Tromeo & Juliet

 Tromeo & Juliet

I have always loved Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, and I loved the classic Italian version of it, however I've never been a fan of the more modern version that was released in the 1990s.  Though there is one modern version of Romeo and Juliet that I do absolutely love, which is the 1996 Troma Films release of Tromeo & Juliet.  I like that in many ways this film attempts to keep true(ish) to the story of Romeo & Juliet, but setting it in modern day New York City, and the end is a bit... well less teenage suicide and more happy(?).   This film has violence, gore, sex, a lot of gratuitous nudity, and a giant penis monster(?), sure why not.  This film has a great punk/alternative rock sound track featuring bands like The Meat Puppets, Sublime, Motorhead, and Superchunk.  The narrator of the movie is Lemmy "from the house of Motorhead".   I will be straight up, I absolutely love this film, it is everything that I want from a Troma film. 

Tromeo and Juliet is directed by Lloyd Kaufman, with a screenplay written by James Gunn and Lloyd Kaufman, and produced by Troma Films owners Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz.  This film is as I've mentioned based on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.   The film features a great cast of characters including: Will Keenan as Romeo Que amd Jane Jensen as Juliet Capulet.   The House Of Capulet features: Maximillian Shaun as Cappy Capulet, Wendy Williams as Ingrid Capulet, Patrick Connor as Tyrone Capulet, Tamara Craig Thomas as Georgie Capulet, Sean Gunn as Sammie Capulet, and Debbie Rochon as Ness (the Nurse in Shakespeare's play, who is tattooed and pierced, and she is in love with Juliet and has a sexual relationship with her).   The House Of Que include: Earl McKoy as Monty Que, Stephen Blackheart as Benny Que, and Valentine Miele as Murray Martini.  The characters are cast really well in this film, and I love that Stephen Blackheart always looks like he is struggling to keep a straight face in many of the scenes.   

This is a film that in true Troma fashion shies away from no taboo, and it somehow works.  It is simultaneously hilarious, gross, sexy, and romantic all at once.  These two lover's love for each other is put to the test, and there is no easy way out, like death for them, they face the consequences of their love and must decide weather their love can endure the ultimate test.   This is not a film for everyone, and I am sure that there are many that will struggle to see it as anything but a piece of exploitation, gross out, trash, which is a shame, because it is actually quite a wonderful film if you can get over your own sensibilities and hang-ups.    

The Special effects are low budget, but somehow Troma is able to work with that low budget to create practical effects that work, they are purposely cheesy in a way that seems to fit the film.  Interestingly enough this is one of the cheapest films made by Troma pictures on a budget of merely $350,000, and the film has gone on to be a big success, and one of the beloved films among fans of Troma Films, and b-film fans in general.   The film was released in Feb of 1997, and was met with generally positive reviews, and even main stream outlets like Variety, The New York Times, and USA Today gave the film positive reviews.  

So if you love "Body Piercing, Kinky Sex, Dismemberment...The Things that made Shakespeare great", then you will love this film.  It is on one hand shocking and gross, but also at the same time, a story about the strength of true love, and the end of the film is...well it will shock and gross out some, while others will see beyond the shock value to the fact that true love can over come ALL obstacles.  Definitely not a film for everyone, but if you are like me and you love low budget gory horror films, with a tender romantic story, and A LOT of nudity and sex doesn't bother you, then I highly recommend checking out this film.