Ton_O Reviews

Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (2006)

Clucking genius!!

[10/10 · 1 November 2008]

Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead is Lloyd Kaufman's best movie to date. Which is true for almost all of his previous movies as the legend only gets better and better. This film can be read on so many levels that finally being able to revisit it over and over again now that it is out on DVD is something many fans have been waiting for. Of course the careless viewer can watch it as a wonderful splattering gory and amazingly entertaining, wildly funny horror musical with a great story and one of the best casts Troma has ever had the pleasure of working with, and even then you are in for a treat because no nanosecond is wasted. There is so much going on in the background, the tiniest props have the most insightful jokes and messages on them. Check what is on the headstones in the opening scenes, read the titles on DVD covers appearing in the film, T-shirts people are wearing - there are many opportunities to freeze-frame your DVD and see what is easily missed when you saw the film in a theater. Every detail has been given much care, down to the names of all the characters. But there are also load of political statements, that can be read painfully wrong if you are not aware of the background of the director, and are all the more powerful if you are. Other than that, it is one of those rare zombie-themed films that are provokingly intelligent. There are so many zombies in hundreds of movies that are there only for gores sake, here they serve a purpose, here they present a striking metaphor of what modern society has come to, filled with unthinking trend-following food-stuffing individuals who seem to have no control over themselves and much less a mind of their own. Most striking is the idea the movie is built upon: a fast food restaurant built on a sacred native American burial ground magnificently represents how the new Americans have treated the land they took and the original cultures that lived on it: destroyed it, killed it, buried it and built a literally and metaphorically totally tasteless new meaningless culture on top of it.

The dialog is fast, witty and powerful and the film leaves the viewer with a whole lot to chew upon This again is a movie that demonstrates how ridiculous the popular notion is that Troma makes trivial and tasteless movies. Lloyd Kaufman may make movies the about tastelessness of todays world, but that doesn't make his movies tasteless. Quite the contrary – there are very few directors in the movie industry who are able to show what is wrong with humanity in such a painfully accurate way,

The 3-disc DVD set is not to be missed by anyone who is remotely interested in horror, Troma, movies in general and fans of Lloyd Kaufman's work. It is a total encyclopedia on what is Poultrygeist with not only a beautifully presented widescreen version of the film, but loads of insightful extra's on all three discs. There is a feature length documentary on the making of the film, shots of the NYC premiere, deleted scenes, film-making lessons, an alternate ending, music video's, karaoke versions of the songs from the film and many more Tromatic goodies.

A great film by a legendary genius director with a very talented cast. And all that in this kind of loaded package for such a price. Get it, before they're gone. It's the best buy for your money.

Demons Among Us (2006 Video)

Australian film-making at its best!

[10/10 · 10 September 2008]

Demons are everywhere. Not only among us, but in our dreams, in our heads and running our countries. At first sight "The Demons Among Us" can easily be enjoyed as a very well made and highly entertaining horror-movie. But there is much more to this work of art than meets the eye of the careless viewer. Under the surface of the very well written and well acted story there are layers of social and religious commentaries. But there is also the subtleties added to the movie, and adding to the viewing pleasure and amazement, by the editing. Incredible use has been made of the possibilities digital editing has to enhance the feel of the film – the editing is a very important player in the film, it almost tells the story and gives it a kind of depth you rarely see. The use of colors is highly imaginative and disturbing in the best possible way. The score is one I would love to hear separately as well, it is hard to believe that a movie made for a non-Hollywood budget could have been treated with such an great score that is rich in ingenious percussion and ranges from Death Cube K kind of atmospheres to Krzysztof Penderecki-ish wonderment and is complemented by some superb rocktracks. All of this edited in the film with the same editing skill that misses not a single nanosecond. This movie should be watched in the dark and with complete concentration to enjoy it completely, as many clues, commentaries and important images come and go in very short images or lines, and to allow all of this wonderment to be fully comprehended (which I doubt I have already – there is so much in it) is the biggest cinematic experience I have had in a very long time.

This is Australian film-making at its best, and it makes me wonder how it can be that people choose multi-million dollar emptiness in the megamultiplexes over this kind of true artistry.

The DVD comes with a selection of deleted scenes that are not yet totally finished in post-production, and here it becomes even more clear how much care has been taken to get every frame in the film exactly right. The 35 minute behind the scenes featurette is highly informative and detailed, and very entertaining as well. The included short "Sickie", of the same makers it becomes obvious that the very original ways of directing and editing can also be used to create something morbidly and wonderfully funny. This is one of those movies that prove wrong the ridiculous myth that Troma is about bad taste. This is even better that Peter Jacksons early work. Rounded up with a range of wonderful Tromatic extra's as well this is one DVD that no one even remotely interested in great film-making should miss! Highly recommended.

The Art of Pain (2008)

One of the best independent movies. Ever.

