The Toxic Avenger
Encyclopedia
The Toxic Avenger is a 1984 comedy horror film
released by Troma Entertainment
, known for producing low budget B-movies with campy
concepts. Virtually ignored upon its first release, The Toxic Avenger caught on with filmgoers after a long and successful midnight movie engagement at the famed Bleecker Street Cinemas
in New York City in late 1985. It now is regarded by many as cult classic
.
The film has generated three film sequel
s, a stage musical production
, and a children's TV cartoon. Two less successful sequels: The Toxic Avenger Part II
and The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie
were filmed as one. Director Lloyd Kaufman
realized that he had shot far too much footage for one film, and reedited it into two. A third independent sequel was also released, entitled Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV
, and a fourth sequel. An animated children's TV series spin-off, Toxic Crusaders
, featured Toxie as the leader of a team of mutated superheroes who fought against evil alien polluters. The cartoon series was short-lived and it was quickly cancelled. New Line Cinema
had planned a live action movie based on the cartoon, but the deal fell through.
; he works as a janitor at a health club in the fictional Tromaville, New Jersey
. There, he is tormented by his customers, particularly Bozo (Gary Schneider
), Slug (Robert Prichard
), Wanda (Jennifer Babtist), and Julie (Cindy Manion), who harass and tease him constantly. The Mayor of Tromaville is Mayor Peter Belgoody (Pat Ryan Jr.
) who, unknown to the citizens of the town, is also the leader of a massive Tromaville crime ring, but hides this fact by promoting good will and proposed justice to the town as a cover-up. As days go by Melvin's tormentors grow more and more violent, even killing a young boy on a bike by running him over with their car
and taking photos of the carnage afterwards. Finally, one day they trick Melvin into wearing a pink tutu and kissing a sheep. He is chased around the health club by other customers and out a second story window. He lands in a drum of toxic waste, which immediately causes severe burns and disfigurement. Despite the burning chemicals even causing him to burst into flames
, Melvin survives, and stumbles home. Drawing a bath to try and scrub some of the chemical residue from his horribly scarred flesh, Melvin begins his transformation into a hideously deformed creature of superhuman size and strength.
Elsewhere, a group of drug dealers led by the criminal Cigar Face (Dan Snow
) are harassing a police officer by the name of O'Clancy (Dick Martinsen), trying to buy him off. When he refuses to accept the money, Cigar Face and his gang attack and brutalize him. Then, just as Cigar Face prepare to castrate
Officer O'Clancy with his gun, a large creature (portrayed by Mitch Cohen and voiced by Kenneth Kessler) comes out of nowhere and violently kills the criminals then leaves a mop on their faces as a call sign. Cigar Face survives, but has had his testicles smashed by the creature before escaping. O'Clancy is initially terrified of the creature but soon learns he was only trying to help him as the creature approaches him and politely apologizes for his behavior as he has "never done this sort of thing before". The officer's rescuer, dubbed the "Monster Hero", is the now profoundly mutated Melvin. He tries to return home, but his mother (Sarabel Levinson) ends up fainting upon the sight of him. Wracked with sorrow, the Monster Hero builds a makeshift home in the junkyard. Mayor Belgoody is shocked at the deaths of some of his goons, but is still confident that the Monster will not come looking for him, hoping that one of his goons will kill him eventually.
Elsewhere in Tromaville, a gang of three men consisting by Leroy (Patrick Kilpatrick
), Frank (Larry Sulton), and Rico (Michael Russo) are holding up a Mexican restaurant called "The Mexican Place." The men kill one of the patrons (Xavier Barquet) and attack a blind woman named Sarah (Andree Maranda) after killing her guide dog. Frank attempts to rape her, but is attacked by the Monster Hero who ends up ripping off Frank's right arm. He wreaks bloody vengeance on the three men: Leroy is first covered in whipped cream (and a cherry) before having a milkshake-stirrer rammed into his throat, Rico has his hands and wrists plunged into a deep-fryer, and Frank is stuffed in an oven. The Monster Hero takes Sarah back to her home where they begin to get to know one another, and progressively fall in love. The Monster Hero returns to the Health Club, killing a drug dealer (Dennis Souder) by crushing his face with a weight lifting machine. There, he attacks popular girl Wanda (one of his tormentors that had caused his transformation). Afterwards, the Monster is relieving himself
in a back alley when a limo pulls up and a pimp tries to push a 12-year-old girl onto him. When he starts to fight back to save the girl, a group of men come out of the limo. He fights them all off and saves the girl. The Monster Hero soon starts building up a friendly reputation in Tromaville by doing all sorts of "superhero" work from saving two younger boys from Bozo's group to even helping the elderly to cross the street.
