The Dark Backward (1991)

User Rating:

4.3/10   

Director:

Adam Rifkin

Writer:

Adam Rifkin (writer)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

It's the world inside out.

Plot:

A man pursues stand-up comedy encouraged by his fellow garbage man. Though his friend, who accompanies him on accordion...

Plot Keywords:

Accordion | Freak | Brat Pack | Surrealism | Black Comedy

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Judd Nelson	...	Marty Malt
Bill Paxton	...	Gus
Wayne Newton	...	Jackie Chrome
Lara Flynn Boyle	...	Rosarita
James Caan	...	Doctor Scurvy
Rob Lowe	...	Dirk Delta
King Moody	...	Twinkee Doodle
Claudia Christian	...	Kitty
Danny Dayton	...	Syd
Carrie Lynn	...	Nicolette
Anna Berger	...	Mrs. Malt
Lydell M. Cheshier	...	Dexter
Tom Hodges	...	Marjorie Zipp
Theodocia Goodrich	...	Mrs. Bielfuss
Laurianne Jameson	...	Shirley
Debra Perkins	...	Pickles
Charles Knapp	...	Sloppy
Clifford Streit	...	Raoul
Richard Morrison	...	Elvis
Charles Winkler	...	Dirk Delta's Assistant
Landon Godfrey	...	Unfamiliar Waitress
Gary Vonderlinden	...	Joey
Roberts Gannaway	...	Denny Ginkle
Marc David Decker	...	Barber
Scott Goldman	...	Mouseman
Adam Rifkin	...	Rufus Bing
Michele Rifkin	...	Seamstress
Harold Sokol	...	Apples Yonahan
Ingrid Rifkin	...	Cigarette Girl
Elizabeth Sokol	...	Lady Wrapped in Guaze
Steve Bing	...	Basketball Player
Tony Markes	...	Muscle Man
Jason Logan	...	Man Behind Counter
Milica Kastner	...	Dirk's Babe (as Milicia Kastner)
Libby White-Cooper	...	Dirk's Babe
Tony Cox	...	Human Xylophone
Tanya Banks	...	Human Xylophone
Cindy Sorenson	...	Human Xylophone
Arturo Gil	...	Human Xylophone
John Hayden	...	Human Xylophone
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Johnny Mask	...	Sobbing Patron (uncredited)
Nina L. Sussman	...	Garbage Dump Corpse (uncredited)
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Patron at Sloppy's (uncredited) (unconfirmed)

Directed by
Adam Rifkin

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Adam Rifkin		writer

Produced by
Lucy Ann Buffett	....	associate producer (as Lucy Anne Buffett)
Ron Diamond	....	co-producer (as Ronald J. Diamond)
Cassian Elwes	....	producer
Mark Daniel Jones	....	executive producer
Lisa Lange	....	associate producer
William Talmadge	....	executive producer
Randolf Turrow	....	executive producer
Brad Wyman	....	producer

Original Music by
Marc David Decker

Cinematography by
Joey Forsyte

Film Editing by
Peter Schink

Casting by
Tony Markes

Production Design by
Sherman Williams

Art Direction by
Wendy Guidery

Costume Design by
Alexandria Forster

Makeup Department
Margaux Andersen	....	additional makeup artist
Sheryl Berkoff	....	key hair stylist
Sheryl Berkoff	....	key makeup artist
Michael Burnett	....	special makeup effects artist
Kelcey Fry	....	additional makeup artist
Tony Gardner	....	special makeup designer
Lesa Ann Pedriana	....	additional makeup artist (as Lesa-Ann Pedriana)
Nina L. Sussman	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Ron Diamond	....	unit production manager (as Ronald J. Diamond)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chris Edmonds	....	first assistant director
Katie James	....	second assistant director
Ann C. Salzer	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Marc Alexandre	....	carpenter
Aram Allan	....	construction coordinator
Noah Burke	....	additional prop assistant
Stanton Chaney	....	set dresser
Brian Clarke	....	artist: Blumps artwork
Daniel E. Espinosa	....	carpenter
Robert Falls	....	set dresser
Hassan Ali Fatemi	....	art department assistant
Amanda J. Flick	....	billboard artist
Robbie Freed	....	on-set dresser (as Robert Freed)
Steven Metz Freiman	....	leadman
Matthew Haynes	....	carpenter
Paul Holman	....	set dresser
Claire Kaufman	....	key scenic artist
Charles Mehling	....	set dresser
Kenny Minster	....	property master
Bradley James Norlander	....	scenic artist
Jeffrey Paul Norlander	....	scenic artist
Dan Povenmire	....	storyboard artist
'B.' Umberto Rozzo	....	set dresser (as Be Rozzo)
Bruce Sulzberg	....	art department assistant
Jesse Vare	....	assistant to production designer
Dara Waxman	....	assistant property master (as Dara Lauren Waxman)
Tim Worman	....	scenic artist

Sound Department
Paul Aronoff	....	foley recordist
Brad Blake	....	foley recordist
Tom Caton	....	boom operator (as Huck Caton)
Mary Jo Devenney	....	sound mixer
Patrick M. Griffith	....	supervising sound editor
J. Stanley Johnston	....	technical support
William B. Johnston	....	technical support
Gerry Lentz	....	adr recordist
Gerry Lentz	....	sound recording engineer
Paul Vik Marshall	....	boom operator
Dean Minnerly	....	foley artist
Robert Muchnicki	....	foley artist (as Rob Muchnicki)
Derrick Perkins	....	digital sound designer (as Derrick C. Perkins)
Ken S. Polk	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ken S. Polk	....	sound recording engineer
Christopher B. Reeves	....	dialogue editor (as Christopher Reeves)
Scott Sanders	....	adr recordist
Steve F.B. Smith	....	consultant: Dolby stereo

