SOLD OUT: John Waters' Polyester (in Odorama!): Classic Movie Night (Limited Seating)

UPDATE: ALL RESERVATIONS FOR THE SCREENING OF POLYESTER HAVE BEEN CLAIMED.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE PLACED ON A WAITLIST, IN CASE OF CANCELLATIONS, PLEASE CALL (570) 348-3000, x3016 register below to be placed on the wait list.

WE WILL TRY TO SCHEDULE AN ADDITIONAL SCREENING IN THE FUTURE.

Scranton Public Library is kicking off 2020’s Classic Movie Night with a very special screening of John Waters’ 1981 cult classic Polyester, starring Divine and Tab Hunter, on Wednesday, January 15th at 6:30 PM.   The screening will recreate the film’s original theatrical experience by the use of Odorama.

Following his epic trash trilogy of Pink Flamingos (1972), Female Trouble (1974) and Desperate Living (1977), legendary cult filmmaker John Waters made the outrageous comedy Polyester in 1981, a satirical look at suburban life in the 1980s.

Parodying women’s pictures of the 1940s and 1950s, Polyester tells the story of Francine Fishpaw (the late, great character actor and Waters’ muse Divine), a long-suffering suburban housewife with a very sensitive sense of smell.  Her husband Elmer (David Samson) owns the local adult theater and is cheating on her with his secretary (Mink Stole), her daughter Lulu (Mary Garlington) aspires to drop out of school to be a go-go dancer, her son Dexter (Ken King) is a delinquent who may or may not be the Baltimore Foot Stomper, and her mother (Joni Ruth White) has been stealing money for her for years.  Her only solace is her best friend and former cleaning lady (and future geriatric debutante) Cuddles (Waters’ regular Edith Massey) and a growing dependency on alcohol.  Will Francine finally find happiness in the arms of handsome Todd Tomorrow (Tab Hunter)?

A longtime admirer of filmmaker/showman William Castle since childhood, John Waters devised his own “wondrous” screen gimmick for the theatrical run of Polyester called Odorama.  Odorama consists of a Scratch and Sniff card, numbered 1 to 10, which invites theatergoers to scratch and sniff the card when the corresponding number flashes on the screen at certain points in the film, allowing one to smell the same scents–ranging from floral to repulsive–that Francine is experiencing.

A very limited number of Odorama cards will be available to borrow (not keep) during the film’s screening.  Therefore registration is required for this screening of Polyester, and seating will be limited to 11.

The film will be proceeded by vintage entertainment starting at 6 PM.

Polyester is Rated R.

You can register for the film screening below or by calling (570) 348-3000, x3016.