Poison (1991)
- Starring:
- Larry Maxwell, Edith Meeks, (more)
- Director(s):
- Todd Haynes
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- NC17
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Theatrical Release Information | See Details About All Versions
This film has become infamous thanks to the efforts of the Rev. Donald Wildmon, who publicly questioned the fact that NEA dollars were spent on this "filth." While Wildmon's point was certainly overstated, this debut feature from Todd Haynes is quite disturbing. The Poison in question is sex, and its toxic effects are explored in three segments which have been shuffled together like a deck of cards. "Hero" is a pseudo-documentary about a seven-year-old boy who shoots his father and then ascends into the sky. "Horror" is a mad-scientist story filmed like a Roger Corman "B"-movie. The scientist in question has managed to distill the essence of the human sex drive into a test tube. When he inadvertently drinks it, he turns into a leprous monster, terrorizing the city. "Homo" is a gay love story set in a prison. All three segments are based on the writings of Jean Genet. ~ John Voorhees, All Movie Guide
Complete Cast:
- Larry Maxwell - Dr. Graves
- Susan Norman - Nancy Olsen
- Scott Renderer - John Broom
- James Lyons - Jack Bolton
- Michelle Sullivan - Prostitute
- Tony Pemberton - Young Broom
- Dani Michaeli - Baton Inmate
- Richard Anthony - Edward Comacho
- Jason Bauer - Doran
- Gideon Joslyn Brown - Baton Inmate
- Barry Cassidy - Officer Rilt
- Maurice Clapisson - 1st Guard
- John P. Connolly - Baton Inmate
- Eric Cubano - Baton Inmate
- Don Damico - 2nd Cop
- Frank O'Donnell - Old Doctor
- John Nadeau - Doctor
- John McGhee - Fontenal Inmate
- Tom McCullough - Townsperson
- Carlos Jimenez - Jose
- Evan Dunsky - Dr. MacArthur
- Marie-Francoise Vachon - Foster Mother
- Chava Tiger - Townsperson
- Elyse Steinberg - Little Girl
- Chris Singh - Chris
- Lauren Zalaznick - Waitress
- Justin Silverstein - Jake
- Angela Schreiber - Florence Giddons
- Ken Schatz - Preacher
- Gary Ray - Canon
- Rob La Belle - Jay Wete
- Chris Henricks - Sleazy Man
- Kyle de Camp - Neighbor
- Raymond Dragen - Fontenal Inmate
- Damien Garcia - Chanci
- Tony Gigante - Inspector
- Joey Grant - Jamoke
- Edith Meeks - Felicia Beacon
- Millie White - Millie Sklar
- Buck Smith - Gregory Lazar
- Al Quagliata - Dep. Hansen
- John R. Lombardi - Rass
- Andrew Harpending - Young Bolton
- Edward Allen - Fred Beacon
- Nino Bau - Fontenal Inmate
- Andrew Bishop - Child's Hands
- Jim Cagnard - Bartender
- Charles Cavalier - 1st Cop
- Wayne Compton - Fontenal Inmate
- Bruce R. Cook - Dr. Stick
- Don Damico - 1st Doctor
- Phil W. Petrie - Doctor
- Ian Nemser - Sean White
- Leah Mullen - Little Girl
- Parlan McGaw - Newscaster
- Marina Lutz - Hazel Lamprecht
- John Duffy - Fontenal Inmate
- Shawn Wilson - Broom-Age 6
- Lorraine Traverson - Nurse
- Oscar Tevez - Fontenal Inmate
- Jonathan Smit - Fontenal Inmate
- Michael A. Miranda - Fontenal Inmate
- Les Simpson - Miss Tim
- Michael Silverman - Foster Father
- Aimee Scheff - Neighbor
- Anthony Rubustillo - Fontenal Inmate
- Lydia Lafleur - Sylvia Manning
- Jessica - Nurse
- David Danford - Basco
- Joe Dietl - Woman in the Alley
- Matt Ebert - Guard 2
- Douglas F. Gibson - Van Roven
- Anne Giotta - Evelyn McAlpert
- Richard Hansen - Narration
- Director(s):
- Todd Haynes
- Writer(s):
- Todd Haynes
- Producer(s):
- Denny Vachlioti, James Schamus, Christine Vachon
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- NC17(Strong Sexual Content, Violence, Nudity, Profanity, Not For Children)
- Closed Captioning:
- Check All Versions
- Subtitles:
- Check All Versions
- 1990 - Poison - Sundance Film Festival - Grand Jury Prize - Dramatic







