August Underground



"Come on, I got something to show you..."

- Peter

August Underground is a 2001 horror film, and the first release of Toe Tag Pictures (Sella Turcica, Maskhead, The Redsin Tower, Murder Collection V.1, etc.)

You know that sequence in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer where Henry and Otis break into a house and videotape themselves torturing and murdering the residents? Stretch that out to feature length and you pretty much have August Underground.

Presented as a degraded serial killer home movie, the film follows a sadistic psychopath named Peter as he commits random acts of torture and murder, all of it recorded by his unnamed and unseen (but very talkative) accomplice. Among the people they brutalize and/or kill are a female hitchhiker, an old woman, a convenience store clerk and two of his customers, twin brothers, and a pair of prostitutes. A girl named Laura is also kept captive in Peter's basement, beside the corpse of her dead and castrated boyfriend, Michael.

A sequel, subtitled Mordum, followed in 2003. This time around, Peter is being helped out by his sadomasochistic girlfriend Crusty, and her sexually depraved manchild brother Maggot, with whom she has an incestuous relationship. The trio initially get along well (barring random outbreaks of infighting) but after a while, things turn sour between Peter and Maggot over the affection of Crusty.

The final installment of the series, Penance, was released in 2007. Unlike its predecessors, the footage of this one is near-mint, so we can see all the horrors inflicted upon the victims in crystal clarity. Now it's just Peter and Crusty, whose initially lovey dovey relationship is breaking down, with the two deranged individuals beginning to turn their violent impulses on each other.

Of the three, Mordum is the most well known, and with good reason; coming off like an experiment to create "the sickest shit evar!!!1!" it features things like rape with a severed penis, cannibalization of a headless and maggot-infested infant, a young child's rotten corpse being sexually abused, and a woman who is covered in blood and vomit being cut open and "gut fucked".

"Peter: That's your fucking baptism, you fuck!"
 * Abusive Parents: Peter's father, going by a comment made by Crusty.
 * A Date With Rosie Palms: While Crusty is molesting, tormenting and puking on a pair of women in Mordum, Peter and Maggot jerk off while filming it.
 * In Penance, Crusty masturbates to Peter abusing a dying woman, and later Peter jacks off in front of a tortured woman, and smears his semen (actually some kind of coconut shampoo) on her.
 * All There in the Manual: The main killer's name is Peter.
 * A Love to Dismember: After Maggot forces a man to cut off his own penis in Mordum, the chunk of dick is taken by Crusty, who violates a woman with it.
 * Alternate DVD Commentary: The first film has one by Peter, and it comes complete with him torturing someone in the background.
 * Ambiguous Disorder: Even by psycho killer standards, there is obviously something up with Maggot.
 * Ambiguously Gay: Seems like everyone assumes the two women from the vomit torture sequence in Mordum are a lesbian couple.
 * An Arm and a Leg: August Underground has Michael being dismembered post-mortem, and one of the twin brothers has a leg hacked off with a meat cleaver. There's also human and deer bodies being taken apart in Penance.
 * Annoying Laugh: Peter and Maggot.
 * Ass Shove: The first film is likely one of the few places where you can see a woman have her shit shoved back up her ass.
 * Attention Whore: Maggot.
 * Ax Crazy
 * Bad Samaritan: Peter helps an old woman carry her groceries in August Underground, and kills her once he gets inside her house.
 * Batter Up: The female convenience store patron is whacked with a bat in August Underground, and Peter goes crazy with one in Penance.
 * Beard of Evil: Maggot, and Killjoy in Mordum.
 * Big Bad: Peter.
 * Big Bad Duumvirate: Peter and the cameraman in August Underground, and Peter and Crusty in Penance.
 * Bi the Way: The prostitutes in August Underground.
 * Blood Bath: At the end of Mordum (after it has long lost coherency) Peter drags a near-nude Maggot under a woman who is suspended upside-down, and slits her throat, resulting in an even bloodier Maggot.

