Tromeo & Juliet (1996)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Touches You

Let's be realistic.

Blistering performances.

Yes!! They finally got it down to perfection. What a great idea, a refreshing exploitation epic for Generation-X, whether they know it or not. After disasters like Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD, and getting screwed by Blockbuster, our hero, Lloyd Kaufman just decided to go for it, stop catering to distributors, and let Troma be all the Troma it can be. Lloyd would make this one the most unapologetic, outlandish and downright hilarious Troma movie yet. This time, Lloyd takes Shakespeare's love story, turns it inside out, Tromatizes it, and adds that long, lost, entertainment value it was always lacking. Entertainment value, such as Lemmy Kilmister (the narrator), Debbie Rochon (the cook), Joe Fleishaker (the fat guy), and of course, brutal mutilations and toilet humor. Tromeo And Juliet is the definitive edition of a rather lackluster story, and the crown jewel of the Troma universe.Years ago, in Tromaville, N.J. business partners, Monty Que and Cap Capulet start a film company called Silky Films, which would produce supposedly tasteful, soft core films. Monty considers Cap his friend, but Cap is out to screw the poor sucker out of his share of the company. On paper, and in books, it appears that Monty gave away his life's work for free. Fast forward to mid-90's Manhattan, we have two families who are extremely displeased with one another, it's to the point that they're just looking for a reason to take a limb, or preferably, a life. Monty has a son, Tromeo, nephew, Benny, they, with their friend, Murray Martini, who's just a little too excited about all the carnage, wage war on the incestuous Capulets, except Monty, he's too drunk to care. Like in the original, there is a confusing situation, leading to Tromeo falling for Cap's daughter, who he has never met, or never even knew about. Unfortunately, Cap is a sadistic pervert, who, not unlike Tromeo's dad, has a thing for the bottle, and this would of course, lead to daddy's little chenshaw melon being physically, and emotionally abused, and molested, and kept in a Plexiglas cage, off and on, depending on how foul of a mood Cap is in. Cap is also forcing his vegetarian daughter to marry London Arbuckle, a billionaire butcher, who, would make just about anyone uneasy, with or without the raisin loaf. With all these inconveniences, the young lovers feel that eloping would be the best decision, but how will this effect the big feud? It might, or might not, go a little something like the original, but figuring out how this one ends up is just simply not going to happen, you'll never see it coming."The one with Leo" is downright sleep-inducing compared to Tromeo & Juliet, but if watered-down, over-directed, big-budget, Hollywood, Garbage is what you've been programmed to go for, then by all means, go for it, but if you're in the mood for something a little more colorful, something that really packs a punch, and doesn't follow the "normal" movie pattern, and if you happen to have a rather abnormal sense of humor, then you just might not hate this movie. Tromeo And Juliet gives the finger to all that is mainstream. Full-blast exploitation with as much mean-spirited humor as anything from a young John Waters. Along with some badass acting, Tromeo And Juliet flaunts a thunderous score which includes the legendary Motorhead, and not to mention, much input from James Gunn, that really brought this one together. For more awesomeness from James Gunn, check out Lollilove, and for more excellence from Lloyd Kaufman, check out his next vision, Terror Firmer. Tromeo And Juliet is jaw-droppingly priceless Exploitation for the 90's brought to us by the one, and only, king of the B-movies. Thank's, Lloyd. 10/10

The title of this says it all. I think it's very rare that Troma churns out anything that isn't complete garbage. This movie still is garbage but it has a bit more to it than just being offensive for the hell of it. I had a good time watching it because I wasn't expecting a masterpiece or anything of the sort. It's just an entertaining piece of Troma trash with a little bit of heart.The acting sucks, as usual with a few exceptions. I liked the Romeo and Juliet update for the most part but some of it didn't seem to add up for me. I think it may have been better if the movie would have just gone for its own story rather than trying to base it on Shakespeare's play, but it still works pretty well. I thought the direction was poor but let's face it, Lloyd Kaufman really doesn't know what he's doing, but he does know how to entertain and that's what he did with this movie.If you decide to sit through Tromeo and Juliet, expect a good time but not anything spectacular. You should have fun.

Right now, I could waste a few paragraphs describing the 110-minute insanity fest that is Lloyd Kaufman's "Tromeo and Juliet," but I'll put it like this: they don't get any better than this! This film is offensive and moves at an exhilarating, break-neck pace that never lets up once things get going. Kaufman of course is the president of Troma Entertainment with Michael Herz as his veep. Together they've produced and/or directed b-level schlock that's plentiful in atrocious acting, graphic violence/gore, and sex within the last 30 years. They've influenced the likes of Peter Jackson ("The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, "Dead Alive"), Trey Parker (co-creator of television's "South Park"), Quentin Tarantino and one Troma alumni, James "Dawn of the Dead remake" Gunn, headed out on his own earlier this year with his directorial debut "Slither." Troma finally hit pay-dirt with "The Toxic Avenger" in 1985 and seemed to reach a level of "respectibility" with 1996's "Tromeo and Juliet," a modern-day punk retelling of William Shakespeare's classic tragedy. The action has been moved from Verona to New York, with Tromeo (Will Keenan) and Juliet (Jane Jensen), the offspring of rival families, meeting at a costume party and hitting it off immediately (and I use "hitting it off" loosely). This retelling is stock plentiful in sex, body piercing, incest and incredibly graphic violence to drive home the point that once again, Troma Entertainment is strictly for adults. I'll admit I know a great deal about Troma but have seen very few of their films. Their style is unique in that they don't much give a damn about the audience, other than shunning political-correctness in favor of shock & awe. The humor is very offensive (whoever thought to use incest as a punch-line needs counseling), so don't be shocked too much. So, if "The Toxic Avenger" is the Citizen Kane of bad movies, then what does this say about "Tromeo and Juliet"?10/10

Troma Pictures are an acquired taste, and this one, an 'adaptation' of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, directed by Troma founder Lloyd Kaufman, is no exception.You want suicidal squirrels? Plexiglass cages? Bad, bad, acting? Bad, bad, bad, dialogue? Scenes and situations of excruciatingly poor taste? Lemmy as narrator? Gory deaths? Loud music which jars on the nerves? Silly jokes involving phalluses, toilets, and bondage? Then this will be a real treat for you. For the rest of us, who hoped and prayed that nothing could be worse than The Toxic Avenger, here is something closer to the bottom of the barrel.