History Film / Gummo

* {{Cloudcuckooland}}: More broadly, the entire community depicted in the film can be seen as an extremely dark version of this. All of the characters depicted range from eccentric to downright psychopaths, and this is shown to be a natural result of the crushing despair of their situation.

* KickTheDog: Well, more like kick the cat. The two main characters kill stray cats to sell to the local meat market. Also, the scene where the kids dressed as cowboys "shoot" the Bunny Boy at the junkyard and verbally abuse him for a good five minutes. It's pretty unsettling hearing actual kids talk like that.

* CrazyInTheHeadCrazyInBed: Discussed in an [[SeinfeldianConversation conversation]] between Tummler and Solomon at the start of the film.

Solomon: "Insane asylum?"
Tummler: "Gonna get me a raving beauty."

* ShoutOut: Two shout outs to the band Music/{{Slayer}}; the patch on Solomon's jacket (which is also an allusion to the fact that he kills stray cats for money), and fan footage from one of the film collages of a guy who has carved the band's logo into his arm, which is genuine.

* TwoferTokenMinority: The black, gay, Jewish midget.

It is set the dying town of Xenia, Ohio, after a tornado wrecks it. (The real-life Xenia was indeed wrecked by a 1974 tornado.) Most of the residents have moved on to greener pastures, leaving only the poor, criminals, and the disabled.

It is set in the dying town of Xenia, Ohio, after a tornado wrecks it. Most of the residents have moved on to greener pastures, leaving only the poor, criminals, and the disabled.

The film [[BoxOfficeBomb failed to make back its $1 million budget, only raising just over $100,000]], and wasn't the biggest hit with critics (for [[SarcasmMode completely inconceivable reasons]]). However, the fans it did have were very vocal and in very high places (Creator/WernerHerzog, Gus Van Sant, Lukas Moodysson, etc.), and over time, ''Gummo'' [[VindicatedByHistory is now regularly considered one of the most well-known]] CultClassic films.

* ShoutOut: Two shout outs to the band Music/{{Slayer}}; the patch on Solomon's jacket (which is also an allusion to the fact that he kills stray cats for money) and in one of the jarring film collages there is fan footage of a guy who has carved the band's logo into his arm which is genuine.

* Cloudcuckooland: More broadly, the entire community depicted in the film can be seen as an extremely dark version of this. All of the characters depicted range from eccentric to downright psychopaths, and this is shown to be a natural result of the crushing despair of their situation.

The film [[BoxOfficeBomb failed to make back its $1 million budget, only raising just over $100,000]], and wasn't the biggest hit with critics (for [[SarcasmMode completely inconceivable reasons]]). However, the fans it did have were very vocal and [[BigNameFan in very high places]] (Creator/WernerHerzog, Gus Van Sant, Lukas Moodysson, etc.), and over time, ''Gummo'' [[VindicatedByHistory is now regularly considered one of the most well-known]] CultClassic films.

It is set in the dying town of Xenia, Ohio, after a tornado wrecks it. Most of the residents have moved on to greener pastures, leaving only the poor, criminals, and the disabled. Lacking a narrative, the film instead depicts scenes of the residents' [[CrapsackWorld nihilistic, miserable lives]].

The movie is very disturbing, with a constant feel of unease and disgust throughout. Both surreal and lifelike, ''Gummo'' is not for everyone. It's devoid of any typical film structure or really a climax, and often uses [[PhotoMontage still images]] with narration.

The film received responses of general abhorrence from critics and failed to make back its $1 million budget, only raising just over $100,000. [[VindicatedByHistory However]], ''Gummo'' is now being celebrated and respectfully seen as an innovative masterpiece.

---> '''Tummler:''' "I once knew a guy who was dyslexic. But he was also cross-eyed, so everything came out right."

* OneLiner: "I once knew a guy who was dyslexic. But he was also cross-eyed, so everything came out right." - Tummler

* BreakingTheFourthWall: Bunny Boy possibly acknowledges the wall in one of the final shots of the film, where he walks up to the camera from a distance and presents a dead dog, seemingly to the audience.

* FanDisservice: Chloe Sevigny's character topless using electrical tape to perk up her nipples. By itself, it's attractive, but the filthy atmosphere the scene is in could sap away all potential sex appeal.
* {{Fanservice}}: Chloe Sevigny's character topless using electrical tape to perk up her nipples. By itself, it's attractive, but the filthy atmosphere the scene is in could sap away all potential sex appeal.

* {{Surrealism}}: All possible definitions. One of Creator/HarmonyKorine's trademarks, actually.