Meanwhile, Mayor Belgoody is becoming more and more aware about what is happening to his goons, as not only are they being killed one-by-one by the Monster Hero, but some of them are also turning themselves in for their own safety. He is now worried that their deaths will lead up to him sooner than he expects and wants the Monster Hero to be taken care of. One night, Cigar Face returns (covered in bandages and casts) and brings along a new group of Belgoody's goons to surround the Monster with guns. Before they fire on him, he jumps up to a fire escape and they end up shooting and killing each other. The Monster Hero returns to the health club again and attacks Julie (another one of his tormentors responsible for what happened to him). Soon afterwards, he confronts the last of his tormentors Bozo and Slug who have attacked an old woman and stolen her car when Julie doesn't show up. Bozo and Slug try to run him over, but the Monster jumps on top of the car and grabs Slug crushing his neck and throwing him out of the moving car. The Monster then confronts Bozo by grabbing him by the face and terrifies him by revealing himself as Melvin from the accident to a horrified Bozo. After several accidents that occur because of Bozo's driving, the Monster tears off the wheel to the car causing Bozo to drive off the side of a cliff. The car crashes and bursts into flames burning Bozo alive but unaffecting the monster. One day, when the Monster Hero kills a seemingly innocent old woman in a dry cleaning store (it is later revealed that she is in fact a leader of an underground white slave trade), the Monster Hero wanders back to his junkyard home revealing his true identity to Sarah and feeling terrified and guilty for what he has become. Sarah however tells Melvin that she still loves him no matter what he looks like and the two decide to move away from the city and take a tent into nearby woods.
However, Belgoody finds out about the Monster Hero's "mishap" and uses this opportunity to call in the National Guard in hopes of finally killing him. Soon Sarah and the Monster are discovered in the woods and now surrounded by both the National Guard and the townspeople. The Mayor comes intent on killing him (whereas the National Guard's request was originally for capture). But thanks to the Monster's kind duties to the town, the people of Tromaville including the Monster Hero's mother will have none of it. The Mayor's evil ways are exposed after he threatens to kill O'Clancy for trying to take his gun away from him, and the Monster Hero proceeds to rip out Belgoody's organs to see if he has "any guts". The film ends with the townspeople's celebration at the Monster's acceptance and a reassuring epilogue that wherever evil brews in Tromaville, Melvin the Monster Hero, now dubbed the "Toxic Avenger", will be there to protect the town.
and Squeeze Play!
. Subsequently, Troma focused almost exclusively on horror films.
In 1975, Lloyd Kaufman
had the idea to shoot a horror film
involving a health club while serving as the pre-production supervisor on the set of Rocky
. At the Cannes Film Festival
, Kaufman had read an article that said horror films were no longer popular, so Kaufman claims that he decided to produce his own version of the horror film. The film's final outcome was less a bona fide horror film and more of a campy superhero-spoof with extreme violence embedded throughout. The setting of the movie in a health club and the movie was given a working title of Health Club Horror. Kaufman wrote the script with the help of writer Joe Ritter.
Several cut scenes are viewable on the film's Director's Cut DVD. Some of these scenes involve Bozo and his gang at the Health Club, Melvin (as the Monster) and his growing relationship with Sarah, conversations between Belgoody and his henchmen, and the real cause of Wanda and Julie's demise.
.
, major motion picture companies are interested in doing remakes of other Troma films. Among the titles currently in negotiations is The Toxic Avenger. On April 6, 2010, a remake of The Toxic Avenger was announced. The remake was said to be aiming for a family-friendly PG-13 release similar to the Toxic Crusaders
.
