A true horror icon is joining Joe Bob Briggs for the latest episode ofThe Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs. Lloyd Kaufman, the co-founder of Troma and director ofThe Toxic Avenger, will join the host this week for Shudder’s mystery Friday night double feature. Though, with Kaufman on the bill, one has to imagine a Troma classic is on deck.
The announcement was made by Shudder ahead ofThe Last Drive-Inseason 2’s fourth episode. This season has already featured several impressive guest stars, such as wrestling star Chris Jericho,Chopping Mallstar Kelli Maroney and theSultan of Splatter Tom Savini. In a statement, host Joe Bob Briggs had this to say about Lloyd Kaufman.
“I knewLloyd Kaufmanwhen he was a young man struggling to make a living by releasing one cheap exploitation film after another. After a rich and varied career at the helm of Troma Films, he has risen to the top of the indie business and today . . . releases two cheap exploitation films at a time. Let us praise his legacy of distributing hundreds of indie films, all of them made with cameras.”
Lloyd Kaufman has had an impressive career and, as co-founder of Troma, has been a true champion of indie film. Many filmmakers got their start at Troma, including James Gunn, director ofGuarians of the Galaxy. Kaufman has personally directed more than 50 movies, includingCass of Nuke ‘Em High,Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D.andTromeo and Juliet. But it was 1984’sThe Toxic Avengerthat served as Kaufman’s true breakout as a director. The movie inspired a franchise, including three sequels, a musical and an animated series.
Troma was founded in 1974. In the years since, the company has released more than 1,000 independent movies. That makes Lloyd Kaufman the perfect person to sit down with Joe Bob Briggs for a conversation onThe Last Drive-In. Taking to Twitter, Joe Bob Briggs offered fans a little tease of what’s to come this week, providing some hints about the double bill.
“Hints for this week’s movies: the first one is made by a low-budget genius who went high budget and crashed. The second one is made by unknowns who ended up with worldwide distribution.”
