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Alyce LaTourelle, Debbie Rochon, Sheri Wenden, Trent Haaga, Will Keenan

The mystery of a psychotic who is terrorizing Manhattan is linked to the activity of a low-budget film crew.

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78% liked it

4,291 ratings

R, 1 hr. 56 min.

Directed by: Lloyd Kaufman

Release Date: October 29, 1999

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DVD Release Date: January 23, 2001

Stats: 236 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (236)

  • stopitgoaway
    August 28, 2009
    stopitgoaway
    Indy directors schooled in shock had two options when Hollywood stepped in and stole their thunder with bad taste comedy hits like THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY and American PIE.

    1. Become like John Waters, lose your edge and deliver much tamer (and much more bland) stabs at the ...( read more)establishment or...

    2. Up the ante in terms of nihilistic gore, nudity, amorality, cruelty and cheap toilet gags.

    Lloyd Kaufman has, with this film, undoubtedly established himself as the poster boy for the latter. So possessed is this man to disgust, offend, shock and give viewers an alternative to good, decent, Speilbergian entertainment, he has whipped out a film that includes, but it certainly not limited to, dismemberment, decapitation, impalement, castration, breast mutilation, urination, scat, puking, incest, rape, child molestation, drug use, cheesy sound effects, flatulence, deformed sex organs, full nudity (male and female), a fetus ripped from a womb, soft core sex and gore-dripping overkill in any and every other possible department. I must say, that it's a hectic, erratic, messy film, but I was never once bored while watching it.

    Since the story takes place around the set of an independent movie (invaded by a hermaphroditic serial killer who hacks his/her way through the cast and crew in an effort to shut down the production) we also get some commentary on how the film industry works (and how it doesn't) and on the comedic virtues found in the lowest of low human behavior.

    All four of the leads (Will Keenan, Alyce LaTourelle, Trent Haaga and Debbie Rochon) are great. Kaufman himself also shows considerable on-screen appeal as Larry Benjamin, the aloof director of the film in question, who also happens to be blind, an idea copied by Woody Allen for his acclaimed (but apparently not all that original) film Hollywood ENDING in 2001!

    Fair enough to say that not everyone will be able to endure TERROR FIRMER, but be grateful someone has the audacity to slap Tinseltown in the face by beating them at their own game. The video and DVD both contain deleted scenes and outtakes and are available in uncut or R-rated versions. Watch for a cameo by SOUTH PARK creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and Motorhead's Lemmy during an amusing end credit sequence.
  • FangsFirst
    November 10, 2008
    FangsFirst
    I grew up on some Troma films, notably the original "classics" in the eyes of Troma fans (The Toxic Avenger and Class of Nuke 'Em High), as well as the sequels to both. I loved them all (even the maligned sequels) but did not see any other Troma films in the years f...( read more)ollowing (not even Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. or Tromeo and Juliet). A year or two or three after Terror Firmer as originally released, my best friend and I began going through Troma films as yet unseen by us, which included Troma's War (I believe--I think we didn't see most of it), Tromeo and Terror Firmer. I now knew that a sensibility that formerly lacked any sense of the politically correct or socially acceptable, that previously saw no reason to shy away from T&A or gore now had even less taste and an even greater hunger to amuse through offense.

    Jennifer (Alyce LaTourelle, who apparently originally loathed the film but has come around in retrospect) is a new PA on the set of Troma's latest movie about Toxie, caught between the earnest geeky desires of Jerry (Trent Haaga, in his first film role) and the stereotypical "Cool Guy Who's Too Much a Snake and a Jerk for Us to Like" Casey (Will Keenan, most known by then as Tromeo). Of course a love triangle is nothing to Lloyd Kaufman (joined this time in writing by Patrick Cassidy and Douglas Buck), so the natural addition, as seen in the opening scene (which involves an amputation that leads to a limb employed in a beatdown--the two events naturally connected--and a scene that most anyone with aspirations to taste would find offensive), is a psychotic killer woman of mysterious origins. As Jennifer bounces between Jerry and Casey, Larry Benjamin (Kaufman himself) directs the film blind (which is to say, the character of Benjamin is blind) with the help of a truly bizarre cast and crew, including scream queen Debbie Rochon as Christine, the busty star of the film-within-a-film, and her crazed boyfriend DJ (Mario Diaz, who bears a kind of resemblance to Crazy Harry the muppet) who flies into a jealous rage whenever he finds Christine sleeping with someone else (which happens a lot). Jerry does effects for the film, while The Toddster (Gary Hrbek) does sound (including his own "theme"), and loads more fill the sets occasionally in revolving positions, often directed around by Andy (Mo Fischer) when Larry is not ranting or threatening to blow his brains out over the crew's disobedience.

