IMDb on iPhone and iPod touch Learn more Learn more Download from the App Store
IMDb > Polyester (1981)
Polyester
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user reviewsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Polyester (1981) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 22 | slideshow)

Overview

User Rating:
6.6/10   2,662 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer:
John Waters (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Polyester on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
29 May 1981 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Filmed in ODORAMA more
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. full summary | add synopsis
NewsDesk:
(3 articles)
Joe Berlinger's "Crude" New Film
 (From IFC. 3 September 2009, 7:33 AM, PDT)

The Sandbox: Shake Your Money Maker
 (From IFC. 24 April 2009, 10:39 AM, PDT)

User Reviews:
Stiv Lives! more (39 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)
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)
Karl Otter ... TV Reporter at Movie Theatre (uncredited)
Charles Roggero ... Bus passenger (uncredited)
Create a character page for: ?

Directed by
John Waters 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
John Waters  writer

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)
Beth Holmes .... set director
Shawn Moran .... prop vehicles
Cathy Puig .... prop vehicles
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 CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
86 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
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

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
In the scene where Todd is standing around the car accident, since real ambulances where used and local people called the police reporting that there was an accident. more
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. more
Quotes:
Cuddles Kovinsky: At first I thought he was walking his dog. Then I realized, it was his date. more
Movie Connections:
References Détruire dit-elle (1969) more
Soundtrack:
POLYESTER more

FAQ

Where should I use the Odorama card?
more
14 out of 17 people found the following review useful.
Stiv Lives!, 26 August 2003
Author: Twins65 from Lindenhurst, IL

I remember seeing this the night it came out (God, was it really 22 years ago!). We all went down to a late night showing at the Cedar on the West Bank in Mpls., with about 4 hours worth of "feelgood" in us.

I was familiar with Waters' work, having seen PINK FLAMINGOS, and was ready for the "Odorama" cards handed out when you bought your ticket, but my "associates" were a bit mystified. It all led up to a very different & unique experience, which really hasn't been equaled since.

Basically, there were about 10 (numbered 1-10) scratch-n-sniff scents which were to be activated by you from the card when a flashing number appeared on the screen. They included a rotten egg smell for flatulence (somebody broke wind in the movie), along with a natural gas smell when a character stuck their head in an oven, among others. You get the idea. Anyway, it had the usual John Waters' cast of characters (Mink, Edith, Divine, etc.), along with the late, great Stiv Bators making his big-screen debut as (what else), a delinquent. Stiv pulls it off quite well, and everything else pretty much amounted to a fun show-going experience.

Not nearly as shocking as FLAMINGOS or FEMALE TROUBLE, but surely rent it if your into that sort of thing (a/k/a the pre-HAIRSPRAY Waters). I'm sure those "Odorama" cards are long gone, so you'll have to get creative on your own to replicate the experience that was "Odorama".

Was the above review useful to you?
more (39 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Polyester (1981)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Doesn't anyone else wonder about Bill Murray's involvement? litamalibu
The Best Thing song..where can i get this? Lips98
Odarama DVD missgoddess85
New Odorama Cards mozart599
Was this supposed to funny? lynxx55
TV Version alanmcooley
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Palindromes American Beauty Pink Flamingos Freeway The Ruling Class
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Comedy section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.