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| Ben "Mouse" McShane is a junior telecommunications major and writes 'Classical Geek Theatre' for the Daily News. His views do not necessarily agree with those of the newspaper. |
Blood, puke, naked women -- these are the necessary ingredients for a good movie.
This I learned from Troma, the company that produces and distributes the finest independent films found in America.
The chances are you've seen a movie made by Troma. Nearly every student at Ball State, at some point in their formative years, stayed up late and watched "USA Late at Nite." The movie shown was probably "The Toxic Avenger."
The Toxic Avenger (or just "Toxie," as referred to by his affectionates) is Troma's most successful icon. He stands for complete and total destructive violence as a means of justice. He's an All-American composite of apple pie and the Native American Holocaust.
(Besides, before becoming an abominable machination of brutal justice, Toxie was Melvin Junko, a dork.)
Even though you've probably seen "The Toxic Avenger," I imagine it is but an obscure memory in the dark recesses of your brain, sitting right there with your memories of Boglins.
One of the great tragedies of the typical American youth, I think, is that he or she has not seen a larger selection of Troma's impressive library of quality cinema.
Do not fret. Feel no guilt. I was just like you until recently.
A few months ago I decided to green-light my own independent film. I began researching. I watched classic movies. I scoured the internet. I looked for books on how movies are made.
It was at this junction I found God and the Good Book. God is Lloyd Kaufman and the Good Book is "All I Need to Know About Filmmaking I Learned from the Toxic Avenger." (AINtKAFILftTA)
Lloyd Kaufman is co-founder of Troma and he wrote AINtKAFILftTA to share the story of how Troma came to be the company it is today. The book tells all his dirty little secrets. I read and learned fast.
Some of the things I learned are: Hire non-union actors to save money. Film the nude scenes first. (That way, if your actress quits, it doesn't destroy the production.) If at all possible include a helicopter or an exploding car. (Upped production values = a good movie.) Recycle footage whenever possible. Broma seltzer and green food dye will make very believable puke.
I became inspired and began to rent Troma films as though I were drinking water. I watched the original "The Toxic Avenger." It was a magnificent testament to horror-comedy. I rented "Tromeo and Juliet," which is Romeo and Juliet with a 3-foot long penis monster. The Bard would be proud.
I watched "Squeeze Play," which is often credited as the original "sex comedy." It's a feminist piece about how the girlfriends of a softball team form their own softball team and enter a wet t-shirt contest in order to liberate themselves from male-dominated society. Tears of joy ran down my face.
I also purchased the Volume 1 DVD of Tromadance, Troma's independent film festival. On the DVD was the best or most creative short films that showed at Tromadance in 2001. Every TCOM student at Ball State could blow those films' production values out of the water.
What was rewarded was the creative vision.
Troma has shown me that, somewhere out there, there is a distributor based on creative vision.
The blood, puke and nudity is kind of nice, too.
Write to Mouse at bbmcshane@bsu.edu
Visit http://www.classicalgeektheatre.com
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