Don't let the name fool you, "Farts of Darkness" is an interesting and candid look at the making of Troma's "Terror Firmer." The name's actually a riff on "Hearts of Darkness" the documentary about Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now" and like that film, "Farts" is a pulls-no-punches look at what it's really like making a crazy out of control movie.
Unlike many DVD documentaries, "Farts" is a feature-length film. It's not a puff piece about how much the actors loved the director and how the director loved the script and how the scriptwriters love themselves. Instead, it's odd people complaining about one another, while performing debasing acts of perversion and puking foaming green seltzer. Good taste be damned; nothing is spared for the viewer, and even director Lloyd Kaufman comes across as remarkably egoless (if a bit eager to yell at his staff).
On this journey up the river to Kurtz, so to speak, you are privy to the many Troma stunts, goofs, messups and roadblocks; like the "high" fall that had to be altered so the stuntman only fell about two stories, dealing with Lemmy who's on "speed, and booze" and doesn't feel like waiting around for his scenes, or the skinny black man who doubles as Joe Fleishaker, and the highly therapeutic exploding Lloyd scene.
"Terror Firmer" is fun for what it is; "Farts of Darkness" is a good movie, period. It's funny, grotesque, and it really makes you feel like you are part of the crew making the movie. Anyone who is interested in making movies (Regardless of whether it's for Troma or not) should check it out. Entertaining, informative, and genuinely disturbing, it's definitely a good DVD buy.
Unlike many DVD documentaries, "Farts" is a feature-length film. It's not a puff piece about how much the actors loved the director and how the director loved the script and how the scriptwriters love themselves. Instead, it's odd people complaining about one another, while performing debasing acts of perversion and puking foaming green seltzer. Good taste be damned; nothing is spared for the viewer, and even director Lloyd Kaufman comes across as remarkably egoless (if a bit eager to yell at his staff).
On this journey up the river to Kurtz, so to speak, you are privy to the many Troma stunts, goofs, messups and roadblocks; like the "high" fall that had to be altered so the stuntman only fell about two stories, dealing with Lemmy who's on "speed, and booze" and doesn't feel like waiting around for his scenes, or the skinny black man who doubles as Joe Fleishaker, and the highly therapeutic exploding Lloyd scene.
"Terror Firmer" is fun for what it is; "Farts of Darkness" is a good movie, period. It's funny, grotesque, and it really makes you feel like you are part of the crew making the movie. Anyone who is interested in making movies (Regardless of whether it's for Troma or not) should check it out. Entertaining, informative, and genuinely disturbing, it's definitely a good DVD buy.