| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Sean |
Posted - 24/05/2007 : 02:52:27
Having recently hit the ripe old age of 40, I made a list of things that I had to do before I die of old age.  To cut a long story short, one of them was to watch Monsturd. I noticed Amazon had it for $6, so I added a copy to my latest order of CDs.
I was expecting the worst. IMDb score was 3.8, that usually means forget it (only 200 voters though). I feared it was going to be a steaming pile of shite, and beyond redemption, i.e., one of those low-budget films that was simply bad, with no redeeming qualities at all. I was expecting to dispose of the DVD somehow after watching it (e.g., give it to another fwfrer who just had to watch it), or perhaps hide the DVD in the back of a cupboard so nobody visiting my house would ever see it, I didn't want to try and explain why I'd bought a crappy poo-monster movie. 
But, Monsturd now takes pride of place on my DVD shelf... in between LOTR and MOTP. I'm pleased to say that it was far better than I would have dared hope, and I'm not parting with it... ever!  It was a comedy, nothing more, nothing less. It wasn't always funny, but parts of it were hysterically so. There were some hilariously memorable lines, and segments that were so ridiculous that they were simply funny, but deliberately so.
Some favourite bits and interesting facts:-
- Writer/director/actor/producers Rick Popko and Dan West had been best friends for 20 years or so, since school. They play a classic comedy duo as screwball cops, they fed off each other extremely well. And yep, they could act, in the B-comedy way.
- The movie cost US$3,000 to make. Repeat, the total cost for making this movie was US$3,000. No actors were paid. All work was done by themselves or volunteers. All actors were friends of Popko and West.
- The movie was made over two years in weekends and evenings in San Francisco. One year filming, one year editing and production.
Funny plot points:-
- The poo-monster is a serial killer... in poo form. His name is Jack Schmidt.
- He kills people by entering their toilet from the sewer when they're 'on the throne'. 
- He writes scatological one-liners on their toilet walls. Yep, toilet graffiti.  It shouldn't be necessary to point out what he uses to write his messages. 
- The town inhabitants are told to avoid using their toilets until the cops have flushed out the poo-monster. Unfortunately this coincides with the annual chilli-eating festival (that's chili-con-carne in some parts of the world). And yep, it's extra hot and spicy. 
- The grand finale involves a confrontation with the poo-monster. The cops are armed in Wyatt-Earp style, but on one hip is a toilet plunger, on the other a toilet roll (with dispenser). They also have diapers (nappies) on their heads, are armed with haemorrhoidal suppositories, and giant squirter guns filled with laxatives. Oh, and a container filled with 1,000,000 flies to eat him once he's been disintegrated by the laxatives.
Anyway, you get the picture. It's completely ridiculous, but shows that with dedication and hard-work, a supply of free labour, and an infantile sense of humour it's possible to make an entertaining movie for US$3,000. I enjoyed it more than Spiderman 3 or Pirates of the Caribbean 2 at any rate. I won't be watching those two again, but certainly will give Monsturd a number two viewing.
Oh yeah, there was also a funny 20 minute collection of bloopers and behind-the-scenes footage.  In some cases during filming there was nobody behind the camera, they'd set it up, hit record and run onto the set and do the scene. And poo-makeup was applied by fingertip and consisted of a pot of chocolate mousse from the fridge.
I was disappointed in the IMDb score, I can only assume that some who watched it were expecting something other than what they got. Not quite sure what you'd expect from a movie entitled "Monsturd". So I gave it 10/10 and lifted the score from 3.8 to 4.0. Overall I'd give it a 7 though.
An interview with Rick and Dan.
Rick and Dan's website.
So, is anyone else gonna admit to watching this steaming pile of shite? |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| SixFourian |
Posted - 21/10/2008 : 02:21:16
And I was worried about being embarrassed getting a ticket for High School Musical. I wonder whether the P.C.C. will have this. They had Zombie Strippers, which I went into without a thought until I got in there and the whole audience was seedy-looking men each on their own. It was like going into an actual lap-dancing club (which I must say is a truly depressing experience). |
| Sean |
Posted - 21/10/2008 : 01:35:50
quote:
Originally posted by Se�n
The Monsturd sequel should be out by the end of the summer (not on IMDb yet) but it looks like they're going to have to change the name from RetarDEAD, they were getting too much negative feedback on it, and feared some distributors were going to refuse to stock it based simply on the title. I'm not entirely surprised, it's a catchy title but PC-ness would make it unusable. (RetarDEAD is about some special-needs kids (disabled kids) who turn into zombies ).
