History Film / Powder

[[OvershadowedByControversy This film was directed by Victor Salva, who had been convicted in 1988 of having molested a 12-year-old child actor.]] Salva's victim would eventually come forward to encourage people to boycott the film, a possible reason for its disappointing box office revenues (US$31 million). The controversy and low return is probably why Creator/{{Disney}}--owner of the film's release label Creator/HollywoodPictures--has never re-hired Salva since.

This film was directed by Victor Salva, who had been convicted in 1988 of having molested a 12-year-old child actor. Salva's victim would eventually come forward to encourage people to boycott the film, a possible reason for its disappointing box office revenues (US$31 million) The controversy and low return is probably why Creator/{{Disney}}--owner of the film's release label Creator/HollywoodPictures--has never re-hired Salva since.

''Powder'' is a [[TheNineties 1995]] film starring Creator/SeanPatrickFlanery as Jeremy "Powder" Reed -- a blindingly white, bald albino boy born with supernatural, electricity-based powers. Powder's mother, having been struck by lightning, suffered DeathByChildbirth and his father disowned him upon seeing his odd appearance, so his grandparents cared for him instead, though keeping him in the basement with nothing but books for solace. CPS agents take Powder from his home and to bring Powder into the outside world after his grandfather is discovered dead.

* BittersweetEnding: It's clear that despite the efforts of those who care about him Powder is never quite going to fit in with the rest of the world, because humanity hasn't caught up with him yet, so [[spoiler: he rushes out into a field as a lightning storm passes over, and manages to AscendToAHigherPlaneofExistence]].

* BittersweetEnding: It's clear that despite the efforts of those who care about him Powder is never quite going to fit in with the rest of the world, because humanity hasn't caught up with him yet, so [[spoiler: he rushes out into a field as a lightning storm passes over, and manages to Ascend To A Higher Plane of Existence]].

* MeaningfulName / ShoutOut: Several critics at the time pointed out the obviousness of two of the few characters who are kind to Powder -- Sheriff Doug ''Barnum'' and teacher Donald ''Ripley'' -- having the surnames of people who made careers out of hyping/showcasing people who were born "different" (P.T. Barnum and Robert Ripley, the latter the creator of ''Believe It or Not!'').

* CoolTeacher: Donald Ripley is a physics teacher ''trying'' to be this but coming off as a giant dork in practice; in his introductory scene he's demonstrating a Jacob's ladder to his students to impress them with "entertaining stuff". He ends up playing the trope straight in a meaningful way: Upon witnessing Powder's affinity for electricity being accidentally triggered by the demonstration (and rescuing him upon realizing what's happening) he's not only fascinated by, rather than fearful of, his abilities but also concerned for his welfare. He's saddened to learn that Powder's grandparents were afraid to touch him, meaning the boy grew up with virtually no physical contact.

* JerkassHasAPoint: Harley mentions a medical report that claimed Powder's grandfather was electrocuted. Barnum scoffs it off. However, given his powers, it would appear he may have either accidentally or intentionally killed his grandfather. [[spoiler: In fact it's implied that Powder tried to use his powers to revive his grandfather, the same way he saves John later in the film.]]

* CoolTeacher: Donald Ripley is a physics teacher ''trying'' to be this but coming off as a giant dork in practice; in his introductory scene he's demonstrating a Jacob's ladder to his students and noting "Don't I show you neat stuff?" He ends up playing the trope straight in a meaningful way: Upon witnessing Powder's affinity for electricity being accidentally triggered by the demonstration (and rescuing him upon realizing what's happening) he's not only fascinated by, rather than fearful of, his abilities but also concerned for his welfare. He's saddened to learn that Powder's grandparents were afraid to touch him, meaning the boy grew up with virtually no physical contact.

* CoolTeacher: Donald Ripley is a physics teacher ''trying'' to be this but coming off as {{Adorkable}} in practice; in his introductory scene he's demonstrating a Jacob's ladder to his students and noting "Don't I show you neat stuff?" He ends up playing the trope straight in a meaningful way: Upon witnessing Powder's affinity for electricity being accidentally triggered by the demonstration (and rescuing him upon realizing what's happening) he's not only fascinated by, rather than fearful of, his abilities but also concerned for his welfare. He's saddened to learn that Powder's grandparents were afraid to touch him, meaning the boy grew up with virtually no physical contact.

* MagicalDefibrillator: With his powers, he ''is'' this. Played straight with one of the bullies late in the film, but also subverted in that his abilities [[DeathByOriginStory failing to work on his grandparents]] [[TearJerker made Powder an orphan]].

This film was directed by Victor Salva, who had been convicted in 1988 of having molested a 12-year-old child actor. Salva's victim would eventually come forward to encourage people to boycott the film, a possible reason for its disappointing box office revenues (US$31 million) The controversy and low return is probably why Creator/{{Disney}}--owner of the film's release label HollywoodPictures--has never re-hired Salva since.

