The Vern’s Third Troma Challenge: Tromeo and Juliet.

Here it is Troma Junkies.  My 3rd installment in my Troma Challenge.  I do want to let you fine folks know that I am not here to just post only my thoughts of these movies.  I want to read or watch what you think about these titles too.  If you have a review of a Troma movie  that I could link to.  Let me know via twitter @videovangaurd.  You will get the pleasure of having  your site’s name featured in the title of the post, and I will gush over how sexy you look and how I can’t keep my hands off of you. Now then Let’s get to my thoughts about “Tromeo and Juliet“

Tromeo and Juliet

Cast:  Jane Jensen, Will Keenan,Maximillian Shaun

Writers: James Gunn Lloyd Kauffman

Director:  Lloyd Kauffman

I’m not going to describe the plot because we have all been to English class before and have all heard the tragic tale of the fair dame Juliet and her Tromeo. No I don’t mean Romeo.  I am talking about Troma’s version of one of the greatest love stories ever written.  A love story that was ripe as ever to get this kind of treatment.  It essentially follows the same story as Shakespeare’s original, but add in bits of body Peircing, kinky sex,dismemberment, heavy violence, and an ending that is kind of disturbing(not going to spoil it.  sorry) and you have a deranged tale from the bard.  He is shown laughing before the end credits role.

Unlike my 2nd challenge.  The actors in this film take their roles and the story a bit more serious.  Yes the concept is over the top and bizarre but everyone gives it their best and for some strange reason it works.  Our two actors Jane Jensen as Juliet and Will Keenan as Tromeo have good chemistry with each other and I bought very much that these two would be in love.  Hell I would love to see these two in a more mainstream romantic feature if they made one.  Maximilian Shaun gives a scary performance as Juliet’s abusive father Cappy.  The rest of the cast including Steve Gibbons(Lord Arbuckle),Sean Gunn(Sammy Capulet) and Debbie Rochon(Ness) are also good in their roles.

One reason why I think this one stands out from other Troma pictures is that they brought in James Gunn( “Dawn of The Dead“, “Super“) to work on this script with Lloyd Kauffman.  From watching Mr. Gunn’s other movies, you get the feeling that he too loves the same kind of cheesy horror films that Mr. Kauffman does.  But he wants the characters and situations to feel a bit more real.  No matter how bizarre the story gets, in this particular world.  Every one in it feels real and genuine.

“Tromeo and Julliet” may be the most critically acclaimed movie of Troma’s career.  It received high praise from The New York Times, USA Today, and Variety Magazine.  The best way I can describe this movie is this.  Take the students from “The Rules of Attraction” and have them visit the world of “The Doom Generation“.  Give them a lot of booze, a little weed and then tell them to redo Shakespeare.  It’s a very bizarre mess, but it’s one that I don’t mind watching.  Have a great weekend.  I will be back next week with my review of “Chopper Chicks in ZombieTown“. I also plan on doing one on “House on Haunted Hill” like I promised in a previous post too.  Laters

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