Polyester (1981)
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88% of critics liked it
(17 reviews) -
81% of users liked it
(6,410 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
- Rating, Runtime
- R, 1 hr. 26 min.
- Directed By
- John Waters
- Genres
- Comedy
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1981 Wide
- On DVD
- Sep 7, 2004
Critic Reviews
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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
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Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
A low-rent version of a Douglas Sirk 1950s soaper, with Divine being dragged through all the paces that might have been the lot of a glossy star of the era.
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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Divineas Francine Fishpaw -
Tab Hunteras Todd Tomorrow -
Edith Masseyas Cuddles
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Mink Stoleas Sandra -
David Samsonas Elmer Fishpaw -
Joni Ruth Whiteas LaRue mother
