#ShakespearesSh**storm

FANTASIA FILM FESTIVAL 2020 REVIEW! I have a special relationship to Lloyd Kaufman‘s latest and possibly final directorial effort, #ShakespearesSh**storm. After working at Troma in 2008, I hadn’t seen Lloyd until the filming of this movie. I actually got a chance to visit three different sets during filming. I reunited with Lloyd and Pat Kaufman (Lloyd’s wife and producer of the film, as well as the former film commissioner of the state of New York). I met some of the actors and producers John Brennan and Justin Martell. I got to see how the sausage is made, so to speak. So perhaps it’s not entirely fair for me to do this review, but oh well, a little nepotism never hurt anyone.

One of Lloyd’s most popular films outside of the Toxic Avenger and Class of Nuke Em High franchises is 1996’s Tromeo & Juliet, co-written by James Gunn. #ShakespearesSh**storm brings Lloyd and Troma back to the bard, which has been highly anticipated since the film’s announcement. Kaufman brings along Debbie Rochon from Tromeo, and there are several cameos from Ron Jeremy, Reverend Jen Miller, and people who have worked for Troma in one capacity or another over the years. It’s a film that comes full circle and celebrates all that is Troma Entertainment.

“…Prospero has long been planning an act of brutal revenge against them since the ’90s…”

Prospero (Lloyd Kaufman) is a scientist who, along with his sister Antoniette Duke (also Kaufman), runs a pharmaceutical company called Avon Bard. The company is doing well and creating helpful drugs that, among other things, stop diarrhea, and gets bought out by Big Al (Abraham Sparrow). Big Al and Antoinette fire Prospero from Avon Bard, and they end up turning the company into a profit-hungry monstrosity that does more harm than good. Their latest creation is a drug to cure “entitlementia” called Safespacia.

We meet the company’s higher-ups on an ocean cruise. While the mucky-mucks are partying with drugs and girls below deck, on deck is where the influencers are hanging out, which include Steph (Zoe Geltman) and Trini (Dylan Mars Greenberg). They are heads of social media for Avon Bard and often find themselves feeling triggered or uncomfortable. Naturally, they take Safespacia. One of my favorite lines in the movie comes from Trini, who says at a rally, “I think black babies are cuter than white babies, and I tell that to every white mother I meet.”