Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Art Of Trash: Evaluating Troma Entertainment As Paracinema, James W. Macdonald

Theses : Honours

The aim of this research is to explore the anti-establishment function of the work of Lloyd Kaufman and his film studio, Troma Entertainment. The research focuses on Troma's capacities as paracinema, and examines how in relishing their derided position in the cultural field, Lloyd Kaufman's films represent an anti-establishment cinematic form, combating an institutionalised idea of cultural value. Through challenging the rules of taste, Lloyd Kaufman's films serve to push the boundaries of what is considered valuable in contemporary culture. Films that revel in their 'bad taste' through extreme themes, poor humour and amateurism, make a stand against the mainstream …