I guess after fifty years of independent filmmaking, Lloyd Kaufman has earned the right to do whatever the hell he wants, even if I never end up liking most of it. In this movie, what he wants is to take a giant dump on the Bard of Avon.

If you thought Tromeo and Juliet was the final word on Troma’s relationship with William Shakespeare, you clearly haven’t been paying attention to the last two decades of Tromaville history. While most directors mature or elevate their style, Lloyd is still down in the sewer. Literally. A lot of time spent in a toilet.

The setup is classic The Tempest, if Shakespeare had been addicted to social media and Big Pharma kickbacks. Lloyd stars in a dual role as Prospero Duke, a disgraced scientist, and his villainous sister Antoinette.

Prospero was once a big deal in the pharmaceutical world until he was betrayed by Antoinette and the corporate titan Big Al (Abraham Sparrow). Now, he lives in a derelict crack house in the ruins of New Jersey with his daughter Miranda (Kate McGarrigle). When Big Al and his entourage of social justice warriors, corrupt politicians and corporate sycophants take a cruise ship past his hideout, Prospero uses a massive quantity of Whale Laxative to create a literal shitstorm of biblical proportions.

Beneath the layer of filth — and it is a thick layer —  Kaufman is actually saying something. He’s taking aim at the opioid crisis, the performative nature of social media activism and the way corporate entities weaponize wokeness for profit. Does he do it subtly? No, he does it with a sledgehammer made of rubber vomit.

#ShakespearesShitstorm is the culmination of everything Lloyd has been preaching since the days of The Toxic Avenger. It’s DIY, fiercely independent and refuses to apologize for existing.

Debbie Rochon is in it. That’s good enough for me.

This includes an introduction by Lloyd Kaufman, producer and cast commentaries, trailers, behind-the-scenes features, and original songs from the movie. You can get it from MVD.