Troma Does Deutschland!

Troma's new film, The Killer Condom, opens theatrically in select cities this month. TapeHead sent a correspondent to see the film almost a year ago at a film festival. Here's his review:

It was with humble gratitude that I received an invitation to the New York premiere of Troma's latest flick, The Killer Condom. Condom was the big midnight ticket at the first annual New York Comedy Film Festival. Although I'm usually in the throes of deep sleep by the time the witching hour rolls around, I was too excited to doze off for even a moment.

. . . One of the few (if not the only) movies to take place in New York City in which everybody speaks German, The Killer Condom is a hard-boiled detective yarn about life on the mean streets, sex, and genetically bred killer condoms (thus the title). Your typical filterless-smoking tough guy, Detective Mackaroni is called in to investigate the mysterious rash of castrations at the Quickie Hotel. After a "private investigation" of the hotel in question (and subsequent loss of a testicle), Mackaroni begins his one man crusade against the elusive Killer Condom!

I feel bad saying this (especially after the kind treatment of the folks at Troma) . . . but the above synopsis is perhaps more exciting than the film itself. I found myself wanting to laugh (be it with humor or disgust) more than I actually did. Think about it: How long can you really sustain a movie about a genitalia-eating condom? The concept sounds enticing at first, but The Killer Condom is, in essence, a one-trick pony. To director Martin Walz's credit, he attempts to broaden the film's thematic horizons by making the main character gay. But this sub-plot ends up taking the driver's seat for most of the film. I walked into Condom expecting a bodily fluid-squirting affront to the senses (what else should one expect from Troma?), but ended up watching a parable about tolerance. The sentiment is nice and all, but Lloyd would never end one of his own films with a lengthy "can't we all just get along?" monologue unless it was a pointed dig at the whole non-challenging PC mindset. Killer Condom is basically overlong and doesn't have enough killing and/or condoms in it.

But before you read this review as a complete and total slam on the film, I must commend the entire cast and crew of The Killer Condom. To shoot a guerrilla-type film is an achievement in and of itself. To do so in New York City is even more impressive, especially if you're not from the country in the first place. The cinematography is very nice for a low-budget picture - a consistent look, lots of complex camera moves and crane shots. All of the performances were good, but perhaps gave the film an air of seriousness and sobriety that it didn't need. The Killer Condom is an example of technical achievement that needed to concentrate more on concept than execution.

Although the film credits its creature design to H.R. Giger (of Alien fame), the condoms look like condoms with teeth. The actual special effects by Jorg Buttgereit - one of my all-time favorite independent filmmakers - are functional enough, but too few and far between.

Like I said, I feel guilty giving The Killer Condom a less-than-stellar review, but (my love for Troma aside) I must call them as I see them. I still anxiously await the latest Troma-produced Troma film because Killer Condom didn't quite do it for me.

NEWSFLASH: I just spoke with the folks art Troma about Killer Condom. Apparently, the version I saw was the "director's cut" and Troma plans on removing 15-20 minutes of the film before releasing it theatrically and on video in the U.S. This is good news. The pacing of the "Condom" was one of the main problems I had with it. I have no doubt that the good folks at Troma can only improve the entire experience by paring it down . . .

- Punky McScrubb