''Poison'' is a 1991 American science fiction drama

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...

written and directed by Todd Haynes and starring Edith Meeks, Larry Maxwell, Susan Gayle Norman, Scott Renderer, and James Lyons. It is composed of three intercut stories that are partially inspired by the novels of

Jean Genet Jean Genet (; – ) was a French novelist, playwright, poet, essayist, and political activist. In his early life he was a vagabond and petty criminal, but he later became a writer and playwright. His major works include the novels ''The Thief's ...

. With its gay themes, ''Poison'' is considered an early entry in the New Queer Cinema movement. The film had its world premiere at the

Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,66 ...

on January 11, 1991. It was released in a

limited release __FORCETOC__ Limited theatrical release is a film distribution strategy of releasing a new film in a few theaters across a country, typically art house theaters in major metropolitan markets. Since 1994, a limited theatrical release in the Unite ...

by Zeitgeist Films on April 5, 1991.

Plot

The three intercut stories that comprise ''Poison'' are: * ''Hero'': Seven-year-old Richie shoots his abusive father and then flies away. The story is told in the style of an episode of a tabloid television news magazine. * ''Horror'': Told in the style of a "psychotropic horror film" of the mid-1960s, ''Horror'' is about a scientist who isolates the "elixir of human sexuality" and, after drinking it, is transformed into a hideous murdering leper. * ''Homo'': The story of a prisoner, John Broom, who finds himself attracted to another prisoner, Jack Bolton, whom he had known and seen humiliated as a youth in a juvenile facility. It is an adaptation of part of Genet's '' Miracle of the Rose'' (1946).

Cast

Release

''Poison'' had its world premiere at the

on January 11, 1991. Zeitgeist Films later acquired distribution rights to the film. It was released in a

on April 5, 1991.

Reception

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".

Awards and nominations

* Berlin International Film Festival Teddy Award for Best Feature Film, 1991 (winner) * Fantasporto Critics' Award, 1992 (winner); International Fantasy Film Award Best Film, 1992 (nominated) *

Independent Spirit Awards The Independent Spirit Awards (abbreviated Spirit Awards and originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards), founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with Poly(methyl m ...

Best Director, 1992 (nominated); Best First Feature, 1992 (nominated) * Locarno International Film Festival Golden Leopard, 1991 (nominated) * Sitges - Catalan International Film Festival Special Prize of the Jury, 1991, "For keeping the subversive values inherent to any genuine poetry in force" *

Grand Jury Prize - Dramatic, 1991 (winner)

References

Notes

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Poison 1991 films 1991 horror films 1991 drama films 1991 LGBT-related films 1990s science fiction horror films American independent films American drama films American LGBT-related films American satirical films American science fiction horror films 1990s English-language films Films directed by Todd Haynes Films based on French novels Sundance Film Festival award winners LGBT-related horror drama films Films produced by Christine Vachon Killer Films films LGBT-related science fiction horror films Patricide in fiction 1991 independent films 1990s American films