The film is to be co-written and directed by Steve Pink
of Hot Tub Time Machine
.
Comedy horror
Comedy horror, also known as horror comedy, is a literary and film genre, combining elements of comedy and horror fiction. The comedy horror genre almost always inevitably crosses over with the black comedy genre; and in some respects could be considered a subset of it.The short story "The Legend...
released by 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...
, known for producing low budget B-movies with campy
Camp (style)
Camp is an aesthetic sensibility that regards something as appealing because of its taste and ironic value. The concept is closely related to kitsch, and things with camp appeal may also be described as being "cheesy"...
concepts. Virtually ignored upon its first release, The Toxic Avenger caught on with filmgoers after a long and successful midnight movie engagement at the famed Bleecker Street Cinemas
Bleecker Street Cinemas
Bleecker Street Cinema was an American art house movie theater located at 144 Bleecker Street in New York City, New York...
in New York City in late 1985. It now is regarded by many as cult classic
Cult Classic
Cult Classic is a Blue Öyster Cult studio recording released in 1994, containing remakes of many of the band's previous hits.-Track listing:# " The Reaper" - 5:05# "E.T.I...
.
The film has generated three film sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
s, a stage musical production
The Toxic Avenger (musical)
The Toxic Avenger is a rock musical that is based on Lloyd Kaufman's 1985 film of the same name. The book of the musical was written by Joe DiPietro, its music by David Bryan, and both wrote the lyrics.-Productions:...
, and a children's TV cartoon. Two less successful sequels: The Toxic Avenger Part II
The Toxic Avenger Part II
The Toxic Avenger Part II is a 1989 comedy horror film released by Troma Entertainment. It was directed by Lloyd Kaufman and features The Toxic Avenger in an adventure to Japan to meet his father. The film has received cult status among a new audience almost a generation after it was first released...
and The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie
The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie
The Toxic Avenger III: The Last Temptation of Toxie was released in 1989 by Troma Entertainment. It is effectively a direct sequel to The Toxic Avenger Part II because when director Lloyd Kaufman made that movie he realized he shot too much material for one film.-Plot:After getting Apocalypse Inc....
were filmed as one. Director 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...
realized that he had shot far too much footage for one film, and reedited it into two. A third independent sequel was also released, entitled Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV
Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV
Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger Part IV is a 2000 American superhero comedy film released by Troma Entertainment, directed by Lloyd Kaufman...
, and a fourth sequel. An animated children's TV series spin-off, Toxic Crusaders
Toxic Crusaders
Toxic Crusaders is an animated series based on The Toxic Avenger films. It features Toxie, the lead character of the films leading a trio of misfit superheroes who combat pollution. This followed a trend of environmentally considerate cartoons of the time, including Captain Planet and the...
, featured Toxie as the leader of a team of mutated superheroes who fought against evil alien polluters. The cartoon series was short-lived and it was quickly cancelled. New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema, often simply referred to as New Line, is an American film studio. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne as a film distributor, later becoming an independent film studio. It became a subsidiary of Time Warner in 1996 and was merged with larger sister studio Warner...
had planned a live action movie based on the cartoon, but the deal fell through.
Plot
Melvin Ferd III (Mark Torgl) is a stereotypical 98-pound weaklingCharles Atlas
Charles Atlas, born Angelo Siciliano , was the developer of a bodybuilding method and its associated exercise program that was best known for a landmark advertising campaign featuring Atlas's name and likeness; it has been described as one of the longest-lasting and most memorable ad campaigns of all...
; he works as a janitor at a health club in the fictional Tromaville, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. There, he is tormented by his customers, particularly Bozo (Gary Schneider
Gary Schneider
Gary Schneider was born in East London, South Africa and raised in Cape Town. He now lives and works in New York. His BFA is from Michaelis School of Fine Art, University of Cape Town and his MFA is from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn. He is Artist in Residence at Stony Brook University...
), Slug (Robert Prichard
Robert Prichard
For the theologian at Virginia Theological Seminary, see Robert Prichard John Robert Stobo Prichard, OC, O.Ont is a Canadian lawyer, economist, and academic.-Academia:...
