Tromeo & Juliet - Vinegar Syndrome (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1996
Director: Lloyd Kaufman
Writers: James Gunn, Lloyd Kaufman, Andrew Deemer, Jason Green, Phil Rivo
Cast: Jane Jensen, Will Keenan, Valentine Miele, William Beckwith, Steve Gibbons, Sean Gunn, Debbie Rochon, Lemmy, Stephen Blackehart, Tamara Marie Watsonm, Tiffany Shepis, Joe Fleishaker

Release Date: October 21st, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 107 Minutes 30 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $66.98

"The Ques and the Capulets have been engaged in a years-long rivalry, which has fostered such a vicious feud that they’ve each forbidden their children from having any contact with those of the other. When lovable and smut-obsessed slacker Tromeo Que and his friends decide to sneak into a lavish party being hosted by the chaste and proper Juliet Capulet, the two fall in love at first sight. Realizing that they must keep their passion for each other secret, especially as Juliet’s father has pledged her as a bride to a meat-obsessed business associate, their forbidden love threatens not only to destroy their families but also begins causing mayhem and bloodshed all around them." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4K UHD, Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative."

Tromeo & Juliet comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 61.8 GB

Feature: 61.4 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Tromeo & Juliet comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 46.2 GB

Feature: 28.9 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds excellent; dialogue always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an archival audio commentary with director Lloyd Kaufman, an archival audio commentary with screenwriter James Gunn and actor Sean Gunn, an archival audio commentary with James Gunn and Lloyd Kaufman, and an archival audio commentary with editor Frank Reynolds and Poultrygeist editor Gabriel Friedman.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include the original video trailer (2 minutes 19 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Lloyd Kaufman DVD introduction (3 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Lloyd Kaufman laserdisc introduction (3 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), deleted scenes with optional audio commentary with James Gunn and Lloyd Kaufman (14 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Lloyd Kaufman interviews the Penis monster (4 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), rehearsal footage with actresses Jane Jensen and Debbie Rochon (2 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with James Gunn and Stephen Blackehart (7 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), the making of Lloyd Kaufman and James Gunn’s commentary track recording (6 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Tales from the Crapper with Lloyd Kaufman and James Gunn (4 minutes 4 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), James Gunn and Lloyd Kaufman visit Eli Roth’s birthday party (8 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Lloyd Kaufman’s video diary from the set of James Gunn’s Slither (12 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), fan reenactments of classic Tromeo & Juliet scenes (9 minutes 4 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), archival interviews: Stephen Blackehart (13 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Sean Gunn (8 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Tiffany Shepis (9 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Debbie Rochon (6 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Wendy Adams (1 minute 54 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Lisbeth Kaufman (1 minute 20 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Lemmy (6 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Joe Lynch and Stephen Blackehart (8 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Willie Wisely (6 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Andrew Weiner (11 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Franny Baldwin (6 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Sandee Brockwell (3 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Dylan Forer (12 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and Daniel Epstein (4 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette with producers Franny Baldwin and Andrew Weiner titled The Tromatic Experience (15 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette with Debbie Rochon, Tiffany Shepis, and Valentine Miele: the supporting cast of Tromeo & Juliet titled A Punk Rock Chorus (19 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette with lead actors Will Keenan and Jane Jensen titled The Lasting Love of Tromeo & Juliet (17 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a conversation with Lloyd Kaufman and film programmer Jesse Berberich titled The Bard of Barf (15 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with Lloyd Kaufman, an archival audio commentary with James Gunn and Sean Gunn, an archival audio commentary with James Gunn and Lloyd Kaufman, and an archival audio commentary with Frank Reynolds and Gabriel Friedman.

Other extras include reversible cover art, a spot gloss hard slipcase + slipcover combo (limited to 8,000 units), and a 40-page perfect-bound book with an essay titled Whipped, Clipped, & Double Dipped: Troma Gets Alternative in Tromeo & Juliet written by Heather Drain, an essay titled Jumping the Gunn: How Tromeo & Juliet Establishes James Gunn’s Special Blend of Churlishness and Heart written by Bill Bria, and an essay titled Star-Crossed F*ckers: A Tromeo and Juliet Retrospective written by Jesse Berberich.

Summary:

Tromeo & Juliet was directed by Lloyd Kaufman, the creative force behind Troma Films. Notable films he’s directed include The Toxic Avenger and Terror Firmer. Tromeo & Juliet is a modern-day adaptation/parody of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

Star-crossed lovers from two feuding families fall in love, and their families do everything possible to keep them apart.

Although William Shakespeare's works have been well represented in cinema, Romeo and Juliet is the play that many familiar with his writings would recognize most readily. It is a story about two lovers whose love is threatened by a feud between their families, and their only way out is joining each other in death. Tromeo & Juliet is best described as a film that borrows the core elements of Romeo and Juliet and then funnels them through the distorted view of Troma’s brand of cinema.

When discussing the core elements synonymous with Troma Films—such as gore, grotesque imagery, and politically incorrect humor—Tromeo & Juliet excels in delivering these aspects abundantly. The well-crafted narrative effectively draws you in and keeps your attention with a series of outrageous moments, culminating in a finale that offers a surprising twist regarding Tromeo & Juliet’s love affair, serving as an ideal coda. When discussing Tromeo & Juliet, one should not overlook James Gunn's contributions as co-screenwriter. Although Tromeo & Juliet stays in the areas that Troma Films is known for, there is something special about the dialogue and humor that sets it apart from other Troma Films.

All around the cast are excellent, especially Jane Jensen and Will Keenan in the roles of Juliet and Tromeo. Another performance of note is William Beckwith’s portrayal of Juliet’s deviant father, who gives off some serious incest vibes. There are numerous occasions where Juilet wakes up from a nightmare and her father is lying next to her in nothing but his underwear. In one scene he puts her in a glass cage with nothing but her bra and underwear for punishment. While the performances are undoubtedly over-the-top, they are surprisingly effective.

Anyone expecting a faithful adaptation of Romeo and Juliet is in for a big letdown. Nowhere is it Troma’s intention to remain true to its source, and anyone familiar with their other films not only has a clear idea of what to expect but also should thoroughly enjoy Tromeo & Juliet. That said, if you don’t like off-color humor, then Tromeo & Juliet and you are not Troma’s target audience. Ultimately, Tromeo & Juliet takes a familiar, revered story and turns it into a wholly new creation that is arguably one of Troma’s best films.

Vinegar Syndrome gives Tromeo & Juliet a definitive release. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer