Lloyd Kaufman and Troma adapt and update William Shakespeare’s The Tempest in their wonderfully gross and hilarious way in #Shakespeare’s Sh*tstorm, now on a loaded 4k UHD.
As I’ve said in the Occupy Cannes and Toxic Avenger remake reviews, I love Troma and how Lloyd Kaufman and the studio balance their pitch-perfect wild irrelevance with filmmaking. They are critical of society and culture, of big-budget money wasters, and seeing through bullshit and commenting on it without coming off as 13-year-old edgelords. The self-aware satiric nature, covered in bodily fluids and boobs, is a hard level to reach. But they do, to varying results. Over twenty years after Tromeo and Juliet (co-written by Guardians of the Galaxy and Superman’s James Gunn!), Lloyd Kaufman and Troma return to adapting Shakespeare to their own twisted image with The Tempest in #Shakespeare’s Shitstorm. Released during the height of COVID, it slipped past the radar, playing mostly in roadshow or limited engagements. Glad people can see it now via the disc, for Troma fans, it’s another hit of the fiercely independent DIY-Punk attitude studio’s best efforts.
For those not familiar with Shakespeare’s last solo-play, 1611’s The Tempest, here’s the basics: a sudden storm wrecks a skeevy King, his son, a scheming Duke, and others on an island. Living on the island is Prospero, a sorcerer with connections to the survivors, his daughter Miranda, wild man Caliban, and faerie Ariel. One of the best things about Shakespeare is how pliable his works are. If the heart is there, his tales can be twisted and turned to suit the needs of the filmmaker, whether it be as high brow Kurasawa’s Throne of Blood (Macbeth) and Ran (King Lear), teen comedies like Ten Things I Hate About You (Taming of the Shrew), or as purposely juvenile as Tromeo and Juliet and today’s subject: #Shakespeare’s Shitstorm. (The Tempest also served as the base of the sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet).
Not being content in merely adding boobs, blood, and beasts to the Bard, Kaufman and screenwriter Brandon Bassham update the tale for the modern era. The tale of getting lost in revenge (and a lot more) is given a heavy dose of pointed satire, overlaying a middle finger to Big Pharma and extreme reactions to everything by social justice warriors, along with all the expected good-natured crass humor, monsters, blood, and other bodily fluids of Troma. For example: Mysterious faerie Ariel is now a wheelchair-bound witch who loves being a crack-whore. You won’t miss that, she has a song about it (this is a musical, btw. The songs are solid, as they were in Poultrygeist). Prospero’s machinations include providing never-ending drugs that have curious side effects, to say the least. Of course, I’ll not spoil all the other insane lengths the film takes.
But it works. The melting and melting of Shakespeare and Troma-tic sensibilities align surprisingly well. Of course, Shakespeare’s works are filled with crassness, sex jokes, bawdy humor, and a knowing nature (this is talked about in a fun meta-way throughout). #Shakespeare’s Shitstorm is a blast, showing Kaufman hasn’t slowed down one bit across the decades of filmmaking. The whole is wild, funny, with great songs, highly entertaining performances, and filled with the Troma spirit, the self-aware, high-level, low-humor. And monsters. So awesome to have piles of Shakespeare references and dialogue under piles of procestitics.
Of course, it’s Troma, so they go big in every way, but their take on the Tempest is on the upper level of sheer madness of size and scope. Largest show since Citizen Toxie. It throws everything at the wall, with an insane largess. And of course, as previously noted, it is filled to the brim with Troma’s specific type of satire. Every target, whether it be the pharmaceutical industry or the extremity of cancel culture, or Gen Z-entitlement, is up for grabs. Like South Park (Troma distributed Cannibal: The Musical, Parker & Stone’s first film), Troma absolutely has a left bend, especially in dealing with corporate culture and class struggles. This version of Prospero was exiled to Tromaville, New Jersey, for finding a cure to opioids instead of making money on slinging them. But that doesn’t mean they can’t take their notes the other direction on the extreme social justice warriors, “Nothing funny can exist, ever,” they scream while ignoring Caliban’s literal slavery over the fart jokes Prospero is fond of. Troma and Kaufman will take on everything that removes personal choice, political correctness, or pretentiousness. If it gets in the way of punk “fuck it all” output, it needs to be ridiculed.
