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The Gratuitous B-Movie Column: Filthy McNasty
The Gratuitous B-Movie Column Issue #588: Filthy McNasty
Debuary in March (and it’s ending in April!)
Hello, everyone, and welcome once again to the internets movie review column that has never personally interacted with a demonic entity, at least I don’t think I have, The Gratuitous B-Movie Column, and I am your host Bryan Kristopowitz. In this issue, issue number five hundred and eighty-eight, Debuary in March concludes (in April!) with the mega low budget horror comedy Filthy McNasty, which was unleashed upon the world way back in early March 2002.
Filthy McNasty
Filthy McNasty, written and directed by mega low budget movie legend Chris Seaver (the man behind the great Low Budget Pictures outfit), is a brilliantly hilarious and incredibly messed up horror comedy. Chock full of dense, funny as hell dialogue and performances that can best be described as totally committed, Filthy McNasty is a movie that you may not totally understand but you will be entertained by. Even when you don’t know what the hell is going on, you won’t be able to take your eyes off the screen or stop yourself from trying to ingest its dense dialogue. It’s one of those movies that you want to just listen to. The sound quality can be a little iffy at time and the picture isn’t sharp or pristine (the movie looks like it was made on VHS), but those are really just minor issues. Even with its shortcomings, Filthy McNasty is a great piece of mega low budget moviemaking. It’s also only about 45 minutes long, so it’s not like watching it is a major time commitment on your part. You can spare 45 minutes.
Filthy McNasty stars Debbie Rochon and Miss Kitty as Julie and Liz, two super nerdy friends who desperately want to go to the big hooha party being put together by, I think, Max (Dave Autovino). Unfortunately for Julie and Liz, Max and the cool people he hangs around with don’t want either Julie or Liz at the party because they’re just not cool or hot enough. This situation annoys Julie and Liz because all they want to do is fit in, make friends, and have fun (they are in college or something resembling college). While concocting a scheme to somehow get invited to the party, Julie and Liz engage in witchcraft and then are visited by an acolyte for Phil the Demon (Tim Ekkebus). The acolyte then transforms Julie and Liz into the kind of sexy babes who get invited to parties like the one they want to go to.
So then some stuff happens, Max’s big hooha party gets underway, and Julie and Liz show up to much consternation from some (like Vivian, as played by Alie Kat, is pissed that there are now more sexy babes at the party) and to cheers (like from Max and, to a degree, the mysterious TeenApe, who shows up in a number of Seaver movies). So why did Phil the demon help transform Julie and Liz? A demon wouldn’t just transform people into something they want to be out of the goodness of its heart, would it?
Of course not. Phil the demon is a demon. Phil the demon does have an ulterior motive/big hooha plan. Phil plans on having sex with Julie and Liz and Vivian and then killing everyone. Because, again, Phil is a demon and killing people and whatnot is kind of a big deal to demons. At least that’s what Filthy McNasty would have us believe (and there’s no reason to think otherwise).
So Phil the demon start killing people and tries really hard to have sex. Some of his goals work out for him, others don’t. On top of that, Julie and Liz (well, Julie mostly) start to question what they’ve done. Was making a deal with a killer demon really a good idea, even if they did get to go to the big party? Being sexy and col, maybe, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be?
The last ten minutes or so of Filthy McNasty is easily the weirdest part of the movie. I have no idea what the hell is going on towards the end and I’m not sure I ever will. I mean, I can think about it for a while and maybe come up with something, but I doubt that I will ever figure it out. There’s a character called Bonejack (Chris Seaver) that pops up at the end that sort of sets things right, but is that really what he’s doing? Is there something else going on that I just don’t get? Could be. But that weirdness fits because the entire movie is like that. Weird. And, as I said in the intro, it’s brilliant. It’s all so bizarre that it works.
