The Toxic Avenger (1985)

This one and maybe Class of Nuke 'Em High should be more than enough to satisfy you. You pretty much have seen one and you've seen them all with Troma.

I've actually had this DVD for two months and have yet to watch it. I think it is mainly because as a wee lad I caught the first three on TV one Saturday afternoon and am worried that it will not hold up to that lovely memory of so long ago.

How's the movie compared to the cartoon?

I'd recommend including Tromeo & Juliet and Surf Nazis Must Die on that list also.

But yes, Toxie is pretty much the cream (curdled though it may be) of the crop.

Haven't seen Class Of Nuke'm High, but the 1st Toxic Avenger and Tromeo & Juliet are my favorite Troma productions.

What took you so long Patrick?!?

If you can stand the Troma brand of humor, than I would highly recommend Toxie 4 : Citizen Toxie

It's about as offensive as movies get, from the opening scene of the Diaper Mafia holding a school of disabled kids hostage (notable quote: "How come every time I shit my pants, it's a social faux pas. But whenever a taaard shits his pants, some beautiful nurse comes and wipes his ass?"), to the evil bizarro-world Sgt. Kabukiman (from another fun Troma flick) running over an old lady, crushing her head under the tire.. with a long shot staying on her body flopping around as her bowels relax and she sprays diarrhea everywhere

Yeah, it's not exactly quality film making, but I went through my Troma heyday back in high school so some of it is bittersweet nostalgia. Tromeo and Juliet I haven't seen in many years but I remember a few "good" parts, and its generally viewed as one of the better Troma movies. Nuke Em High is decent as well.. I'd avoid -most- of their stuff though unless you really like the stuff recommended here.

They were actually playing the Troma flick Poultrygeist here at the Calgary film festival a few weeks ago, I was supposed to see it with a buddy of mine but we ended up getting the time wrong and missed the thing. Worst part? Lloyd Kauffman showed up, along with a guy in the toxie makeup, and they had a big Q & A and all that with him. Bummer.

And what DID take you so long?

Isn't Citizen Toxie the one where Ron Jeremy plays the mayor?

I remember the first Toxic Avenger movie from when I was a kid. The scene with the punks in the car talking about how many points a kid on a bike is. And how many if he's wearing a helmet. Good lord, that scene freaked me out for weeks after that. Then I manned up and watched as many Troma flicks as I could. Stay away from Teenage Cat Girl in Heat. At least I think that's the title. I remember renting that while my friends and I were tripping, and even acid couldn't make that movie watchable.

It sure is.

Oh, Terror Firmer is actually pretty hilarious too. Again, if your 'into' the whole Troma scene. If not, then, you'll think I'm some kind of.. cannibalistic.. humanoid.. underground..

oh wait.

You'll think I'm an idiot with poor taste. Hows that? haha

How does Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. fit into this?

I remember seeing this on USA Network's Up All Night! and loving it. Then years later being shocked to see how deliciously gory and sex-filled it was on the old Lightning Home-Video from our local Mom & Pop Video Store.

The Citizen Toxie 'world' seems to incorporate all the super-heros from Troma (Toxie, Kabukiman, Mad Cow-Boy (?), and abunch of other jobbers I don't recognize). Citizen Toxie is one of those 'alternate reality' movies, the real Toxie gets sent to bizarro-tromaville, and the Toxie of bizzaro-tromaville gets sent to the regular tromaville (he's called Noxie). Obviously, no one really notices the visual difference between Toxie/Noxie or why they are suddenly acting so different, and hijinx ensues.

Still with me? Anyway, Toxie hooks up with bizarro-world Sgt. Kabukiman, who's now a bad guy cuz everyone's role is reversed. And while driving around with Toxie, Kabukiman see's an old lady crossing the street.. delivers the immortal line "Hold on Noxie, I can't pass THIS up!" and the rest is cinematic history.

I think James Gunn has a cameo in it too.

Yeah, he's the scientist in the wheelchair.

Patrick- here's a list of great Troma movies besides Toxie and Nuke'm, in my order of preference.

Terror Firmer
Citizen Toxie
Fatty Drives the Bus
Tromeo
Rabid Grannies
Redneck Zombies

I've got a whole shitload of films from them (probably around 30-40) from the time I worked there, but most of them are garbage. Some are dumb fun, like Killer Condom or Kabukiman. They also have a release of Stendhal Syndrome that's going to be worthless once that new dvd hits. Still, that's an underrated Argento flick if there's any.

Yeah, Flem Hocking.

Also, Alex where's Cannibal! The Musical?

Pat Ryan. He's amazing. He's also in Class of Nuke'm High and is responsible for the reactor meltdown, and in Street Trash, where he plays the scummy owner of the dump. He was great at playing asshole lowlifes.

Shit, forgot about that! Worth it just for the drunken commentary, which makes the movie a billion times more entertaining.

This is pretty much the "best" Troma movie, along with Class Of Nuke 'Em High. I still remember seeing this flick when I was 7, and being freaked out, because I had been reading the Toxic Avenger comic, and seen the cartoon, and thought it was like that. Boy, was I wrong.

Took me a long time to really appreciate it, and now I have the 21st Anniversary dvd. I love the scene where Bozo screams out after seeing Melvin's face pressed up against the racquetball window, and the mayor, and hilarious transvestite with the beard.

