big ideas. This is a disquieting, challenging movie that presents us wiith heavy subject matter without offering immediate or obvious explanations. The structure, tone and concept are extremely polished. A great debut.
Quinto W

It has been made perfectly clear that Todd Haynes will never disappoint me and this film is the proof of that. His fascinating storytelling creativity flows beautifully in these tales of haunted and human characters.

Cast

            Larry Maxwell as Dr. Graves

            Edith Meeks as Felicia Beacon

            Millie White as Millie Sklar

            Susan Norman as Nancy Olsen

            Buck Smith as Gregory Lazar

            Scott Renderer as John Broom

            James Lyons as Jack Bolton

            Al Quagliata as Dep. Hansen

            Michelle Sullivan as Prostitute

            John R. Lombardi as Rass

            Tony Pemberton as Young Broom

            Andrew Harpending as Young Bolton

            Edward Allen as Fred Beacon

            Richard Anthony Crenna as Edward Comacho

            Nino Bau as Fontenal Inmate

            Jason Bauer as Doran

            Andrew Bishop as Child's Hands

            Gideon Joslyn Brown as Baton Inmate

            Jim Cagnard as Bartender

            Barry Cassidy as Officer Rilt

            Charles Cavalier as 1st Cop

            Maurice Clapisson as 1st Guard

            Wayne Compton as Fontenal Inmate

            John P. Connolly as Baton Inmate

            Bruce R. Cook as Dr. Stick

            Eric Cubano as Baton Inmate

            Don Damico as 1st Doctor

            David Danford as Basco

            Kyle de Camp as Neighbor

            Joe Dietl as Woman in the Alley

            Raymond Dragen as Fontenal Inmate

            Matt Ebert as Guard 2

            Damien Garcia as Chanci

            Douglas F. Gibson as Van Roven

            Tony Gigante as Inspector

            Anne Giotta as Evelyn McAlpert

            Joey Grant as Jamoke

            Richard Hansen as Narration

            Chris Henricks as Sleazy Man

            Jessica as Nurse

            Rob La Belle as Jay Wete

            Lydia Lafleur as Sylvia Manning

            Marina Lutz as Hazel Lamprecht

            Tom McCullough as Townsperson

            Parlan McGaw as Newscaster

            John McGhee as Fontenal Inmate

            Dani Michaeli as Baton Inmate

            Leah Mullen as Little Girl

            John Nadeau as Doctor

            Ian Nemser as Sean White

            Frank O'Donnell as Old Doctor

            Phil W. Petrie as Doctor

            Gary Ray as Canon

            Anthony Rubustillo as Fontenal Inmate

            Ken Schatz as Preacher

            Aimee Scheff as Neighbor

            Angela Schreiber as Florence Giddons

            Michael Silverman as Foster Father

            Justin Silverstein as Jake

            Les Simpson as Miss Tim

            Chris Singh as Chris

            Jonathan Smit as Fontenal Inmate

            Elyse Steinberg as Little Girl

            Oscar Tevez as Fontenal Inmate

            Chava Tiger as Townsperson

            Lorraine Traverson as Nurse

            Marie-Francoise Vachon as Foster Mother

            Michael Shawn Wilson as Broom-Age 6

            Evan Dunsky as Dr. MacArthur

            Lauren Zalaznick as Waitress

            Michael A. Miranda as Fontenal Inmate

            Carlos Jimenez as Jose

            John Duffy as Fontenal Inmate

            Rob LaBelle
            
See full cast

Poison (1991)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Creep F

Mike T

Quinto W

Cast