[10/10 · 24 July 2008]

THE ART OF PAIN

Viewing "The Art of Pain" is a mind-boggling experience. Constantly things are happening that are not expected. If all you want is ridiculously expensive effects on giant screens in multiplexes and don't care too much about either plot or characterization I advise you to see the next new over-hyped blockbuster. If you understand that some films are made for less money but care for an interesting story, unexpected twists, great acting, good dialog and an original script (not to mention inventive directing of a kind that several overpaid Hollywood directors can take a hint from), "The Art Of Pain" is the one to check out!! At first people may expect a film that is like many in it's supposed "genre", as all the elements fans of modern horror are looking for are there. A brilliant twist of this film, however, is that they are never used in a way remotely like most other titles. The ninja's are a beautiful metaphor for the ridiculous way westerners are into everything that comes from various eastern cultures and make it their own – including an obviously American sensei who merely uses his eastern way of life as an excuse to release his cruelty. It is not strange that one of the pupils of his lessons that are way too far removed from their origins doesn't understand what it is all about anymore. Zombies in an empty movie-theater seem to represent their own audiences, resulting in a feeling of vertigo from the maelstrom of art and life imitating each other. Comics, always popular with many "genre-movie" fans find their way into this script in a natural way, with a fine nod to "Skunk Ape", the first film Brookens made with his brother Greg -who plays a beautiful part in "The Art Of Pain"- and which is available on the DVD "The Best Of Tromadance vol. 3".

"Great art comes from great pain" is a line delivered by a brilliantly cast Lloyd Kaufman (not without a lot of pain himself from being blacklisted by the big conglomerates and thus having great difficulty to have his masterpieces made available to the general audiences). Indeed the fact that the best art painter Jack delivers in the film is the result of pain suffered and inflicted by a third party seems to wonderfully depict the way the movie business works.

The hellish boredom of a job that is absolutely not fulfilling resulting in the lack of inspiration once the real life can start after office-hours is something many viewers will be able to relate to. The need to do something more with your life, but feeling drained out of all energy by a seemingly senseless day-job is something I experienced for quite some years.

In the 30 minute "Skunk Ape" it was already very clear the Brookens Brothers had a superb Pythonesque sense of humor, and a way of making the most seemingly far fetched subjects come together in a storyline – here their abilities are even stretched much further. The many layers that can be read underneath the story are a great thing in themselves, but the way the film builds to unexpected heights is unique. It certainly doesn't take a straight road. For a careless viewer the story might develop slowly, but in the end everything turns out to be there for a good reason as we reach the unexpected finale. The brilliant life-like dialogs make every second interesting, and the whole thing so much more realistic. There are moments where the film works like a Frank Zappa composition, never restricting itself to the limits of just one "genre". When you are dragged into the seriously delivered acting and the suspense of the storyline, you are suddenly put on the wrong foot entirely as at moments you least expect it the film suddenly bursts into hilarious and surrealistic humorous scenes that are sometimes even so short the next tense scene has already started before you have fully realized there was something different there for a while.

The DVD also includes deleted scenes, bloopers (including some with Lloyd Kaufman), another wonderfully insane short film by the Brookers Brothers ("Son of Rony"), a trailer for "Skunk Ape" introduced by the two brothers and more!! One superb package no serious fan of interesting independent cinema could do without! (Available at www.artofpainmovie.com/DVD.php)

Pot Zombies (2005 Video)

Minimalism to the brilliant limit!!

[9/10 · 6 June 2008]

There are a lot of low-budget horror movies that try to follow the strange and unwritten rules of cinema that state that some linear storytelling should be what a film evolves around. Most of the entries to the genre, especially when zombies are involved, also try to throw in a fair share of social comments by use of metaphors. Only very few directors are talented enough to actually make that work, and not everybody can be as genial as Lloyd Kaufman of George A. Romero. And here we come to what makes POT ZOMBIES such a unique and highly entertaining new film: it doesn't do all that. It doesn't follow all those rules. It doesn't follow any rule. It has no plot, not much of a story, no metaphors whatsoever. It follows a loosely connected chain of people who smoke radioactively contaminated weed until they turn into flesh-eating zombies because of it and then make their first victim. And director Justin Powers does this so magnificently well that the entire 90 minutes of the film feel like a roller coaster ride of fantastically gory scenes that only leave the viewer hungry for more. A beautiful female smoker-turned-zombie is a huge teaser as we never see her actually get into flesh eating action, so all I wanted after the film had ended was a sequel. The good news is that it is already in production! Better still: it will have Nicola Fiore in it! I can't wait! This first entry in Troma's MAKE YOUR OWN DAMN MOVIE: YOUNG FILMMAKERS SERIES is a winner, and everyone who loves good movies that are made for the right reasons will definitely want to see this series go on for a very long time.

Alien Blood (1999)

A rare gem in British independent film-making.

[9/10 · 16 February 2008]

This is a film that requires some patience, and for that reason may not be compatible with the regular Multiplex-movie-goer. But for those who watch movies for their content instead of only for fast moving ridiculousness, this is a very interesting one, because it is a little of a lot of things and a lot of never seen before. Apparently the producer/writer/director Jon Sorensen (responsible for the special effects of Alien, The Dark Crystal, Moonraker and Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits, to name a few) had trouble finding funds to finance the film, because in Britain it was the first independent film with a science fiction theme in at least ten years. Producing it himself he eventually managed to go on with the project, and that is a very good thing, because he made certainly the first British independent film of any kind that is remotely like ALIEN BLOOD. The film evolves around a hunted mother and her child, which is the target of the incredibly unrelenting mostly masked persons, the leader of which mentions to be responsible for "this project". A family having a dress-party for the millennium gets involved and without us learning the exact truth about the mother and the child, the film is keeping the viewer constantly involved with them, concerned for them. Without much plot this is a very poetic film, of which each and every frame could be framed and hanged on the wall for it's sheer beauty. The atmosphere reminds a little of some of the best Jean Rollin pictures, especially Requiem For A Vampire, as it shares a very long beginning without any dialog, and a sneaked in vampire theme combined with some implied lesbianism plus the fact that people who come "from another world" speak French lead to believe that the director indeed wanted to include some nods to the French auteur filmmaker. With it's visual poetry, stunningly thrilling atmosphere, wonderfully worked out story and questions that still remain after the closing titles have ended, this is a very special film. Some people complain about the acting in many films that are made with a comparatively small budget, but even the most cynical of those could complain here. The acting has to be done without a lot of lines, so facial expressions are very important, and the cast deliver a great performance. The DVD has an interesting monologue by Sorensen, in which he shares a good deal of information about the production of the film and beautiful shots of the location (just as beautiful) where Alien Blood was shot.

