Attack of the Killer Tomatoes
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| Attack of the Killer Tomatoes | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster. |
|
| Directed by | John De Bello |
| Produced by | John De Bello |
| Written by | John De Bello Costa Dillon Stephen Peace |
| Starring | David Miller George Wilson Costa Dillon |
| Music by | John De Bello |
| Cinematography | John K. Culley |
| Editing by | John De Bello |
| Distributed by | NAI Entertainment |
| Release date(s) | 1978 |
| Running time | 87 minutes |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | USD$90,000 |
| Followed by | Return of the Killer Tomatoes |
| Official website | |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes is a 1978 comedy film directed by John De Bello and starring David Miller. The film is a spoof of B-movies. The story involves tomatoes coming to life by unknown means and revolting against humanity. Made on a budget of less than USD$100,000. Writing credits were shared by John De Bello, Costa Dillon, and Stephen Peace. The concept of Killer Tomatoes was created by Dillon, and he is the only person to appear in this film and all three of its sequels.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The film opens with a scroll dictating that, when Alfred Hitchcock's film The Birds (1963) was released, audiences laughed at the notion of birds revolting against humanity, but when an attack perpetrated by birds occurred in 1975, no one laughed. This is followed by a pre-credits sequence of a tomato rising out of a woman's garbage disposal unit. Her puzzlement turns into terror as the tomato draws her into a corner. Following the credits, we see the police investigating her death. One officer discovers that the red substance she is covered with is not blood, but tomato juice.
A series of attacks perpetrated by tomatoes occur (including a sequence where the tomatoes attack innocent swimmers, in a parody of Jaws). While the President's press secretary Jim Richardson and Ted Swan, the CEO of the fictional Mindmaker advertising agency, try to convince the public there is no tomato threat by unleashing a publicity blitz, the nation's officials employ a crack team of specialists under the command of Mason Dixon to try and find a way to defeat the tomatoes. Dixon's team includes Sam Smith, an African-American disguise expert who is seen at various points dressed as, among other things, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and even Adolf Hitler; Navy diver Greg Colburn; Russian Olympic swimmer Gretta Attenbaum; and parachute-toting Wilbur Finnletter.
Smith is sent out to infiltrate the tomatoes, eventually blowing his cover when he asks if anyone could "pass the ketchup." Finletter is sent to a hotel and suspects newspaper reporter Lois Fairchild, who tries to follow him for information, of being a spy. Both Finletter and Dixon are targeted by an unknown assassin. While driving, Dixon's car is cornered by large tomatoes who scurry away when the song "Puberty Love" by Ronny Desmond comes on the radio. Dixon is kidnapped by Richardson, who it turns out is actually the one behind the tomato revolt. Dixon manages to outwit him and escapes with a copy of "Puberty Love" on vinyl.
The tomatoes are cornered in a stadium. "Puberty Love" is played over the loudspeaker, causing the tomatoes to shrink and allowing the various people at the stadium to squash them by stomping on them repeatedly. Fairchild, meanwhile, is cornered by a giant tomato wearing earmuffs. Dixon saves her by showing the tomato the sheet music to "Puberty Love." He professes his love to her, in song. The film ends by showing a carrot that rises from the Earth and says "All right, you guys. They're gone now." Similar gags suggesting that a carrot revolt is not far off are also used at the end of future Killer Tomatoes films.
[edit] Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Paul Robert Miller | Mason Dixon |
| George Wilson | Jim Richardson |
| Sharon Taylor | Lois Fairchild |
| J. Stephen Peace | Wilbur Finletter |
| Ernie Meyers | The President |
| Eric Christmas | Sen. Polk |
| Ron Shapiro | Newspaper editor |
| Al Sklar | Ted Swan |
| Jerry Anderson | Maj. Mills |
| Don Birch | Old man |
| Tom Coleman | Singing soldier |
| Art K. Koustik | Fia director |
| Jack Nolen | Sen. McKinley |
| Byron Teegarden | Dr. Morrison |
| Paul Oya | Dr. Nokitofa |
| Jack Riley | Salesman |
| John Qualls | Captain |
| Ryan Shields | Tomoto |
[edit] Sequels
There have been a number of sequels and other spin-off material in various media as a result of this movie. They include three movie sequels
- Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (1988)
- Killer Tomatoes Strike Back! (1990)
- Killer Tomatoes Eat France! (1991)
The sequel, Return of the Killer Tomatoes 1988 uses stock footage from this film in the opening, with only one real change. The scene from the climax of the original portraying hundreds of people running into the stadium to squash the tomatoes is dubbed over to make it seem like they are evacuating the area.