    This film involves penises, vulvas, abuse, rape, abortion, feces, murder, drugs and...quality independent film? Regardless of that little nugget of peculiarity, if the first set of concepts offends you, you probably shouldn't bother watching Troma movies. They carry these things out with a gleeful madness every time, never worrying about who will be offended because they are simply aiming for lack of restraint (and almost definitely offense). Even if you have a mentality that the above things are not laughing matters (and at least a couple of them are not), Lloyd always uses that aforementioned glee to make it clear that this is not actually about those things and it's just a nudge at the people who refuse to allow for such possibilities in film. It's the kind of thing that you can walk in and love or not. This doesn't make it a clear line of "love it or hate it" (I think no such thing exists), but there's certainly a clear line to start with of those who can watch it and those who cannot. It's easy to look at Tromeo and Juliet and Terror Firmer to see that the mentality of Troma's film-making had changed yet again after the twist it took with the sequels to their original classic films. Originally they were wild exploitation flicks with a strange sense of humour, then made a move that worked much like the changes wrought in the Evil Dead series--though in a sort of reverse order. The late 80s and early 90s Troma sequels bore more resemblance to the comedy-centric stylings of Army of Darkness than the comedy-horror mix of Evil Dead 2. A lot of the darkness disappeared, but then in the mid and late 90s with films like Terror Firmer, a semblance of darkness was returned without losing the madcap sense of humour, creating an even more unique stew than the original films (though I still feel they are the best works of Troma and have yet to be equalled). The complete lack of restraint and the drive for this lack of restraint is now what drives the films, rather than the prior attempts to (strangely, for Troma) aim for continuation of stories and play with the characters, not in a deep way of course, but in a way intended to gain audience sympathy for Toxie and capitalize on their love.

    Terror Firmer is sometimes considered an apex for Troma, and sometimes a low point. I accepted, after seeing these later films, that this was a new and different period for Troma and Terror Firmer does everything it should with respect to this ideology. Including Ron Jeremy, Lemmy Kilmister (of Motörhead, sillies), Joe Fleishaker, Trey Parker, Matt Stone is a brilliant move, and these inclusions matched with other nods are excellent for building the in-joke references that litter the movie and make it more fun for fans. One of the new experiences for me this time around was being familiar with the attitude toward the Spielberg films brought up (having even seen 2 of them now) and knowing who Sam Fuller is which made the exchange between Jennifer and Casey even more hilarious, for all new reasons. As per usual, Lloyd does have something to say behind the film, but he doesn't preach without a tongue planted firmly through his cheek--independent film is a lost art, and the art of making film outside the mentality of aiming for big budget shlock and schmaltz is being lost to the monetary gain and easy manipulation of the Spielberg-influenced schools of film-making. It's buried in piles of gore and breasts, but it's clear enough, and the Fuller/Spielberg conversation is good for directing your eye towards the actually intelligent brains behind this, which doubles as reassurance that this isn't an endorsement of what's going on, so much as the same kind of enjoyment you get from watching going into the creation.
  • Stinger839
    September 5, 2008
    Stinger839
    Beyond Tromafare for Citizens Toxie, Terror Firmer actually offers some interesting points about film-making and certainly Troma is better at satirizing themselves than the mainstream fair a la "Scary Movie", "Epic Movie", etc.

    Hilarious but perhaps far too silly (and unfamiliar...( read more)) for those unacquainted with the truly trash crap independent film and their rare glory.

    Does this movie dare to try to be "art"? Yes, and it succeeds better than a B movie should, proving that Troma is one cut above themselves.

    "Dig a hole and call the New York Post!"

    Troma's biggest problem is that any upcoming film-makers who may want to work for them *ahem* will expect a certain on set vibe because of this movie, and we're also plain aware that Troma is not as "no budget" as they claim and for the most part, just underpays the young and willing.
  • thefog1331
    June 6, 2007
    thefog1331
    Troma's best stuff.
  • kiriyamakazou
    May 28, 2006
    kiriyamakazou
    I love it. Disgusting. Sickening. Even made me feel like throwing up at times. Pure Troma gorgeousness. Twisted independent cinema. Cool.
  • EdGein469
    September 22, 2009
    EdGein469
    I first seen this movie on late night skinamax :p but was addicted ever since. Great acting and very entertaining (like most troma movies) with a very shocking ending.
  • jonnydaddy
    September 15, 2009
    jonnydaddy
    Not really into Troma movies. But this one was pretty good. It was funny, gory and sick. I am going to lok up some more from them
  • cacutshaw
    April 2, 2009
    cacutshaw
    My favourite Troma film, as much for the documentary included as the film itself. Sums up perfectly what Troma fans like about the company's movies: an all around lack of taste on any subject.
  • KLFilmmaker
    April 1, 2009
    KLFilmmaker
    Decent Troma movie. Same elements as in every production by this team. It's playful and has the over the top gore. One of the better films in the Troma catalog.
  • OldKentuckyShark
    December 8, 2008
    OldKentuckyShark
    Want to know what it's like to work on a Troma movie? Well as insane as this movie is, it's not too far from the truth.

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