From the Oscar®-nominated director of Far from Heaven, I'm Not There and the new HBO mini-series Mildred Pierce, this controversial masterpiece is the most fervently debated film of the 1990s and a trailblazing landma... more »rk of Queer Cinema. Todd Haynes' first feature - following the underground short sensation Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story - this groundbreaking American indie is a thrilling work of immense visual invention.
Inspired by the writings of Jean Genet, Poison deftly interweaves a trio of transgressive tales - 'Hero,' 'Horror' and 'Homo' - that build toward a devastating climax. 'Hero,' shot in a mock tabloid-TV style, tells a bizarre story of suburban patricide and a miraculous flight from justice; 'Horror,' filmed like a delirious '50s B-movie melodrama, is a gothic tale of a mad sex experiment which unleashes a disfiguring plague; while 'Homo' explores the obsessive sexual relationship between two prison inmates. A runaway hit which made national headlines when it was attacked by conservative figures including Dick Armey, Ralph Reed and minister Donald Wildmon, Poison is audacious, unforgettable and thoroughly entertaining.
--New high-definition transfer created from original film elements
--Sundance Q&A with Todd Haynes, producer Christine Vachon and executive producer James Schamus, for the 20th anniversary of the film's Grand Jury Prize
--Archival 1999 audio commentary by Haynes, Vachon, and star/editor James Lyons
--Original poster concepts and collages by Haynes
--Behind-the-scenes polaroids by Kelly Reichardt (director of Meek's Cutoff and Wendy and Lucy)
--Last Address, a short film by Ira Sachs (director of Married Life)
--Original 1991 U.S. theatrical trailer
--English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired (SDH)
--16-page booklet with original press kit documents and more« less