Polyester
For his first studio picture, filth maestro John Waters took advantage of his biggest budget yet to allow his muse Divine to sink his teeth into a role unlike any he had played before: Baltimore housewife Francine Fishpaw, a heroine worthy of a Douglas Sirk melodrama. Blessed with a keen sense of smell and cursed with a philandering pornographer husband, a parasitic mother, and a pair of delinquent children, the long-suffering Francine turns to the bottle as her life falls apart—until deliverance appears in the form of a hunk named Todd Tomorrow (vintage heartthrob Tab Hunter). One of Waters’ most hilarious inventions, Polyester is replete with stomach-churning smells, sadistic nuns, AA meetings, and foot stomping galore.
DIRECTOR-APPROVED BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
- New, restored 4K digital transfer, supervised by director John Waters, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
- Audio commentary featuring Waters from the 1993 Criterion laserdisc release of the film
- New conversation between Waters and critic Michael Musto
- New program featuring interviews with Waters collaborators Tab Hunter, Dennis Dermody, Pat Moran, Vincent Peranio, Mink Stole, Mary Garlington, and Greer Yeaton
- Interviews from 1993 with crew members Moran, Peranio, and Van Smith
- Archival interviews with Waters, Moran, and actors Divine and Edith Massey, featuring footage from the making of the film
- Twenty minutes of deleted scenes and alternate takes
- Trailer
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: An essay by film scholar Elena Gorfinkel and a foldout poster of the cover
New cover by Sam Hadley with Raphael Geroni
DIRECTOR-APPROVED BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
- New, restored 4K digital transfer, supervised by director John Waters, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
- Audio commentary featuring Waters from the 1993 Criterion laserdisc release of the film
- New conversation between Waters and critic Michael Musto
- New program featuring interviews with Waters collaborators Tab Hunter, Dennis Dermody, Pat Moran, Vincent Peranio, Mink Stole, Mary Garlington, and Greer Yeaton
- Interviews from 1993 with crew members Moran, Peranio, and Van Smith
- Archival interviews with Waters, Moran, and actors Divine and Edith Massey, featuring footage from the making of the film
- Twenty minutes of deleted scenes and alternate takes
- Trailer
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: An essay by film scholar Elena Gorfinkel and a foldout poster of the cover
New cover by Sam Hadley with Raphael Geroni
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
Credits
- Director
- John Waters
- Written by
- John Waters
- Produced by
- John Waters
- Executive producer
- Robert Shaye
- Associate producer
- Sara Risher
- Director of photography
- David Insley
- Music
- Chris Stein
- Music
- Michael Kamen
- Line producer
- Robert Maier
- Production manager
- Robert Maier
- Assistant director
- Pat Moran
- Casting
- Pat Moran
- Editor
- Charles Roggero
- Sound editor
- Skip Lievsay
- Costumes and makeup
- Van Smith
- Art director
- Vincent Peranio
- "Polyester" lyrics by
- Deborah Harry
- "Polyester" sung by
- Tab Hunter
- Still photographer
- Larry Dean
- Odorama™ consultant
- Jeffrey Buhai
- Bonkers trained by
- Friendship Animal Kennel
