Polyester (1981)

Director:

John Waters

Writer:

John Waters (written by)

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:

Abortion | Foot Fetish | Middle Class | Dysfunctional Family | Obese Woman

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
John Brothers	...	TV News Announcer
Mary Vivian Pearce	...	Nun A
Sharon Niesp	...	Nun B
Cookie Mueller	...	Betty Lalinski
Marina Melin	...	Supermarket Victim
Susan Lowe	...	Mall Victim
Tom Diventi	...	Bo-Bo's Friend
George Hulse	...	School Principal
Tony Parkham	...	Teenage Witness
Paul Holland	...	Pizza Man Lover
Alberto Panella	...	Pizza Man 2
Frank Tamburo	...	Pizza Man 3
Nancy Morgan	...	Alcoholic Leader
Keats Smith	...	Boutique Saleslady
Gordon Kamka	...	Detective A
David Klein	...	Detective B
George Stover	...	Press A
Steve Yeager	...	Press B
Marv Egoff	...	Press C
John De La Vega	...	Press D
Chuck Yeaton	...	Hospital Reporter
George Udell	...	Jewish Man
Mrs. Horner	...	Oriential Woman
Katie Casey	...	Nurse
Gail Kondylas	...	Pregnant Girl
Judith Klein	...	Woman Clipping Nails
Alan Hauser	...	Deb Announcer
Garey Lambert	...	Abortion Picket
Lynda Lambert	...	Abortion Picket
Dorothy Braudy	...	Abortion Picket
George Figgs	...	Abortion Picket
Leo Braudy	...	Abortion Picket
Pat Figgs	...	Abortion Picket
Joan Insley	...	Abortion Picket
Sam Insley	...	Abortion Picket
Brook Yeaton	...	Porno Picket
Kitty Samson	...	Porno Picket
Stuart Rome	...	Porno Picket
Paula Rome	...	Porno Picket
Steve Waters	...	Porno Picket
Treva Barnes	...	Porno Picket
Sharon Waters	...	Porno Picket
Anne Mallory	...	Porno Picket
John Allen	...	Porno Picket
Jay Allen	...	Porno Picket
Tommy Allen	...	Porno Picket
Hilary Aidus	...	Porno Picket
Joan Erbe	...	Porno Picket
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jay Bennett	...	Bus passenger (uncredited)
Rocky Collins	...	Bus passenger (uncredited)
Denny Dormody	...	Man leaving Charles Theatre (uncredited)
Bernard Jay	...	Doorman at the Edmondson (uncredited)
Jay Leno	...	Journalist on TV News (uncredited)
Karl Otter	...	TV Reporter at Movie Theatre (uncredited)
Charles Roggero	...	Bus passenger (uncredited)

Directed by
John Waters

Writing credits
John Waters		(written by)

Produced by
Robert Maier	....	line producer
Sara Risher	....	associate producer
Robert Shaye	....	executive producer
John Waters	....	producer

Original Music by
Michael Kamen

Cinematography by
David Insley

Film Editing by
Charles Roggero

Casting by
Pat Moran

Art Direction by
Vincent Peranio

Set Decoration by
Beth Sheldon

Costume Design by
Van Smith

Makeup Department
Christine Mason	....	hair stylist
Van Smith	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Robert Maier	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Pat Moran	....	assistant director

Art Department
Delores Delux	....	assistant art director (as Dolores DeLuxe)
Shawn Moran	....	prop vehicles
Cathy Puig	....	prop vehicles
Beth Sheldon	....	set director (as Beth Holmes)
Steven Walker	....	property master

Sound Department
Rocky Collins	....	assistant sound editor
Stuart Deutsch	....	boom operator
Elizabeth Kling	....	assistant sound editor
Darren Kloomok	....	assistant sound editor
Skip Lievsay	....	sound editor
Steven J. Rogers	....	production sound mixer

Special Effects by
David W. Donoho	....	gunshot effects (as David Donoho)
Rob E. Holland	....	gunshot wound effects
John Luckacovic	....	assistant to Robert E. Holland

