The Troma team descends on the Cannes Film Festival 2013 to try to sell “Return to Nuke ‘Em High; Part 1” in Lily-Hayes Kaufman’s fascinating documentary of celebrating independent cinema: Occupy Cannes, presented as part of the Fantasia International Film Festival.
I’m a proud resident of Tromaville. I’ve been a fan of the fiercely independent film studio and distribution company since watching the surprisingly decent as an adult Toxic Crusaders on its release in 1991 at age nine. Over the decades, I’ve eaten up so much of their content: The Toxic Avenger movies (bring on the new one!) Sgt. Kabukiman, Terror Firmer, etc. Their specific brand of off-color crudity, cynical outlook, and go-for-broke enthusiasm is often imitated, but rarely replicated correctly. It’s weird. I’ll lap up Tromeo and Juliet, but then grumble through some random screener trying so hard to be Troma. They’ll have the same blood, breasts, and beasts (to do a bit a cribbing myself, here from Joe Bob Briggs), but something lacks; often a real love. In their punk way, Troma’s oeuvre is a specific art: an art of love amid the muck.
Founded by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, they’ve brought the dirty goods to video stores, theatres, and the hearts of our bottoms since 1974. Not only are they a preeminent independent house, like fellow indie-auteur Roger Corman been able to launch the careers of prominent creators. Corman’s ladder brought us Scorsese, Coppola, and Dante. Kaufmann lifted up currently in the news’s South Park’s Trey Parker & Matt Stone by picking up their Cannibal The Musical, and current Superman director/DCEU head James Gunn.
But what’s the cost of being fiercely independent? And what is independent anyway? The early 90s brought a boom of “indie” cinema, becoming its own subgenre post the 1994 Palme d’Or winning Pulp Fiction and darlings like Kevin Smith and Stephen Soderbergh. Why does Miramax become a Cannes darling, but Troma has to fight tooth and nail?
That’s the question at the heart of Occupy Cannes, Lily-Hayes Kaufman’s documentary tracing the 2013 Troma visit to Cannes, along with being a love letter to Troma itself. Why doesn’t a well-known, deeply established studio get any of the clout? What lengths do they have to go to have their voices heard without going to jail? What makes this studio so loved?
Lily-Hayes Kaufmann has grown up surrounded by film. Not only her father Lloyd’s company, but her mother is Pat Kaufman, who has served as film commissioner in NYC and other more “legitimate” circles of the film world. For ease, I’ll refer to Lloyd by first name and our director by last). This allows her to have a unique perspective. She’s right in the mix as a Troma-person, doing he part to promote Return to Nuke’em High from a grass-roots perspective, but trying to keep an objective lens as a documentarian.
Kaufman uses Occupy Cannes to highlight Troma’s gung-ho gusto to celebrate the love of film from the ground up. But also asks if Troma is indie film distilled, and Cannes is supposed to be about independent film and new voices, why does Troma need a protest movement to be heard? Are they being held to account for their previous visits’ debauchery? They’re trying to stay in the lines (while still keeping the spirit) this time, but are given hell for it. Disney’s The Lone Ranger has a building-sized poster, but a Tromette holding a sign? Nope. Unofficial folks walk around like Jack Sparrow and take photos with the police. One guy in a Toxie mask? Straight to jail. How much until they say “screw it” and do it the Troma way?
Perhaps it’s not the team itself and its history. Maybe Cannes is changing? Lloyd’s long-time loud tuxedo gets him kicked out of events, fewer smaller studios are seen overall, and bigger blockbuster tentpoles are shown and advised. Lloyd had been attending off and on for 40 years at the time of filming, thus a great voice.
Lloyd is a fascinating subject to follow. He’s exuberant and fun, loud, funny, and most of all, honest. He’s outspoken about his world, what he wants, and how he feels about film. There’s a sheer love in what he does and how it extends to those around him. The Troma team of loveable weirdos. His movies are joys of debauchery, and his books and DVDs about filmmaking are insightful and true (Make Your Own Damned Movie gets my recommendation). Kaufman knows how to work her father for her points and delve into his full thoughts on it all.
But it’s notable Lloyd doesn’t hate the big studios. Though I’m sure there are the edgy “if it has a budget it sucks” folks, you can see it with a few of the comments. It’s the hypocrisy. Why is it okay for large studios to heavily advertise, break the law, and out and present at the film festival, but not Troma? (Sly nod to Lloyd cashing studio checks for his cameos in James Gunn’s films, most recently Superman. Wink)
An interesting touch is the question of self-sabotage for the sake of the controversy. Is a studio like Troma hurting itself but their ferocity? Does Lloyd’s commitment to being the troublemaker hurt him and others?
I’ve talked about a lot of the questions Kaufman brings up. More than I normally do, but it’s fascinating and you have to watch to get the answers and details. It’s great not to have just a Troma love fest, nor something filled with their over-the-top style. But an even-handed documentary, one made with the methods and madness of Troma but still ABOUT Troma and the festival, what makes independence, and succeeding despite the hypocritical systems out there.
If you don’t like Troma, I get it. But if you like to celebrate the underdogs and the fights they put up with, you’ll still get something out of Occupy Cannes. Lily-Hayes Kaufman loves her father, and her father loves film. And I love Troma.