This film was directed by Victor Salva, who was guilty of molesting a 12-year-old child actor in 1988. Salva's victim would eventually come forward to get others to attempt to boycott the film, a possible reason for its disappointing box office revenues (US$31 million) The controversy and low return is probably why Creator/{{Disney}}--owner of the film's release label HollywoodPictures--has never re-hired Salva since.

''Powder'' is a [[TheNineties 1995]] film starring Sean Patrick Flanery as Jeremy "Powder" Reed -- a blindingly white, bald albino boy born with supernatural, electricity-based powers. Powder's mother, having been struck by lightning, suffered DeathByChildbirth and his father disowned him upon seeing his odd appearance, so his grandparents cared for him instead, though keeping him in the basement with nothing but books for solace. CPS agents take Powder from his home and to bring Powder into the outside world after his grandfather is discovered dead.

* CoolTeacher: Donald Ripley is a physics teacher ''trying'' to be this but coming off as {{Adorkable}} in practice; in his introductory scene he's demonstrating a Jacob's ladder to his students and noting "Don't I show you neat stuff?" He ends up playing the trope straight in a different way: Upon witnessing Powder's affinity for electricity being accidentally triggered by that demonstration, he's not only fascinated by (rather than fearful of) his abilities but concerned for his welfare, particularly upon learning that Powder's grandparents were afraid to so much as touch him.

* MistakenForGay: One point of the film has Powder stare at one of the boys at the gym washing himself in a drinking fountain, but envious of the more "normal" pigmentation of his skin as well as the hair on his head and body that he lacks, not that he's sexually attracted to him. The other boys catch him for this, assuming he's gay.

* MistakenForGay: One point of the film has Powder stare at one of the boys at the gym washing himself in a drinking fountain, but envious of the hair on his head and body that he lacks, not that he's sexually attracted to him. The other boys catch him for this, assuming he's gay.

* HeroicAlbino: The title character.

''Powder'' is a [[TheNineties 1995]] film starring Sean Patrick Flanery as Jeremy "Powder" Reed, a blindingly white, bald albino boy born with supernatural powers. Powder's mother had died during pregnancy and his father had disowned him, so his grandparents cared for him instead, though keeping him in the basement with nothing but books for solace. CPS agents take Powder from his home and to bring Powder into the outside world after his grandfather was discovered dead.

* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: [[spoiler:At the end of the film, Powder vanishes after running into a field and being struck by lightning. Doug theorizes that he transcended the mundane world and turned into pure energy.]]

* DeathByChildbirth: Powder's mother died giving birth to him. This leads his father to abandon him (Powder being albino is also probably a factor).

** If the characters depicted are any indication, it would seem that the country's worst bigots have all been dumped into this small town. You can count on one hand the characters who aren't openly hostile.

* HeelRealization: [[spoiler:Officer Harley after Powder makes him feel the pain of the deer he shot. However, while it causes him to never use a gun again, his appearance at the end of the film shows that he's still a {{Jerkass}} who hates Powder even more for having done that to him.]]
* HeroicAlbino

* JerkassHasAPoint: Harley mentioned briefly about a medical report that claimed Powder's grandfather was electrocuted. Barnum scoffs it off. However seeing his powers lead us to believe that he may have either accidentally or intentionally killed his grandfather. [[spoiler: It's implied that Powder tried to use his powers to revive his grandfather, the same way he saves John later in the film.]]
* MagicalDefibrillator: With his powers, he ''is'' this.
** Partially {{subverted}}. While it works on one of the bullies late in the film, it was this [[DeathByOriginStory failing to work on his grandparents]] [[TearJerker that made Powder an orphan]].

* TeensAreMonsters: John especially, although he's revealed to be like this because [[spoiler: his step-father abused him. It's implied he became a better person after Jeremy restarts his heart.]]
* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: The fate of [[spoiler: the titular character, who gets struck by lightning, but disappears outright, leaving nothing behind]].

%%* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth

%%* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence

* HeelRealization: [[spoiler:Officer Harley after Powder makes him feel the pain of the deer he shot. However, while it causes him to never use a gun again, his appearance at the end of the film shows that he's still a {{Jerkass}} who really, more than anything, resents Powder doing that to him.]]

* JerkassHasAPoint: Haley mentioned briefly about a medical report that claimed Powder's grandfather was electrocuted. Barnum scoffs it off. However seeing his powers lead us to believe that he may have either accidentally or intentionally killed his grandfather. [[spoiler: Seeing what he did do John though implied he may have tried using the same technique to try to revive his grandfather.]]

* TeensAreMonsters: John especially, although he's revealed to be like this because [[spoiler: his step-father abused him. It's although implied he's possibly redeemed after Jeremy restarts his heart.]]

* HoYay: Pretty much every scene that Jeff Goldblum's character shares with Powder.