Let’s not forget the title. It’s literal. So very literal. Poop everywhere. A series of whales defecate on Big Al King’s ship, leading to waves of crap, blood, goop, and more. (Triangle of Sadness, anyone? This WAS made first…) They never really dry off, only adding to it. For the queasy, and I ask why a queasy-included folk would be watching a Troma movie with “Shitstorm” in the title, there is even more to take out and be aware of. From start to end, all the goop of a body melt film, plus all the poop, blood, and other excretions, make a very wet movie.
Kaufman gains top-level Troma performances from his cast. They’re game and ready, bringing themselves to Kaufman’s level for better or worse. Kaufman doubles roles as Prospero himself and his slimy sister, Antoinette. He genderbends the character, and plays it straight in his wig and dress (per a commentary, he’s directed 90% of the film in drag. The behind-the-scenes film backs it up). But top of the heap is Kate McGarrigal, a newcomer to Troma. Her Miranda is intrancting and hits the Troma-ville spirit in the right way. She’s totally into it and a joy to watch. Also cool to see Debbie Rochon!
#Shakespeare’s Shitstorm is rumored to be Kaufman’s last film. Fitting in coming to the end of Shakespeare’s own career, and both ending on a high note. Kaufman’s over-the-top take on the Tempest is a furious melding of all these highs (or lows, it is Troma).
(For the record, they do get to find a use for the Sgt. Kabukiman car crash yet again)
For the video presentation, I know Troma has had 4k before, but this was the first I’ve seen. So odd to see their work so clean and clear. It looks fantastic. The film is also presented on Blu-ray.
The audio is English only in 5.1 and 2.0, along with the 2 commentaries. Subtitles are available in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.
For the disc and presentation, Troma loads it up as they often do, with hours and hours of further content spread across the 3 discs.
Disc 1 (UHD) holds the movie, two commentaries, a short, an introduction, and collection of trailers.
Disc 2 is Blu-ray with all of the above, but the commentaries are Video Commentaries! I wish I had known that before listening to them on the UHD, as it’s not listed on the packaging. But you know, so that’s something. It also has additional features, as detailed below
All three discs immediately play a 1-minute Toxie short in support of Ukraine. For the movie discs, as per normal, Uncle Lloyd provides a short introduction before the film starts, setting the tone of the flick. The commentaries are fun and informative. The first is “Producers,” but it’s mostly Kaufman and the moderator. As always, Kaufman is forthcoming and honest in his approach to the film, the overall film industry, and is filled with stories. Man’s a natural showman and loves creating stories. The “Actors” commentary is just that. Also, fun stories of being on set and working in the Troma world compared to a normal production.
Disc 2 additional features:
A Heaping Serving of Troma (7 min): John Brennan and Yuki Nakamura, who both work on The Last Drive In, also worked on the film and have a conversation about it. A fun behind-the-scenes with footage. From their “Yuki and John’s Patreon Buffet” series.
The Radiation march (1 min): the long-standing Troma special feature of dancers warning of ecological dangers.
I’ve Been Tromatized (2 min) – Abbie Harper music video. Fun and catchy, celebrating the studio’s specialized output.
Invite Troma to your next sleepover (2 min): A funny advertisement for Troma Now, their streaming service.
Disc 3 is home to the following:
Brown is the Warmest Color (94 min): A behind-the-scenes the same length as the movie. As expected, following the production of the film. Honest in the troubles any film goes through, but you see the spirit and love of it as well. A nice collection of both fly-on-the-wall, asides, and interviews. I love to see the innovation in the creation of something so practical, especially in a low-budget. Fascinating.
Tromalbania! (27) – Featurette of filming the titular shitstorm in Albania.
Troma in Times Square (1 min) – A quick ad for Troma Now.
#Shakespeare’s Shitstorm Musical Numbers – Just as titled, 4 songs from the feature separate. No subtitles, so good luck singing along.
#Shakespeare’s Shitstorm Historic Auditions (2 to 5 min each)- A collection of 17 auditions for the folks cast in the flick. Interesting to see those coming in as a regular audition and those who are Troma fans and how they each approach the process.
Troma Trailers – 11 trailers from the history of Troma.
#Shakespeare Shitstorm comes in a standard shiny, black 4k UHD case with a slipcover. The slipcover and main case have different artwork (the internal artwork is replicated on the back of the slipcover). Synopsis and features are listed with the “Special FECALtures” pun. Inside, the three discs each have their own dedicated spot.
Between a fun film, 2 commentaries, and hours of features, Troma’s #Shakespeare’s Shitstorm is a great disc that will be great for any Troma fan.