The movie has a few violent moments, but it isn’t as violent as you sort of expect it to be. There are some nasty throat slittings and a gross as hell eye gore gag, but it isn’t a bloodbath. In a different moviemakers hands it might have been one, but Seaver and his crew are clearly more interested in funny dialogue and just goofing off. When you look at the makeup on Phil the demon you expect that he’s a monster that will rip everyone to pieces. But Phil is just as weird and funny and “dialoguey” as every other character in the movie. And it’s great.
The comedy is top notch stuff. It’s all dialogue driven and it dense as hell. I have no idea how the actors remember all of it. You don’t expect this kind of dialogue in a movie that clearly didn’t have much of a budget. Seaver and company no doubt went over every line of dialogue until it was perfect and then said it clearly, concisely, and it all somehow seems natural. Real people in real life don’t talk like they do in a Chris Seaver movie, but then, in the cinematic world Seaver creates it’s its own “real life.” It’s nothing short of amazing and, like I said in the intro, something you want to just listen to because it sounds so damn good.
There are also some truly weird but funny as hell pop culture things that could only exist and make sense in a movie like Filthy McNasty. There’s a Mario van Peebles brand breakfast cereal in this world. People also have framed pictures of John Stamos from the late 1980’s/early 1990’s (whenever it was he had the long hair. I can’t remember) in their houses. This isn’t a “fan shrine” type deal, either. It’s something people just do. That’s just brilliant. It’s so damn absurd.
The movie’s 45 minute running time is perfect for the story. Was that always Seaver’s intention? I have no idea. It might have been, but it’s also possible that he cut the movie down to its most bare essentials because that just played better. Would I like to see more/hear more dialogue? Sure. But Filthy McNasty works so damn well at 45 minutes it doesn’t need to be anything else.
Now, some people are probably going to complain/be turned off by the movie’s hazy VHS look. Filthy McNasty is not a slick Hollywood production. It’s a small, small, mega small movie. That doesn’t mean it isn’t any good, though, or that it doesn’t have the potential to be good/excellent. Would it be great if the movie had better/clearer sound? Absolutely. But slicker production values might alter the movie’s charm. It would probably still be good, but it wouldn’t be the Filthy McNasty that we have now. I don’t know if I want to live in that world.
The movie’s performances are terrific. Star Debbie Rochon is funny as hell as Julie, the nerdy girl that wants to be cooler and sexier in order to get noticed. Rochon knows how to straddle the line between off the wall goofy and sincere and you totally believe every second of her performance. Rochon is Julie. Rochon also has tremendous chemistry with Miss Kitty, who plays Liz. Imdb shows this movie as Miss Kitty’s only movie, which is hard to believe because she’s a natural in front of the camera (unless she has acted under another name and imdb doesn’t show it. That could be the case).
Tim Ekkebus is bizarrely funny as Phil the Demon. You’d think, under the kind of demon makeup he’s in that Phil would be nastier, meaner, more just plain evil. Phil isn’t, though. I mean, yeah, Phil is evil, but he isn’t the monster you expect him to be. Even when he kills people in gross, violent ways he still isn’t as evil as you expect him to be. You expect Phil to be more than he is. It’s a great performance.
John Karyus is the movie’s hero as Chutney, the guy that doesn’t want to control his sexual urges. He does, he isn’t a pervert, but you get the sense that he would like to be one someday. Chutney also has a thing for Vivian, and Vivian has a thing for him, too. They have terrific “sexual partners in a sex comedy” chemistry. I also want to applaud Karyus for fully committing to the part and everything it involves (and the part involves things you just don’t expect to see from an actor like Karyus).
Dave Autovino is brave as hell as Max, the guy throwing the big party and the guy who has, shall we say, odd masturbation tendencies. And Chris Seaver is awesome as Chris Walk, a character that is its own inside joke (you have to watch the movie to see what I’m talking about), and as Bonejack, a character that I still don’t quite get. What the heck is going on with him?
And TeenApe? He’s great. And a legend.
According to imdb there are other movies in the Filthy McNasty world. There appear to be sequels and movies that, I guess, exist in the same continuity, and I think I need to see them to fully grasp all that is “Filthy McNasty.” I did quite enjoy the first Filthy McNasty, though. I can definitely say that.
