Polyester (1981)
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89% of critics liked it
(18 reviews) -
80% of users liked it
(6,563 ratings)
After making a name for himself with such underground gross-out epics as Pink Flamingos and Desperate Living, director John Waters made a bid for somewhat wider acceptance with this black comedy, which is sedate only by the standards of his previous work. Francine Fishpaw (Divine) is a housewife… More After making a name for himself with such underground gross-out epics as Pink Flamingos and Desperate Living, director John Waters made a bid for somewhat wider acceptance with this black comedy, which is sedate only by the standards of his previous work. Francine Fishpaw (Divine) is a housewife whose life has become a living hell. Her husband Elmer (David Samson) runs a porno theater (currently showing the classic My Burning Bush) and is having an affair with secretary Sandra (Mink Stole), a vision of sleaze in Bo Derek-style cornrow braids who informs Elmer, "Children would only get in the way of our erotic lifestyle!" Francine has two teenage children, Dexter (Ken King), who likes to sniff glue and stomp on women's feet, and Lulu (Mary Garlington), a brazen slut who hangs out with overage juvenile delinquent Bobo (Stiv Bators) and gleefully anticipates her next abortion. Francine's best friend, Cuddles (Edith Massey), is a slightly insane heiress who is somehow convinced she's a debutante. Francine's life has become so miserable that her dog commits suicide rather than witness it, but a light appears on the horizon -- Todd Tomorrow (Tab Hunter), the handsome and dashing owner of a local drive-in specializing in art films (their current bill is a Margurerite Duras triple feature), with whom Dawn enters into a torrid affair. Subversive on all fronts, Polyester was originally shown in "Odorama" (patrons were given a card with ten scratch-and-sniff patches, to be smelled at key points in the action) and featured a romantic theme song sung by that new hitmaking duo, Deborah Harry and Bill Murray. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- John Waters
- Genres
- Comedy
R,
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1981 Wide
- Studio
- New Line Cinema
Critic Reviews
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
By standards of Waters' gross-out features, this mildly amusing film is sedate, notable for the casting of fading movie star Tab Hunter and for introducing a gimmick called Odorama, scratch-and-sniff cards.
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Bill Gibron, DVD Verdict
Polyester may be one of the few times when Waters tried to expand his cinematic language at the expense of his usual verbal variety
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Nick Schager, Lessons of Darkness
Stinks in all the right ways.
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James Kendrick, Q Network Film Desk
He makes you endure the grossest of the gross and you still laugh through the whole thing
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Divine
as Francine Fishpaw
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Tab Hunter
as Todd Tomorrow
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Edith Massey
as Cuddles
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Mink Stole
as Sandra
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David Samson
as Elmer Fishpaw
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Joni Ruth White
as LaRue mother
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Mary Garlington
as Lulu Fishpaw
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Ken King
as Dexter Fishpaw
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Hans Kramm
as Chauffeur
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Stiv Bators
as Bo-Bo Belsinger
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Tommy Allen
as Porno Picket
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Rick Breitenfeld
as Dr. Quackenshaw
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George Figgs
as Abortion Picket
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Jean Hill
as Gospel Bus Hijacker
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Jim Hill
as Picket Reporter
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Susan Lowe
as Mall Victim
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Nancy Morgan
as Alcoholic Leader
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Cookie Mueller
as Betty Lalinski
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Derek Neal
as Pimp
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Mary Vivian Pearce
as Nun A
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George Stover
as Press A
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Frank Tamburo
as Pizza Man 3
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Michael Watson
as Freddy Ashton
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John Allen
as Porno Picket
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Steve Yeager
as Press B
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Brook Yeaton
as Porno Picket
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David Klein
as Detective B
