In the 1980s a hero was born out of the toxic waste ridden cesspool known as Tromaville, New Jersey. A hero who has no pretty smile or swashbuckling attributes, but only a hideous disfigurement and his trusty mop. Lloyd Kaufman created “The Toxic Avenger,” because of his pure hatred for Hollywood. Hollywood had done Mr. Kaufman wrong, and he felt that a true auteur must stand out amongst the people and strike back for all that is sex and violence, and created what would eventually become a revolution.
When I first met Lloyd, he spoke so much about the wonders of being an independent filmmaker that I forgot all about his hatred for mainstream Hollywood. Sure, he’s good friends with the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Peter Jackson, but you will never find him dining with Spielberg or Michael Bay. Tarantino and Jackson both have a couple things in common. First, they both broke the mold of average Hollywood by being original and going past the known censorship to create something never seen before. Go watch Jackson’s “Bad Taste,” and tell me if you still think “King Kong,” is cute. The second thing they have in common is much more important to the basis of this essay. Without Lloyd Kaufman, neither of them would have ever broken the mold in mainstream media. Furthermore, without “The Toxic Avenger,” we would never have had “Reservoir Dogs,” or “Braindead.”
When released the New York Times article “The Toxic Avenger” (1985) by Stephen Holden who said this about the film;
“The Toxic Avenger,'' which opens today at the RKO Warner Twin and other theaters, may be trash, but it has a maniacally farcical sense of humor.”
That farcical sense of humor is why we have films like “There’s Something about Mary” today. It is an important part of film history and the evolution of film altogether that has been looked over by film viewers and schools alike.
I’m not going to go real deep into why this movie is so great, because it isn’t great. Take it for what it is, a trashy B-movie full of gore and sex that is too long and is
reminiscent of an Ed Wood film. Now, take it for what it was meant to be. Lloyd didn’t want to make a great film that used cutting edge technology or great acting; he wanted to do something different. “The Toxic Avenger,” was made to prove to Hollywood that Kaufman cannot be censored and that anyone can make a movie.
Within the actual film are parodies of classic films that Kaufman grew up with or loved. That is the only mainstream aspect of this film. The main story and action in this film will go down in history as cheesy, stupid, boring, gross and perverted. It will never be taken for what it is. It is a call to action for anybody who has ever wanted to make a movie and never thought they were good enough. It proves that you don’t need fancy equipment or fine actors but simply passionate people who love what they do. Hollywood lacks passion these days.
“The Toxic Avenger,” is meant to be viewed by adults and teenagers who have been the underdogs their entire lives and just want that one boost to make them who they wish to be. It’s about coming of age and becoming the man, or monster, you have been working towards for many years of your life. Now, granted, the film does not exactly paint out a fairy tale version of these delusions of grandeur. It contains no ballroom dancing or singing teacups and is not directed by some guy named Walt. What it does have, however, is a nerdy guy who has nothing in his life but a worthless job. This character is something many of us can relate to, even if we aren’t nerds. We have all had points in our lives where nothing has been enough and all we want is to be apart of something larger. The character get’s his wish and transforms into the iconic creature now internationally known as Toxie. In essence the basic idea here is that we all want something but then once we get it, we realize that maybe we were better off before.
That brings us to the next moral of the story; work with what you have. So he becomes a monster superhero and has to live the rest of his life in seclusion, sticking to
the shadows. He now has a life of crime fighting and a face that makes Freddy Krueger piss his pants. Clearly, that is not what the hero of the film truly wanted, but it is what he got and in order to survive he has to make it work, which he does as there are many sequels.
“The Toxic Avenger” can be taken in many different ways. In one way, it is a slapstick horror comedy full of gore that uses cheap jokes and sex to force a giggle out of its viewers. To the people who see it as nothing more than that, I pity you for your ignorance. The way I perceive “The Toxic Avenger” is as a groundbreaking piece of art that paved the way for future filmmakers to speak their minds and go with their hearts. I see Kaufman as a visionary, not a villain, and through personal experience working with him; I know my beliefs are true. In his book, “Make Your Own Damn Movie,” (2003) he says:
“So, knowing full well that the road you are about to embark on is long and painful, will probably require you to be publically humiliated on more than one occasion, and will require your total obsessive attention for over a year, is it worth doing? Absolutely. “
That very statement says a lot about “The Toxic Avenger,” because Kaufman was doubted on numerous occasions. Nobody thought this movie would ever get made, and the hell he went through making it was probably not worth the hell he has gone through since. Yet, he still stands by his dreams, much like the character of Toxie who fights for the greater good and takes chances to achieve the final outcome of success.
Lloyd Kaufman once questioned me on what I believed success was. After answering with the usual answer of making money and forcing my vision on others he replied with a sentence that has stuck in my mind ever since.
“Success is not about money, or women. It is not about how far you rise on the charts or how many people watch your art. It’s about being happy. I am happy therefore I am successful.”
Many people do not consider Kaufman as a successful man, but the genius of Kaufman is that he cares not about what others think, but only knows how he feels.
Something else that Troma Entertainment helped create is a safe Indie distribution network. Before Troma, it was difficult for Joe Blow Filmmaker to get his film distributed, and for some of TV and Film’s most revolutionary filmmakers, Troma was their saving grace.
“But Troma has not only influenced blockbuster producers. Many original and talented directors have been influenced by the B-movie counter-culture which Troma is a part of, and some say they own a debt to Troma, because the New York based studios proved that an alternative cinema was viable. Indeed, the success of many low-budget gore movies, and especially the outrageous Troma films, have shown that independent directors could survive outside the Hollywood system and its fixed canons. For instance, Quentin Tarantino, who happens to be a Troma fan, has paid tribute to the genre with From dusk till dawn, which is both a parody of Tarantino’s own style and a parody of zombie-blasting movies. Peter Jackson, another supporter of Troma, whose super-production Lord of the rings is going to be released in a few weeks, was once known as a science fiction B-movies parody maker, with Bad Taste. Thus, Troma is often considered to be the best of low-budget filmmaking, and as a model of inspiration for many. Many talented movie technicians volunteer to work for Troma, and accept a lower wage, because they enjoy the freedom of creativity they have with Troma.”
After receiving some success, Kaufman and the Troma Team decided to launch TromaDance, the ultimate independent film festival geared towards film students and anyone with a camera.
“As an alternative to Redford's Sundance, the Troma team has created the "Tromadance Film Festival". It takes place every January in Park City and Salt Lake City to give filmmakers a free, high profile alternative showcase to screen their films during the Sundance events. TromaDance has no entry fee, no admission fees and is organized on a non-profit basis. TromaDance relies on small sponsors and volunteers, which allow TromaDance to remain truly independent to a large extent. TromaDance is also a good way for organizations to raise their profile among the film industry, the mainstream media and the general public, all of whom are concentrated in Park City during TromaDance and Sundance.”
When watching a Troma film, you will not find great use of camera angles or acting that shines far above Brad Pitt and John Travolta. You will find raw filmmaking at it’s finest. A film that has no standards, and a film that strikes back at the industry it calls daddy. It is the wicked, redheaded stepchild of film history, and one that continues to leave its mark today. “The Toxic Avenger,” has acquired a vast and loyal cult following that spans over every country on every continent. It is loved by many and hated by most, but it still does what it was meant for; it inspires individuals to think outside the box and do something no one expects. That is it’s magic, and that is why is succeeds as both a film and an important piece of revolutionary filmmaking.
-Michael
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