Well it's finally on IMDb (and therefore fwfr).
Get reviewing... |
| Cheese_Ed |
Posted - 21/06/2007 : 14:36:24
This avatar could be a similar horror movie set in Wisconsin...
Monscurd! |
| bife |
Posted - 30/05/2007 : 06:02:40
quote:
Originally posted by Joe Blevins
quote:
Originally posted by TitanPa
We should create a movie of the month club. Pick an obscure movie and then watch it and then report back and talk about it. Sounds like a cool idea. Wonder if we can get Oprah to host it. If she's too busy...maybe Bafta will do 
I just want to second the motion of a FWFR "movie of the month club," sort of like a book club. I'd definitely be on board.
I'm in |
| Joe Blevins |
Posted - 30/05/2007 : 01:46:23
quote:
Originally posted by TitanPa
We should create a movie of the month club. Pick an obscure movie and then watch it and then report back and talk about it. Sounds like a cool idea. Wonder if we can get Oprah to host it. If she's too busy...maybe Bafta will do
I just want to second the motion of a FWFR "movie of the month club," sort of like a book club. I'd definitely be on board.
|
| Sean |
Posted - 29/05/2007 : 06:37:59
quote:
Originally posted by Joe Blevins
Speaking of "grindhouse" marketing, check this out:
http://www.somethingawful.com/d/photoshop-phriday/grindhouse-movies.php
Some of these are ridiculous, of course, but many could be used as the actual posters. Enjoy!
Some are hilarious. |
| GHcool |
Posted - 29/05/2007 : 05:31:17
quote:
Originally posted by Joe Blevins
quote:
Originally posted by GHcool
That trailer is hilarious! It reminds me of some of the fake trailers in Grindhouse. I wish they would still make teasers like that one that don't give away anything about the plot, but still manage to spark your curiosity.
A very funny trailer which proves that you can arouse interest in your movie without giving anything substantial away. Above all, I *hate* trailers for comedies which give away the jokes in advance. The funniest lines are often in the trailer, so no one laughs during the actual movie.
Speaking of "grindhouse" marketing, check this out:
http://www.somethingawful.com/d/photoshop-phriday/grindhouse-movies.php
Some of these are ridiculous, of course, but many could be used as the actual posters. Enjoy!
I actually like many of these posters. The plots of Children of Men and Requiem for a Dream could actually sit quite nicely in a Grindhouse-type setting if the writing, production values, and acting weren't given the attention to detail that it was.
As for your complaint about comedy trailers, mia culpa. My current job is cutting a lame tv show that advertises movies by using the electronic press kits studios send shows like mine. One of the easiest and most successful things I do on my show are spoil some of the better scenes. Its sad and I hate to admit it, but that's what people want! When Cast Away was being advertised, film buffs were angry that the trailer showed scenes from what happens after Tom Hanks gets off the island! That took away a great deal of the suspense in the film. The film's director, Robert Zemeckis, wrung his hands and made a good analogy: the reason McDonalds is so successful is because people get exactly what they are going to expect to get. |
| Joe Blevins |
Posted - 28/05/2007 : 21:46:13
quote:
Originally posted by GHcool
That trailer is hilarious! It reminds me of some of the fake trailers in Grindhouse. I wish they would still make teasers like that one that don't give away anything about the plot, but still manage to spark your curiosity.
A very funny trailer which proves that you can arouse interest in your movie without giving anything substantial away. Above all, I *hate* trailers for comedies which give away the jokes in advance. The funniest lines are often in the trailer, so no one laughs during the actual movie.
Speaking of "grindhouse" marketing, check this out:
http://www.somethingawful.com/d/photoshop-phriday/grindhouse-movies.php
Some of these are ridiculous, of course, but many could be used as the actual posters. Enjoy! |
| GHcool |
Posted - 27/05/2007 : 02:18:00
quote:
Originally posted by thefoxboy
quote:
Originally posted by TitanPa
I saw it was on Netflix. So One day I added it to my list. Then to not seem crazy by my wife I took it off my list. I didnt know how to explain why I wanted to see it.
