Poison (film)

Last updated
Poison
Poison-Haynes.jpg
DVD cover
Directed by Todd Haynes
Screenplay byTodd Haynes
Based onThree novels
by Jean Genet
Produced by
Starring
  • Edith Meeks
  • Larry Maxwell
  • Susan Gayle Norman
  • Scott Renderer
  • James Lyons
Narrated byRichard Hansen
Cinematography Maryse Alberti
Edited by
Music byJames Bennett
Production
companies
Distributed by Zeitgeist Films
Release dates
  • January 11, 1991 (1991-01-11)(Sundance)
  • April 5, 1991 (1991-04-05)(United States)
Running time
85 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$250,000 [2]
Box office$787,280 [3]

Poison is a 1991 American science fiction drama horror film written and directed by Todd Haynes, starring Edith Meeks, Larry Maxwell, Susan Gayle Norman, Scott Renderer, and James Lyons.

Contents

Composed of three intercut narratives inspired by the novels of Jean Genet, the gay themes in Poison marked an emerging "queer new wave" in cinema.

Narratives

Three stories intertwine throughout the film, named in the closing credits: [4]

Cast

Segment: Hero

Segment: Horror

Segment: Homo

Release

After a world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 11, 1991, [5] Zeitgeist Films acquired distribution rights, [6] giving Poison a limited release starting April 5, 1991. [7]

Reception and legacy

The film received generally positive reviews. It currently holds a 79% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 24 reviews, with a weighted average of 7.4/10. The site's consensus reads, "Claustrophobic and quirky horror, this is a decently dirty debut for director Todd Haynes". [8]

Controversy

The film was not without controversy as culture wars conservatives like Senator Jesse Helms and head of American Family Association Rev. Donald Wildmon denounced the "explicit porno scenes of homosexuals involved in anal sex". [9] [10]

Awards and nominations

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References

  1. "Poison (18)". British Board of Film Classification . August 15, 1991. Retrieved July 5, 2013.
  2. Holden, Stephen (November 8, 1998). "Focusing on Glam Rock's Blurring of Identity". The New York Times . Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  3. Poison at Box Office Mojo
  4. Transcendent Transgression: Looking Back at Todd Haynes’ “Poison” - sundance.org
  5. Lim, Dennis (November 5, 2010). "When 'Poison' Was a Cinematic Antidote". The New York Times . Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  6. Herandez, Eugene (June 26, 2008). "Zeitgeist Films at 20 Years: Building a Boutique Brand". Indiewire.com . Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  7. Canby, Vincent (April 5, 1991). "Review/Film; 'Poison,' Three Stories Inspired by Jean Genet". The New York Times . Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  8. Poison at Rotten Tomatoes
  9. Koresky, Michael (June 11, 2021). "On the Margins: Todd Haynes's Poison". The Criterion Collection . Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  10. Deng, Maohai (March 2015). "Poison". Senses of Cinema. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
Awards
Preceded by Sundance Grand Jury Prize: U.S. Dramatic
1991
Succeeded by