See Filthy McNasty. See it, see it, see it. It’s on Tubi at the moment.
So what do we have here?
Dead bodies: Maybe 5.
Explosions: None.
Nudity?: Some. It’s not bad.
Doobage: Nerds, college girls, what appears to be a college somewhere or something, laughing, attempted autoerotic asphyxiation, attempted tongue touching, witchcraft, talk of drinking the semen of John Stamos, bloody heart removal, big sexy entrances, multiple recycling bins, a guy taking a serious dump, a guy using shit to masturbate, a demonic sex story, a brief dancing montage, multiple Troma posters on the wall, weird newspaper reading, a framed picture of John Stamos, fellatio, throat slitting, an incredibly offensive and hilarious speech by TeenApe about what he’s going to do sexually at the party, an after sex shower session, stabbing, a Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter reference, deadly fellatio, a weird “please wash your hands” sign, a 3-way sexual encounter, a spontaneous maestro, a sex song, demon dick through the eye, a secret weapon, a potential Don King impersonation that wouldn’t fly today but is still funnier than hell, and breaking the fourth wall.
Kim Richards?: None.
Gratuitous: Debbie Rochon, Chris Wall, Chris Seaver, inside joke laughing, lollipop licking, a Porky’s joke, “O Fortuna,” “Oy!,” “the best way to masturbate,” TeenApe, a Mario van Peebles breakfast cereal, toilet paper hung incorrectly, a Tromeo and Juliet poster, Tyrese, strobe light hooey, Bonejack, and breaking the fourth wall.
Best lines: “Well, at least we’re not as bad as Chris Wall,” “So, yeah, uh, your party sounds like it’s going to be a great time indeed,” “They are constant stains on the lives of those of us who have everything,” “I can’t believe you just did that,” “Well, we could go on a big killing spree and become lesbians and get revenge on all of the people who have been mean to us over the years,” “Can we hurry this up? You’re freaking me out!,” “What are you, high? I am Julie!,” “Did we meet Phil?,” “Holy shit, Chutney, you really know how to turn a girl on!,” “Yo, TeenApe, if Jesus had another son he wouldn’t be half as hip as you,” “No fucking way,” “I think I just like myself,” “Hey, where did Moody go out to? I don’t know, I saw him around here somewhere. Hey, I walked in on him and he was smearing feces on his fucking cock,” “Where’s TeenApe?,” “So then, I mean, I was putting my dick in her ear!,” “I’ll do anything you tell me to just as long as I get to bash your head through a window when we’re done!,” “Got my dick sucked,” “I am so impressed with myself,” “Come on, girl, my nuts are like two different colors,” “I just wanted to give you a Cleveland steamer!,” “It looks like the foot is on the other knee now, doesn’t it?,” and “I’m out of here! Like Richard Gere!”
Rating: 10.0/10.0
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Things to Watch Out For
–The Reckoning: This is the new big hooha movie from director Neil Marshall about a woman that is accused of being a witch or something (the movie is set back in the middle 1600’s). The movie got some good reviews when it came out earlier this year, but some people were less than thrilled with it. I have no idea why. I would like to see this, mostly to see if it’s one of Marshall’s major successes (Dog Soldiers, The Descent), or if it’s one of his interesting failures (Doomsday, a movie I desperately want to love but just can’t). Definitely worth a rental, just to see where it falls. Anyone out there see this?
–Event Horizon Collector’s Edition: Out of all of the movies director Paul W.S. Anderson has made, Event Horizon is the one that people seem to complain the least about (Mortal Kombat is the other one people sort of like). I’ve enjoyed most of his movies, especially Soldier (Kurt Russell should have received an Oscar nomination for his performance in that movie) and the Resident Evil series he oversaw. I enjoyed Event Horizon, too, when I saw it in the theatre back in the summer of 1997. It was weird, it was gory, it had Sam Neil and Larry Fishburne in it. It was epic. Did I totally understand it? Not really. But it was still cool. Now the fine folks at Shout! Factory/Scream Factory have put out a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray chock full of special features, including new interviews with the people involved in making the movie. I don’t think the “lost” footage is included in this release, as Anderson claims that it’s gone forever. Still, Scream Factory releases always kick ass, so, yeah, it’s well worth making an effort to pick this up.
