Terror Firmer 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Terror Firmer 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

1999’s “Terror Firmer” is an adaptation of the book, “All I Need to Know About Filmmaking I Learned from The Toxic Avenger,” written by Troma Entertainment honcho Lloyd Kaufman and James Gunn. Trying to dramatize the real-life hellacious experience of making movies, Kaufman hopes to bring his expertise to the screen, doing so with Troma’s usual offering of bodily fluids, gore, nudity, slapstick comedy, and an aging punk attitude. “Terror Firmer” could’ve been a rascally endeavor poking fun at the Troma process and the torture of low-budget filmmaking, but Kaufman isn’t in a self-reflective mood. Instead of B-movie illumination, Kaufman simply makes the same kind of Troma feature all over again, getting aggressive with gross-outs and volcanic overacting, returning to his ringmaster role for a cinematic circus that feels endless.

Terror Firmer 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Screencaps are taken from the Blu-ray.

"Terror Firmer" was initially issued on Blu-ray in 2020 by Troma Entertainment, and the results were pretty rough. Vinegar Syndrome takes a second shot at the title with a new UHD release, listed as "presented in Dolby Vision HDR and newly restored from its 35mm original camera negative." While the film itself is no treat to sit through, the image presentation has greatly improved, with the endeavor now bursting with rich hues throughout the viewing experience. The rancid colors of Troma are distinct, bringing life to toxic greens and poop browns. Primaries are lively, exploring vivid costuming and makeup additions, and reds are especially alert with bloodshed and artful additions. Skin tones are natural. Detail is strong, exploring wet textures as bodily fluids flow. Skin particulars are excellent, along with fibrous outfits on the cast. Exteriors go deep with NYC locations, and interiors maintain depth around studio spaces and apartments. Blacks are deep, securing shadowy events. Highlights are tasteful. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in good condition, but "Reel 1" does feature a few lengthy scratches.

Terror Firmer 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix is listed as the "original English stereo soundtrack," improving on the previous "Terror Firmer" release with defined freshness throughout the listening event. Dialogue exchanges are crisp, handling surges in argumentative behavior and screaming fits without slipping into distortive extremes. Scoring supports with clear instrumentation, joined by soundtrack selections, which offer strong vocals. Sound effects are appreciable.

Terror Firmer 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc 1

• Commentary #1 features co-writer/director Lloyd Kaufman.

• Commentary #2 features actors Will Keenan, Debbie Rochon, and Trent Haaga.

• Commentary #3 features editor Gabriel Friedman and Associate Editor Sean McGrath.

• "Cinema Through Chaos" (48:40, HD) is a new documentary on the making of "Terror Firmer," featuring interviews with co-writer/director Lloyd Kaufman, screenwriter Douglas Buck, editor Gabriel Friedman, crew members Joe Lynch and Eric Alan, and actors Will Keenan, Trent Haaga, Debbie Rochon, Sean Pierce, Greg Siebel, and Charlotte Kaufman.

• "Lloyd Gets Spooked" (16:46, HD) is a look at the Minneapolis, Minnesota premiere of "Terror Firmer" in 2000, where members of a local "spook show" brought Lloyd Kaufman in to dazzle the crowds.

• "The Zork-Ive" (SD) is a collection of interviews conducted on the set of "Terror Firmer." Interviewees include co- writer/director Lloyd Kaufman (7:57), actress Alyce LaTourelle (13:09), actress Reverend Jen Miller (8:08), actor Lemmy (4:20), actor Roy David (8:25), actor Trent Haaga (2:50), actor Yaniv Sharon (7:02), and actor Joe Franklin.

• "Terror Firmer with Inserted Deleted Scenes" (123:59, SD) is a longer cut of the picture, "sourced from standard definition video." Commentary for this version of the movie features editor Gabriel Friedman and associate editor Sean McGrath.

