Polyester (1981)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

John Waters

Writer:

John Waters (writer)

Release Date:

29 May 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Filmed in ODORAMA

Plot:

A suburban housewife's world falls apart when her pornographer husband admits he's serially unfaithful to her, her daughter gets pregnant, and her son is suspected of being the foot-fetishist who's been breaking local women's feet.

Plot Keywords:

Porno Theater | Abortion | Foot Fetish | Middle Class | Pro Life Protestors

US TV Schedule:

Wed. Nov. 18

8:00 PM

WGNAMER

Cast

Divine	...	Francine Fishpaw
Tab Hunter	...	Todd Tomorrow
Edith Massey	...	Cuddles Kovinsky
David Samson	...	Elmer Fishpaw
Mary Garlington	...	Lu-Lu Fishpaw
Ken King	...	Dexter Fishpaw
Mink Stole	...	Sandra Sullivan
Joni Ruth White	...	La Rue
Hans Kramm	...	Heintz
Stiv Bators	...	Bo-Bo Belsinger
Rick Breitenfeld	...	Dr. Quackenshaw
Michael Watson	...	Freddy Ashton
Derek Neal	...	Pimp
Jean Hill	...	Gospel Bus Hijacker
Jim Hill	...	Picket Reporter

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:18A (Ontario) | UK:15 (re-rating) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (re-rating) (1990) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Greenmount Avenue at 33rd Street, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

The Fishpaws live at "Wyman Way", Jane Wyman was the lead in Douglas Sirk's All That Heaven Allows (1955), which is one of the film's inspirations.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Dexter's principal calls Francine, Francine starts acting as if he's hung up on her before he's even said goodbye.

Quotes:

Francine Fishpaw: Coitus Interruptus?

Movie Connections:

References The Christine Jorgensen Story (1970)

Soundtrack:

BE MY DADDY BABY

One Of Waters' Best Movies

Director Waters' sensibilities are an acquired taste, but if you manage to make the necessary adjustments, you will be able to appreciate the director's wacky sense of humor. I have seen just a handful of his films ("Serial Mom" is my favorite one, so far), but I already know that Waters and I have a similar sense of humor. This film is an excellent example of Waters' peculiar style. I pretty much laughed and laughed, throughout most of the film. It is a shameless satire of middle class values (some sort of nutty version of "Ordinary People"), with the one and only Divine as a housewife whose life goes topsy-turvy when she finds out her husband is cheating on her. From the silly title song, to the hysterical, over the top finale, this is one energetic exercise in lunacy. Very screwy, but surprisingly believable. I'm not sure what is Waters' secret, but I was in awe of his audacity. Divine is unforgettable, making you forget that you are watching a man in drag - he/she is that good! Tab Hunter is a hoot as Divine's "knight-in-shining-armor". One of those movies that you want to re-watch as soon as the final credits start rolling in.