The Dark Backward (1991)

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:

Brat Pack | Bizarre | Accordion | Black Comedy | Freak

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)

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
Michael Donahue	....	assistant editor
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

Distributors

• Greycat Films
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Alterian
• Special Effects Systems

Other Companies

• Clein & White Inc.  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 (2000)

perhaps the dirtiest film ever?

I don't know whether I've ever encountered another film with quite as much on screen filth as this one... not filth in the pornographic sense, but in the sense that there is a layer of dirt covering just about everything all through the film. I remember looking at the case and seeing the claim that it compared to Brazil, Pink Flamingos and Eraserhead. At the time I thought it would be worth the money just to be able to tear it to shreds after watching it... but it turned out to be a very endearing film that paints a sinister picture of opportunism. Of course, The Dark Backward isn't going to appeal to just anyone, but anyone who finds humour in scenes of perversion and obvious discomfort will recognise this one as a gem.