• "Farts of Darkness: The Making of 'Terror Firmer'" (99:23, SD) is a feature-length documentary on the assembly of the Troma production, and true to form, the creation of a Troma movie is far more interesting than an actual Troma movie. While it commences with co- writer/director Lloyd Kaufman being lauded at an AFI conference, the journey presented here covers the day-to-day struggles of the 1998 shoot, where Kaufman and his team of newcomers, loyal servants, and pre-teen daughter Charlotte Kauffman try like crazy to piece something together that resembles a sellable effort. Highlights are numerous, including the appearance of a drunk actor hired to play Toxie, the true toilet-hugging price of eating faux excrement for "Uncle Lloyd," and the numerous days spent with Yaniv Sharon, a young man tasked with being naked not only in front of the cast and crew, but eventually Times Square. Filmmaking labor is understood in full, with cameras checking in on the special effects department as they concoct horrible visuals for the helmer, and more advanced areas of stunt work and pyro play are displayed, highlighting some dangers and surprising attention to safety. However, the real star of the show is candor, as nobody really has a filter here, sharing frustrations and fears, while Troma perfomer Joe Fleishaker throws a fit about wasted days. Crew and cast members walk out, police pull permits, Lemmy (from Motorhead) shows little tolerance for the process (he's also drinking from minute one), and the director is forced to turn a P.A. into an actor to complete a shot. It's always amazing to watch these Troma BTS endeavors, and the company could probably make a small fortune simply issuing a disc of Kaufman losing his patience with alarming speed, openly screaming at his cast and crew when they don't match his level of expertise, which seems to be a constant occurrence. It's amazing to watch, and offers a true feel for the labor that goes into one of these splatter epics. Who really needs "Terror Firmer" when there's this.

• "20 Years Later" (14:13, HD) is meant to be a celebratory piece on the lasting success of "Terror Firmer," collecting interviews with Debbie Rochon, Trent Haaga, Joe Lynch, Greg Siebel, Barry Brisco, music supervisor Aaron Conte, and Ileana Romero. Talk of initial hiring is shared, with those showing up rewarded with jobs on the movie. Favorite scenes are recalled, the chaotic experience of the shoot is detailed, and the learning experience of being on a Troma set is articulated, with many trying to stay one step ahead of the mayhem. While the idea here is to talk about the picture, and there are many interviewees gathered, the featurette is actually loaded with extended clips from "Terror Firmer," which is entirely unnecessary. The whole thing seems like a wasted opportunity.

• Alternate Footage (13:47, SD) is listed as "unused mock behind-the-scenes footage."

• Deleted Scenes (16:21, SD) are offered. They can also be viewed with commentary from editor Gabriel Friedman and associate editor Sean McGrath.

• Auditions (6:24, SD) collect tapes from Alyce LaTourelle and Trent Haaga, who give it their all while trying to score parts in "Terror Firmer."

• Bloopers (6:20, SD) highlights flubbed lines, frayed patience, blood mishaps, and the art of corralling Lemmy for his scenes.

• Storyboard Comparison (2:40, SD) breaks down pre-production work on the escalator sequence.

• Interview (2:49, SD) is a short chat with Charlotte Kaufman in her bedroom, who reveals that her father tried to shield her from some of the rougher stuff on the set and discusses how she processed his directorial tantrums. She also agrees to reprise her character. The talk doesn't have a year listed, but there's an autographed glossy of Sisqo hanging in the background, which helps to date the conversation.

• "Gyno Talk with Alyce LaTourelle" (3:03, SD) catches up with the actress at the Sitges Film Festival, where she shares her reaction to "Terror Firmer."

• Intro (3:28, HD) features Lloyd Kaufman welcoming viewers to the "lovingly recreated, digitally remastered" Blu-ray release of "Terror Firmer." Joined by two background dancers, Kaufman works through some shtick, including footage of Troma at a Mexican parade. The gang also touts the interviews and extras on the disc.

• A Teaser Trailer (:59, SD) and a Theatrical Trailer (2:19, SD) are also included.

Terror Firmer 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Terror Firmer" isn't big on story, and while there's something about a serial killer and a love triangle going on in the feature, Kaufman is mostly interested in the chaos of movie production, setting up an episodic viewing experience. Of course, repellent behavior and obnoxious performances are prioritized during this 114-minute-long movie(!), keeping up with the Troma Way as bigness hopes to conquer the smallness of the production. If one squints hard enough, there are moments of frustration and anarchy concerning the ways of filmmaking that feel very true to Kaufman's experiences, watching him work through his industry journey making cheap pictures for a limited audience. However, to reach those moments of clarity, or emotional truth, one has to make it through a painfully shapeless endeavor that only trusts the power of hostility to reach viewers. It's just not worth the effort to understand it.