"Crusty: (while in a crack house): These people are fucking sick!"
 * Blood From the Mouth
 * Blood Is Squicker in Water: Michael's severed penis is left in a toilet in August Underground, and a man covered in nails is sprayed with a hose in Penance.
 * Bouncer: One kicks Peter and the cameraman out of a concert in August Underground.
 * Bound and Gagged
 * Breast Attack: Before the events of the first film, Peter sliced one of Laura's nipples off, and shit is subsequently smeared in the wound by the cameraman. Crusty also rips a woman's nipple ring off in Mordum.
 * Brother-Sister Incest: Crusty and Maggot. A deleted scene even has them doing it while pretending to be the opposite genders (Crusty is "the man" and Maggot is "the bitch").
 * Camera Fiend
 * Camping a Crapper: Bodies are shown in bathtubs, though whether they were killed there can be debated.
 * Chase Scene: The very end of the first film, when the second prostitute tries to escape.
 * Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: The first film's cameraman.
 * Cluster F-Bomb: According to imdb, Mordum is in third for most uses of "fuck" in a film, with around 500.
 * Collared by Fashion: Crusty, and a victim in Mordum.
 * Cold-Blooded Torture
 * Content Warnings: "Warning. This film contains adult language, graphic violence, and nudity. Viewer discretion is strongly advised."
 * Contest Winner Cameo: The homeless man in Penance was played by Toe Tag Pictures forum member Fuctup.
 * Couldn't Find a Pen: Shit is a more popular to write with than blood, though.
 * Country Matters
 * Covered in Gunge: A number of victims get covered in a combination of blood, shit, piss, semen, and vomit.
 * Creepy Basement
 * Creepy Doll: A few in the bathroom in Mordum.
 * Cut and Paste Note: The series title logo.
 * Cute Kitten: Surprisingly, the killers seem to own one. It's seen in TheStinger of Mordum, and in a brief scene in Penance.
 * Dark Chick: Crusty.
 * Daylight Horror: The murder of the old woman in August Underground.
 * Death by Sex
 * Depraved Bisexual: Crusty.
 * Destructive Romance: Peter and Crusty, to the point of being the entire premise of Penance.
 * Direct to Video
 * Disposable Sex Worker: A pair of victims in August Underground.
 * Don't Look At Me
 * Down in the Dumps: Peter and Crusty goof around near a junkyard in Penance.
 * Driven to Suicide: Mordum ends with Maggot randomly slitting his own throat, and Penance has Crusty self-asphyxiate out of despair.
 * Drop-Dead Gorgeous
 * Drop the Hammer: Peter's default method of murdering people.
 * Ear Ache: When the dead little girl's face is poked in Mordum, something leaks out of her ear.
 * Eats Babies: Maggot.
 * Even Evil Has Standards: Peter is not amused by the bond between Crusty and Maggot.
 * Seeing Peter cut a pregnant woman's baby out is what causes Crusty to start breaking down in Penance.
 * Excessive Evil Eyeshadow: Crusty.
 * Extreme Omnisexual: Maggot.
 * Eye Scream: The commentary for Mordum reveals that one of the actresses in the vomit scene wound up gagging so hard she popped a blood vessel in her eye.
 * The Faceless: A few of the victims in Mordum and Penance have masks or bags taped to their heads, presumably as a form of dehumanization.
 * Facial Horror: "I think you broke her face!"
 * False Teeth Tomfoolery: After killing the old lady in August Underground, Peter plays with her dentures.
 * Fan Disservice
 * Fat Bastard: Peter.
 * Fight Scene
 * Fingerless Gloves: Peter and the homeless man in Penance.
 * Flipping the Bird
 * Fluffy Fashion Feathers: Maggot at the end of Mordum.
 * Force Feeding: Laura, the woman in the cellar in August Underground, is forced to eat a rotten apple core, shit, and Michael's severed toe.
 * A pill(?) is forcibly given to a woman in Penance.
 * Forehead of Doom: Crusty in Mordum.
 * For the Evulz
 * Freudian Excuse: The closest hint to one that we get is Crusty shrieking "You're just like your fucking dad!" as Peter is beating her in Penance.
 * Geek: One of the twin brothers in August Underground.
 * Giggling Villain
 * Girlish Pigtails: Creepily, Maggot at the end of Mordum.
 * Good Smoking, Evil Smoking: Strange how Peter and Crusty seem to be the only ones shown smoking.
 * Goofy Print Underwear: Peter.
 * Gorn: Penance.
 * Groin Attack: Michael from the first one has his genitals cut off (whether it was before or after he was killed is unrevealed) and a man is forced to sever his own penis with manicuring scissors in Mordum, which also has Peter kick Maggot in the balls a few times during an argument.
 * Gutted Like a Fish: Michael in August Underground, and a victim in Mordum.
 * Penance has two instances of this. The intestines (apparently actual pig ones) gurgle.
 * Hair Color Dissonance: Crusty, something not aided by the film quality.
 * Heart Symbol: I &#9829; U written in ketchup in Penance.
 * Hero of Another Story: About midway through Mordum, the trio run into Killjoy, another serial killer who stores his victims (both dead and dying) in a shack he shows off to them.
 * Heterosexual Life Partners: Peter and the cameraman in August Underground.
 * Hookers and Blow: The finale of August Underground.
 * Human Pincushion: A man has nails hammered into him in Penance.
 * The Hyena
 * Hypocritical Humor: Mordum:

