Dismemberment. Body horror. Piercing. Sex. Shakespeare? All of that can be used to describe the 1997 Lloyd Kaufman film Tromeo and Juliet, a campy horror flick. As the trailer points out, this story comes to us from the Playwright of "The Merchant of Venice" and the director of The Toxic Avenger. Immediately you're drawn in, right? This is a creative match made in movie heaven.
First of all, let's go back and talk about Troma. Troma Entertainment is a low-budget production company founded by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz way back in 1974. Ever since they began, they have been making films that play off of 50s B-movies, but with 100% more gore! Their tagline is "40 years of Disrupting Media" and they have produced and distributed hundreds of exploitation films. Their films have starred a wide range of celebrities who go on to become the next big thing such as Carmen Electra, Marisa Tomei, Michael Jai White, James Gunn, Vanna White, and many more. They even produced Trey Parker and Matt Stone's first film Cannibal! The Musical. So, yes, these two purveyors of schlock know what they are doing. Kaufman himself directed the 1985 comedy horror flick The Toxic Avenger which really put Troma on the map in a more mainstream way. And the rest? Was history!
So that brings us to the mid-90s with their gruesome take on Romeo and Juliet. The film Romeo + Juliet was a box office sensation, so Troma decided to take that sparkly teen drama and flip it on its head. Set in 90s New York City, the Capulets are rich and the Ques are poor (sorry, Montagues, you're not involved!). Tromeo Que works at a tattoo parlor with his dad and his cousin while Juliet is stuck in her family's mansion with her abusive dad and overprotective cousin Tyrone. Meanwhile, Juliet does receive some sexual relief from the family servant Ness, played by Debbie Rochon. Tromeo Que is played by Will Keenan who looks simply dreamy.
Juliet and Tromeo eventually meet and have an affair, seeing each other as the answers to their prayers. The story basically goes as we know it from there, but the movie does not have the same tragic ending that the play does. They wind up happily-ever-after...after a really wild ride that includes a monster cock from Joseph Anthony. No, seriously, his penis is a monster. At least he's got a hot shirtless chest.
The good thing about critical receptions and Troma films is that people usually know what to expect with these films, so the reviews are generally pretty good. The New York Times called the movie "exhilarating" and USA Today said this film is not just for Troma junkies. People generally seemed to like it! Tromeo even played at Cannes Film Festival. Critics seemed to appreciate a genuinely fresh look at Shakespeare that didn't have any of the reverence. Plus the movie had a bangin' soundtrack filled with 90s punk bops. One thing is for certain: I think Shakespeare would cream his tights seeing these hot scenes.
Let's check out a sex scene in which you can see Will Keenan's cock:
