TROMA unleashes Victor Goodview on the world

Last Friday, Cinema Village Manhattan was the subject of that rarest of incidents… a Toxic Avenger sighting.

TROMA Entertainment's trademark environmental super-monster was out and schmoozing with the world of up and coming indie-filmmakers in celebration of their latest release: Victor Goodview. If you recall last year on the site, we reviewed this twisted and surreal flick, and gave it a morbid thumbs up. It is now available to the wider world via the silver screen for a limited run. This scatological film detailing what might be the grimmest rock bottom in current American Cinema was shown to the viewing public for the first time, and has been garnering positive attention.

Director Vin Turturro, who was in attendance with much of the cast an crew, has said "[we have] turned our dream, delusion, fantasy (whatever you want to call it) into a tangible one." If Hollywood's nickname is 'the dream factory', then TROMA's could definitely be 'The Nightmare Factory'. Goodview definitely feels like it has rolled out of that same workshop. While many would worry whether to approach this film for fear of excessive cynicism and pretentious nihilism, the Friday night premiere exhibited anything but. TROMA's dedicated fanbase have always felt like an oddball family, and the packed lobby of Cinema Village resembled a family reunion more than anything else. For a film depicting the dregs of humanity, the atmosphere was positively welcoming and humanitarian.

"I know my brother has started writing Victor 2, so that's in the pipeline."

As Toxie meandered about taking pictures with fans, supporters waved TROMA signs, and a camera crew conducted interviews, news of reviews started to trickle in, and the press have been kind and generous thus far. Dan Lee of ZombiesInMyBlog called it "As thought-provoking as it is debased." The Tampa Tribune positively remarked that it was "a bleak comedy that darkens deeply towards tragedy." NYC Movie Guru was quoted describing it as "Unflinching, disturbing, and refreshingly un-Hollywood. It makes The Florida Project look like a Disney movie." Without Your Head went so far as to say it was "perfect… for those who can stomach it." As of now, the film stands at an 8.6 on IMDB, so it would appear that the Turturros and the good people at Larkin-Stanhope Productions have created something that will be gracing your streaming services before too long.

Also in the air was talk of a sequel. Whilst Larkin-Stanhope are currently focused on promoting the film, and doing pre-production on their new feature Arbor Day, at a mid-point in the evening, Alena Turturro (sister of Vin, and instrumental in the film's development) freely shared the news. "I know my brother has started writing Victor 2, so that's in the pipeline." Turturro himself tangentially confirmed this himself. In describing the process of making the film he has said "To use an AA aphorism Vic might espouse in a future sequel, we faked it till we made it." So, another night in New York, another indie film success story.TROMA continues it's output of films that simply couldn't be made by anyone else, and Larkin-Stanhope have begun their climb up the ladder of film-notoriety.

Victor Goodview plays at Cinema Village until January 25th. Follow them on Facebook and their Website.

TROMA have been distributing films for 40 years, including horror classic The Toxic Avenger. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and on their Website

Thomas Burns Scully is a PopDust contributor, and also an award-winning actor, playwright, and musician. In his spare time he writes and designs escape rooms. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

POP⚡ DUST | Read More…

'Wonder Woman', 'Beauty and the Beast' and outrage film marketing

Eddie Izzard: transgender, hilarious, and heartbreaking

'Pop Punk High', a pop punk musical comedy? Um... yes please!