), Wanda (Jennifer Babtist), and Julie (Cindy Manion), who harass and tease him constantly. The Mayor of Tromaville is Mayor Peter Belgoody (Pat Ryan Jr.
R. L. Ryan
R.L. Ryan was an American actor. He was born in Pennsylvania, and died in the same state of a heart attack.He was also credited as Pat Ryan Jr., Bob Ryan or Pat Ryan.-Actor:*Street Trash - Frank Schnizer...
) who, unknown to the citizens of the town, is also the leader of a massive Tromaville crime ring, but hides this fact by promoting good will and proposed justice to the town as a cover-up. As days go by Melvin's tormentors grow more and more violent, even killing a young boy on a bike by running him over with their car
Hit and run (vehicular)
Hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic accident , and failing to stop and identify oneself afterwards...
and taking photos of the carnage afterwards. Finally, one day they trick Melvin into wearing a pink tutu and kissing a sheep. He is chased around the health club by other customers and out a second story window. He lands in a drum of toxic waste, which immediately causes severe burns and disfigurement. Despite the burning chemicals even causing him to burst into flames
Spontaneous combustion
Spontaneous combustion is the self-ignition of a mass, for example, a pile of oily rags. Allegedly, humans can also ignite and burn without an obvious cause; this phenomenon is known as spontaneous human combustion....
, Melvin survives, and stumbles home. Drawing a bath to try and scrub some of the chemical residue from his horribly scarred flesh, Melvin begins his transformation into a hideously deformed creature of superhuman size and strength.
Elsewhere, a group of drug dealers led by the criminal Cigar Face (Dan Snow
Dan Snow
Daniel Robert Snow is an English television presenter. He has presented and appeared in many popular history-related programmes for the BBC and is the "History Hunter" for The One Show.-Early life and background:...
) are harassing a police officer by the name of O'Clancy (Dick Martinsen), trying to buy him off. When he refuses to accept the money, Cigar Face and his gang attack and brutalize him. Then, just as Cigar Face prepare to castrate
Castration
Castration is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which a male loses the functions of the testicles or a female loses the functions of the ovaries.-Humans:...
Officer O'Clancy with his gun, a large creature (portrayed by Mitch Cohen and voiced by Kenneth Kessler) comes out of nowhere and violently kills the criminals then leaves a mop on their faces as a call sign. Cigar Face survives, but has had his testicles smashed by the creature before escaping. O'Clancy is initially terrified of the creature but soon learns he was only trying to help him as the creature approaches him and politely apologizes for his behavior as he has "never done this sort of thing before". The officer's rescuer, dubbed the "Monster Hero", is the now profoundly mutated Melvin. He tries to return home, but his mother (Sarabel Levinson) ends up fainting upon the sight of him. Wracked with sorrow, the Monster Hero builds a makeshift home in the junkyard. Mayor Belgoody is shocked at the deaths of some of his goons, but is still confident that the Monster will not come looking for him, hoping that one of his goons will kill him eventually.
Elsewhere in Tromaville, a gang of three men consisting by Leroy (Patrick Kilpatrick
Patrick Kilpatrick
Robert Donald Kilpatrick, Jr. is an American character actor with over 85 film and TV appearances to his credit. He made his film debut relatively late in 1985 with The Toxic Avenger.-Life and career:...
), Frank (Larry Sulton), and Rico (Michael Russo) are holding up a Mexican restaurant called "The Mexican Place." The men kill one of the patrons (Xavier Barquet) and attack a blind woman named Sarah (Andree Maranda) after killing her guide dog. Frank attempts to rape her, but is attacked by the Monster Hero who ends up ripping off Frank's right arm. He wreaks bloody vengeance on the three men: Leroy is first covered in whipped cream (and a cherry) before having a milkshake-stirrer rammed into his throat, Rico has his hands and wrists plunged into a deep-fryer, and Frank is stuffed in an oven. The Monster Hero takes Sarah back to her home where they begin to get to know one another, and progressively fall in love. The Monster Hero returns to the Health Club, killing a drug dealer (Dennis Souder) by crushing his face with a weight lifting machine. There, he attacks popular girl Wanda (one of his tormentors that had caused his transformation). Afterwards, the Monster is relieving himself
Urination
Urination, also known as micturition, voiding, peeing, weeing, pissing, and more rarely, emiction, is the ejection of urine from the urinary bladder through the urethra to the outside of the body. In healthy humans the process of urination is under voluntary control...
