Movies I Saw in 2024 - Day 34
And yet another Matt Baume recommendation, this one from his video about Tab Hunter!
I've made it my mission to see everything John Waters has ever made. I've wanted to watch his filmography since I was about fourteen years old, but believe it or not, it's not easy for a teenager in the Midwest suburbs after the Family Video went under to get obscure trash films from the 70s and 80s that most streaming services won't touch with a ten foot pole. Shocking, I know. And then, like so many movies when you're an adult, you just put it off and put it off until a decade has passed. And this is the part of the review where I give special thanks to Scarecrow Video in Seattle and their amazing rent-by-mail program that lets me watch these movies for a reasonable amount of money, and incredibly friendly and helpful staff. Give them some love, they could always use the business!
But yeah, back to what I actually thought of the movie - it's camp, plain and simple. And I love camp. I've heard John Waters' films described as childishly sincere and yet shockingly subversive, and I do have to agree. Polyester itself is basically a parody of Lifetime Original Movies before those existed, and it's such a silly, fun ride. Divine is a delight, Tab Hunter is hilariously evil, and the whole thing is just goofy, over-the-top nonsense. It's not as good as what comes later in my Waters watching, but it's still a great time. And yes, I am forever disappointed that I didn't get to watch this with an Odorama card.