Period Piece (2006)

Society is a smoking dead pig.

[9/10 · 5 February 2008]

Many highly original metaphors for the depraved state of our society has come to decorate this film, which is probably the best portrayal of the loneliness that our so called civilized world drives many unique persons to if they are no longer of any use. The cast is made up of professional actors who seem to be very close to the subject matter in real life, and as is the case with other films of Giusseppe Andrews, the fact that the entire feature is filmed with a small digital camera rather than expensive equipment adds a whole extra dimension of grittiness to the already dread atmosphere. Andrews is known for his acting in such films as Independence Day, American Histoy X, Cabin Fever and his own Touch me in the Morning, but also makes his own unfortunately rarely seen unique films. Period Piece is not only directed by him, but he also produced it, wrote it, scripted it, photographed it, acted in it, edited it and composed and recorded the musical score for it. And in the process proved that he is a one-man-film studio and deserves nothing but the deepest respect for daring to show a truly original view on the world we live in by delivering us this stunningly personal masterpiece. The DVD comes with a load of extra's that do this unsettling but beautiful film justice, including a second feature film by Giusseppe Andrews, "Jacuzzi Rooms", which is a daring as the main feature, but totally different in style. The interview Lloyd Kaufman conducts with the director adds more depth and gives more clues to understanding this genius filmmaker. We will definitely hear more of Giusseppe Andrews in the future, and owe the fact that we are introduced to his work to Troma.

LolliLove (2004)

The Troma movie that Everybody will like!

[10/10 · 5 February 2008]

Directed by and starring Jenna Fischer who most people will know from her role in the American version of The Office TV series. Her very natural acting abilities make it very easy to forget that the documentary LolliLove you are watching, is actually a skillfully scripted and directed film. Fischer wrote her directorial debut with Peter Alton and (uncredited) her real-life husband James Gunn (writer of the Scooby Doo films, Dawn of the Dead remake and Tromeo and Juliet and writer/director of Slither) . Gunn also plays her husband in the film as well, and as he has shown briefly in Tromeo & Juliet, his acting is of the same lifelike quality as Jenna's. Lollilove is about those people who try to do the right thing by devoting themselves to a charity project for all the wrong reasons and without any genuine knowledge or understanding of the badly treated individuals in our society they try to help, and even worse so: without any interest in them apart from the opportunity to show off as a better person themselves. And the saddest thing is that they don't even know or realize this themselves. A very dark comedy that is never too funny and sometimes gut-wrenchingly showing the mental poverty of those who are looked upon as being well off. With this film as her debut as a film director, it should only be common sense to be confident that Jenna Fischer has a rich career ahead of her. The feature film is done justice with a rich collection of extra's on Troma's DVD presentation that would make Criterion proud. A very informative and entertaining audio-commentary by Fisher and Gunn with Peter Alton and producer Stephen Blackeheart (100 million BCfriends, a very detailed behind the scenes documentary and a rich collection of deleted scenes and interviews with the Gunns, but also historic film introductions with James Gunn and Stephen Blackeheart from various Troma films, exclusive footage from the set of James Gunn's Slither and much more. Also starring Linda Cardellini (E.R., Broke Back Mountain), Jason Segel (CSI), Joan M. Blair (Donnie Darko, E.R.), Lloyd Kaufman (Terror Firmer) and many more, this is a star studded film that would have been a huge hit if it wasn't released by a blacklisted small independent film studio. Do yourself a favor and see this film. Buy it. Enjoy it. Highly recommended!

Blood Sucking Freaks (1976)

Dark, disturbing and disorienting

[9/10 · 12 January 2008]

This film handles such heavy subjects as insanity, torture, abduction, corrupt police officers, white slavery, and much more and still manages to be entertaining. Much of this is due to the performance of Seamus O'Brien, who, as Sardu, delivers the sometimes surreal dialog completely straight faced. It is a shame this actor was killed by a burglar in his house early in his career, as I believe he could have been as great as Christopher Lee. The interaction with his assistant Ralphus (played by Luis De Jesus, who later found his way in the Star Wars universe as Ewok in Return of the Jedi) is very light-hearted, especially during some gruesome scenes of extreme horror. The music score also adds to a strange atmosphere by using very light themes during the heaviest scenes and rather disturbing sounds during rather comedic scenes but especially by not always using this technique, so that the viewer is constantly disoriented. The production value of the film is enhanced by director Joel M. Reed's ingenious ways lighting, use of darkness and thus suggesting much more than there is without distracting from the story and the characters, but actually managing to add to the films atmosphere not in spite of, but because the limited budget. I very much doubt if the same wonderful result could be achieved, even today, over thirty years later, with a limitless budget and all the CGI effects in the world. The DVD includes, amongst many other things, a very revealing introduction by Lloyd Kaufman. Plus interviews with some of the actors and a highly informative audio-commentary by Eli Roth, director, writer and producer of such films as Cabin Fever and Hostel.