in a back alley when a limo pulls up and a pimp tries to push a 12-year-old girl onto him. When he starts to fight back to save the girl, a group of men come out of the limo. He fights them all off and saves the girl. The Monster Hero soon starts building up a friendly reputation in Tromaville by doing all sorts of "superhero" work from saving two younger boys from Bozo's group to even helping the elderly to cross the street.
Meanwhile, Mayor Belgoody is becoming more and more aware about what is happening to his goons, as not only are they being killed one-by-one by the Monster Hero, but some of them are also turning themselves in for their own safety. He is now worried that their deaths will lead up to him sooner than he expects and wants the Monster Hero to be taken care of. One night, Cigar Face returns (covered in bandages and casts) and brings along a new group of Belgoody's goons to surround the Monster with guns. Before they fire on him, he jumps up to a fire escape and they end up shooting and killing each other. The Monster Hero returns to the health club again and attacks Julie (another one of his tormentors responsible for what happened to him). Soon afterwards, he confronts the last of his tormentors Bozo and Slug who have attacked an old woman and stolen her car when Julie doesn't show up. Bozo and Slug try to run him over, but the Monster jumps on top of the car and grabs Slug crushing his neck and throwing him out of the moving car. The Monster then confronts Bozo by grabbing him by the face and terrifies him by revealing himself as Melvin from the accident to a horrified Bozo. After several accidents that occur because of Bozo's driving, the Monster tears off the wheel to the car causing Bozo to drive off the side of a cliff. The car crashes and bursts into flames burning Bozo alive but unaffecting the monster. One day, when the Monster Hero kills a seemingly innocent old woman in a dry cleaning store (it is later revealed that she is in fact a leader of an underground white slave trade), the Monster Hero wanders back to his junkyard home revealing his true identity to Sarah and feeling terrified and guilty for what he has become. Sarah however tells Melvin that she still loves him no matter what he looks like and the two decide to move away from the city and take a tent into nearby woods.
However, Belgoody finds out about the Monster Hero's "mishap" and uses this opportunity to call in the National Guard in hopes of finally killing him. Soon Sarah and the Monster are discovered in the woods and now surrounded by both the National Guard and the townspeople. The Mayor comes intent on killing him (whereas the National Guard's request was originally for capture). But thanks to the Monster's kind duties to the town, the people of Tromaville including the Monster Hero's mother will have none of it. The Mayor's evil ways are exposed after he threatens to kill O'Clancy for trying to take his gun away from him, and the Monster Hero proceeds to rip out Belgoody's organs to see if he has "any guts". The film ends with the townspeople's celebration at the Monster's acceptance and a reassuring epilogue that wherever evil brews in Tromaville, Melvin the Monster Hero, now dubbed the "Toxic Avenger", will be there to protect the town.
Cast
- Mitch Cohen - The Toxic Avenger
- Mark Torgl - Melvin Ferd
- Kenneth Kessler - The Toxic Avenger (voice)
- Andree Maranda - Sarah
- Pat Ryan Jr.R. L. RyanR.L. Ryan was an American actor. He was born in Pennsylvania, and died in the same state of a heart attack.He was also credited as Pat Ryan Jr., Bob Ryan or Pat Ryan.-Actor:*Street Trash - Frank Schnizer...
- Mayor Peter Belgoody - Sarabel Levinson - Ma Ferd
- Dan Snow - Cigar Face
- Dick Martinsen - Officer O'Clancy
- Gary SchneiderGary SchneiderGary Schneider was born in East London, South Africa and raised in Cape Town. He now lives and works in New York. His BFA is from Michaelis School of Fine Art, University of Cape Town and his MFA is from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn. He is Artist in Residence at Stony Brook University...
- Bozo - Robert PrichardRobert PrichardFor the theologian at Virginia Theological Seminary, see Robert Prichard John Robert Stobo Prichard, OC, O.Ont is a Canadian lawyer, economist, and academic.-Academia:...
