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| Founded | 1974 |
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| Headquarters | New York, U.S. |
| Key people | Lloyd Kaufman Michael Herz |
| Industry | Films |
Troma is an American film production and distribution company founded by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz in 1974.[1] The company produces very low-budget independent movies, many of which have developed cult followings.[1]
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Company information
Troma films are known for their surrealistic or automatistic nature, along with their use of 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 Vanna White (Graduation Day), 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!), David Boreanaz (Macabre Pair of Shorts), James Gunn (Tromeo and Juliet), Trey Parker and Matt Stone (Cannibal! The Musical), before they were discovered. While most of these actors were discovered by other means, Stanley Kubrick actually saw D'Onofrio's performance in The First Turn-On. Kaufman has mentioned that Kubrick gave him a call to thank him.
Troma were also the first to release a Japanese animated movie in America, Hayao Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro.[2]
Their latest production, Poultrygeist, was released in early 2007.[3]
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 significant 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 release for Troma.
The Toxic Avenger was turned into a musical which debuted at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey and opened in New York in the fall of 2008. Additionally, The Toxic Avenger Musicalbook by Joe DiPietro, the author of the long-running I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change and All Shook Up, was released the same year. The music is by David Bryan, keyboardist of Bon Jovi.[citation needed]
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 everyday people who crash-land on a remote island, only to find it populated by an isolationist militia that intends to overthrow the U. S. government. Troma's War was a box office bomb. In the aftermath of the film's poor financial performance, Troma experienced 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, with some theatrical releases for their films in smaller art houses, college campuses, and independent cinemas.
Work since 1995
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 an independent film sequel to The Toxic Avenger trilogy titled Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV.
Troma's financial hardship worsened after the botched funding of a low-budget video feature titled Tales from the Crapper, which cost $250,000 despite most of the footage being completely unusable.[citation needed] India Allen, one of the producers, backed out of the film halfway through, and sued Troma, citing breach of contract, slander per se, sexual harassment, trade slander, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Lloyd personally supervised a reshoot in an attempt to salvage the film, dividing the footage into two parts and recasting the film as a double-feature. Tales from the Crapper was released on DVD in September 2004.
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 film, Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead was released in 2006 in theaters and 2008 on DVD.[3]
Other work
Troma holds the annual Tromadance Festival in Park City, Utah at the same time as the Sundance Festival to accentuate their true independence from the mainstream. The festival screens submitted movies from independent filmmakers from around the world, the best of which are usually released on DVD by Troma or compiled in the Best of Tromadance series. In parallel, Troma acts as adviser to aspiring filmmakers with Lloyd Kaufman teaching classes, contributing cameos and often releasing the finished films on DVD.
Lloyd Kaufman has written three books about his experiences with Troma in low-budget cinema. One, All I Need to Know about Filmmaking I Learned from the Toxic Avenger, is an autobiography of sorts co-written with James Gunn.Make Your Own Damn Movie, is a how-to book about making low-budget films. In 2006 a novelization of The Toxic Avenger was released. Lloyd has an upcoming book titled Produce Your Own Damn Movie.
Films
For a complete list see List of Troma films. Below is a list of some Troma films;
- The Toxic Avenger series (1, 2, 3, 4)
- The Class of Nuke 'Em High trilogy (1, 2, 3)
- Cannibal! The Musical
- Combat Shock
- Redneck Zombies
- Tromeo and Juliet
- Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead
- Surf Nazis Must Die
- Mother's Day
- Troma's War
- Mad Dog Morgan
- Blood Sucking Freaks
- Killer Condom
- Rabid Grannies
- Monster in the Closet
- The Last Horror Film
- Def by Temptation
Also see List of Troma Team Video Titles for a complete list of films distributed by Troma Entertainment.
References
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This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (April 2009) |
- ^ a b "Horror Showman". New York Magazine. November 27, 2000. http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/columns/culturebusiness/4140/. Retrieved 2009-07-24.
- ^ Ellis-Christensen, Tricia. "Who is Hayao Miyazaki?". http://www.wisegeek.com/who-is-hayao-miyazaki.htm. Retrieved 2008-02-18.
- ^ a b "Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead". Entertainment Weekly. May 22, 2008. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20202024,00.html. Retrieved 2009-07-24.
External links
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