Scarlet Moon (2006)

Absolute genius.

[10/10 · 5 January 2008]

It is difficult to give a synopsis of this film. I don't give too much away when I way it is about Satanya, who got bitten by a vampire in the 1960's, gained the eternal life and still lives as if the sixties were not over yet. She meets vampire Andreas and his sidekick Smoke who form a pact with the leader of a satanic cult . To say more would give too much away from this highly original film in which too much is going on to know where to begin retelling the story. No expensive computer graphics here, but I always find it ridiculous when people demand things to look real when dealing with subjects that aren't . But if you care for an original story, with a unique view on vampires, look no further than Warren F. Disbrow's film. Vampires are no sinister characters that appear unexpectedly for shock value, but three dimensional characters, interacting with each other in such a way that there is much more to them than just being scary. The character of Professor Herz, who also had a leading role in Warren Disbrows previous two films (available on the "Warren Disbrow Double Feature) and is again played by the director's father, makes an appearance here as some sort of modern Van Helsing kind of person, reluctantly interrupting his interesting research in the South American jungle, this time not to destroy aliens, but to fight the undead menace. The film has very dark and disturbing moments, wonderfully comedic scenes and great acting. With the limited funds Warren Disbrow has to his use, it is amazing he keeps producing new films that are impossible to turn off. One might wonder what a unique talent like him would accomplish with a budget of even twenty or thirty thousand dollars. But then on the other hand, that would also mean a restriction of the artistic freedom he now has, and Disbrow is a real auteur in every sense of the word. Any interference from others could only lessen the final result. Warren Disbrow is a genius, his films are fantastic. And this is one of his very best. The DVD also has, amongst many others, a feature length behind-the-scenes documentary that gives us some insight in how he manages to bring us this wonderful film, and a highly informative audio-commentary. You can't afford not to get this one if you look further than just flashy FX. Michael Bruce, from Alice Cooper's band in the heydays, also makes an appearance.

Troma's War (1988)

Torma's long lost masterpiece.

[10/10 · 26 December 2007]

Finally, on DVD, represented in the brilliant director's cut version that no one should miss!! This is Troma's answer to the Rambo kind of films that were doing well all around. This should have been as big a worldwide hit in theaters all over the world, if it weren't for the censors who always kindly cooperate with the big conglomerates, but while Rambo got it's R-rating with it's countless bullets, shot wounds, amounts of senseless violence and streams of blood, Troma's War wasn't treated with the same courtesy. While not more excessively violent or bloody than any of the drek that the big studio's poured out over the audiences, Troma's War was submitted to countless cuts, making it a rather senseless film, of which all the guts (literally and metaphorically), storyline and message were deleted, with the predictable result that no one really could care for the film anymore. A bloody shame, since it is – when seen in the original director's cut – so much better than the poor substitudes with the bid budgets spent on ridiculously overpaid mediocre actors from Hollywood. Troma's War in it's entirety is a masterpiece, a brilliant film that seems to pretend to be the Rambo-kind-of-film, and should please audiences that like that stuff, but in the meantime is so much more than that: it is an intelligent film with a layered texture, a superb story and a lot of fun. Furthermore, the film features the first appearance of Troma's soon to be Superstar Joe Fleishaker. And it is the first movie to address the aids problem, long before any of the bigger studios even dared to touch it, again proving how much ahead of it's time Troma has always been. The director's audio-commentary is, as is always the case with Lloyd Kaufman's tracks, a wonderfully insightful feature, worth the price of the disc itself, and it explains in depth the evil works with which the big guys in the film-making world go to great lengths to put the independents out of business. But Troma's War still goes on – 35 years and counting! Get this film, it is a historically significant one.

Acting Out (1978)

A time capsule

[8/10 · 22 December 2007]

A strange documentary kind of film that could only have been made in the 1970's. A number of people are invited do tell the filmmakers what their ultimate sexual desire would be, after which they are given a chance to actually have these played out for real, with the help of porn Robert Kerman (who is know by serious filmfanatics for his part in Deodato's Cannibal Holocaust), amongst others. It turns out that these (real) people have (really) weird fantasies ranging from being abused by medics while being operated upon to something as predictable as a guy wishing do experience a threesome. What is so stunning about this documentary is that we learn that even in the wild years of free love people simply couldn't handle this freedom because the desires they have turn out do be as disappointing as they are weird. It turns out that only the guy with the least ridiculous wishes (the threesome with two girls) actually enjoyed the experience. It seems that then and now people always want do make more of sex that there actually is. For this alone it is an interesting film to watch. We get to see the entire process, from people being selected in the street, them telling about their desires and the action out, all rounded out by their commentaries on the experiences. All of this with very straight faces and surprisingly little gratuitous nudity, giving the viewer the impression that a scientific research to all this was the goal, and not to get as much as cheap nude scenes as possible, which of course is nonsense but makes for extremely fun viewing. A time capsule like this would probably have been lost forever if it wasn't for a company named Troma. Recommended.

Slither (2006)

James Gunn is a good influence in Hollywood.