–Frightmare: I have never heard of this early 1980’s slasher flick, although I think I should at least know the movie’s reputation. I don’t, though, and that bothers me. Anyway, the fine folks at Vinegar Syndrome are releasing this flick on Blu-ray and, much like Scream Factory releases, you know that when VS is involved the presentation of the movie is going to be sweet as fuck. Apparently Jeffrey Combs is in the movie, although I don’t know if he’s the actual star of the movie (Ferdy Mayne seems to be the lead actor) but I’d bet that horror movie nerds of today are interested in this movie because Combs is in it. I know that’s why I’m interested in it. The movie was originally known as The Horror Star, which may be a better title/more apt title based on the movie’s plot (a dead horror movie star is brought back to life by his fans and he ends up killing them because he didn’t want to be brought back or something like that). Definitely going to make an effort to see this at some point in my life. I think I have to.
–Wonder Woman 1984: I did a “The Good and the Bad…” review of Wonder Woman 1984 (check out that review here, just in case you missed it). The movie seems to have split the fans, with some really liking it and others not caring for it at all. Everyone seems to like star Gal Gadot, though, and that makes me one of those people that didn’t really care for the sequel but is totally on board for another Gal Gadot/Wonder Woman movie directed by Patty Jenkins. The Blu-ray has all sorts of special features on it, while the DVD is mostly just the movie (I looked at the back of the DVD and I don’t remember what it said in terms of special features and I’m way too lazy to go look it up. I do know, though, that the Blu-ray has a bevy of special features on it. I remember that). I would like to see the movie one day on the big screen, just to see if the movie’s spectacle plays better on a big hooha movie theater screen (like the opening sequence. I bet that kicks ass on a big screen. It probably won’t make any more sense but it will no doubt look fantastic). Did anyone out there see this on the big screen in an actual movie theatre?
–Thundarr the Barbarian: The Complete Collection: This set comes to us via the Warner Archive service, which means that it probably has few if any special features on it (I saw on one website that the set does have a featurette on it detailing the story of the making of the cartoon but I have no idea how extensive it is). It is nice that it’s on Blu-ray now, though. The cartoon deserves a pristine home video presentation. I loved watching this back when it was part of USA’s weekend cartoon block, and then again when Boomerang had it. It’s a great combination of science fiction, fantasy, weird horror, and goofy early 1980’s adventure cartoon hooey. 21 episodes were produced and all of the episodes are on this set. I wonder why this cartoon never got a third season, or an action figure line back in the day (I know there was an action figure series created by Toynami but that wasn’t until much, much later). I mean, think of the playsets and the villain figures and whatnot. It would have been a truly epic action figure line.
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Next Issue: It’s the slasher flick Edge of the Axe!
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Check out my Widow’s Point set visit!
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Well, I think that’ll be about it for now. Don’t forget to sign up with disqus if you want to comment on this article and any other 411 article. You know you want to, so just go do it.
B-movies rule. Always remember that.
Filthy McNasty
Debbie Rochon– Julie
Miss Kitty– Liz
Tim Ekkebus– Phil the Demon/Julian
Dave Autovino– Max
Alie Kat– Vivian
John Karyus– Chutney
Casey Bowker– Mooney
Chris Seaver– Chris Walk/Bonejack
TeenApe– TeenApe
Directed by Chris Seaver
Screenplay by Chris Seaver
Distributed by Tempe Video and Low Budget Pictures
Not Rated
Runtime– 45 minutes
Buy it here. You can also watch it on Tubi as I write this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkxiOSrLCC4
