Clara Chandler Takes On: Monsturd

Title: Monsturd
Tagline: Don’t get caught with your pants down!
Genre: Horror/Comedy/Spoof
Written & directed by: Rick Popko & Dan West
Production company: 4321 Productions
Distributed by: Elite Entertainment
Runtime: 81 minutes
Rated: R

First, let me say that I’m not a movie reviewer although I played one on the Internet, um, just now... I had to give it a shot after viewing Monsturd at the Revenge of The Midnight Movies on The Horror Channel.

This past Friday night I had the pleasure to chat with co-writer and co-director Rick Popko during a free viewing of his 2003 debut film “Monsturd.” I admit I was dubious whether I wanted to watch it. How could a movie about a mass of killer fecal matter be fun? I took a deep breath and gave it a chance.

I’m glad I did.

I even watched it twice…

Monsturd is a spoofy, “Twin Peaks”-y cult classic kind of film. It’s horror-comedy. If you despise scatological humor, you won’t enjoy Monsturd. It is politically incorrect and has no redeeming social value. It’s gross but not as gross as – well, actually it’s pretty gross, but the humor more than outweighs the disgust factor. Think of it as “Jack Frost” meets “South Park.” If you giggle at fart jokes (whether you admit it or not) and enjoy puns -- you’ll give it two thumbs up. I laughed so hard that by the end, tears dripped off my chin.

The Story
Serial killer Jack Schmidt (see, the puns roll in from the beginning and never stop) falls into a batch of evil Dr. Stern’s super-duper flesh-eating bacteria. Jack and the bacteria combine and mutate into Monsturd, a seven-foot-tall killer poop-man who stalks the townfolk. The action takes place in fictional Butte County, California, where the annual chili cook-off – “a really big blow-out” – is scheduled to take place in two days!

Details
Written and directed by Rick Popko and Dan West, “Monsturd” was shot on miniDV using a CanonGL-1 camcorder and has a very nice film-like quality. I was amazed to learn Rick and Dan made this movie on a $3,000 budget. Blockbuster liked it so well they purchased 4,000 copies! The score and visuals are excellent. The soundtrack is first-rate and the original song written for the movie (which plays at the end as the credits roll) is clever as hell. (Note: Theme songs for Monsturd and its sequel RetarDead are available in MP3 format to download and share with your friends. Link.

Trivia
Monsturd (itself) was created out of foam insulation. The original song "Number 2 -- The Ballad of the Monsturd" was written by Kip Phillips, Dan West, Rick Popko, and Lisa Rein; and performed by Kip Phillips and Lisa Rein. Rick Popko plays Deputy Rick and Dan West plays Deputy Dan. In a nod to a favorite, there’s a character named Johnny Waters.

Some of my favorite dialogue (at least the ones I am willing to quote):

• “Daddy, don’t go. The number two will get you!”


• “A giant #2 killed my daddy!”


• Police sketch artist asks eye witness to describe the monster: “Did it look something like… THIS?”


• Sketch artist: “Any other distinguishing marks?”


• How can a turd kill someone?


• ”We don’t even know if bullets will be able to stop this thing…”

I won’t spoil the ending because it is priceless; the writers are totally cracked. I will tell you the hapless Butte County sheriff’s deputies and intrepid FBI agent confront Monsturd with riot gear and weapons funnier than Ghostbusters ever dreamed of!


“This is the thriller that does for toilets what Psycho did for showers. Come along if you dare. Just don't get caught with your pants down!”

Tell your spouse you’re buying it for your thirteen-year-old nephew if you must, but buy this movie! It’s a steal at $9.98. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if it becomes a collector’s item ten years from now.

Check out the production company’s web site at www.4321Films.com to view a trailer, read more about “Monsturd,” and check out 4321Films’ second flick RetarDead (tagline: “They’re not so special any more”). You haven’t seen the last of Rick Popko and Dan West.
© 2006 Clara Chandler