The Dark Backward (The Man with Three Arms) (1991)

45% of critics liked it
(11 reviews)
60% of users liked it
(487 ratings)

Writer/director Adam Rifkin's The Dark Backward is set in a dark, grimy, garbage-strewn urban netherworld, where a company named "Blump's" apparently owns everything. Marty Malt (Judd Nelson of The Breakfast Club) is an unhappy garbageman who moonlights as an atrociously unfunny standup comic. His… More Writer/director Adam Rifkin's The Dark Backward is set in a dark, grimy, garbage-strewn urban netherworld, where a company named "Blump's" apparently owns everything. Marty Malt (Judd Nelson of The Breakfast Club) is an unhappy garbageman who moonlights as an atrociously unfunny standup comic. His best friend and fellow trash collector, Gus (Bill Paxton), is the only one who laughs at his jokes, and his sincerity is questionable. The obnoxiously exuberant Gus plays an accordion, which he always carries with him. Marty is seeing Rosarita (Lara Flynn Boyle), a waitress, but she doesn't seem too interested in him, either. One day, Gus convinces a talent agent, Jackie Chrome (Las Vegas circuit staple Wayne Newton), to check out Marty's act. Jackie isn't impressed. Marty's luck seems to take a turn for the worse when a large lump starts growing on his back. He goes to a quack doctor (James Caan), who calls him a wimp and puts a Band-Aid on the lump. The lump continues to grow, eventually becoming a full-sized arm. While Gus uses Marty's newfound freakishness to impress his obese girlfriends, a horrified Rosarita breaks up with Marty, and he gets fired from the club where he does his act. Marty is despondent until Gus brings him to see Jackie, who, it turns out, has always dreamed of finding a real three-armed comic. Re-christened "Desi the Three-Armed Wonder Comic," and with Gus now providing musical accompaniment, Marty gets a fresh start on his career. The Dark Backward received devastating reviews upon its initial release, but has since developed a minor cult following. The film also stars Rob Lowe and King Moody, who was the original Ronald McDonald. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 37 min.
Directed By: Adam Rifkin
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Jul 26, 1991 Wide
On DVD: Aug 21, 2007

Critic Reviews

James Kendrick, Q Network Film Desk
a film so astoundingly strange that you might think it fell to the earth fully formed from another dimension
Keith Breese, Filmcritic.com
just too off-putting
Brian Webster, Apollo Guide
Extras on the disc include an interesting 40-minute question and answer session filmed at a 15th anniversary screening of the movie.
Brian Webster, Apollo Guide
Odd and twisted, The Dark Backward has plenty to thrill admirers of ugliness and enough food for thought to interest the rest of us too.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
A seriously weird, seriously cool surreal black comedy.
Jon Niccum, Lawrence Journal-World
Strange and hilarious
Mike McGranaghan, Aisle Seat
One word: crap.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Really strange. Really bad
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Tries way too hard to be a cult classic, which probably explains why it's not one.

Read all 9 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Greg S

A spectacularly unfunny comedian finally find success--sort of--when an arm begins growing out of his back. Bizarre, hard-hearted black comedy in the spirit of John Waters. Form follows plot premise: if you can't be funny, you can at least be grotesque enough so people… More
A spectacularly unfunny comedian finally find success--sort of--when an arm begins growing out of his back. Bizarre, hard-hearted black comedy in the spirit of John Waters. Form follows plot premise: if you can't be funny, you can at least be grotesque enough so people won't be able to look away.
El Hombre I

Judd Nelson is Marty, a garbage collector (or sanitation engineer, whichever you prefer) who moonlights as a stand-up comedian. Bill Paxton is a true sleaze-ball of a friend/agent that decides exploiting a third arm that has grown out of Marty's back is a sure shot way to… More
Judd Nelson is Marty, a garbage collector (or sanitation engineer, whichever you prefer) who moonlights as a stand-up comedian. Bill Paxton is a true sleaze-ball of a friend/agent that decides exploiting a third arm that has grown out of Marty's back is a sure shot way to achieving stardom. The dude has a third arm growing out of his back and that's not even the main part of the plot. This is a truly bizarre movie with Judd Neslon in a role like most have never seen him in. I really hate comparing to other films, but the easiest way to describe it is the dark surrealism of Naked Lunch with the dark humor of The King Of Comedy. If there was ever a film developed solely for a cult audience, it's this one. Sometimes that's a good thing, sometimes it's a bad thing. I hated this movie the first time seeing it. The next evening, I watched it again. <a href="http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/?action=view¤t=darkbackward2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/darkbackward2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Anthony V

A dark comedy for fans of the bizarre.
Christopher B

The dirtiest film ever made, it seems like the lens is covered in mud. Paxton is fantastic in this, playing the scummiest human being on the face of the planet. The laughs in this one are so uncomfortable that it becomes hilarious. A one of a kind film. Maybe there can be a sequel… More
The dirtiest film ever made, it seems like the lens is covered in mud. Paxton is fantastic in this, playing the scummiest human being on the face of the planet. The laughs in this one are so uncomfortable that it becomes hilarious. A one of a kind film. Maybe there can be a sequel with Jack Nicholsan called, "I'll Eat Anything".

Cast

            Judd Nelson as Marty Malt

            Bill Paxton as Gus

            Wayne Newton as Jackie Chrome

            Lara Flynn Boyle as Rosarita

            Rob Lowe as Dirk Delta

            King Moody as Twinkee Doodle

            Tanya Banks as Human Xylophone

            Anna Berger as Mrs. Malt

            Lydell M. Cheshier as Dexter

            Claudia Christian as Kitty

            Tony Cox as Human Xylophone

            Danny Dayton as Syd

            Robert Gannaway as Denny Ginkle

            Arturo Gil as Human Xylophone

            Landon Godfrey as Unfamiliar Waitress

            Scott Goldman as Mouseman

            Theodocia Goodrich as Mrs. Bielfuss

            John Patrick Hayden as Human Xylophone

            Tom Hodges as Marjorie Zipp

            Laurianne Jameson as Shirley

            Milicia Kastner as Dirk's Babe

            Charles Knapp as Sloppy

            Jason Logan as Man Behind Counter

            Carrie Lynn as Nicolette

            Richard Morrison as Elvis

            Debra Perkins as Pickles

            Ingrid Rifkin as Cigarette Girl

            Elizabeth Sokol as Lady Wrapped in Gauze

            Cindy Sorenson as Human Xylophone

            Clifford Streit as Raoul

            Gary Vonderlinden as Joey

            Libby White-Cooper as Dirk's Babe

            Steve Bing as Basketball Player

            James Caan as Dr. Scurvy

            Marc Decker as Barber

            Tony Markes as Muscle Man

            Adam Rifkin as Rufus Bing

            Charles Winkler as Dirk Delta's Assistant

            Harold Sokol
            
See full cast