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Apicella	....	video assist operator
Garrett Brown	....	Steadicam operator
Larry Dean	....	still photographer
Robert W. Dorsey	....	second electrician (as Robert Dorsey)
Arthur Eng	....	assistant camera
Bill Porter	....	gaffer
Mike Spera	....	consultant: Arriflex camera
Stewart Stack	....	key grip
David Warfield	....	grip

Animation Department
Rory Kelleher	....	animator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jay Bennett	....	dresser

Editorial Department
Rocky Collins	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Art Baron	....	musician: tamborine
Bill Dern	....	musician: banjo
Jimmy Destri	....	musician: keyboards
Lenny Ferrari	....	musician: drums
Irving Fields	....	musician: acoustic bass
Michael Kamen	....	musician: keyboards and oboe
Jeffrey Lyons	....	musician: oboe and duck
Charlie Miller	....	musician: trumpet
Walter Steding	....	musician: violins
Chris Stein	....	musician: guitar and bass
Bruce Tergesen	....	music mixer

Other crew
Jim Blevins	....	production assistant
Jerry Buhai	....	consultant: "Odorama"
John Heyn	....	production assistant
Garey Lambert	....	dailies projectionist
Alan Rose	....	title designer
Rachel Talalay	....	production assistant
Alan Treadwell	....	production assistant
Michael White	....	associate presenter
Chuck Yeaton	....	bookkeeper (as Charles Yeaton)

Production Companies

• New Line Cinema

Distributors

• New Line Cinema (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Pan-Canadian Film Distributors (1981) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (laserdisc)
• Entertainment in Video
• GTO
• Lorimar Telepictures (TV version)
• New Line Home Video (video)
• Reel DVD (2009) (Australia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Axis Videos Inc.  video operations
• Friendship Animal Kennell  animal training: "Bonkers"
• The Ranch Studio  music engineering and mixing

Also Known As:

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (re-rating) (1990) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R | Canada:18A (Ontario) | UK:15 (re-rating) | New Zealand:R16 | 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:

Lu-Lu Fishpaw:I'm gonna get an abortion and I can't WAIT!

Movie Connections:

References The Young One (1960)

Soundtrack:

BE MY DADDY BABY

Wonderfully bizarre and hilarious satire

There are plenty of shocking and bizarre films out there, but no one does it like John Waters. Even tamer films of his like 'Hairspray' and 'Cry-Baby' have some characters and scenes that'll make your jaw drop. And fortunately for fans of his work he hasn't sold out or retired and I don't think the latter will happen for quite some time. This 1981 cult classics features many of Waters' famous trademarks like oddball characters, shocking images, bad taste, etc., but one thing sets it apart from the rest: Odorama! A big fan of William Castle, John not only made a great film with 'Polyester' he also came up with a clever gimmick. If you want the full experience, hunt down a copy of New Line Cinema's The John Waters Collection Volume 2, which comes with both this film and 1977's 'Desperate Living,' and a replica of the original Odorama card. But be warned, as Dr. Quakenshaw says, "You will experience some odors that may shock you!"

Pros: John Waters assembled a great bunch of people for this film and each actor creates a memorable character. Plenty of bizarre and hilarious situations and dialogue. The Odorama gimmick is cleverly used. The music, which features a couple songs sung by star Tab Hunter and a variety of styles, is perfect. The film is meant to be a stab at middle-American and it's a good one at that. Well-paced. Fabulous production design and wardrobe, which are over-the-top in most cases. Waters makes great use of the beautiful Baltimore homes and scenery.

Cons: Hasn't aged terribly well. Somethings that are supposed to be really funny aren't.

Final thoughts: I may be in the minority, but I think this John Water's best work to date. Or at least his best work in the 80s. It's not for everyone, but if you're the kind of film lover who enjoys 90 minutes of off-the-wall humor and aren't easily offended then this might be up your alley.

My rating: 4.5/5