What's next Sean? Chatterbox??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i49FXTM9X2g
That trailer is hilarious! It reminds me of some of the fake trailers in Grindhouse. I wish they would still make teasers like that one that don't give away anything about the plot, but still manage to spark your curiosity. |
| TitanPa |
Posted - 26/05/2007 : 04:56:08
quote:
Originally posted by Se�n
quote:
Originally posted by TitanPa
I saw it was on Netflix. So One day I added it to my list. Then to not seem crazy by my wife I took it off my list. I didnt know how to explain why I wanted to see it.
What's next Sean? Chatterbox??
Ah, you should put it back on your list. Watch it one day when your wife is out. 
I wouldn't mind watching Chatterbox just for curiosity, but as foxy said it's too pricey.
I'd still have to explain why I got it and why I wanted to see it. Like I did when I got '1 Night in Paris' in the mail. Thanx again foxboy |
| Sean |
Posted - 25/05/2007 : 23:33:34
I heard back from both Rick Popko and Dan West. They both said they knew about fwfr but hadn't checked it for a while, Rick said he'll have another look. I'd guess they picked it up with Google at some stage.
The Monsturd sequel should be out by the end of the summer (not on IMDb yet) but it looks like they're going to have to change the name from RetarDEAD, they were getting too much negative feedback on it, and feared some distributors were going to refuse to stock it based simply on the title. I'm not entirely surprised, it's a catchy title but PC-ness would make it unusable. (RetarDEAD is about some special-needs kids (disabled kids) who turn into zombies ).
Here's another review for Monsturd just to prove that me and foxy aren't the only ones who liked it.
So is that it then? Nobody else has seen Monsturd? Actually I read all 260-odd reviews for it while looking for signs that reviewers knew more about the movie than the basic premise, and came to the conclusion that everyone reviewed it from IMDb plot summary, and that I'm probably the first fwfrer to watch it. |
| thefoxboy |
Posted - 25/05/2007 : 06:51:27
quote:
Originally posted by TitanPa
I saw it was on Netflix. So One day I added it to my list. Then to not seem crazy by my wife I took it off my list. I didnt know how to explain why I wanted to see it.
What's next Sean? Chatterbox??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i49FXTM9X2g |
| BaftaBaby |
Posted - 25/05/2007 : 05:35:43
quote:
Originally posted by TitanPa
We should create a movie of the month club. Pick an obscure movie and then watch it and then report back and talk about it. Sounds like a cool idea. Wonder if we can get Oprah to host it. If she's too busy...maybe Bafta will do
It would be an honor and even an honour to make like some Whoopi - though I ain't in her league! And hosting's about all I could expect with this one as I'm unlikely to have seen or be seeing any of these, ahem, classics!
Someone else might have to organize it, however. Then just tap on my star dresssing-room [rolls eyes in a George Clooney in Oceans 13 kind of way]
Sounds like fun!
|
| thefoxboy |
Posted - 25/05/2007 : 04:37:53
I remember when Video (Beta) first come out, well in Australia anyway.
Video stores started opening up everywhere and were charging something like $500 just to become a member of the store, membership allowed you to rent the movies. Yes, you still had to pay to rent them. |
| Sean |
Posted - 25/05/2007 : 04:04:55
quote:
Originally posted by Joe Blevins
Does anyone here remember the Golden Age of small-time, independent video stores? For the aspiring film fanatic, it was paradise. They had a few new releases here and there, but most of the store was taken up with oldies. You could really get an education in cinema... and see all of the weird cult movies that you'd only read about. Do any of these places still exist?
There's one in my town (50,000 people). It tends to stock new off-beat DVDs, and has piles of old worn-out VHS movies. But, I suspect it's days may be numbered, there never seems to be anyone in the store. It's competing with at least two other chain-DVD-rental stores, not to mention the netflix equivalents. I think the only reason it still exists is the owner is a millionaire movie-buff who owns a few other local businesses and commercial properties, and is prepared to take a loss on it.
I haven't rented a movie locally for at least a year, the online rental agency I use is soooo much cheaper, more convenient and it's library is so much bigger. Having said that, there are still plenty of movies I want that I can't find.  |
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