Polyester

Rating:
Summary: The Normal American Family
Review: ... After several years of crudely made, crudely funny films such as PINK FLAMINGOS, director John Waters graduated to a somewhat more sophistocated style, and POLYESTER has a comparatively (note the word: comparatively) subtle script, cinematography that doesn't shake, sets and props that don't actually look like they were salvaged from the local junkyard, and even a mainstream star: 1950s matinee idol Tab Hunter. But although POLYESTER has the same outrageous vulgarity as previous Waters films, it lacks the same shock appeal that made his previous films work so well; consequently, the joke wears thin after a certain point.

Even so, the sight of Tab Hunter (who is even more of a stud here than in his earlier pretty-boy days) romancing Divine is a major draw, and there is enough hilarity--ranging from a nun-enforced hayride for pregnant women during a rainstorm to a black gospel singer who hijacks a bus to chase down a juvenile deliquent--to keep the show rolling, and the satrical edge is often quite effective. Not one of his best, but Waters fans will love it just the same!

Rating:
Summary: hilarious
Review: I found this movie very entertaining and funny. Divine was at her ultimate best. I've watched this one several times and can't help but roar laughing. Once you see one of Divine's movies you'll want to see the rest! In case you've never heard of Divine, she's a guy who always portrayed big fat women on the verge of virtually anything. This type of comedy is offbeat and can be on the dark side. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone without a serious sense of humor. This one is about a porno movie theatre owner who is out cheating on his overweight wife with his secretary. Their teenage kids are totally out of control and the mother takes to drinking when she finds out about him. 50'S hunk Tab Hunter also is featured doing the title song which was written by Debbie Harry (Blondie) and also plays the man who comes into her life. Buy it and have a good laugh!

Rating:
Summary: John Waters and friends go mainstream... sort of.
Review: John Waters' first mainstream film is tamer compared to the likes of PINK FLAMINGOS and DESPERATE LIVING, but it's still bound to offend someone out there.
The movie stars Waters regulars Divine, Edith Massey (Both of whom mercifully remain fully clothed in this. Thank God!) & Mink Stole.
Written, Produced and Directed by Waters & Exec-Produced by Robert Shaye (who would later go on to produce the ELM STREET series) and once again set in the film maker's beloved Baltimore; POLYESTER centers around Francine Fishpaw (Divine) an unhappy 300lb housewife, whose philandering husband Elmer is a porn peddler. This makes the Fishpaw residence a perfect target for anti-porn/violence protestors (One of whom looks freakishly like Patricia Bartlett) who want Elmer to show G rated family movies (presumably) like the psychologically damaging ANNIE; because they feel X rated movies encourage sex offenders (Just like the Bible left Jim Jones & David Koresh with heads full of bad wiring- can you see the hypocrisy here? Waters certainly can).
But love comes into Francine's life in the guise of Todd Tomorrow (Tab Hunter) the owner of an adult drive-in theater also picketed by the Chastity Belt Crusaders. (NB: I just made that up).
POLYESTER is; in actuality, a suburban satire in which Francine attempts to deal with her dysfunctional family consisting of her pothead son Dexter, who has a foot fetish which is causing him to attack women in the street and steal their shoes, to say nothing of her skanky daughter Lulu who to her mother's horror is dating Bobo, a greasy, glue-sniffing punk (played by Stiv Bators from the band Dead Boys).
Though personally I prefer Waters' underground movies to this, POLYESTER still has enough bad taste & sick humor to please his devotees and is a good introduction to his work for novices.
As with all Waters films (with the exception of HAIRSPRAY) POLYESTER will offend the heck out of prudes; which is always a good thing: People whose idea of a wild night is watching a PG movie in the dark and drinking two lite beers.
I've nearly forgotten the most important detail: This is the movie where on its original theatrical release; Waters introduced the gimmick of a Scratch & Sniff card where when numbers 1-10 flash at the bottom of the screen the viewer would scratch the corresponding square for the aroma. Today it just looks odd with the numbers flashing onscreen. I pity the fools who actually scratched the numbers for the flatulence & glue bits. Good idea though. The title song was written by Debbie Harry of Blondie & is sung by Hunter.

Rating:
Summary: Starts out great, but goes downhill fast
Review: John Waters' first really mainstream, clean film is a disappointment for his long-time fans. Divine is excellent, but more whiny than in her previous films and gets on your nerves after a while. Divine's best performance will always be in Female Trouble. A whole new cast of Dreamlanders (who soon after disappeared) take the places of the regular and better ones. The only survivors with major parts are Edith Massey and Divine. Other classic Waters performers, such as Mary Vivian Pearce, Jean Hill, Susan Lowe, and Cookie Mueller are wasted in small roles, ranging from a crazy nun to a victim of the Foot Stomper. The movie is excellent until the appearance of Tab Hunter, in a role only written for star advertising. His singing of the title song is fabulous, but his performance is putrid. Liz Renay is one of the few stars who could fit in considerably well with the Dreamland cast. Odorama is not needed to view this film, but it is nice to get. Search on eBay for a few that were released by the Independent Film Channel before buying this! If you're a serious Waters fan, be prepared for disappointment.