In the theme song for this film we hear about the death of Herbert Farbage by tomatoes, in the opening song for the sequel we learn that Herebert actually survived the attack and now has an upcoming TV show.
American composer and orchestrator Gordon Goodwin, one of the original composers for the film, later wrote a big band piece inspired by the music for this film, to be played with his jazz ensemble Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band. The piece is meant to poke fun at the soundtrack in a musically comic fashion, especially through the song's use of solo Bass Trombone.
[edit] Spin-offs
The film was then reworked in 1990 as Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: The Animated Series, a cartoon TV series which ran on Fox Kids, but despite the name, it was based on Return of the Killer Tomatoes. One scene did include live action footage of the Killer Tomatoes film, followed by a comment it is the worst torture a prisoner could endure.
A novel released in 1997, Attack of the Killer Potatoes, pays tribute to the film.
Two different video games were developed; a 1986 video game released for 8-bit computers, which was based on the film, and a 1991 video game released for Nintendo games consoles, which was based on the animated series.
Viper Comics will release a comic book adaptation of the film in October 2008.[1]
[edit] Remake
A remake of the film is in the works from Kent Nichols and Douglas Sarine, creators of Ask A Ninja. This will be Nichols' directorial debut. M. Dal Walton III is co-producing along with Emmett/Furla Films. [2]
Doug Sarine has said that he is interested in casting Jim Carrey and Bruce Campbell in the remake. [3] This would mark the second time the actors have been in the same film; their first was 2000's The Majestic.
[edit] Theme song
The theme song of the movie describes the tomatoes rampages through the world, describing that they've killed a man named Herbert Farbage, that they've scared off the National Guard and that they've even eaten the narrator's sister. This theme song is used in different variations over the course of the series, here simply sounding like the score of an old monster movie with lyrics and a more catchy tune.
[edit] Notable gags
Several gags in the movie are worth noting, including:
Despite being African American, Wilbur mistakes Sam Smith for being Adolf Hitler and even attempting to kill him.
The Japanese scientist working to stop the tomatoes is dubbed, parodying Japanese Kaiju films in which characters are badly dubbed.
Although it was probably just a result of low budget, the scene where a woman is attacked by a giant tomato in a parking lot does barely anything to conceal that the tomato is being pulled by something.
Wilbur arrives too late to save a member of his team, and finding her mangled body in the forest where she was sent, simply states, "I just wanted to warn you there's been tomato activity reported in your area. Carry on." However, the joke is that Mason told Wilbur to warn her no matter what happens.
A man in a suit and hat (who is completely a throwaway character) walks by in a scene and greets one of the film's main characters, Lois, to which she responds, addressing him as "Clark." Moments later, it is apparent that the Clark character, off-screen, has taken flight.
In the horrendously undersized meeting room there are numerous small pictures of U.S. Ships and the like decorating the walls. When the Japanese scientists are in the room, the erratic hand-waving of one of them accidentally knocks a picture of the U.S.S. Arizona off the wall and into a fishtank that is below the photo.
[edit] Critical reception
The film was poorly received by critics, garnering 27% positive reviews on RottenTomatoes.com.[4]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Viper Comics Launches All Horror Imprint "Black Mamba Books", Comics Bulletin, June 9, 2008
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
[edit] References
- Wingrove, David. Science Fiction Film Source Book (Longman Group Limited, 1985)
- Attack of the Killer Tomatoes at the Internet Movie Database
- The Killer Tomatoes Persevere