[9/10 · 20 October 2006]

James Gunn is a genius in scriptwriting, and he is a very rare species of people making it in the Hollywood scene without selling out. His scripts always show his true sense of humor and cynicism. He always puts a lot of Troma in there. Before Directing and writing Slither he wrote a number of highly successful theatrical hits, and he managed to make even Scooby Doo highly enjoyable and even did the impossible by writing an absolutely amazing script for the remake of absolute classic amongst classics of horror-films Dawn of the Dead - something me and many others always thought of as being totally impossible.

However brilliant, none of Gunn's scripts, including Slither, although it comes close, are as GENIUS as the first one he ever wrote to be made in a film: Tromeo and Juliet, directed by Lloyd Kaufman (with Gunn as assistant director). Although not selling out, is it clear that all films for larger studio's need some concessions here and there, while Tromeo and Juliet has none of that, and truly shows Gunns genius without any restrictions (and it is, incidentally available on a tenth anniversary double disc, with huge contributions of James Gunn himself!!). All this said I can only conclude that Slither is a fantastic film, with a script as good as or maybe even better than his DAWN remake, and with it James Gunn shows he is perfect for directing his own work, because the film as a whole is far better than DAWN. An absolute must see, must have.

The DVD also includes a very enjoyable video diary by independent film-legend Lloyd Kaufman, who has a cameo in Slither.

Tromeo and Juliet (1996)

The ultimate interpretation of Shakespeare's work.

[10/10 · 12 September 2006]

TROMEO & JULIET - 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

William Shakespeare's play Romeo & Juliet has been interpreted hundreds of times on stage and in films. Sometimes literally following the original text (which is, at times, vague in stage directions), sometimes in new interpretations where directors chose to show their own view on the piece. Some are good, many are mediocre. Lloyd Kaufman's film certainly stands out as one of the most original, modern versions of the bard's creation, It may be placed in a modern-day decaying New York and full of the modern-day anti-social behavior, body piercing, dismemberment and kinky sex (which, for the more than casual reader, Shakespeare himself wasn't shying away from), but at the same time it stays incredibly close to the overall feel and point of what the play is all about, which is quite an effort. Kaufman wrote the script with his co-director on the film James Gunn, who is now famous for writing two successful Scooby Doo movies, doing the impossible by making a perfect remake of an already perfect film with his script for Dawn of the Dead and directing one of the best horror-films of the year: Slither. Lloyd Kaufmans innovative directorial view alongside with James Gunns original and unrestricted writing make for an interpretation of Shakespeare's play that maybe not everyone will "get" immediately, but will certainly be recognized by a truly unique and highly important view on a classic play. With a script that is written entirely in iambic meter, appearances of Motorhead's Lemmy and an outrageous forceful soundtrack watching Tromeo & Juliet is something no one will ever forget. Apart from it's historical significance, Tromeo & Juliet is a treasure for film-lovers of all kind. Not only for the script by James Gunn, now a good influence on Hollywood while working from the inside, but also because it features an early part of legendary actress Debbie Rochon. Well known by everyone familiar with films that are made on lower budgets. The 10th anniversary edition on DVD adds to all that by including so many as-yet undiscovered gems that not only all the information one could wish for about the film itself and the experience of making it is presented in ways that make it impossible to turn off the DVD, but also a very honest (and disturbing) look is given into the ways independent cinema has to surviver these days. In many ways the extra's on the disc are an invaluable addition to the already impressive amount given on Kaufman's film-school "Make Your Own Damn Movie". Furtermore historical items from the Troma vaults which include James Gunn, Debbie Rochon and all other contributors to this masterpiece are included, and the film itself is, apart from looking better then ever, accompanied by no less than four audio-commentaries, each and everyone informative, excruciatingly funny and all done for serious addition to the film instead of the boring and nonsensical commentaries that are so common these days. There are new commentaries (one with Kaufman and Gunn together), but also the one James Gunn did for the original release of the DVD but couldn't be included there for some of honesty he displays about some other people is present on this disc. With fan-recreations of a few of the scenes from the film, a video diary of Lloyd Kaufman's visit to the set of James Gunn's Slither and a visit the two brought together to Eli Roth's Hostel Birthday party and much more, this is the ultimate set everyone must own. Weather you are a film historian, someone interested in interpretations of the great Bard's work, a fan of great cinema, a fighter for independent cinema, a fan of James Gunn, interested in learning more on making films on a low budget, a fan of Lloyd Kaufman or whatever: this is the most important DVD-release of this millennium!

Dumpster Baby (2000 Video)

Brilliantly uncomfortable.

[9/10 · 5 September 2006]

Brilliantly uncomfortable.

An unwanted baby that is disposed of by placing it in a dumpster is a superb metaphor for the kind of world most kids are born into these days. As we follow the baby through various circumstances as it goes from hand to hand, we see more and more of this dumpster of a world we live in. This film is dark, depressing and uses a palette that beautifully illustrates it's story and message. It is made on a low budget, but Dumpster Baby is one of those movies that show that not only no unlimited amount of money is needed to make a great film, but that the lack of it actually adds to the gritty atmosphere it wants to capture (a message maestro Mario Bava already understood perfectly, often handing films in under budget, because not all of the cash was needed to make a fine product). No CGI-effects could ever recreate this kind of realism. I have read about the bad sound the film is supposed to have. OK, admitted, it is not quite 5-channel ultra-Dolby mix that we get here, but as with the murky atmosphere that the cameras captured so magnificently, the sometimes hard to follow mumblings the people speak to each other add a fitting non-communicational loneliness to the lives of those we follow. Highly original, extremely hard-hitting and rather uncomfortable. In other words: a poetic masterpiece, a must-see and a must-have.

