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BOX-SETS AND BOXETTES
Dignified throughout. Troma is the oldest still existing true independent filmstudio in the world. Having survived in a world that is dominated (practically owned) by a few big conglomerates for thirty years now Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz have produced many classics themselves, and given loads of filmmakers a chance to get their film distributed. Not hindered by a mothercompany that makes decisions on which films the independent can or cannot distribute (remember Miramax and Fahrenheit 9/11??) the works that are issued under the Troma-banner are probably the last true works of art that you can find in this business. The studio is responsible for such classics as The Toxic Avenger and other groundbreaking movies that defy any categarosation of genre. Famous stars such as Kevin Costner, Samuel L. Jackson and Trey Parker make their debuts with Troma! Coming Distractions is a very attractive package for both newcomers and those who have seen the light of Troma. To those who haven't actually had the pleasure of seeing any of their films yet it is superb introduction to the wonderful world of Troma. This disc, after an introduction to the Studio's history, collects no less than 71 trailers, And Troma-trailers aren't quite the usual slick-cut unwatchable advertisements you usually see in the large cinema-theatres, but certainly a treat of their own. The trailers are neatly devided into five categories (Troma top 10, horror, action, comedy and documentary) which must be done Tongue-In-Cheek, because if there is ONE studio in the movie-industry that seems to have abandoned all barriers that devide the different genres it is Troma. This results in some wonderful surprises, like seeing mutated schoolkids in Class of Nuke 'en High 2 and 3 under the Comedy banner (while they could easily have been put in the horror or action departments) and a movie like Sugar Cookies -a suspenseful erotic edge of the seat thriller- between others that only shed extra light on the enormous variety in the Troma catalog. The collection is rounded off by a wide selection of short films and items - in some occasions having appeared as extra's on some the usually feature-overloaden Troma-dvd's, other unique to this collection. These "Toxie's Shorts" are a good representative of what else to expect from Troma, alongside with a totally unique and "different kind of film" (as the included trailer for "Sugar Cookies" puts it so correctly). For those already known with the life work this studio the disc offers four plus hours of enjoyment, it can play like a "greates hits" collection, but as there are many trailers few of us have ever seen, between the greatest hits there are many surprises, making this a highly entertaining and surprising few evenings of enjoyment. This collection definitely begs for a second volume with some few more dozen of ever lesser known trailers. For this price no one can really afford not to buy this dvd. Enjoy!!
BCI/Navarre has licenced quite a number of the films from Troma's vaults - namely many of the older titles from their catalog. And this is a good thing. With Troma releasing no less than 8 new films of their own making and other young filmmakers each month (and packing them with fingerlicking good extra features) many of the older gems haven't found their way to a decent DVD-release so far. And that is something of a shame, because there are some wonderful pieces of art in their vaults. BCI seems to be planning to release 7 of these Toxie's Triple Terror boxes of three DVD's each, which is the best opportunity to pick up some wonderful low budget horror movies that otherwise may be unavailable in any form for a long time! And for a VERY LOW PRICE!! Take for example the film this first volume takes off with - an edge-of-the-seat horror thriller made in 1982: THE CURSEOF THE CANNIBAL CONFEDERATES with a highly original and unique twist on the living dead subgenre. OK - if you find your enjoyment in expensive special effects, but don't care about a good story or any tension whatseover you are better off with any of the new 110-million-dollar-blockbusters that Hollywood keeps vomiting out. However, if you are looking for good stories, real tension and inventiveness in artmaking, here is a fine example. The budget for this film cannot have exceeded the three figure mark, but I have been on the edge of my seat watching this thing, which is something that the Big Conglomerates never manage anymore, with their products that are never the vision of an ARTIST but more a concensus between the moneyhungry executives. The picture quality may not be perfect, lighting improvisational and sound editing inventive when you know that the sources vary a lot. But who cares - this director has made something with his non existent budget that Hollywood can only dream of, and one can only wonder what kind of brilliance this guy would have delivered if he would have had even 10.000 dollars to work with!! The second title in this box is DEMENTED DEATH FARM MASSACRE. which has an atmosphere that is just as unsettling and has it's own twist on the thug-meets-redneck theme. About everything that I said of the first film in this box can be repeated here - it's briljant horror, with some black humor thrown in. DEATHLY DAPHNE'S REVENGE rounds up this first set, and makes it a collection that begs for more. The production values and acting are superb for a low budget film, and the way the leading character, played by Laurie Tait Partgridge, makes this viewer feel for her and want her perfectly understandable revenge work is stunning. The packaging of these films is very well done, a nice slipcase that houses three ultra-slim keepcases (the same kind that were used by Bue Underground for their briljant Mondo Cane Collection), all covers containing the original theatrical posters and the films are indeed presented as Troma Team Releases, so the credits are still where they are due.Highly recommended for anyone who bothers to look a bit further than just digital special effects.
