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TROMADANCE 2008 NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT!
TROMADANCE
UNIQUE! TromaDance is a one-of-a-kind annual filmfestival, that began in 1999. It is totally unique in that it is not there to promote a lot of films and celebrities who don't really need that anymore, like the simultaneously running Sundance festival, but is of the people, for the people and by the people. The objective is to give art back to the people, and in order to do that there is no entrance fee, and no submittance fee for those who want to commit their film. Everybody is welcome, and fans and others interested in seeing new and innovative cinema are treated no worse than the filmmakers and celebrities (and believe me: there are celebrities around, as is shown on this particular DVD). This is probably the only opportunity to have their work shown for new, original and innovative filmmakers who don't want to keep on going over the same old things that make Hollywood movies so boring and predictable. A lot of short films from the festival are being released in a series of wonderfully mastered and lovingly created DVD's under the name of THE BEST OF TROMADANCE. Volume three is out now, and after the first two my anticipation was high - and it certainly didn't disappoint. This collection again proves that there are so many hitherto unknown filmmakers out there who commit all of their own money or even sell their house and devote their time making so incredibly many TOTALLY different and highly original films and hardly anyone knows about them! This disc brings some change in that. If your moviewatching expectations don't go beyond of two hours of totally predictable lame storylines and expensive but tedious CGI-effects you will be better off in the local multiplex theatre, but if you dare to look a little further and are even the least bit interested in finding out if there is anything other than the obvious, this disc (and the rest of the series) is not to be missed!! The budgets are usually low, the artistic chances these filmmakers dare take are high, the inventiveness of the artists stunning, and therefore these short films are without exception extremely interesting. With only one title on this 3-hour-plus third volume that I can't seem to like very much there are no less than 14 other films of varying lenghts that grabbed me immediately and only got better after repeated viewings.
The undisputed highlight here is THE J2 PROJECT. This is easily the best and most biting look at religion I have ever watched - certainly THE best film of the entire disc. It is rediculous that this film is not widely seen. Superbly done in documentary style and set in a near future it is sometimes hard to realise you are indeed watching a film, and not the real thing. Another highlight of this volume is PDA MASSACRE with fine parts by Heidi Sjursen, Debbie Rochon and Lloyd Kaufman - a lunitic tries to prevent people from showing Public Display of Affection, which, in the big city, is to be found everywhere. The concequesnces are gruesome. This one really gets under your skin. Another not-to-be-missed film is THE INCREDIBLE TORTURE TRIO, TRIO a seemingly live broadcast of a circus-act trio of guys who can take a lot of pain starring (and present in many other credits) Dave "Citizen Toxie" Matthews. This film is so incredibly realistic, filmed in only one shot in the fashion we see often nowadays in TV-newsitems - this technique makes the special effects (and I cannot imagine how they have done them) are gruesomely real and so in cotrast to the tone of the three guys talking to each other that it leaves the viewer in total awe. Brilliant. To say somethigng about all included titles (even to list them) would take up way too much space here, unfortunately, but I can promise over three hours of delightful entertainment, horiffying moments and briljant art by innovative filmmakers when you buy this disc. All profits from the dvd go to the TromaDance film festival, so don't rent this, don't check out your friend's copy, but support independent art by buying this one yourself. You won't regret it.
© Tromatonic. All Troma images used with permission.
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