Polyester

1981, John Waters, USA

Content Note: Suicide theme

Divine is back for another genius comedic turn in this outrageous, odorous, rotten-to-the-core send up of American suburban life! Situated dead-on in the middle of Water’s oeuvre, Polyester bridges the rougher, tougher films of the 60s and 70s (Pink Flamingos, Multiple Maniacs, Female Trouble, et. al.) and the slicker, softer studio comedies of the 80’s and 90’s (Cry Baby, Hairspray, Serial Mom, Pecker), making it the perfect watch whether you are new to Waters or he is your bread-and-butter. 

Considered by many to be a perfect distillation of Waters’ style, Polyester is a bad-taste melodramatic romp through suburban Baltimore and the breakdown of a family unit under the onslaught of over-stimulated modern America. It’s full of all the acerbic trimmings you’d expect from the Pope of Trash, as well as being filmed ‘in Odorama’ – a gimmick unique to this film, where audiences were provided scratch-and-sniff cards to “smell along” with the on-screen fun.

Waters had a crew of regulars called The Dreamlanders, who were icons of queer and outsider weirdoism, and his films have become archival documents of their lives. Many of The Dreamlanders feature in Polyester – Edith Massey, Mink Stole, Cookie Mueller (who will be remembered by those who watched All the Beauty and the Bloodshed earlier in the year), and of course Waters’ major muse, the great Divine. Like all Waters’ films, Polyester is best watched with a crowd – strong stomach and rowdy mood also recommended!