Tales from the Crapper (2004 Video)

The DVD shows this is much more than a film!

[10/10 · 10 July 2006]

Therefore it is important to talk about the DVD release instead of just the film. Tales from the Crapper is a film that only one studio in the world could deliver. The one that has brought us innovative and original REAL independent films for 30 plus years now: Troma. This is truly a very special film because it manages to be certainly not my favorite of the Troma-productions, but released on a disc that because of what I just said is one of my most valued and favorite DVD's. Not only counting the countless Troma discs I own, but counting my entire collection of films. The film itself is the result of an ill fated plan to produce a television series to be directed by a director who was trusted with a substantial amount of money (especially for Troma) to make something wonderful and delivered a lot of unfinished and incomprehensible material before quitting (or being fired, I am not sure which at this moment). In order to prevent having to shove a vast investment down the toilet Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz decided to get together a team of directors and actors and use the material as the backbone of one movie. One movie that really consists of two, in the nice old Tales From The Crypt anthology fashion, hosted by the Crapkeeper played by Mr Kaufman himself. But, as I said, not quite my own favorite of all their movies. That is greatly due to a weird sense of discipline at the various sets, forgetting about the hard Troma rule of "no booze on the set" which was discovered by a furious Lloyd and other less respectable employees that Troma had at the time of the filming of the added scenes. All this made it all but impossible for Mr Kaufman to make a worthwhile product in the editing room. But Lloyd Kaufman is a genius, and with the troubled added scenes to an already misshapen start-product he crafted not much less of a masterpiece. The film itself is as good as circumstances would allow the most brilliant filmmaker to slice together and it is certainly highly entertaining, totally confusing, loaded with those elements that made Troma great and certainly unique and one of a kind. As a film itself, though, not as brilliant as many other Troma productions. The genius of Independent Cinema however made the DVD of this film so much more than a release of a film with some extra's. The film is, when push comes to shove, actually only a part of the entire DVD that in its whole is a document of the difficult situation serious filmmakers find themselves in having to survive in a world that is monopolized by the few Very Big Ones who don't really allow any other players on their market turf. A document of the problems one has when trusting people to be on the level, only to find out that freedom sometimes is something that is hard to live up to and realization that access to a Movie Budget when the Boss is not around can corrupt even those who should really know better. The brilliance of this DVD is that the film is not perfect, and that Lloyd KNOWS it, and doesn't want to make anyone think he believes it is. The full-length commentary is a show in itself (as is often the case with Mr. Kaufan's audio commentaries), mixing humor, sneers at those who deserve it and highly interesting information for anyone interested in Independent Film-making in such a fashion that watching the film again with this commentary straight after viewing it on its own merits is so interesting it is hard to stop. The feature-length documentary THE THICK BROWN LINE takes us behind the scenes at the various locations where Lloyd visits the sets only to sometimes take over and make the most of what he finds there. We see him somewhat disillusioned sometimes, different from his appearances in other Making Of Documents such as Fart of Darkness and Apocalypse Soon, both to be found in the must-own MAKE YOUR OWN DAMN MOVIE box set.

The added scenes with James Gunn (who started his career at Troma only to find success as a writer an now a director in Hollywood) and Trey Parker (again someone to start out with a Troma-released work, to later be a national hero with his South Park series) are entertaining and probably (as is much else on this release) a reason for obtaining this disc alone for anyone remotely interested in the work of these two characters. Loaded with much more than I could mention here (including a SECOND audio-commentary) this is one of the best Troma-DVD-releases.

The Ruining (2004 Video)

One word: Brilliant!!

[9/10 · 10 July 2006]

Made over a period of no less than ten years under terrible circumstances and loaded with bad luck, this is one of the best horror films of the past decades. It has the intelligence of other recently made low-budget films and the atmosphere of the beautiful works we saw in the late seventies and early eighties. Due to a lot of rip-offs and other unforeseen bad luck (wonderfully explained in the extra's on the DVD) the only surviving print was the workprint, which wasn't in the best of shape, but weirdly enough the scratches and sometimes slightly incorrect colors only add to the atmosphere of this wonderful, shocking and entertaining piece of art. We can only thank Troma for deciding to give this masterpiece a release in spite of the technical imperfections rather that not releasing it at all. For anyone with an interest in the wonderful horror of decades ago and the sinister and disturbing look of serious terror this is one film not to miss!

Medley - Brandelli di scuola (2000)

Frightening and superb.

[9/10 · 10 July 2006]

The DVD-audio-commentary for this film could be seen as a bonus to LloydKaufman's brilliant movie-school in a box "Make your own damn movie", as it explains in detail how this very cheaply made film was conceived,without being boring for even a second. But, that is only the commentary track by director Gionata Zarantonello, who indeed made a masterpiece that shows many times it's budget. Through his innovative way of shooting, using his actors and making use of the extraordinary locations he created a beautiful dreamlike film that takes the viewer away to a horrifying world of violence and abuse that everybody who has had a less-than-ideal time in school will immediately recognize. This seems to be sounding a bit paradoxical, but in the terrors shown and old wounds being ripped open again the recognition of someone in far away Italy showing exactly all these things you were never able to explain satisfyingly to anyone in such beautiful images makes for one of the finest cinematic experiences I ever encountered.