"Peter: (while looking at statues of Biblical figures): You know what I don't understand? I don't understand, you know, like, in, y'know, in the bible, and y'know, the stories that you hear, y'know, they're always upset, and weeping, and crying and stuff like that. These people just have a stoned look on their face. Get it? Cameraman: That was bad."
 * I Lied: Crusty and Maggot telling a man they'll set him free if he cuts his own penis off Mordum.
 * I Love the Dead: Peter sodomizes Erika while caving her head in with a hammer in August Underground, and Mordum shows Maggot having sex with the wound of a dead and gutted woman, and raping a little girl's corpse.
 * I'm a Humanitarian: Maggot.
 * Improvised Weapon: The old woman is stabbed to death with a corkscrew in August Underground.
 * IncrediblyLamePun: August Underground:

"Peter: Doesn't she look smart like that? Crusty: That's because I'm a librarian, now fuck me!"
 * Intimate Healing: When Crusty goes into hysterics in Penance, Peter tries to calm her down via rape. It... doesn't work out.
 * "It" Is Dehumanizing: While Crusty is slowly choking the life out of a little girl in Penance, Peter chants "Kill it! Kill it!"
 * In-Universe Camera
 * Jittercam
 * Jizzed in My Pants: While Killjoy is torturing a woman in Mordum, he screams "You made me cum in my pants!"
 * Joisey: "Smells like shit."
 * Karma Houdini: Peter.
 * Knife Nut
 * The Ladette: Crusty.
 * Large and In Charge: Peter.
 * Laughing Mad: Maggot.
 * Leave the Camera Running
 * Limited Special Collectors' Ultimate Edition: Snuff Edition.
 * The Loins Sleep Tonight: Peter is unable to get it up during the home invasion in Penance.
 * Looks Like Cesare: Crusty in Mordum.
 * Madness Mantra: "I hit him too hard, I hit him too hard, I hit him too hard, I hit him too hard..."
 * Male Frontal Nudity
 * Meganekko: After Crusty dons some glasses in Mordum.

"Crusty: I like dull knives better"
 * Messy Hair: Crusty.
 * Mood Whiplash: Constantly switching from scenes of torture and murder to mundane outings, like dicking around on a farm or visiting Roadside America.
 * Nameless Narrative
 * Never Smile At a Crocodile: Peter, Crusty and some others amuse themselves by feeding a live rat to a pet crocodile in Penance.
 * No Animals Were Harmed: They probably were.
 * No Ending: In the first film, after finding Peter raping Erika's corpse, the other prostitute makes a run for it, getting outside with Peter and the cameraman chasing her. The film cuts to black after the cameraman either drops the camera, or falls.
 * Mordum cuts to static after everyone starts freaking out and Maggot slits his own throat, and Penance goes to the credits after a hysterical Crusty suffocates herself.
 * No Name Given: The cameraman, and most of the victims.
 * No, You: "I'm not a fucking whore, you're a fucking whore!"
 * Oddly-Named Sequel 2: Electric Boogaloo: Mordum and Penance.
 * Off with His Head: The headless infant in the trashcan in Mordum, and the head being cut off a body in Penance.
 * Only Known by Their Nickname: Crusty and Maggot.
 * Over-the-Shoulder Carry: Peter disposing of a body in Penance.
 * Panthera Awesome: Peter, Crusty and someone else feed a lion parts of a deer in Penance.
 * People Puppets: "I don't feel so good. I don't feel so good. Stop it. I don't like myself. I think I'm ugly. Nobody loves me... I don't like myself. And I don't feel good... I don't like you."
 * Perfectly Cromulent Word: Mordum.
 * Perky Goth: Crusty in Mordum.
 * The Pig Pen: The villains live in squalor, yet hypocritically criticize the similar living conditions of some junkies in Mordum.
 * Pittsburgh
 * Portrait Painting Peephole: Peter spots Maggot and Crusty fucking through a keyhole in Mordum.
 * Potty Failure: Though you can't really blame the victims.
 * Pretty Fly for a White Guy: How Peter acts in front of a graffiti-covered wall in Penance.
 * Psychopathic Manchild: Maggot.
 * Psychotic Love Triangle: Peter, Crusty and Maggot.
 * Put the Laughter In Slaughter
 * Quick Nip: Crusty in Penance.
 * Random Events Plot: Mordum.
 * Recut: The Maggot Cut of Mordum.
 * Remember the New Guy?: Mordum begins with Crusty and Maggot just there, helping Peter.
 * Savage Piercings: The homeless man in Penance.
 * Self-Harm: Crusty.