- Slug - Jennifer Babtist - Wanda
- Cindy Manion - Julie
- Chris Liano - Walter Harris
- David N. WeissDavid N. WeissDavid N. Weiss is an American writer and labor leader. He is a screenwriter of films, including All Dogs go to Heaven, The Rugrats Movie, Shrek 2, Clockstoppers, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, Rugrats in Paris: The Movie and The Smurfs and has also written for television shows such as Mission Hill...
- Chief of Police - Doug Isbecque - Knuckles
- Charles Lee, Jr. - Nipples
- Patrick KilpatrickPatrick KilpatrickRobert Donald Kilpatrick, Jr. is an American character actor with over 85 film and TV appearances to his credit. He made his film debut relatively late in 1985 with The Toxic Avenger.-Life and career:...
- Leroy - Larry Sulton - Frank
- Michael Russo - Rico
- Al Pia - Tom Wrightson
- Dennis Souder - Drug Dealer
- Xavier Barquet - Man Killed in Restaurant
- Reuben Guss - Dr. Snodburger
- Matt Klan - Boy Hero
- Marisa TomeiMarisa TomeiMarisa Tomei is an American stage, film and television actress. Following her work on As The World Turns, Tomei came to prominence as a supporting cast member on The Cosby Show spinoff A Different World in 1987...
- Locker Room Girl (Director's cutDirector's cutA director's cut is a specially edited version of a film, and less often TV series, music video, commercials, comic book or video games, that is supposed to represent the director's own approved edit...
)
Production
The Toxic Avenger was the film that "built the house of Troma," and was Troma's first horror film. Previously the production company focused on sex comedies such as Cry Uncle!Cry Uncle!
Cry Uncle! is a 1971 film in the Troma library. It is directed by John G. Avildsen and stars Allen Garfield. The story, based on the Michael Brett novel Lie A Little, Die A Little, follows the misadventures of a slobbish private detective who is hired by a millionaire to investigate a murder...
and 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...
. Subsequently, Troma focused almost exclusively on horror films.
In 1975, 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...
had the idea to shoot a horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
involving a health club while serving as the pre-production supervisor on the set of Rocky
Rocky
Rocky is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and both written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It tells the rags to riches American Dream story of Rocky Balboa, an uneducated but kind-hearted debt collector for a loan shark in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
. At the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
, Kaufman had read an article that said horror films were no longer popular, so Kaufman claims that he decided to produce his own version of the horror film. The film's final outcome was less a bona fide horror film and more of a campy superhero-spoof with extreme violence embedded throughout. The setting of the movie in a health club and the movie was given a working title of Health Club Horror. Kaufman wrote the script with the help of writer Joe Ritter.
Several cut scenes are viewable on the film's Director's Cut DVD. Some of these scenes involve Bozo and his gang at the Health Club, Melvin (as the Monster) and his growing relationship with Sarah, conversations between Belgoody and his henchmen, and the real cause of Wanda and Julie's demise.
Reception
The Toxic Avenger received a 63% "fresh" rating from critic aggregator Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.
In other media
The Toxic Avenger has been adapted to other media:- In My Big Fat Independent MovieMy Big Fat Independent MovieMy Big Fat Independent Movie is a 2005 independent film produced and written by film journalist Chris Gore spoofing well-known independent films, such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Memento, Swingers, Pulp Fiction, Magnolia, Amelie, Reservoir Dogs, Pi, The Good Girl, Run Lola Run, and El Mariachi...
, Toxie is seen in the far back in the orgy scene. - From April 1991-February 1992, Marvel ComicsMarvel ComicsMarvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
published The Toxic Avenger comic. The comic was written by Doug MoenchDoug MoenchDouglas Moench , better known as Doug Moench, is an American comic book writer notable for his Batman work and as the creator of Black Mask, Moon Knight and Deathlok.-Biography:...
