Poison Ivy: The New Seduction
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| Poison Ivy: The New Seduction | |
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 DVD cover |
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| Directed by | Kurt Voss |
| Produced by | Catalaine Knell |
| Written by | Karen Kelly |
| Starring | Jaime Pressly Michael Des Barres Megan Edwards Greg Vaughan Susan Tyrrell Athena Massey Susan Ward Shanna Moakler |
| Music by | Reg Powell |
| Cinematography | Feliks Parnell |
| Editing by | John Rosenberg |
| Distributed by | New Line Cinema |
| Release date(s) | May 20, 1997 (USA) |
| Running time | 95 min. (unrated version) |
| Language | English |
| Budget | Unknown |
| Preceded by | Poison Ivy II: Lily |
| Followed by | Poison Ivy IV: The Secret Society |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Poison Ivy: The New Seduction is a 1997 erotic thriller/drama film starring Jaime Pressly, and the third film in the Poison Ivy series, which consisted of Poison Ivy (1992) and Poison Ivy II: Lily (1995) and Poison Ivy 4: The Secret Society (2008). It was directed by Kurt Voss and written by Karen Kelly. The original music score is composed by Reg Powell. The film is marketed with the tagline "All the rules are about to be broken."
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[edit] General Synopsis
Poison Ivy: The New Seduction focuses on the central conflict between the obsessed hedonist Violet and her friend and foe Joy of a more complacent and sensible personality.
The drama's only setting is the Greer family's California hillside mansion. In 1987 Ivan and Catherine Greer live with their 9-year-old daughter Joy and their housekeeper Rebecca and her two daughters, Ivy 9, and Violet 8. The three young girls live as sisters but the more rambunctious Ivy is bored by their childish games of tea and rejoices at Ivan's unexpected early day return from the office, "There's going to be fireworks."
As Ivy predicts, Ivan catches Rebecca in bed with the handsome pool boy, and the two men scuffle. As Ivan tends to his wounds he and Rebecca begin a loud argument about their adulterous affair. The shouting brings Catherine's attention from the garden, who upon learning of the affair immediately evicts Rebecca and her children. Rebecca retaliates that Catherine cannot fulfill Ivan's sexual desires. As she and her daughters leave the Greer mansion Joy is heartbroken to lose her only known siblings.
In 1997 the Nordic beauty Violet returns to Greer home and is reunited with Joy for the first time in ten years. Violet states that she is looking for a summer time residence while working as a waitress at Denny's Restaurants and planning to attend the local Junior College. Joy suggests that she reside with them and stay in the late Catherine's room. Joy is an amateur tennis star and engaged to her Princeton boyfriend Michael who will be working as an intern for Mr. Greer's bank.
During a late night party Violet feels isolated and ridiculed by Joy's Ivy League friends and excuses herself for late shift work. Afterwards Michael takes Joy to her room and initiates foreplay only to be rejected. He accuses Joy of being sexually frigid and insultingly says he understands her father's infidelity. As Michael is on his way out he runs into Violet dressed in a sadomasochistic costume which causes him to question her employment at Denny's. Violet states that the two have gotten off on the wrong foot, and promptly gives him a blowjob.
Violet's obsession with Joy motivates her to destroy all of her other relationships. When her tennis partner Jamie comes over to practice with Joy, Violet spikes their drinks with alcohol and then undresses in bed with the unconscious and handcuffed Jaimie convincing her the three have just engaged in sex. A horrified, half clothed, and handcuffed Jaimie flees the Greers' thus ending their friendship.
Michael is Violet's next target. While by the Greer pool she convinces him Joy has been unfaithful and seduces him into sex and provides him with cocaine to reignite his former addiction. Michael is not appreciative of her vices and vows never to see her again, thereby confirming her prejudiced belief that all men are uncaring and deceitful.
Ivan is the next to be seduced as Violet sabotages his date when she swims topless in his pool, and dresses in his late wife's clothing. The two wish to rekindle the passion that existed during Ivan's affair with Rebecca.
The Greers' housekeeper Mrs. B quickly catches on to the affair and makes enemies with Violet in her attempts to thwart her schemes.
Michael confronts Violet while she is "street walking". He has lost his internship at the bank due to drugs and reveals that he knows of her schemes including working as a sadomasochistic prostitute, her false employment at Denny's, and her dark family history including the death of Ivy. (Alluding to the original film.) He threatens that she must leave the Greers' before he tells Joy the truth.
When Michael arrives at the Greers' later that day, Violet attacks him and murders him with a drug overdose.
Joy returns from a failed tennis match distraught at the recent drama of events only to learn of Michael's death and walk in on her father and Violet in sadomasochism. As a traumatized Joy flees, Ivan tells Violet she must leave, to which she accuses him of repeating the abandonment of her mother. She knocks Ivan unconscious and places him in the garage fatally poisoning him with carbon monoxide by leaving a car engine running.
After a drive, Joy returns that same night to now discover Mrs. B also murdered. Violet induces Joy to dress up and play tea like children where they will commit suicide by drinking poison. Joy violently resists by splashing the poison on Violet's face and the two wrestle around the room. Violet attempts to stab Joy with a pair of scissors, but Joy is able to knock her back before she strikes. Joy races out of the room to the stairway, where she leans on the banister and cries out for help. Violet regains her senses and goes to resume her attack. Violet is spun around by Joy and begins to lose her balance at the top of the stairs. Joy grasps the end of Violet's pearl necklace to keep her from falling.
Joy grabs the pearl necklace with her other hand and pleads with Violet to reach out and save herself. Violet, instead, leans her head back and raises her arms in the air. In doing so, the necklace shatters and Violet's feet slip, causing her to fall backwards down the stairs. Violet lies motionless at the bottom of the stairs, lifeless. Joy calmly exits the mansion. The loss of her entire family circle is saddening, but it may provide her with the opportunity to begin anew and leave behind the darkness of her family past.
[edit] Main cast
- Jaime Pressly - Violet
- Megan Edwards - Joy Greer
- Michael Des Barres - Ivan Greer
- Greg Vaughan - Michael
- Susan Tyrrell - Mrs. B
- Merete Van Kamp - Catherine Greer
- Gregory Vignolle - Alvaro
- Athena Massey - Rebecca
- Shanna Moakler - Jaimie
- Terence Paul Winter - Ethan
- Susan Ward - Sandy
- Michael McLafferty - Scott
[edit] Soundtrack Listing
"Strange" Written by Thomas G. DeLuca, Saffron Henderson & Christopher Ward Performed by Saffron Henderson
"Black Cairo" Written & Performed by Marino Licensed by Marino Soundwaves (ASCAP)
"Jesus Hangs On The Wall" Written by Sam Lapides Performed by Ghosthouse Licensed by Transitory Monolith (BMI)
"Evil Woman" Written & Performed by Marino Licensed by Marino Soundwaves (ASCAP)
"Train" Written & Performed by Empty Set Licensed from Occasional Ignation (ASCAP) Courtesy of Birdcage Records
"Deep In My Love" Written & Performed by Gregg Pagani & Donna Taylor Published by Tom's Kid Music (BMI)
"Cloudy Days" Written by Vincent Brantley & Tenyce Thevs Performed by Nikki Produced by "Vernon" for Scandalous Records
"Now" Written by Thomas G. DeLuca, Saffron Henderson & Christopher Ward Performed by Saffron Henderson
