POLYESTER (1981) | John Waters, Part 5

2023-09-12

On the heels of DESPERATE LIVING — and its disappointing box office — John Waters knew that he needed a hit, and that he needed his leading lady back. Once again teaming with Divine, Waters set out to make a film that was a little more palatable to mass audiences, one that wouldn't rely on shock value to get its laughs. The resulting film was POLYESTER, released in 1981. Co-starring 50s silver screen heartthrob Tab Hunter, the film would also utilize the infamous "Odorama" scratch-n-sniff card gimmick during its initial release. In this episode, we'll discuss just how Waters went from the subversive, abrasive DESPERATE LIVING to the Dou...

On the heels of DESPERATE LIVING — and its disappointing box office — John Waters knew that he needed a hit, and that he needed his leading lady back.

Once again teaming with Divine, Waters set out to make a film that was a little more palatable to mass audiences, one that wouldn't rely on shock value to get its laughs. The resulting film was POLYESTER, released in 1981. Co-starring 50s silver screen heartthrob Tab Hunter, the film would also utilize the infamous "Odorama" scratch-n-sniff card gimmick during its initial release.

In this episode, we'll discuss just how Waters went from the subversive, abrasive DESPERATE LIVING to the Douglas Sirk-esque melodrama of POLYESTER, how he got Tab Hunter (and Debbie Harry!) involved, and how the film was received by audiences at the time.

Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.

For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net

Comments (3)