*slap forehead*

I never think of Cannibal! when I think of Troma.. that's another awesome movie. The 'Trapper Song' is hilarious

I can catch a helpless animal, skin it with my bare hands. I wake up muddy, and I go to bed bloody, 'cause I'm a trappin' man

also: the Snowman song, the Japanese Indians.. the Cyclops. 'You lookin at my EYE??' *Eye squirts juice out at them* 'uh.. no..'

Also, I gotta say I like Lollilove alot too. Though it was only distributed by Troma, so I don't know if that counts as a Troma film.

Hell Yes to Cannibal: The Musical. Because it's gonna be a schpadoinkle(sp?) day goddammit!

"Hang The Bastard" is an insanely catchy song.

Lloyd is a great, charming pervert, and his books are also great.

It's not so much his books as his co-writers. Notice the change in style in each one. All I Know About Filmmaking.... is an great and hysterical read, thanks to Gunn.

Man, now I want to go see Redneck Zombies again. I love that fucking movie. Also will add to love for Cannibal. The commentary is fucking great stuff.

Just so you know, all in-house Troma films are shot fullscreen. Lloyd likes them that way. And mono. To paraphrase, "Why have two small sounds when I can have one big one?"

I love Troma movies to an unhealthy degree. I proudly have a program signed "Support independent fart - er, art" by Lloyd somewhere about my workspace. The newest, Poultrygeist, is actually a pretty fun flick. He got some pretty game performances from the leads ala Tromeo and Juliet, but as is the case with Lloyd's recent output, the film is quite overlong. However, it's easily the funniest Troma movie I've ever seen (Cannibal excepted, which I also adore, but don't exactly consider a Troma movie, as it wasn't done in-house).

As far as vintage Troma goes, I'd say this is the best one I've seen. It's gleefully offensive, but it has so much low budget charm, that it's never really grating. I think I showed all of my best friends this movie in middle school, no doubt corrupting them for life.

I'd say Tromeo and Juliet marks a turning point for Troma, in that the movies that follow are much more self aware. TERROR FIRMER and CITIZEN TOXIE are actually pretty clever, abeit totally disgusting, movies.

However, stay far away from TALES FROM THE CRAPPER, which is basically unwatchable.

I have a soft-spot for the tame Monster in the Closet... and Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills (Beverly D'Angelo and the late Brion James!) which is directed by Philippe Mora (Howling 2 & 3, Communion), but Toxie is the tops.


EDIT: Die You Zombie Bastards (not a Troma flick) does a great job of replicating the Troma vibe that Llyod has had a tough time recapturing.

I forgot about Troma's War, which is basically what Lost would have looked like had it been directed and written by retarded sex offenders.

I've only seen the stage version of Cannibal!
Songs were still good, but the gore was kinda lacking

I finally watched The Toxic Avenger last night after having gone a good 15 years since my last viewing. That is one fucked up ride, and I loved every second of it. I think the horrible ADR work for Monster Melvin is so charming. I also second (or third) the love for the Mayor.

Thanks!

For the recommendation or the compliment (ie: were you involved in the making of that film?)?

EDIT: imdb lists a Daniel Strange as the editor. Cool.

Here's the trailer.

Official Site.

Just got done watching all of these on Instant Watch.

THE TOXIC AVENGER- Just as fun now as it was when I was 13.

THE TOXIC AVENGER PART II- I've never liked this one. The stuff in Japan is boring and no fun. But I noticed this time around that Michael Jai White has a small cameo in this one and the third movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmiBGoMKvew

THE LAST TEMPTATION OF TOXIE- This one isn't very good either, but I like the opening in the video store, and the final showdown with the Devil. It also has yuppie Toxie, which is great.

CITIZEN TOXIE- Holy shit, what a delightful film. This was the first time I've seen it, and it's easily the most depraved and mean-spirited of the TOXIC AVENGER movies. There's probably too much going on and it's a little long to be considered as "good" as the original, but it's easily the best of the sequels. Plus it has Lemmy. And James Gunn. And Stan Lee. And Dolphin Man.

At the local Comic Expo this year they had a Troma booth set up with Lloyd pretty much running it himself. Picked up the dvd box set of all the Toxie movies (plus the full run of the cartoon series!) and Poultrygeist on Blu.

Talked to Lloyd for a while and got him to sign my copy of All I Need to Know about Filmmaking, which he was surprised to see a copy of.. and also to sign the slip for the Toxie set with the Citizen Toxie quote "Fuuuck the fuckin' tards"

Best day.

I recently found the complete cartoon series at a pawnshop. Great finally seeing it in it's entirety.

I still think the bad cut to the scene of "Nipples" the transvestite in the wig with the beard, twirling his hair and saying "I don't think O'Clancy'll take the mon-ey. Everyone says he's a honest cop!" helps make it one of the most hilarious things EVER.

I really wish there was a soundtrack. The songs in the movie are great.

Lloyd has tried to steal my girlfriend. A couple times. In front of me.

He's still trying.

I've seen the original Toxic Avenger and Citizen Toxie. Toxic Avenger should get bonus cool points for having Patrick Kilpatrick in it.

If the it doesn't end with everyone in limbo, it has to be better than Lost.