The Dark Backward_
"It's the world inside out."
A man pursues stand-up comedy encouraged by his fellow garbage man. Though his friend, who accompanies him on accordion, continues to tell him how great he is, he actually stinks. When the "comedian" grows a third arm out of his back, the friend uses this twist to get him signed up with a sleazy talent agent, and it begins to look like his career is on the move, even though his girlfriend has left him.
Starring
Judd Nelson, Bill Paxton, Wayne Newton
Box Office
$29K
Updated Feb 16, 2026
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Box office
The Dark Backward earned $29K against a $2.0M budget.
Year context
The Dark Backward was released 35 years ago in 1991.
The Dark Backward is a Comedy film with a runtime of 1h 41m.
CAST (20)
Judd Nelson
Marty Malt
Bill Paxton
Gus
Wayne Newton
Jackie Chrome
Lara Flynn Boyle
Rosarita
James Caan
Dr. Scurvy
Rob Lowe
Dirk Delta
Claudia Christian
Kitty
Billy Bob Thornton
Patron at Sloppy's
King Moody
Twinkee Doodle
Danny Dayton
Syd
CL
Carrie Lynn
Nicolette
Anna Berger
Mrs. Malt
LM
Lydell M. Cheshier
Dexter
Tom Hodges
Marjorie Zipp
TG
Theodocia Goodrich
Mrs. Bielfuss
LJ
Laurianne Jameson
Shirley
Charles Knapp
Sloppy
Adam Rifkin
Rufus Bing
Tony Cox
Human Xylophone
Tonya Reneé Banks
Human Xylophone (as Tanya Banks)
BOX OFFICE
$2.0M
Budget
$29K
Revenue
-99%
ROI
FLOP
Verdict
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
101 min (1h 41m)
Country
Rating
5.6/10 (39 votes)
Budget
$2,000,000
Box Office
$28,654
Profit
$-1,971,346
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is The Dark Backward about?
A man pursues stand-up comedy encouraged by his fellow garbage man. Though his friend, who accompanies him on accordion, continues to tell him how great he is, he actually stinks. When the "comedian" grows a third arm out of his back, the friend uses this twist to get him signed up with a sleazy talent agent, and it begins to look like his career is on the move, even though his girlfriend has left him.
How long is The Dark Backward?
The Dark Backward has a runtime of 101 minutes (1h 41m).
Who stars in The Dark Backward?
The cast of The Dark Backward includes Judd Nelson, Bill Paxton, Wayne Newton, Lara Flynn Boyle, James Caan.
How much did The Dark Backward make at the box office?
The Dark Backward earned $28,654 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $2,000,000.
What is the rating of The Dark Backward?
The Dark Backward has a rating of 5.6 out of 10 based on 39 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (1)
Comedy