Originally titled Nub City, this follow-up to Gates of Heaven was initially focused on residents of the Southern town who cut off their own limbs as a way to collect insurance money. After Morris's life was threatened by the subjects of the film, he re-worked Nub City into Vernon, Florida.
For those who don't know, the film opens showing a fogger truck spraying pesticide for mosquito control which was done once a month or so in the old days. The toxic fog contained DDT until it was banned in 1972.
This film is part of the Criterion Collection, spine #752.
Gopher Tortoises were once eaten and called Hoover Chicken, but are now an endangered species as of 2007 and it is illegal to keep them as pets.