When we met up with the elderly man outside a garage in Queens, New York, he was reciting Paul Verlaine's "Chanson d'Automne" in flawless French. Despite the pouring rain, Lloyd Kaufman, dressed in a suit jacket over bright red jogging pants and gleaming sneakers, didn't dwell on his career. Instead, at over 78, he was vaping like a mischievous kid, which his doctor strictly forbids.
The sign on the premises indicated that we were administratively in New York, but, in reality, we were in Tromaville. Here, in this one-story brick building, are nestled the studios, warehouses and offices of a production company that will celebrate 50 years of independence in 2024. For movie lovers who appreciate films that don't skimp on potty humor, this sign is on a par with Hollywood.
A faded stencil on the garage door features Toxie, the mascot of the premises – a one-eyed monster holding a mop. The Toxic Avenger, with four installments since 1984, is THE Troma franchise. It recounts the exploits of a pimply-faced teenage gym cleaner who becomes a superhero after coming into contact with radioactive waste. A remake is due to hit theaters this year. Peter Dinklage, star of Game of Thrones, plays the lead role in this promising production. "It's fancy and it brought us some money," summed up Toxie's creator between puffs.
In 2009, his studio crossed the East River to set up in this free zone. Although eccentric, they're still business-minded. At the time, the resale of their historic headquarters in Hell's Kitchen in midtown Manhattan may have upset a few nostalgic fans, but it bolstered Troma's coffers. Born into an upper-class New York family (he himself insists on the term "Bourgeois" with a capital B), Kaufman funded a large part of his venture through a successful career as a stockbroker. A sort of Robin Hood, he used Wall Street to support a very unique form of art.
Inside the building are the remnants of half a century of productions, each more provocative and scandalous than the last. Like a child among his toys, their creator marveled at a poster, an element of décor or costume, or even a... chicken dildo from Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (2006), his improbable musical comedy against the fast-food industry. "There's always a political message in our films," he said, "but people take time to notice it, they stay focused on the silly and raunchy side."
Friendly and, to put it bluntly, well-versed in interviews, Kaufman handles the studio's marketing on his own. He's the man behind Troma. He is the director of a dozen feature films as well as a film producer and distributor. He was behind the creators of South Park's first hit (Cannibal! The Musical, in 1993). Charming, he made a point of expressing himself in French. He's been bilingual since his "golden youth," spending time in both in Molière's homeland and Verlaine's, of course.
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