Grandfathers before Marvel? Samuel L. Jackson and James Gunn started in the Z series!

Founded by the ever-present Lloyd Kaufman, backed by his friend Michael Hertz, Troma Entertainment is still one of the oldest independent film companies in the Hollywood landscape.

A stable that has always been fiercely protective of its independence and has also been a renowned nursery for many talents still in the making. Here’s how someone like Oliver Stone, James Gunn, who was still far from controlling the fate of Guardians of the Galaxy, and then DC, or even the upstart Kevin Costner, cut his teeth in trauma!

A true temple of B or even Z cinema, whose most famous gems are Toxic Avenger, Poultrygeist and his zombie chickens (!) or even Tromeo and Juliet, a slightly twisted version of Shakespeare’s mythical couple Romeo and Juliet, Troma Entertainment stops at nothing. And especially not eroticism, which is very often generously permeated in his works. The perfect art of nurturing a very confident bad taste with love.

Here are ten talents who have passed through the Troma stable!

Kevin Costner in Sizzle Beach (1974)

Debut in cinema Kevin Costner It was very difficult… His first film, Sizzle Beach, made under the auspices of Troma and with an otherwise famous title. Malibu’s hot summerIt appears to have been filmed in 1974 (although some sources say 1978-1979), but was not released in theaters until 1986. Very coincidentally – except for the person concerned, who was ashamed of it – the actor finally managed to break through. Thanks to his role in Silverado and especially The Untouchables.

Here’s a trailer for a movie that Costner would love to take off the shelves…

Vincent D’Onofrio in “The First Turn!” (1983)

Early in his career, Vincent D’Onofrio also experienced the struggles of aspiring actors and actresses. Four years before playing Kubrick’s unforgettable and crazed big whale soldier in Full Metal Jacket, the actor made his film debut for Troma in the erotic-trash comedy The First Turn-on! In 1983, where he played a character called… Lobotomy!

Corey Feldman in Citizen Tox: Toxic Avenger IV (2001)

ONCE UPON A TIME: Corey Feldman headed to the Troma stable long after making his big screen debut in The Goonies and Stand by Me. Also the result of a career choice that was risky, to say the least, between the nerdy or even the Z-series guys… In 2001, he appeared in Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV; The fourth opus of the flagship Troma franchise from the stable The first movie (The Iconic It) was released in 1985.

Here’s the trailer…

Samuel L. Jackson in “Protection from Temptation” (1990)

In the early 1990s, the future king showed a filmography in which he played small roles in the films A Prince in New York, Ragtime, Mystery Train, Melody for Murder, Do the Right Thing with Spike Lee…

But the revelation wouldn’t come until 1991 with the Best Actor award he won at the Cannes Film Festival for his performance in Jungle Fever; Then public recognition with the unforgettable role of the philosophical killer Jules in Pulp Fiction in 1994. In 1990, he was still making headlines left and right as he appeared in Troma’s performance against vampirism and the soul, Def by Temptation. It is known by the title Succubus.

Here’s the trailer…

James Gunn in Tromeo and Juliet (1996)

Many years before he unleashed his over-excited spirits on the arena Guardians of the Galaxy (and getting fired from Disney in 2018 for old tweets, not so recommended…), James Gunn began his career in film in the 90s stable. Troma entertainment. It was there that he became an actor and learned the tricks of the trade and wrote screenplays Tromeo and JulietA parody of Shakespeare’s famous play.

Below is the trailer of the movie…

Jorge Garcia “Tales from the Craper” (2004)

Although Jorge Garcia began his career on screen in 1997 with the horror film Raven’s Ridge, he played small roles in TV series for several years, often for one episode. In 2004, shortly before the start of JJ Abrams’s Lost adventure, Jorge Garcia still found time to pitch in. Troma entertainment In Tales from CrapperAnthology live on video It was intended as an erotic-safe homage to the beloved series Tales from the Crypt.

Oliver Stone in “The Battle for Love’s Return” (1971)

In 1971, the same year he graduated from New York University with a degree in film. Oliver Stone Still only a distant filmmaker. He didn’t sign his first feature – a horror film – until 1974 (Evil Queen). So it is not surprising that he knocked on the door of the very young Troma stable that he founded Lloyd Kaufman. That’s how he appears in “The Battle of Love Back,” Kaufman’s directorial debut.

Here’s the trailer…

Eli Roth in Terror Firmer (1999)

Eli Roth developed a passion for horror films very early. Graduating from New York University with a degree in film in 1995, he co-wrote the screenplay for Cabin Fever with his friend Randy Perlstein that same year. But they don’t get funding. For four years he lived on odd jobs, including starring in films such as Terror Firmer from the Troma stable in 1999. Roth always retains a certain tenderness for the house he founded. Lloyd KaufmanTo the point that sometimes he comes back to play a guest / cameo, like in erotic-trash Tales from Crapperin 2004.

Below is the trailer…

Billy Bob Thornton in “Chopper Chickens in Zombietown” (1989)

A few years before he gained real critical and public acclaim with his first film, Sling Blade, in 1996, Billy Bob Thornton was auditioning for small roles. That’s how he stumbles upon Chopper Chicks in Zombietown by Troma, in which a biker gang quickly battles a mad scientist and zombies emerging from a radioactive mine.

Here’s the trailer…

Paul Sorvino in “Cry Uncle!” (1971)

It doesn’t matter that the late Paul Sorvino’s career was particularly storied, sometimes questionable, and/or the result of easy artistic choices. Just for his unforgettable performance as Paul Cicero for Martin Scorsese in Goodfellas, he deserves our eternal recognition.

It was with Troma that the actor made his debut in 1971 with the erotic trash comedy. cry uncle! (Signed by future Rocky director!) in which he plays a chain-smoking cop with a coughing fit. For reference, the film was banned in Norway and Finland until 2003.

Here’s the trailer…

A good leg and a good eye, 80-year-old Lloyd Kaufman is not ready to hang up his gloves. In 2020, he was the director of Shakespeare’s Sh*storm; A terrifying adaptation of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest. We don’t do that anymore!