Lloyd Kaufman Looks at Legacy of Legendary Troma Entertainment: ‘It Birthed the Marvel Cinematic Universe’
Appearing on a screen straight from the legendary Troma Entertainment headquarters in Long Island, New York, veteran producer and filmmaker Lloyd Kaufman has both hands occupied: one is gripping a compact vape pen, the other holding a massive can of sugar-free energy drink. It would be a pretty standard sight for a busy producer, but even more impressive given that Kaufman is 80 years old, and cutting into lunch breaks to take calls coming from different time zones and respond to young assistants nipping in and out of his busy office with questions about several concurrent productions.
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Kaufman founded the iconic Troma Entertainment in 1974 alongside Michael Herz, with the duo still helming what is now the longest-running independent film studio in history. The producer’s legacy was honored late last week when his daughter flew to London to accept a Raindance Icon Award on behalf of her father, who remains so busy with work he couldn’t quite make the trip. Looking back at his career with Variety on the occasion of his Raindance award, the well-humored Kaufman jokes: “Roger Corman is dead, Toby Hooper is dead, who else can they give awards to? I’m the last one left!”
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Troma Entertainment specializes in low-budget independent films, focusing on horror and comedy and riffing off classic 1950s horror films by leaning into gore, farce, parody and provocation. The company is most well-known for 1984’s “The Toxic Avenger,” and is responsible for discovering major talent in the last half century, including James Gunn, Oliver Stone, Billy Bob Thornton, Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Costner.
“Troma is a fan-fuelled company,” notes Kaufman. “The only reason we’re still in business, other than Michael Herz running the company, is because our fans from the very beginning have always been very young and quick adapters.”
The studio head recalls how David Schultz, now CEO of Vitagraph, pushed Troma into making DVDs “when the machines hadn’t even been in people’s homes yet.” “We were way out front. We had two or three good years. We got into video cassette very early, before anybody else, at least with the kind of movies we were making. ‘Toxic Avenger’ was a seminal movie of that era.”
“Twenty years ago or so, one of my daughters said streaming looked like a pretty interesting area in which to travel,” he goes on. “We discussed it, and then launched Troma Now, which is still very small but grows slowly and people don’t leave the platform. For once in 53 years, we have a somewhat predictable six months ahead of us. We know we can meet the payroll and keep doing what we do on the distribution end, which is very little.”
Asked if he has hope for the future of the industry, Kaufman says, “mainstream is frightened.” “From what I’ve seen anecdotally, they don’t last long. All suits walk around in cars they don’t own, in big empty houses, huffing and puffing at restaurants that don’t have phone numbers.” The producer believes, however, that this makes for a great time for those who might be scrappy but hungry to enter an industry that is still more accessible today than it was when Troma first started.
“You know, I think we are in a late-stage democracy time for capitalism and life in the States, which has reached its climax with Trump and what’s happening in Europe and everywhere, but I still do believe a young person can make it,” he says. “The bright side is that one can make a movie for $2,000 and it can be terrific. Academy Award-winning Sean Baker made a movie in 2004 called ‘Take Out’ about a Chinese delivery boy who’s an illegal immigrant; he was way ahead. Baker infuses the film with comedy and pathos; it’s a wonderful film. Then Baker started using cellphones with ‘Tangerine,’ and he’s a big Troma fan. The point is: if people can read and write, they can make something.”
Troma was also pioneering in tapping into the comic book slash superhero genre, with its “Toxic Avenger” series that started back in 1984. One of Kaufman’s very own mentees, “Tromeo and Juliet” co-writer James Gunn, is the big man at the helm of DC Comics. So how does Kaufman look at the legacy of the genre in the Marvel Cinematic Universe era?
“I went to Yale University and majored in Chinese Studies,” he recalls when asked. “The one thing I got out of Yale, other than learning the rich kids had drugs, is Marvel Comics. That’s when I discovered Marvel and Stan Lee. Once I graduated, we wrote at least a couple of scripts that never got made. He was a big help to Troma. He wrote the forward to one of my books in which he states that, in the same way that Spider-Man put a new face on the superhero comic book, ‘Toxic Avenger’ has done that with cinema.”
“The Troma Universe has very much, I think, birthed the Marvel Cinematic Universe,” he notes.
Speaking of legacy, Kaufman is very much still working towards the future of Troma Entertainment, and is currently directing his latest, “The Power of Positive Murder.” The film, a (very) loose adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s classic “Crime and Punishment,” is in its final stages of shooting. “With ‘The Power of Positive Murder,’ the idea is more about a young Gen X man in America who has been going along believing in the American dream, who went to college, and now what can you do? You know, you’ve got to murder your landlord [laughs]. It’s a rather nihilistic film, and just to make sure it doesn’t make money, we shot it in black and white.”
Kaufman ends the conversation in a characteristic self-deprecating note, stating he doesn’t quite know if he has “any real talent,” but then leaning into earnestness to add: “What we do have is a talent for recognizing talent. That has served us well, and also listening to young people as opposed to the ones we’re supposed to be listening to. That’s good advice, I think.”
Jump to Comments Loading comments...Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
