WGTC: So what B-Movies have you seen recently outside of the Troma brand that have impressed you?
Lloyd Kaufman: B-Movies are not made anymore. “B-Movie” is an anachronism. B-Movies were the second feature on a double bill that went into movie theaters. Low-budget, independent, Z-Movie might be alright, even trash movie might be alright.
Although it isn’t really a trash movie, it’s kind of a mainstream movie but it also wasn’t – Don Jon by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. He’s terrific, that was a great movie. Obviously it had major stars in it, but yet it was special. It had a wonderful romance to it, harshness, sweetness – it stretched in a lot of different directions. That guy has something to say. If you look at his body of work with the movies he’s acted in, everything from Mysterious Skin to his television work, to his other movies, they’re all interesting. That guy is an artist.
I’ll tell you another good one that I just watched at 3:00AM in Chicago was John Dies At The End. How much did that cost do you think? Fabulous, terrific stuff. Don Coscarelli gets better and better. His movies get more profound, entertaining – I don’t know how to say it, but clearly he’s growing…
WGTC: Which is so amazing because I still love Phantasm…
Lloyd Kaufman: Oh me too! That was around 1980, right? The original Phantasm? Wasn’t there some time where he wasn’t making films? I keep meaning to ask him, he’s such a great filmmaker.
Other than that, I haven’t had the time to see other films. I’m busy with my own work, plus we’ve been touring Return To Nuke ‘Em High Vol. 1. I was in Chicago last weekend, and I’m going to Singapore this weekend to give a masterclass, a Make Your Own Damn Movie masterclass, and then we’re going to have an opening at a university there which is unusual to us.
WGTC: How much fun is it to do these tours and meet fans that are just dying to see your next film?
Lloyd Kaufman: It’s rewarding. It’s amazing that anyone in Singapore has even heard of us. I’m amazed. We don’t have any distribution in Singapore.
WGTC: So I am a little curious about the announced Toxic Avenger remake being helmed by Steve Pink. Are you involved at all?
Lloyd Kaufman: I don’t think they want me involved in it [smirks]. They’ll use me for publicity. There’s a broadway show, The Toxic Avenger Musical, and I learned early on that they liked me, they loved Troma, they loved the movie, the Bon Jovi guys were big fans, but they didn’t want me – they wanted to mainstream it. That’s what they want. It took me a little time to realize that, but they did a great job! The musical is terrific, and it is mainstream.
These guys who are going to do the remake – Steven Pink loves Troma, he came to my book signing, he’s come to see our movies in the theater, he gets it, and whatever he does with Toxie I think will be great. You don’t go to movie jail for making a good remake. There’s nothing wrong with making a good remake. Indeed there have been a number of remakes that suck, but if you study film history, some of the greatest movies of all time have been remakes. A Star Is Born is a third iteration. All Quiet On The Western Front is at least a remake. I can go on and on. Evil Dead 2 is probably better than Evil Dead, but that’s a sequel. Why shouldn’t the remake of The Toxic Avenger be as good as or better than the original?
WGTC: I love that Arnold Schwarzenegger has committed to the remake and wants to be in it…
Lloyd Kaufman: Well no, he unsigned. He signed and apparently unsigned. I’m not sure what went down, I’m not really privi’ed, but yes, it was announced in every newspaper, there are photos of Arnold Schwarzenegger holding up a poster of The Toxic Avenger. From what I understood, he got a better deal and had his fingers crossed.
The lesson there for young people is that contracts and signatures on contracts apparently mean nothing. I’ve also learned that if you make a contract, you will keep it, but the other person, nine out of ten times, has no intention of keeping it unless it benefits him or her.
WGTC: In your dream world is there anyone you’d want to see play Toxie?
Lloyd Kaufman: No, but there are people who I’d like to see play Sara. I think Amy Adams would be fun, or Elizabeth Banks, she’s interesting. She’s a thinker.
There are some really good non-male actors in today’s mainstream. Ellen Page is incredible. Not for Sara necessarily, but she’s phenomenal. I’ve been putting down the mainstream a lot, but there really are some great people out there. James Gunn, he’s doing Guardians of the Galaxy right now, he’s a great guy, very talented…
WGTC: …and didn’t he start out in Troma?
Lloyd Kaufman: Tromeo and Juliet. He wrote Tromeo and Juliet, plus he worked here a couple of years. His movies are really good. Oh, the South Park guys are great, they’re decent, and they’re making great art. Eli Roth is so talented and does the right thing – there are good people.
Another, David O. Russell – terrific! There’s a guy, going back to Three Kings, going back to Spanking The Monkey, the guy has something to say. Alexander Payne – I haven’t seen Nebraska, but it sounds fabulous. Last year’s crop of Oscar nominees were pretty damn good, and this year’s too. I’ve spent most of my life hammering at the mainstream and how crappy it is, but they’re doing good movies, and GREAT television. Even though it’s a cartel, even though it’s fixed, even though it’s corrupt, even though it’s full of shit and shitheads in suits, it’s making good stuff. I mean, wow!