Terror Firmer

Terror Firmer is an uncensored off-color comedy and horror film written and directed by legendary B-movie king, Lloyd Kaufman. Released in 1999 by Troma Entertainment, Terror Firmer quickly gained a cult following due to its outrageous style, its hilarious black comedy, and the rambunctiously crude yet strangely heartwarming depiction of low-budget film production.

In this Tromaville-filmed movie, a terribly disorganized independent film company attempts to produce a low-cost horror flick. The eclectic crew comprises Lawrence, played by Lloyd Kaufman, who's a blind film director with an indomitable spirit; Jerry, played by Trent Haaga, who's a special-effects man with a personality as explosive as his pyrotechnic talents; Casey, portrayed by Debbie Rochon, she's the saucy production manager and Jennifer, played by Alyce LaTourelle, the naive yet dedicated production assistant, constantly pulled between her desire for success in the film industry and her affections for Casey.

The ensemble also includes Will Keenan, featured as Larry Benjamin, a sensible and caring boom-mike operator. He's made it his personal duty to protect Jennifer from the hardship and chaos of the indie film world while developing feelings for her.

As if making a movie isn't chaotic enough, the film crew discovers they're being stalked by a sexually confused, serial killer. The film smartly intertwines the plot with an overtly exaggerated reality where the maniac hair-eater, who has a soft spot for Jerry's leg-hair sandwiches, adds a layer of horrifying uncertainty to the crew's already disoriented and tumultuous filming schedule.

Launched against the gritty backdrop of New York City, Terror Firmer really accentuates Kaufman's unique style and his uncanny ability to unhinge and twist everyday scenarios into a cinematic mish-mash of the grotesque and the weirdly touching. His signature is clearly visible through the humorous gore, lewd behavior, and a gratuitously reckless storyline. It showcases an unpredictable, no-holds-barred, underground world that is a staple of Kaufman's continued body of work.

How does a blind director manage a film production? Can Jennifer stay level-headed in this maelstorm of incoherence and gore? Will she manage the balance between her ambition and love life? More crucially, will they figure out the identity of their would-be killer before it is too late? Terror Firmer constantly evokes these wonderings in the viewers' minds throughout, making it a complete rollercoaster ride.

This film is surely not for the faint of heart, as it unabashedly embraces shocking visuals, offensive humor and a beautifully chaotic storyline that could only originate from the mind of Lloyd Kaufman, who himself is quite a character in the way he plays off his visual impairment. However, at the same time, the frequently bloody and cheekily bawdy film remains a cult favorite of not only the gore-enthusiast crowd but also to those who are fond of daringly outlandish cinema or those who are simply in for a unique cinematic experience.

Terror Firmer, while packed with over-the-top humor and stomach-churning gore, also makes significant strides in presenting a critical self-reflection and satire of the indie film industry. It plays with several themes, including the struggle of juggling creative passion with commercial demands, the chaos of jumbled egos on set, and the comically laborious lengths independent filmmakers will go to get their vision on screen.

Featuring countless memorable moments, outrageous performances, and bizarre plot twists, Terror Firmer is both a hilarious comedy and a gruesome horror film. From an unforgettable game of 'hide-the-utensil' in an early scene to an astonishing attack involving a prosthetic leg and sandwich—an infamous scene that's enshrined in the annals of cult cinema—Terror Firmer is chock full of cinematic rowdiness that only Kaufman and Troma could dish out.

In summarizing, Terror Firmer is an oddly endearing homage to low-budget filmmaking, disharmoniously weaving a labyrinth of love, lust, artistic endeavor, enormous naked men, and unforeseeable horror into a fantastical spectacle that's been toasted and decried by audiences, but most certainly never forgotten. Surely, Terror Firmer has earned its place among the classics of cult and indie cinema.