About Troma
Troma films are known for their shocking imagery; some would categorize them as “shock exploitation films“. They typically contain overt sexuality, graphic violence, gore and nudity, so much that the term “Troma Film” has become synonymous with these characteristics. Troma’s slogan is “Movies of the Future.” Many Troma films are intentionally produced in the Brechtian form which is vastly different from mainstream horror movies. Troma is also known for reusing the same props, actors, and scenes over and over again, sometimes to save money. At a certain point, however, this became another hallmark of Troma. Examples include a severed leg, the Penis Monster, and the flipping/exploding car filmed for the movie Sgt. Kabukiman, NYPD, which, though blue, is used in place of any other car that needs to crash and explode.
Troma produced or acquired many early films featuring several rising talents, such as Kevin Costner (Sizzle Beach, U.S.A.), Samuel L. Jackson (Def by Temptation), Marisa Tomei (The Toxic Avenger), Vincent D’Onofrio (The First Turn-On!), James Gunn (Tromeo and Juliet), Trey Parker and Matt Stone (Cannibal! The Musical), before they were discovered. Their latest production, Poultrygeist, was released in early 2007.
The Birth of Troma Studios
In the mid 1970s, Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz began producing, directing, and distributing raunchy sex comedies such as The First-Turn On and Squeeze Play. In 1985, Troma experienced its first hit film with the violent, dark-comedy superhero film The Toxic Avenger. The film went on to become Troma’s most popular, inspiring sequels and an animated television program. However, following the financial demise of the company Troma itself, the sequels to the film were box office bombs, and the cartoon adaptation quickly folded. The Toxic Avenger character is now Troma’s official mascot.
Lloyd’s follow-up film to The Toxic Avenger was Class of Nuke ‘Em High, co-directed with Richard W. Haines. The film was also a hit nearly as successful, though it inspired two unsuccessful sequels, both following the financial demise of Troma. At one time, it was the highest-selling VHS for Troma.
The Toxic Avenger is being turned into a musical which will debut at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey before opening in New York in the fall of 2008. It will be The Toxic Avenger Musical with a book by Joe DiPietro the author of the long-running I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change and All Shook Up. The music is by David Bryan, keyboardist of Bon Jovi.
The Decline of Troma Studios
Soon after Class of Nuke ‘em High was completed and distributed, Kaufman directed Troma’s War. Intended as a criticism of Ronald Reagan’s attempt to glamorize war, the story concerns a group of freaks who crash-land on a remote island, only to find it populated by an isolationist militia that intends to overthrow the U. S. government. However, Troma’s War was a box office bomb. In the aftermath of the film’s poor financial performance, Troma would experience extreme financial hardship, jettisoning the company from the Hollywood mainstream. In the years that followed the financial failure of their films, Troma tried to re-establish itself as a much smaller, independent film company, mostly out of financial necessity. Despite several unsuccessful attempts to assert itself in the mainstream Hollywood community, notably with two direct sequels to The Toxic Avenger, and another stab at the superhero genre Sgt. Kabukiman, NYPD, Troma was unable to re-enter the mainstream film market. Today, the majority of Troma films are viewed for the first time on VHS or DVD, however Troma still does have some theatrical releases for their films in smaller art houses, college campuses, and independent cinemas.
Recent Work
From 1995 to 2000, Kaufman directed three independent films released in limited theatrical releases: Tromeo and Juliet, a loose parody of Shakespeare’s play; Terror Firmer, a slasher film loosely based on Lloyd Kaufman’s book All I Need to Know about Filmmaking I Learned from the Toxic Avenger, and independent film sequel to The Toxic Avenger trilogy titled Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV.
The Future of Troma Studios
Today, Troma still produces and acquires independent films, despite many financial hardships and limitations.
Troma Films has distributed many films from third parties including Trey Parker’s Cannibal! The Musical. Lloyd himself encourages independent filmmaking, making cameo appearances in many low-budget horror films - occasionally for free. Among his more recent appearances is in former collaborator James Gunn’s directing debut Slither.
Kaufman’s newest film, Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead was released in 2008.