Special Effects by
Gary F. Bentley	....	special effects
Paul Salamoff	....	special effects makeup

Camera and Electrical Department
Stephenie Blakemore	....	best boy electric (as Steph Blakemore)
Anderson Broussard III	....	electrician (as A. Broussard III)
Stacey Ann Cohen	....	first assistant camera
Jerome Fauci	....	Steadicam operator
Juan M. García	....	best boy grip
Dean Jackson	....	grip
Scott C. Johnston	....	dolly grip
Scott C. Johnston	....	key grip
Rachel Kligerman	....	assistant still photographer
Dan Kneece	....	Steadicam operator
William K. Koski	....	electrician
Kevin McNeil	....	grip
John C. Nadeau	....	electrician
Gerry O'Malley	....	first assistant camera
Heather Page	....	second assistant camera
Lesa Ann Pedriana	....	still photographer (as Lesa-Ann Pedriana)
Denny Ray	....	camera production assistant
Brett Santucci	....	grip
Roger Schweitzer	....	video playback operator
James H. Sweeney	....	electrician
Newton TerMeer	....	gaffer
J. Wesley	....	grip
John Willis III	....	electrician (as John 'Jay' Willis III)
Ignacio Woolfolk	....	grip (as Nacho Woolfolk)
Robert D. Yeoman	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as Robert Yeoman)

Animation Department
Carol Ann Coates	....	cel painter
Shannon Dye	....	cel painter
David Kuhn	....	animator (as Dave Kuhn)
Dan Povenmire	....	animator
James Pyper	....	cel painter
Fred Stringer	....	cel painter
Gary Vonderlinden	....	cel painter

Casting Department
Adele Daniller	....	casting assistant
Nicole Nathanson	....	casting assistant
Robin Strober	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lesley Aitken	....	wardrobe assistant
Terry Binder	....	additional wardrobe assistant
Alicia Lunes	....	seamstress

Editorial Department
Mike Donahue	....	assistant editor (as Michael Donahue)
Julia Gray	....	first assistant film editor
Robert O'Haver	....	apprentice editor
Jill K. Pontiff	....	apprentice editor
Chuck Winston	....	color timer

Music Department
Joe Boemecke	....	musician: accordion
Marc David Decker	....	conductor
David Jenkins	....	music producer
David McKelvey	....	music coach: harmonica, Bill Paxton
Melba Yale	....	music coach: accordion, Bill Paxton

Transportation Department
Mitchell Bergman	....	transportation coordinator
Jeff Freitas	....	driver
Sam McCutchen	....	driver
John F. Teeple	....	driver: honeywagon (as John Teeple)

Other crew
Brian Belknap	....	supplier: accordion
Elisar Cabrera	....	production assistant
Jeffrey Capp	....	production assistant
Miles Dougal	....	third arm anatomical reference expert
Mark Fifer	....	location manager
Jamie Geller	....	publicist
Dillon Kastner	....	production assistant
John D. Kelly	....	production assistant
Kathy Lubinsky	....	script supervisor
Susan Markes	....	unit publicist
Glenn Mason	....	production assistant
Richard McQuilkin	....	project development
Laurie Russman	....	craft service
Sandy Sanocki-Johnson	....	assistant to producer
David Silverman	....	creator: Blumps concept
David Spell	....	assistant to director
Bill Stevens	....	production assistant
Benjamin Whitehouse	....	production accountant (as Benj Whitehouse)
William W. Williams	....	production assistant (as W. Wythe Williams)

Production Companies

• Backward Films
• Monrovia Alterian Studios

Distributors

• Greycat Films
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)

Special Effects

• Alterian
• Special Effects Systems

Other Companies

• Clein & White  publicity
• Juan's On Location Technical Security  security

Also Known As:

The Man with Three Arms (UK)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:R | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Backward Films

Quotes:

Gus: I will laugh SO hard, my stomach will burst open and spray bile all over the stage!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Welcome to Hollywood (1998)

Like a train wreck, I couldn't take my eyes off it!

This is without a doubt the dirtiest and grimiest looking film that I have ever seen. Its also maybe the strangest thing I have ever laid eyes on. Story is about a truly pathetic excuse for a man named Marty Malt (Judd Nelson) who works as a garbage man during the day but at night he's the worst stand-up comedian and occasionally works in some despicable dives. His co-worker and friend is Gus (Bill Paxton) who eggs him on to keep trying to be a successful comedian. Marty has the hots for a waitress named Rosarita (Lara Flynn Boyle) but is to shy and weird to go for it. One day Gus notices a lump on Marty's back and he goes to see Doctor Scurvy (James Caan) who just puts bandages on it. Soon the lump grows into a third arm and Gus has an idea of Marty putting it into his act while he plays the accordion. Gus introduces Marty to a scummy talent agent named Jackie Chrome (Wayne Newton) and he books them on a local TV show starring Dirk Delta (Rob Lowe). The whole look of this film is dark and filthy. Not dirty, filthy! Its downright gross in some scenes and they usually involve the character Gus. In one scene they find the corpse of a woman at the city dump and Gus decides to lick her breasts! In another scene Gus is having a party with a bunch of incredibly obese women and French kissing them. They're is so much garbage used in this film that its the main focus in the movie. Not the third arm. Is this a good film? God no. Is it interesting? I wouldn't exactly say that. But I would be lying if I said I wasn't morbidly fascinated by it. Directed by Adam Rifkin who did create the atmosphere that he wanted. Its a disgusting one, but he succeeded in how he wanted his film to look. This has "Cult Film" written all over it. If you have a strong stomach and you enjoy cult films than you might want to check this out. For everyone else, your warned!