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RUNTIME
Did you know
85 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Poison
1991 1h 25m EN
😐
6.0
MID
★6.0TMDB · 97
DramaHorrorScience Fiction
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
A trio of interweaved transgressive tales, telling a bizarre stories of suburban patricide and a miraculous flight from justice, a mad sex experiment which unleashes a disfiguring plague, and the obsessive sexual relationship between two prison inmates.
“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”
Cast
Edith Meeks
Felicia Beacon ("Hero")
Millie White
Millie Sklar ("Hero")
Buck Smith
Gregory Lazar ("Hero")
Anne Giotta
Evelyn McAlpert ("Hero")
Lydia Lafleur
Sylvia Manning ("Hero")
Ian Nemser
Sean White ("Hero")
Rob LaBelle
Jay Wete ("Hero")
Evan Dunsky
Dr. MacArthur ("Hero")
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Todd Haynes
- Writers
- Todd Haynes
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
MONEY
Did you know
Shot for just $0.3M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
ERA
Did you know
35 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Todd Haynes, shot by Maryse Alberti. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by James Bennett. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Todd Haynes shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Edith Meeks and Millie White and Buck Smith carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0102687 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Todd Haynes directs. Maryse Alberti behind the camera. James Bennett scores. Todd Haynes cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 185 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
- 2Shot for just $0.3M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
- 335 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 4Directed by Todd Haynes, shot by Maryse Alberti. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 5Original score by James Bennett. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 6Editor Todd Haynes shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 7Edith Meeks and Millie White and Buck Smith carry the top of the cast.
- 8IMDB entry: tt0102687 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 9Only 97 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
- 10Classified under 14 themes, including "prison", "sexual abuse", "sexuality", "poetry".
- 11Released under 10 different titles around the world.
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Maryse Alberti
- Original score
- James Bennett
- Editing
- Todd Haynes
- Production design
- Sarah Stollman
- Costume design
- Jessica Haston
- Makeup / hair
- Angela Johnson
- Runtime
- 85 min · 1h 25m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $250,000
- Box office
- $609,524
- Return
- 244% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- NC-17
- IMDB
- Poison (1991)
Awards
- Sundance Film Festival U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize Award
- Teddy Award
Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.
Also by
Todd Haynes
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Community reviews
What people are saying
- griggs79★ 6/10
Watched Poison at 3am when I couldn’t sleep—probably not the wisest choice. It’s bold, brash, and all a bit much when your brain’s half-mush. Some fascinating ideas and striking moments, though. I didn’t love it, but I’m curious enough to give it another go when I’m properly awake
Production companies
Who made it
- BR
Bronze Eye Productions
US
Key crew
- ThanksBill Sherwood
- Set DresserKelly Reichardt
- Property MasterKelly Reichardt
- Assistant EditorKarim Aïnouz
- ElectricianKarim Aïnouz
- EditorTodd Haynes
- ProducerChristine Vachon
- EditorJames Lyons
- Art DirectionChas Plummer
- Executive ProducerJames Schamus
- CastingJohn Michael Kelsey
- Production DesignSarah Stollman
- Executive ProducerBrian Greenbaum
- CastingLaura Barnett
- CastingKarim Aïnouz
- Costume DesignJessica Haston
- CastingAndrew Harpending
- Makeup & HairAngela Johnson
- Associate ProducerLauren Zalaznick
- Special Effects Makeup ArtistScott Sliger
- Second Assistant DirectorMark Haffenreffer
- Second Assistant DirectorAndrew Harpending
- First Assistant DirectorChristine Vachon
- Set DresserMatthew Ebert
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- prison
- sexual abuse
- sexuality
- poetry
- punishment
- love
- murder
- domestic abuse
- disease
- scientist
- lgbt
- 1980s
- hiv/aids epidemic
- queer allegory
Release history · US
When it landed
- Premiere1991-01-11· Sundance Film Festival
- Premiere1991-04-19· USA Film festival
- Theatrical (limited)1991-04-05NC-17
- Digital2025-12-10· Letterboxd Video Store
Also known as
International titles
- VenenoPT
- DilitirioGR
- VenenoBR
- MételyHU
- ポイズンJP
- NuodaiLT
- VenenoMX
- ОтраваRU
- GiftSE
- ZəhərAZ
