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Summary: Great book
Review: This book was an absolute riot. It provides frank and useful information about the film industry while offering a fresh perspective on how movies are made outside of the Hollywood mega-machine. All in all, a great read even for someone who doesn't give a damn about fims.
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Summary: All I need to know about filmaking I learned from the toxic
Review: It's got to be the greatest book ever published. (I think, but I've never really read any oher books!) You have to read this book it is the coolest!
Rating:
Summary: the only book I've ever finshed
Review: Troma is the best! This book is great! It's funnier than Angela's Ashes and scarier than a scott valentine movie. every filmmaker should read this book. every person that makes a movie should have green foam spewing from his/her mouth at least once. The book goes into Lloyds life and is funny as hell. I thought I knew a lot about Troma studios but this book tells it all.....things you only wish you knew. get this book! I've never finshed an entire book in my life, but I couldn't put this down. It's a rollercoaster ride of tomfoolery.....the surprise hit of the world.
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Summary: Pure genius
Review: Lloyd Kaufman is a pure genuis and it shows in this wonderful book. He brings the basics of keeping yourself afloat while making an independant movie, while interweaving recolections of his own life, which itself seems like a strange movie. That's why he made a movie about it. Titled Terror Firmer, the movie is just as good as the book. If you're a fan of comedy, cool movies, Troma, or just want to learn how to spit green foam from your mouth, buy this book.
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Summary: Way Kewl
Review: All I know about Making Movies I learned from the Toxic Avenger.Should this book be the first one a would be film maker should read? Definitely not! Unless you follow Lloyds exactly: learn everything in the book and do exactly the opposite. No soon to be director producer should make a movie without reading this book. The book chronicles, Lloyd's life, the history of Troma, some film making techniques, and lies. Like a good teacher Lloyd does not give a lot of direct advice but allows students to make their own conclusions. Like plan for Mr. Murphy 'cause he will visit during filming. The book is incredibly funny. I just finished a screenplay and soon it will go into production, I stopped by the bookstore to pick up a book on Adobe Golive so that I could create a webpage to put the script and film schedule. Across from the computer section was the film studies section; where I noticed Lloyds book. (And I thought the last thing I need right now is another book about making movies: I was wrong) I flipped through it and was intrigued by the sheer number of footnotes on every page. I thought it would be good to read while downloading the demo of Golive. I started to read the book and 3 ½ days later I still had not even touched the software, it was a strange read but definitely worth the time. It is not just for filmmakers it is also a great insiders guide to Troma films. It gives you kewl info to use to impress your friends. Before I read the book I was not a died in the wool Troma fan. I am now though!
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Summary: Green Vomit adventures
Review: After I finished reading this book I really had the urge to try the green vomit.What better place to do it than in art school and for my video class. Even though puking green stuff had nothing to do with my video it looked really neat. Over all the book was an enlightening expirence which helped me see the truth about independant cinema. Way to go Lloyd!
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Summary: Fun to read and useful too!
Review: Kaufman is hilarious and this book really looks to "tell it like it is." Great change of pace from other filmmaking books on the market.
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Summary: Catcher in the Rye meets Pink Flamingos.
Review: Being a student filmmaker I've read dozens of books on low budget filmmaking. All of them are the same; sell your car, max out your credit card, hit your parents up for money. Blah blah blah. What Llyod does is not go into details about the production of independent(although we do get the recipe for zombie vomit for the price of admission), Llyod covers more of the spirit of independent cinema, and how it's alive in it's purest form with Troma. With this book Lyod inspires a new breed on independent filmmakers, and secures the Troma legacy. Llyod earns his place in history with John Handcock, Malcolm X, and Richard Speck as a true American patriot.
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Summary: Lloyd told me to!
Review: Catching a screening of Troma's new film "Terror Firmer" at the Chicago Film Festival, I had the great experience of meeting Mr. Lloyd Kaufman, one of the nicest people I'm ever likely to come into contact with. He told me I should go on Amazon.com and review his fabulous book, "All I Need to Know About Filmmaking I Learned From The Toxic Avenger." Coming from most famous people (yeah, he's famous), telling a fan to boast them up might sound kind of arrogant, but not from Mr. Kaufman. He has got to be one of the last true caring people in the film world and it shows in his excellent book. The book is packed with anecdotes, insights, how-to techniques and plenty of other elements to keep even non-Troma fans interested and amused. I've never found myself laughing out loud so much at a book before. It's hilarious. I suggest reading this book and John Waters' "Shock Value" back-to-back to truly discover what kind of minds make films of the most fantastic and questionable "art" of our times.
Rating: 
Summary: I've never seen a Troma film
Review: I've never seen a Troma film, although I know who the Toxic Avenger is, and have an impression of what the film is like from friends. I got this book and a copy of the movie at the same time, and read the book first. It's supposed to be a 'how-to' guide for independent filmmakers, and I suppose it is, but that part of the experience sits at the center of several layers of narrative. Overall is the "Here's My Book, Hope I Get it Finished in Time" layer of breakfast meetings with the publisher. Beneath that is the "Here's My View of the World", then "Here's what a Putz I Can Be" (with accompanying protestations from friends, family and associates (and an occasional dissenting agreement)). Then there's "Hollywood Stinks", enveloping the "History of Troma" layer, and finally the "Here's How I (We) Did It" layer. This last piece comes with an abundance of justification, anecdotes and examples of how it doesn't always work, or at least how it shouldn't have worked, but did! THIS makes the difference, and fulfills the book's stated objective. I probably spent equal amounts of time reading this book with the following reactions: 1. Amusement/Outrage/Laughter (several times OUT LOUD!) 2. The feeling you get slowly driving by a serious car crash 3. "What an arrogant S.O.B.!" 4. "Holy Smokes, I can't believe he said that!" 5. "Yeah! You tell 'em, Lloyd!" 6. "Kaufman, why aren't you dead?" 7. "Enough with the [CENSORED] jokes!!" 8. "I'd never see one of these movies!/I have to see that film!" 9. "You go, girl!" (He's not that picky.) 10. "Serves you right!/You were gypped!" 11. "KAUFMAN, GROW UP!" 12. "Where do I sign up!?" Kaufman's writing style is similar to how he makes movies: Here we are at the beginning, I know where the end is, and everything from here to there is up for grabs. Regardless of the chapter titles, you never know whether a chapter is going to deal with the industry, "Toxie", Kaufman's partner Michael, hints and tips for casting directors, the recipe for Bromo-Seltzer vomit or which Troma film holds the record for the most squibs used in any movie, ever! (Squibs are the little explosive blood-packets used to simulate a gunshot wound in progress - Oh, No, gotta read the book to find out!) Anyway, during the first chapters, I occasionally got the impression that Kaufman and Troma must be parenthetical little bumps in the world of film, but if you finish this book still thinking that way, then you missed something. Surprise, surprise, they're both necessary. Film (I mean "FILM") needs its extremists as does everything else, to keep the mainstream, mainstream. Now, these people are not the most extreme in the industry, but without them, well, read the book; you figure out how to end that sentence.
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