Tromaville or Bust
When Luz Cabrales, the queen of Scranton Films, pulled up to my house, I knew that The Last Knock interview with Lloyd Kaufman was finally going to happen.
And that meant a trip to Tromaville.
Tromaville is located on a side street in Astoria Queens across from a school. Grafitti art of Toxie’s green grimace plasters the front of the metal gate to the loading dock. I wondered how many people walked on by thinking that was just street art instead of the headquarters to all things Troma.
John and Tony, members of the Troma Team, greeted us at the door with warm smiles and soft words. They didn’t wield chainsaws or toss buckets of blood, or sport masks from Kabukiman or Toxie. Camden later joined them and offered us pizza. Now, that’s a welcoming committee!
Inside Tromaville
Originally, we were led to the first floor, which proved that the loading dock was rarely if ever used. Through the railroad apartment-like feel of the walk to the back room, we traversed shelf after shelf of props and prosthetics from every Troma film imaginable. I felt like I was in Tromaville’s basement. The place where shit came to rest – but was too cool to throw out.
The back room had a large green screen, but it was far too hot in July to hang down there.
Upstairs, through a narrow stairwell, we entered the main office facing the street. This is where Lloyd Kaufman and his partner in slime, Michael Herz, share a large open office.
The Office
Tromaville is an entity that is always in motion. As Troma gets ready to launch its latest venture, Shakespeare Shitstorm, the remnants of movie’s past clutter the place.
On the floor, I found reels to a personal guilty pleasure, Bloodsucking Freaks, and DVDs for an assortment of Troma films.
Amongst the milieu, there were awards for Lloyd. After all, Troma has been considered a “gay friendly” place to work for decades, and Troma has always treated female actresses and interns with utmost respect. It was great to see some of that recognition, as well as Lloyd’s longevity in entertainment.
The Troma team works in a large office after a kitchen and bathroom area. And that place, with its rows of desks, looks like a homicide office from a movie set – except for the Troma posters that cling to the walls.
Lloyd’s Desk
There’s something special in Tromaville, and it’s Lloyd’s desk. In lieu of rose petals and lace, the pathway to his desk is strewn with prosthetics and memorabilia from Poultrygeist to The Toxic Avenger – and everything in between.
Lloyd also surrounds himself with posters and flyers from his films – both legitimate and otherwise – from parts unknown.
Troma’s Legacy
After all, Lloyd should be proud. Troma Entertainment has existed for forty-five years. Lloyd isn’t just the king of independent horror, but the king of independent cinema. He may not have Hollywood clout (thank the Universe), but he has withstood the furor of independent film production like a punk rock god, and survived when so many have backed out or folded up.
So, if you venture into Tromaville don’t think for a second that the place needs a housekeeper. Because Tromaville is a time capsule of nearly fifty years of Troma Entertainment. Something you will never find anywhere else.
Lloyd, thank you and the Troma Team for welcoming me into your home.
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Billy Crash
Also known as William D. Prystauk, he loves great, in-depth characters and storytelling in horror, and likes to see heads roll, but if you kill a dog on screen he’ll cry like a baby. Crash, an award-winning screenwriter and novelist, co-hosts THE LAST KNOCK horror podcast on iTunes, and can also be found on Twitter, LinkedIn, IMDb, Amazon, Behance, YouTube, and Instagram. He’s currently in pre-production on a dramatic thriller feature while working on the third novel in his #KinkNoir crime thriller series.
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