Whiff, Wonder, and Smell: Polyester

Date: Friday, January 29, 2027 at 7:00pm

Location: Norris Cinema Theatre (NCT)

Type: Screening

Genre: Cinematic Arts

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).  


Sign up

Sign up for the latest news and event updates from USC Visions and Voices!