, drawn by Rodney Ramos, and Val Mayerik, and lasted for 11 issues. The series focused on Toxie battling against the evil Apocalypse, Inc. and its demonic Chairman. The title was a mix of traditional superhero storytelling and satire, including the phrase "hideously deformed creature of superhuman size and strength" being repeated many times, and Toxie's "Tromatons" erupting when he was in danger similar to Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
's spider-sense. Marvel's series also contained much in the way of "over-the-top," cartoonish violence. No other Marvel characters ever appeared in the series, and Toxie never made his way into any other Marvel comic, although a crossover with Marvel's RoboCopRoboCopRoboCop is a 1987 American science fiction-action film directed by Paul Verhoeven. Set in a crime-ridden Detroit, Michigan in the near future, RoboCop centers on a police officer who is brutally murdered and subsequently re-created as a super-human cyborg known as "RoboCop"...
title was planned before that series was cancelled. - In July 2000, Troma published an extremely rare comic book entitled The New Adventures of the Toxic Avenger. This comic was offered to people who donate $75 or more to TromaDanceTromaDanceThe TromaDance Film Festival is a free annual independent film festival organized by Troma Entertainment. Founded in 1999, TromaDance was originally held in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, operating concurrently alongside the Sundance Film Festival in order to showcase an independent...
2007. - Lloyd Kaufman and Adam Jahnke wrote a novelization entitled The Toxic Avenger: The Novel. It was released on May 10, 2006, and was published by Thunder's Mouth Press.
- In October 2008, the world premiere of Lloyd KaufmanLloyd KaufmanLloyd 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...
's The Toxic Avenger debuted at the George Street PlayhouseGeorge Street PlayhouseGeorge Street Playhouse is a theatre in New Brunswick, New Jersey, one of the state's preeminent professional theatres committed to the production of new and established plays....
in New Brunswick, New JerseyNew Brunswick, New JerseyNew Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
becoming the highest-grossing musical in its 34-year history. The show was written by Tony AwardTony AwardThe Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
winners Joe DiPietroJoe DiPietroJoe DiPietro is an American playwright and author.Born in Teaneck, New Jersey, DiPietro grew up in nearby Oradell. Son of the banker Lou, and Jean DiPietro. He attended Oradell Public School and River Dell Regional High School. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Rutgers University in 1984 with a...
and Bon Jovi’s David BryanDavid BryanDavid Bryan is the keyboard player of the band rock classic, Bon Jovi. Bryan also sings backing vocals and often at live shows sings part of or the whole of the song "In These Arms", one of a handful of Bon Jovi songs credited to him as songwriter...
and directed by Tony Award winner John RandoJohn RandoJohn Rando is an American stage director, winning the Tony Award for his direction of the musical Urinetown in 2002.-Stage productions:* 1994 Broken Glass * 2000 The Dinner Party* 2001 A Thousand Clowns...
. The show has its New York premiere at the New World Stages in April 2009 and won the 2009 Outer Critics Circle AwardOuter Critics Circle AwardThe Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on and Off-Broadway and were begun during the 1949-1950 theater season. The awards are decided upon by theater critics who review for out-of-town newspapers, national publications, and other media outlets...
for Best Off-Broadway Musical and an additional 18 nominations from the Drama League, Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel AwardsLucille Lortel AwardsThe Lucille Lortel Awards recognize excellence in New York Off-Broadway theatre. The Awards are named for Lucille Lortel, an actress and theater producer, and have been awarded since 1986...
(including Best Musical) and five Dora Award Nominations (the Canadian equivalent of the Tony Award) including Best Musical and a win for Best Actress in a Musical. The show was presented by Dancap Productions in Toronto in October 2009 and by Shownote and CJ Entertainment in Seoul, Korea in August 2010. - Earlier stage productions of the film include Toxic Avenger: The Musikill, with lyrics by Ira Kortum, who also directed and starred in the production, which premiered in Portland, Oregon. The music was composed by Martin J. Gallagher, with the assistance of Marc Rose. Kaufman reportedly had nothing to do with the production, although he did verbally support Kortum's adaptation and attended the production on Opening Night. Excerpts from Toxic Avenger: The Musikill are featured on the 21st Anniversary edition of the original film. Toxic Avenger: The Musical was presented at Omaha's Blue Barn Theatre in 2004. This production was written and directed by Rob UrbinatiRob UrbinatiRob Urbinati is a freelance playwright, screenwriter and director based in New York City. He is also Director of New Play Development at Queens Theatre in the Park .-Background and education:...
