THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MAYHEM
Lloyd Kaufman
Kaufman’s filmography connects several different strains of Troma: the outsider superhero comedy of The Toxic Avenger, the unruly Shakespeare adaptation Tromeo and Juliet, the film-set satire Terror Firmer and the musical horror of Poultrygeist. His contribution is not a single monster or a single joke, but an insistence on filmmaking with a highly visible personality.
OPEN PROFILE ↗Michael Herz
Troma is a partnership story as well as a director story. Herz co-founded the company with Kaufman and shares directing credits on The Toxic Avenger and Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. AFI also documents his producing credit on Terror Firmer. Including that work helps keep the history of the company from collapsing into a single famous face.
OPEN PROFILE ↗Peter George
George directed Surf Nazis Must Die, a 1987 exploitation film in Troma’s catalogue. Its earthquake-damaged California setting and mother-driven revenge story make it a distinctive entry. His presence in this archive is a useful reminder to separate a distributor’s identity from the individual directors who made its films.
OPEN PROFILE ↗