Talking With Lloyd Kaufman About The Toxic Avenger Musical, Hollywood and Net Neutrality
Posted October 29, 2009 3:09 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Toxic Avenger has gone from a cult film in the ’80s to a Saturday morning cartoon (The Toxic Crusaders), Marvel comic book, novel, graphic novel, and now musical. There are also three sequels, and Toxie, in all his green glory, has become a pop icon along the way. What makes The Toxic Avenger work is that underneath the campiness of it all is a great message – protect the environment before it’s too late. The musical puts this message up front and presents it in a hilarious way with a simple set, small cast, and songs like Evil is Hot, Hot Toxic Love and my personal favourite Bitch Slut Liar Whore (this isn’t Cats, people). The Toronto cast is brilliant and the show will make you laugh, gag, laugh some more and maybe even get a little wet (Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as the blood Evil Dead: The Musical shot out on the crowd).
The mastermind behind The Toxic Avenger is Lloyd Kaufman. Kaufman worked on films in the ’70s, among them Rocky and Saturday Night Fever, before starting Troma Entertainment, his independent production company that produces and distributes low-budget films. I first met Kaufman six years ago when a friend of mine pitched him the idea to do a documentary on his life. Meeting him at the time was a true honour. I had just made a bad B-movie myself and looked at his movies, and his refusal to sell out to Hollywood, with amazement. A truly independent artist who was also successful! This was the person I wanted to become.
My friend received his blessing for the documentary (currently on the festival circuit as King Kaufman: The Passion of Lloyd) and I eventually switched gears and got into reporting on entertainment instead of making it. So, when Kaufman passed through town recently to promote the opening of The Toxic Avenger Musical in Toronto, I had the opportunity to speak with him again. We chatted about his work, his feelings about the musical, a possible Hollywood remake of The Toxic Avenger and net neutrality (Kaufman is the chair of the Independent Film & Television Alliance and has a lot to say about government policy).
Watch my full interview with Kaufman below.
The Toxic Avenger Musical runs at The Danforth Music Hall until Jan. 3, 2010. Purchase tickets from their official site.
brian.mckechnie@citynews.rogers.com
Top image: Brittany Gray as Sarah and Evan Alexander Smith as Toxie in the Toronto production of The Toxic Avenger Musical. Photo credit Paula Wilson. Courtesy Dancap Productions.