Meat Weed Madness (2006 Video)

Highly original.

[9/10 · 6 July 2006]

For those of you who don't like the fact that low budget filmmakers resort to obvious low-budget special effects, be advised that director Aiden Dillard got the idea for this film from his wish to create a moving image of a papier mache cow, which is indeed one of the most important scenes in the opening of the film. No cheap effects caused by a lack of budget, but made intentionally the way they look. How I would love to see Aiden Dillard making a film on a huge budget, he would probably hand in the film under budget, like that other maestro Mario Bava. No need to spend huge amounts of money if a fantastic imagination is at hand! The rest of this film is just as imaginative, one of the most original films from the last few years for those who (like me) get sick of the ridiculously expensive but ever-so-uninteresting so-called entertainment that Hollywood keeps vomiting out over us. It is impossible to explain in a few lines what is going on in MEAT WEED MADNESS, but if you are even remotely interested in film-making that is a bit different you cannot afford not to buy this one. The DVD is also loaded with extra's, amongst which is one of the most entertaining audio-commentaries I have heard in a long time.

Touch Me in the Morning (1999)

Guiseppe Andrews is going to be HUGE!

[10/10 · 27 June 2006]

Guiseppe Andrews is a new director, and you can have a chance of a lifetime to keep up with the rising of a star in the making, if you start buying his DVD's NOW. Troma is a filmstudio that is the biggest (and only surviving) independent studio, not withstanding all the powers agains them still treating true art-lovers the very best in Independent Cinama for over 33 years now. Put the two together and you get a brilliant and ever growing DVD-library of unique films made by someone who will be talked and written about long after we all have gone, as someone who is as unique as Andy Warhol, Orson Welles and Lloyd Kaufman and one of the few big ones to have changed cinema as we know it. Guiseppe Andrews will be imitated, loved, collected and analyzed. Many people mistakenly think of Troma as the studio that makes violent and sexy films. Of course they do make wonderful gems in that direction, but there is so much more that most people don't know about. The films by Guiseppe Andrews are amongst these, although I doubt if that be be the case for very long, because worldwide the talents of this highly original and unconventional director are being recognized as we speak. And without Troma the world would not have known of this wonderful talent.

TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING is one of the first films in Andrews' large oeuvre. Shot is a beautifully depressing monochromatic palette it tells the story of the Coming-of-Age story of a young guy who calls himself Coney Island, and who is dealing with a lot of the issues facing today's youth: divorce, unemployment, sexual inadequacy and a gigolo father who has just been released from prison! He goes through this with his own individual optimistisism, which irritates his girlfriend who wants him to grow up. Daddy Bill, however, gives him advice in the ways of life, and Coney goes about on a grotesque and wildly hilarious journey of self-discovery. Not as complicated and much more accessible than some of Guiseppe Andrews' later masterpieces this is a great way to be introduced to the work of a legend to be. Three short films by Andrews and an interview with the maverick director conducted by Troma president Lloyd Kaufman round up this amazingly well presented DVD. A must have.

Blades (1989)

Subtle Humor an a brilliantly disguised horror-flick

[9/10 · 20 May 2005]

BLADES is a 1980's horrorfilm that for the casual viewer might look like some others horrorflicks that were released in those years, but for those who take the time to take a closer look turns out to be a very ingenuously crafted comedy, that has it's scary moments as well. The story about a lawnmower with a mind of it's own gone berserk on a golf course at first sometimes seems too ridiculous to even take seriously, until one discovers that taking it seriously is definitely not the way to view this film. It certainly is not what director Thomas Rondinella had in mind when the humor is starting to get more and more obvious. The humor is of a Abrahams/Zucker kind of fashion played very straight by the surprisingly good acting cast, only it is far less obvious and thrown-in-the-face than in their Naked Gun and Airplane films, as in BLADES the viewer really has to be alert because a lot of the humorous action takes place in the background and by quickly passing characters while a different scene is happening in the foreground. The story and script are so totally opposite to the dead-pan acting and the skilled editing that the 101 minutes the films lasts constantly entertain and keep the viewer alert. Highly recommended. Available on DVD as part of TROMA'S TRIPLE B-HEADER VOLUME 1.

The Toxic Avenger (1984)

One of the most influential independent films

[10/10 · 11 April 2005]

The Toxic Avenger is one of the most important films in independent cinema, and without it there would have been no Lord Of The Rings as we know it. Peter Jackson (only one of Hollywood's major directors who admits to be influenced by Toxie, filmstudio Troma and director Lloyd Kaufman) would never have made his earlier horror-flicks which made him famous enough to be chosen to direct this much too expensive series. The Toxic Avenger may have influenced many directors, it has never quite been surpassed in its originality and brilliance, which is even more surprising if you take into account that it was made for the price of Christopher Lee's breakfast on the set of LotR.

Lloyd Kaufman is a genius, and his films are trendsetting, innovative and completely original. The Toxic Avenger is the one that put his (and Michael Herz's) filmcompany Troma on the map and 30 years later they still survive as a truly independent studio, in spite of increasingly below-the-belt practices of the Major Conglomerates who don't really like to have any competition of someone who actually has ORIGINAL IDEAS. Besides Disney, Troma is the only filmcompany in the world that has a legion of fans who follow the Brand in itself. And such a thing can only happen if that brand has proved to be responsible for a continuous string of very special, innovating and high-quality products.