, with music by Kevin Saunders Hayes. - A graphic novel about Toxie and other Troma properties, Lloyd Kaufman Presents: The Toxic Avenger and Other Tromatic Tales, was released in 2007 from Devil's Due PublishingDevil's Due PublishingDevil's Due Publishing is an independent comic book publishers in the United States. Based in Chicago, Illinois, DDP is best known for its wide selection of genres, including licensed and original creator-owned properties that populate its monthly comic book series and graphic novels.Though...
. - A French electronica DJ has also dubbed himself "The Toxic Avenger".
- Australian band RegurgitatorRegurgitatorRegurgitator are an Australian rock band from Brisbane, currently consisting of Quan Yeomans , Ben Ely and Peter Kostic . The band formed in 1994, its original line-up consisting of Yeomans, Ely and drummer Martin Lee...
mention The Toxic Avenger in their song "I Couldn't Do It". - Punk rock band The DickiesThe DickiesThe Dickies are an American punk rock group formed in San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California, U.S. in 1977.-History:The Dickies were among the first punk rock bands to emerge from Los Angeles...
paid tribute with the song "Toxic Avenger" on their album Idjit Savant. - The film Slither has a scene where a woman is watching The Toxic Avenger while babysitting.
- In an episode of The BoondocksThe Boondocks (TV series)The Boondocks is an American animated series created by Aaron McGruder on Cartoon Network's late night programing block, Adult Swim, based on McGruder's comic strip of the same name...
, Uncle RuckusUncle RuckusUncle Ruckus, also known as Rev. Uncle Ruckus and Rev. Fr. Uncle Ruckus, as well as Uncle Rukus while serving at Robert Freeman's Soul Food restaurant "The Itis" , is a fictional character from the Boondocks comic strip and animated television series The Boondocks...
references The Toxic Avenger amidst trademark derogatory remarks. - In Tiny Toon AdventuresTiny Toon AdventuresSteven Spielberg Presents Tiny Toon Adventures, usually referred to as Tiny Toon Adventures or simply Tiny Toons, is an American animated television series created by Tom Ruegger and produced by Amblin Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. It began production as a result of Warner Bros....
, Plucky DuckPlucky DuckPlucky Allen Duck is a cartoon character from the Warner Bros. animated television series Tiny Toon Adventures. He is also the titular character in Gary A. Lewis's Plucky Duck in the Summer Job. He is arguably the third main character on the show after Buster and Babs. Plucky is voiced by Joe...
has an ecology-themed superhero identity called "The Toxic Revenger".
Remake
According to Kaufman, due to the remake Mother's DayMother's Day (2010 film)
Mother's Day is an upcoming American horror- thriller film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman. It is a remake of Charles Kaufman's 1980 film of the same name and was written by Scott Millam.-Plot:...
, major motion picture companies are interested in doing remakes of other Troma films. Among the titles currently in negotiations is The Toxic Avenger. On April 6, 2010, a remake of The Toxic Avenger was announced. The remake was said to be aiming for a family-friendly PG-13 release similar to the Toxic Crusaders
Toxic Crusaders
Toxic Crusaders is an animated series based on The Toxic Avenger films. It features Toxie, the lead character of the films leading a trio of misfit superheroes who combat pollution. This followed a trend of environmentally considerate cartoons of the time, including Captain Planet and the...
.
The film is to be co-written and directed by Steve Pink
Steve Pink
Steve Pink is an American actor, screenwriter and director. He is the director of the comedy films Accepted and Hot Tub Time Machine, and the co-writer of the films Grosse Pointe Blank and High Fidelity....
of Hot Tub Time Machine
Hot Tub Time Machine
Hot Tub Time Machine is a 2010 American science fiction adult comedy film directed by Steve Pink. Four men, all of them bored with their adult lives, travel back to their 1980s teen-hood, courtesy of a time-shifting hot tub. It stars John Cusack, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke, Kellee Stewart, Rob...
.
External links
- The Toxic Avenger – 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...
movie database - Troma Entertainment