TOXIES TRIPLE TERROR VOLUME 2 This is the second 3-disc set of early Troma movies that Navarre/BCI licenced. The box promises there will be 7 of these handsome sets, and I can only hope this will be true. The tone of the films included in this set is much darker than those in the first one. EVIL CLUTCH This Italian film (originally titled Il Bosco) has that wonderful atmosphere of the better Italian films from the 70's and the 80's, including the wonderfully disturbing English dubbing. It is probably influenced by the highly popular Evil Dead, but definitely not a rip off. If we were to say that, all vampire themed films would be Dracula rip offs and fortunately certain themes can be explored in many different ways. The Italians have very often taken some inspiration from certain american films,only to take the themes to new and higher levels. And one thing sets this one apart: there is none of the distracting humor that made Evil Dead way too funny to be terrifying. Evil Clutch has long been one of my absolute favorite Troma pick-ups. An American girl and her Italian boyfriend take a vacation in the In the last half hour the slowly built tension in unleashes in a never-a-dull-moment stream of horrifying events that keep my eyes glued to the screen and **spoiler aler** the climax is not the ultimate gruesome gore laden scenes, but what comes after that: our heroine fleeing from the place of horrors in a long and stunningly acted scene of absolute fear, thus going back to the slow pace of the beginning of the film, but in entirely different circumstances. A much overlooked film, which can be corrected now that itis released on DVD as part of the Toxie's Triple Terror volume 2 set. CHILLERS Is certainly the best looking from this set, rare for such an obscure gem. Very clear picture and sound. Chillers is an episode film, and usually these don't work too well because not enough time is given in the short segments to build up tension, get to know the characters a.s.o. Here, however, in the 87 minutes the film lasts we are treated to no less than 5 stories that build up very well and involve many unexpected plot-twists. We get zombies, vampires, psychopaths, ghosts and possession plus an unexpected surprise ending (which is given away in the included trailer, so watch this after the film). A group of travellers are stuck in a bus-depot that has all the hospitality of the one in Rock Bottom, where Spongebob Squarepants and Patrick Star get stranded, and in order to kill time they somehow wind up telling each other their worst nightmares. I won't give away any of the stories here, except that they range from very entertaining to truly frightening. Winner of the prestigious Silver Scream Award by the Acedemy of Science Fiction, Fanstasy and Horror Films, and rightfully so, Chillers is a very good horror movie that is one of those examples where a limited budget enhances the creativity of the filmmakers. A truly original visual paperback of great stories. BEYOND EVIL A very satisfying film, with incredibly good acting, especially for such a low budget movie. John Saxon.(From Dusk Till Dawn, Dario Agento's Tenebrea, to name but a few of his many starring roles) and his wife Linda Day George (who starred in such different works as Pieces and the tv series Roots) go to an island for a building project the husband works on, and while there, are offered a wonderful mansion to live in. As it is on islands in horrormovies, the locals have some superstitions about the house, which are not far fromthe horrible truth. I won't tell too much, because it would spoil the fun of watching this well crafted film. OK, the special effects are very seventies, and in those days probably could even have been slightly better - but if the filmmakers decided to spend whatever budget they had rather on great actors than on the effects, I would say this was money well spent. This is a good story that borrows a little here and there, but never crosses any line of plagiarism as so many recent This 2nd set is again wonderfully packaged: three ultra-slim slipcases collected in an attractive slipcase. There are no extra's apart from some trailers for the films themselves, but the price is right and it is a rare chance to collect a great number of very interesting otherwise unavailable important horror-films from a time when these were still allowed to be inventive and the genre wasn't yet taken over by the streamlined and predictable producions that we see nowadays. The films look good, considering the obscurity and age of the works. Especially EVIL CLUTCH looks surprisingly great and surely never surfaced like this ever before and Chillers is near perfect!
© Tromatonic. All Troma images used with permission. |
TOXIE'S TRIPLE TERROR VOL. 1