The Battle of Love's Return
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Love's Return is a 1971 comedy film
written, directed, produced, and starring Lloyd Kaufman
, the co-founder of Troma Entertainment
, his first major film after his student production The Girl Who Returned
.
Kaufman plays 'Abacrombie', a down-on-his-luck loser. Upon being fired from his job, he sets out on a quest to find himself, encountering a variety of oddball characters who only make it harder for him. Sooner or later, he stumbles upon the girl of his dreams, and he determines to overcome his stupidity and win her heart.
The film was favorably reviewed by Howard Thompson
of the New York Times
and Judith Crist
of New York Magazine
, who compared Kaufman to Woody Allen
and Mel Brooks
. The worst review, however, came from Kaufman's father: when asked what his favorite part of the movie was, he responded "the part where Lloyd gets killed".
The film has never been released on DVD individually, but is included in its entirety (and as a deconstructed version) on Kaufman's instructional box set, Make Your Own Damn Movie!
, and is included as an Easter Egg
on The Sexy Box, a dvd boxset of Squeeze Play!
, Waitress!
, Stuck on You! and The First Turn-On!
.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
written, directed, produced, and starring Lloyd Kaufman
Lloyd Kaufman
Lloyd Kaufman is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and occasional actor. With producer Michael Herz, he is the co-founder of Troma Entertainment film studio, and the director of many of their feature films, including The Toxic Avenger and Tromeo and Juliet. Kaufman also serves as...
, the co-founder of Troma Entertainment
Troma Entertainment
Troma Entertainment is an American independent film production and distribution company founded by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz in 1974.The company produces low-budget independent movies that play on 1950s horror with elements of farce...
, his first major film after his student production The Girl Who Returned
The Girl Who Returned
The Girl Who Returned is a 1969 American comedy film, notable as the directorial debut of Lloyd Kaufman, future co-founder and president of Troma Entertainment. It was made during his sophomore year at Yale University....
.
Kaufman plays 'Abacrombie', a down-on-his-luck loser. Upon being fired from his job, he sets out on a quest to find himself, encountering a variety of oddball characters who only make it harder for him. Sooner or later, he stumbles upon the girl of his dreams, and he determines to overcome his stupidity and win her heart.
The film was favorably reviewed by Howard Thompson
Howard Thompson (film critic)
Howard Thompson was an US journalist and film critic whose career of forty-one years was spent at the New York Times....
of the New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
and Judith Crist
Judith Crist
Judith Crist is an American film critic. She appeared regularly on the Today show from 1964-1973 and has appeared in one film, Woody Allen's Stardust Memories...
of New York Magazine
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
, who compared Kaufman to Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
and Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks is an American film director, screenwriter, composer, lyricist, comedian, actor and producer. He is best known as a creator of broad film farces and comic parodies. He began his career as a stand-up comic and as a writer for the early TV variety show Your Show of Shows...
. The worst review, however, came from Kaufman's father: when asked what his favorite part of the movie was, he responded "the part where Lloyd gets killed".
The film has never been released on DVD individually, but is included in its entirety (and as a deconstructed version) on Kaufman's instructional box set, Make Your Own Damn Movie!
Make Your Own Damn Movie!
Make Your Own Damn Movie is both a book and a DVD set about Troma Entertainment and independent film in general.-Book:Make Your Own Damn Movie!: Secrets of a Renegade Director is written by Lloyd Kaufman published by St. Martin's, in 2003...
, and is included as an Easter Egg
Easter egg (media)
Image:Carl Oswald Rostosky - Zwei Kaninchen und ein Igel 1861.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Example of Easter egg hidden within imagerect 467 383 539 434 desc none...
on The Sexy Box, a dvd boxset of Squeeze Play!
Squeeze Play!
Squeeze Play! is a 1979 comedy film from Troma Entertainment directed by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz. It was Troma’s first major hit before The Toxic Avenger, and the first in a line of four "sexy comedies", followed by Waitress!, Stuck on You!, and The First Turn-On!.-Plot:A group of New Jersey...
, Waitress!
Waitress!
Waitress! is a 1981 comedy film directed by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz of Troma Entertainment. It was the second in Troma's line of "sexy comedies", preceded by the 1979's Squeeze Play! and followed by 1982's Stuck on You! and 1983's The First Turn-On!.-Premise:The film follows an aspiring...
, Stuck on You! and The First Turn-On!
The First Turn-On!
The First Turn-On! is a 1983 comedy film directed by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz of Troma Entertainment. It was the last in a series of four "sexy comedies" that helped establish Troma as a film studio, starting with 1979's Squeeze Play!, 1981's Waitress! and 1982's Stuck on You!.The First...
.
Production notes
The following events affected the production of the film:- Future directors Allan MoyleAllan MoyleAllan Moyle is a Canadian film director. He is best known for directing the films Pump Up the Volume and New Waterford Girl .-Biography:His first major film was Times Square...
and Oliver StoneOliver StoneWilliam Oliver Stone is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Stone became well known in the late 1980s and the early 1990s for directing a series of films about the Vietnam War, for which he had previously participated as an infantry soldier. His work frequently focuses on...
worked on the film as an A.D.Assistant directorThe role of an Assistant director include tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, maintaining order on the set. They also have to take care of health and safety of the crew...
and an actor, respectively. - During filming of the battle scene, which was shot in a meadow the backyard of Kaufman's mother's house, a smoke bomb ignited a large patch of grass and grew out of control, almost destroying the neighbors' house before the fire department arrived just in time. Mrs. Kaufman was not pleased.
- To promote the film, Kaufman and friends would run around New York City with a stencil of the film's logo and spraypaint it on streets and sidewalks.
External links
- The Battle of Love's Return – at the Troma EntertainmentTroma EntertainmentTroma Entertainment is an American independent film production and distribution company founded by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz in 1974.The company produces low-budget independent movies that play on 1950s horror with elements of farce...
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