The film is honored with a well deserved tribute to one of Horrorfilm's icons. The Toxic Avenger turns 21 in 2005, and with three sequels to his name he is still more alive than he has ever been. Get the 21st anniversary edition of this film NOW. It is the ultimate release of this very important film. A MUST BUY for those who haven't yet seen the film. A HAVE-TO-GET for anyone who is familiar with the film but still does not have the title in their collection, but also a GOTTA-GET-IT-TODAY for those who already have the film, as this presentation is much better than ever before, and it offers a load of highly entertaining, informative and not-to-be-missed extra's that is unheard-of, especially on such an affordable release. It's from Troma. Of Course!

Outlaw Prophet (2001)

This movie is much more than it seems to be to the casual viewer

[10/10 · 27 September 2004]

Don't be put off by the cheesy song during the opening titles. After this there are some shots of a spaceship that are highly reminiscent of the SFX used in the best Science Fiction ever (be it series or film): Blake's 7. Fans of that series know that expensive effects are not what a great viewing experience make, so for those of you who are only used to the boring Hollywood films that only attract viewers because of the expensive FX, just sit through this scene for a very short while and you will be pleasantly surprised by what Outlaw Prophet has to offer. On first glance it doesn't show for the casual viewer, but look a little further and the film is a complicated amalgam of Science Fiction, an highly original view on religion and a very accurate attack on today's viewer-ratings-based television culture (if you can still call it that). And all of these elements are intertwined in a way that leaves you increasingly surprised as the film nears the end. The acting is very good, especially considering the budget of the film – the little girl is brilliant! David Heavener wrote, produced and stars in this film, so we know that what we see is actually the vision of the creator and no executives have messed with the product to include any 'popular themes' or rip-off scenes from movies that sold well recently, as is so often the case with the expensive garbage that we see in the multiplexes. Highly recommended!!

Suicide (2001)

German cinema at its very best

[10/10 · 21 September 2004]

This German film, released here with it's original soundtrack and English subtitles, is totally unique in it's subject matter and in its form. Roughly it is about a young couple who decide to offer their services on a website to film other people's suicide. There is a lot more to it, but there are some very interesting and unexpected plot twists that would be a shame to give away - you just have to see this for yourself. It is entirely shot on Digital Video - but BEWARE all those people who have some strange grudge against this medium, let me tell you: this is the only way this film could have been made. This is one of those films where the choice of that medium is essential, enhances the horrifying nature of the film and, indeed, is no less than a character in the story. Funny thing is that, partly because of the use of video instead of film stock, this film looks as though it was a lot easier to make than in reality is the case. There is no use of the obvious and much-too-often used digital effects that we are bored with in the multiplex theaters, everything looks as though it is plainly shot with a small hand-held camera. But the suicides that are shown are so shockingly realistic and indeed much better looking than rapidly outdated digital effects in any 100 million dollar movie that it is hard to believe that the makers of this "small" film have achieved this level of 100% realism. This is enhanced by the true-to-life acting of absolutely everybody in this film. It is dark and very unsettling, but essential to everyone interested in intelligent horror films, German cinema from the likes of Jorg Buttgereit or Michael Haneke and for everyone who wants just that little bit more from a movie-experience than just laid-back entertainment.

Viral Assassins (1997 Video)

This film deserves a lot more attention than it gets

[10/10 · 21 September 2004]

A breathtaking allegory of the world we live in, Viral Assassins, set in an undefined near future, shows the government's solution to the problem of a new terminal disease – they simply make carrying the disease a capital crime. Most of the film is taken up by a terrifying secret conversation that takes place between three people in one room; skinscrawlingly uneasy secrecy and mistrust, on top of the claustrophobic nature of the setting, make this a film that, in spite of it's modest budget, easily surpasses the tension and watchability of any major multimilliondollar Hollywood movie with a critical edge (in itself a rare commodity). In Viral Assassis you get nothing of the predictable plots that we know from visiting the multiplexes, in this highly original and unique film we are constantly on the edge of our seat until the unexpected climax. Highest possible recommendation..

Chillers (1987)

Finally on DVD (as part of Toxies Triple Terror 2)

[10/10 · 20 September 2004]

Is certainly the best looking from this set, rare for such an obscure gem. Very clear picture and sound. Chillers is an episode film, and usually these don't work too well because not enough time is given in the short segments to build up tension, get to know the characters a.s.o. Here, however, in the 87 minutes the film lasts we are treated to no less than 5 stories that build up very well and involve many unexpected plot-twists. We get zombies, vampires, psychopaths, ghosts and possession plus an unexpected surprise ending (which is given away in the trailer that is included on the DVD, so watch this after the film). A group of travellers are stuck in a bus-depot that has all the hospitality of the one in Rock Bottom, where Spongebob Squarepants and Patrick Star get stranded, and in order to kill time they somehow wind up telling each other their worst nightmares. I won't give away any of the stories here, except that they range from very entertaining to truly frightening. Winner of the prestigious Silver Scream Award by the Acedemy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, and rightfully so, Chillers is a very good horror movie that is one of those examples where a limited budget enhances the creativity of the filmmakers. A truly original visual paperback of great stories.