All I Need to Know About Filmmaking I Learned from the Toxic Avenger

This is an indispensible companion to his other book 'Make Your Own Damn Movie..'and, not constrained here by having to list the various stages of movie making, Kaufman lets loose with an hilarious collection of anecdotes about how he started his independent film company Troma in New York, worked in (briefly) and then outside of Hollywood and how he shot some of his most famous films. He helped make Rocky, you know!
Part autobiography, part stream of consciousness, this does occasionally descend into flights of fancy and some complete nonsense - but Lloyd has the good grace of making this funny.
However, you're laughing too much at first to notice that there's not enough personal stuff in there. It's only when he nears the end that he stops messing about and gives us a poignant account of his wife's battle with breast cancer.
This gives a completely different side of Lloyd he hadn't shown us before, which slightly unbalances the tone of the book for a while.
And then he finishes it with a graphic description of being on the toilet.
So, just like one of his schlock horror films, this book has a lot of laughs, a lot of madness, some genuine emotion and goes out on an unforgettable moment.
If it doesn't make you want to check out some of his earlier films, then there's something wrong with you. They're available on www.troma.com by the way. Lloyd would like that little plug, I'm sure. He also asked me to post this review too.
He might seem harmless, but he's shameless self-promoter. However, you just can't help respecting and loving this guy (in a strictly hetero way, I mean!)
And for the record, his joke about getting turned-on by the JFK/Zapruder film is bloomin' funny! He told me that, the last time he told that gag, it went down badly. But he did tell it at the Democratic Party's convention, so what does he expect?

One of the most subliminaly intelligent reference books ever (3/3 people found this helpful)

I'm not a huge Troma fan by any means. Sure, I've seen Toxic Avenger, and it was okay, but I've never understood the massive cult popularity the films seem to attract, so I read this book without any real prior biases for or against Lloyd Kaufman or his films.

Kaufman, if this book is anything to go by, is an incredibly intelligent, witty, talented man, and so much more genuine than many of the other "experts" who take it upon themselves to write film-making books. Though this book appears to be little more than lots of very funny anecdotes about Kaufman's adventures, I think I actually learned more about the film-making process from it than I did from a hundred Guerilla Film Makers Handbooks.

Every page was a pleasure to read, and I come away from the book a more enlightened, informed man.

Very entertaining and informative! (1/1 people found this helpful)

"All I Need to Know About Filmmaking I Learned From the Toxic Avenger" is a funny and irreverent look at the world of independent film from Troma Studios' president Lloyd Kaufman. It blends important tips for indie filmmakers with amusing anecdotes and sage wisdom from someone who's been there. The reader finds out a lot about Troma movies that otherwise they would never know! I highly recommend it.

Anyone who wants to make movies MUST read this book!!! (0/0 people found this helpful)

Lloyd Kaufman's book (written with James Gunn) is the single best book I've ever read about filmmaking. Not to mention politics, censorship, philosophy and being happy with who you are. I found myself filled with such inspiration after reading what this genius went through to get where he is today, because that is where I want to be, too. Most of these type books, whether straight "how-to" guides, or autobiographies by filmmakers, seem to push you in the direction of Hollywood. But Mr. Kaufman shows me how to get outside the mainstream, using imagination, ingenuity and lots of sex, gore and rock'n'roll. Now that's my kind of career! A MUST READ!!!

Even Better Than Scientology! (0/0 people found this helpful)

This book is a must read for anyone who enjoyed The Toxic Avenger, Class of Nuke 'Em High, or any of the wonderful Troma films!

Mr. Kaufman tells the story of the inception of Troma Studios, how he came to create some of their most memorable characters, and how readers can make some of the effects seen in his films.

The narrative also gives subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) hints on how to get started in the "industry". A very, VERY funny look at the inside of the mind of Lloyd Kaufman, and his "Movies of the Future". Go buy it! NOW!!

All I Need to Know About Filmmaking I Learned from the Toxic Avenger

Lloyd Kaufman, James E. Gunn

Reader Reviews:

Even funnier than his other book... (1/1 people found this helpful)

One of the most subliminaly intelligent reference books ever (3/3 people found this helpful)

Very entertaining and informative! (1/1 people found this helpful)

Anyone who wants to make movies MUST read this book!!! (0/0 people found this helpful)

Even Better Than Scientology! (0/0 people found this helpful)

Similar Products

Categories