Have you met up with any of the stars who got their start in a Troma film (Sam Jackson, Kevin Costner, Marissa Tomei, Vincent D'Onofrio, even Oliver Stone!) since they've become "big deals"? Any chance of them appearing in Poultrygeist 2?
Actually, I ran into Sam Jackson and he told me I still owed him money. I fired Vincent D'Onofrio, probably for having and expressing an opinion on my movie set, so I probably wouldn't want to run into him.
How did TromaDance come about? I find it interesting that Sundance supposedly started as a haven for independent film and has more or less "sold out," and Slamdance came along for the "real" independent films, and now TromaDance is the "independentest" of all.
TromaDance is the independent's independent film festival, and this year will be our 10th anniversary. TromaDance was actually inspired by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, whose first film Cannibal: The Musical was a huge success for Troma. They had entered their film in Sundance and paid the outrageous entry fee, and then never even received a response. Not even a "F**k you, your movie sucks." Nothing. So we decided to create TromaDance. We don't charge any fees for submitting your films, and we also don't charge for the screenings. We try to treat everyone equally. Of course, if Paris Hilton came by TromaDance and wanted some swag, we would try to accommodate.
Is it true you're working on a documentary right now? Something involving the president?
I directed and produced a documentary for the Yale Class of '68 about William Sloane Coffin, Jr., who spoke at our 35th reunion, and who has been a big influence in my life. And yes, there is footage of the president. In my pants.
Poultrygeist opens May 9, 2008, in New York City and June 13, 2008, in Los Angeles. Visit the official site for more details.
