Reason.tv at TromaDance: Q&A with the Toxic Avenger's Father, Lloyd Kaufman

While in Park City, Utah, Reason.tv's Ted Balaker sat down with independent film legend Lloyd Kaufman. Kaufman isn't just the father of the campy horror empire Troma Entertainment, the TromaDance Film Festival, and New Jersey's favorite superhero—The Toxic Avenger.

He's also chairman of the Independent Film & Television Alliance and deeply concerned about the future of independent art.

Kaufman discusses the Toxic Avenger, TromaDance, and the South Park connection. He also weighs in on the democratization of film, devil-worshiping international media conglomerates, penetrating the hymen of the mainstream, and his new book, Direct Your Own Damn Movie.

Comments

[BoscoH]

Cool interview. As I watched this, all I could think about is how much it sucks that some people get old. Kaufman should be perpetually 31 or so. He has tremendous energy and enthusiasm!

Here's the obligatory Amazon link for the book.

[melvin]

My dad let me rent the Toxic Avenger when I was like 8 years old! I just watched it again on youtube. Holy shit! NO wonder I'm so fucked up.

[green mamba]

"He's also chairman of the Independent Film & Television Alliance and deeply concerned about the future of independent art."

That's a pretty funny sentence, considering the kind of "independent art" that Kaufman produces. Garbage is garbage - whether it's made by a big studio or a fly-by-night operation.

[Robert]

And someone by his name is referred to in the movie I Was A Teenage Zombie, in which libertarian Allen J. Rickman performed -- but suffered severe loss of face.

[Ken Shultz]

Troma rocks. Kaufman rocks.

[Derek Ashworth]

I found him utterly annoying on the intro that I can't skip past on my DVD of "The Children", but I must admit I like his shpil here.

[green mamba]

Ok, I watched the video and partially take back my comment. I liked his spiel too. Nice presentation.

[[e-mail]]

This is why I don't understand websites like Big Hollywood. Given the hammerlock conservatives have on commentary (National Review, Weekly Standard, Commentary etc), and given how cheap it is to produce short films and features with a digital camera and a laptop, what they actually need is a website like "Funny or Die".