"Crusty: (mockingly): You're not gonna have to worry about growing up now, sweetie!"
 * Sequel Escalation
 * Serial Killer
 * Sexy Discretion Shot: While full frontal female nudity is on display in August Underground, actual sex acts are either shown from afar, or not at all. They don't bother doing that with the sequels, however.
 * She Cleans Up Nicely: By Penance, Crusty has mostly dropped her "emo" look from Mordum (though some may view this as an Unnecessary Makeover). However, as the film progresses she becomes more gaunt and emaciated, for whatever reason (Madness Makeover?).
 * Shirtless Scene
 * Silent Credits
 * Sinister Scraping Sound: A hammer being dragged across and banged against the floor in Penance.
 * Sir Swearsalot: Everyone.
 * Slashed Throat: Various deaths in Mordum, and one in Penance, where the wound is fingered ("Feels like pussy").
 * Snuff Film
 * The Sociopath
 * Squee: Crusty, while opening stolen Christmas presents in Penance.
 * Spikes of Villainy: Crusty at one point has on some kind of spiked fetish underwear in Mordum.
 * Spiky Hair: Peter.
 * Spiteful Spit: Crusty spits on Peter while he's sleeping in Penance.
 * Starring Special Effects
 * The Stinger: Mordum shows a cat killing and eating a mouse, and Penance shows... something being flushed down a toilet.
 * The Stoner: Peter does drugs (marijuana and cocaine) in August Underground and Penance.
 * Stylistic Suck: The first two films are purposely degraded to give them a worn, bootleg VHS look.
 * Synchronization: Peter jokes about this while killing the twin brothers in August Underground.
 * Tantrum Throwing
 * Tattooed Crook: Most of the villains.
 * Teeth Flying: A deleted scene from Mordum shows the trio beating and mugging a man, knocking one of teeth out in the process.
 * Terrible Trio: Peter, Maggot, and Crusty in Mordum.
 * Those Two Bad Guys: Peter and the cameraman in August Underground.
 * Token Minority: The black prostitute in August Underground.
 * Torture Cellar
 * Torture Porn
 * Traumatic C-Section: Done to a victim in Penance.
 * Traumatic Haircut: Maggot randomly gives himself one in Mordum.
 * Troubled Fetal Position: Crusty in Penance, after a pregnant woman is killed and her baby is cut out.
 * Turn of the Millennium
 * Twisted Christmas: Around Christmas in Penance, Peter and Crusty break into a house and kill the family (father, mother and daughter) residing in it, then open the presents.
 * Unwilling Suspension: One unfortunate woman near the end of Mordum.
 * Urine Trouble: A bucket of urine is poured on Laura in August Underground.
 * Deleted scenes from Mordum show the gang peeing on a victim, and each other while drunk.
 * Villainous Breakdown: The premise of Penance.
 * Villain Protagonist
 * The Voice: The cameraman in August Underground.
 * Vomit Chain Reaction: Crusty has some fun with two women by starting one of these in Mordum.
 * Vomit Discretion Shot: Peter can be heard puking while dismembering Michael in August Underground.
 * Vomit Indiscretion Shot: Lots.
 * Weapon of Choice: Peter and his hammer.
 * We Should Get Another Tape
 * White Mask of Doom: Show up a few times in Mordum and Penance.
 * Word Salad Title: Filmed in August + Underground film = August Underground.
 * Would Hurt a Child: A decaying infant's corpse that is covered in maggots is shown in Killjoy's shed in Mordum, and later Maggot is shown having his way with the body of a little girl.


 * You Look Familiar: Shelby Vogel played several victims in Mordum and Penance.