Whiff, Wonder, and Smell: Polyester

ADMISSION:
Admission is free and open to everyone. Reservations required. RSVP beginning Tuesday, December 1, at 10 a.m.

DESCRIPTION:
Join us for a screening of John Waters' cult classic Polyester (1981) the way audiences first encountered it—with Odorama! This playful and provocative experience highlights Waters’ camp aesthetics and legacy in experimental and queer cinema, while also exploring how scent functions as a tool for satire.

About the Film
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 Fishpaw turns to the bottle as her life falls apart—until deliverance appears in the form of a hunk named Todd Tomorrow. This dark comedy written, produced, and directed by John Waters satirizes the melodrama film genre, the “woman’s film” category, and suburban life of the early 1980s.

This Is One Part of a Series!
Whiff, Wonder and Smell: Recreating Olfactory Cinema and Immersive Media Pasts is a three-part series that invites audiences to explore the role of scent in cinematic and immersive storytelling through screenings, exhibitions, and workshops.

Related Events:
Sensorama Exhibition
Monday, February 22 through Friday, February 26
School of Cinematic Arts Gallery
More info

Scent & VR Student Workshop
Wednesday, February 24, 6 to 8 p.m.
SCA Gallery
More info and RSVP

Scent of Mystery and Smell-O-Vision
Thursday, April 15, and Friday, April 16
SCI 106, School of Cinematic Arts
More info and RSVP

Presented by USC Visions and Voices. Organized by Elizabeth Ramsey (Cinematic Arts) and Alex Ago (Cinematic Arts).