The Toxic Avenger is born when mop boy Melvin Junko falls into a vat of toxic waste. Now evildoers will have a lot to lose.
I’ve been really excited to be reviewing this franchise, so lets get on with it!
Now then Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to the world of low budget film-making, welcome to the world of Troma! If very low budget films aren’t your thing then turn back now and don’t look back………… Are they gone? Ah, okay now we can enjoy the cheesefest of Toxie in peace.
When I started watching Horror I kept getting told to watch this film, over and over people would ask me if I’d seen it yet. Finally one night I was at a friends and we got drunk and watched it, I’ve never laughed so hard in my life. I had to re-watch it again the next day just to see if I enjoyed it as much as I thought, without the beer this time, it was even better.
The vision Lloyd Kaufman creates for us is filled with nudity, brutal violence with a few more gross out scenes thrown in for good measure. It maybe low budget but it still has a-lot of influence even today, “The Dark Knight” is a great example when it basically stole the Mexican restaurant scene, go back and have a look and you’ll see.
My favourite scene in this film is the transformation scene, it’s always fun to watch as it’s so over the top and gloriously entertaining. My other favourite bit is ‘Toxie’s’ voiceover, that is one of the most hilarious things I’ve heard, ever! only Low budget films could get away with stuff like this, especially the sex scene.
“The Toxic Avenger” is not for everyone, but get some friends round, have a few beers and you’ll definitely have a fun time.
Miscellaneous facts about the film:
Look for future Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei as an extra (coming out of a shower).
During pre-production, Vincent D’Onofrio was set to play the role of Bozo. Prior to filming, D’Onofrio asked for a slight raise and was instead fired from the movie and replaced.
The fast food robber who has his arm ripped off actually only had one arm. In the scene one can see that his right arm is a prosthetic, as he never moves or uses this arm until Toxie rips it off.
‘Patrick Kilpatrick’ who played Leroy (the face-painted criminal at the Mexican restaurant) quit the film after having to point a shotgun at a baby.
The head-crushing scene was based on a time when Lloyd Kaufman was backing a car out of his garage and accidentally hit his younger sister. Nobody was harmed, but the memory haunted him for years.
The violent-looking crushing of a child’s head in the movie was accomplished by injecting a melon with corn syrup and red food dye. A wig was placed on the melon and it was fitted onto a dummy. Though cheap, the effect is highly unsettling.
The scene where the seeing eye dog gets shot received the most complaints by Troma up to that time.
The sheep that Mark Torgl had to kiss was infested with lice, but he did not find that out until after the scene was shot.
While shooting in Shinbone Alley, a homeless man stole a prop gun from one of the trailers and threatened the crew.
The monster Melvin turns into was never actually referred to as the Toxic Avenger by any actor in the film besides the narrator. They did not have a name for the character as the film was being made. This is proved further by the kids in the film wearing t-shirts that say “I love the monster hero”.
The spinning newspapers were simply newspapers placed on a spinning cheese rack.
Jennifer Babtist and Robert Prichard fell in love on the set and got married.
During the car wreck scene, the stunt car was rigged to allow the vehicle to drive straight with the gas pedal to the floor. The roll-bar installed in the car however was wrecked when the car was falling off the cliff, it almost killed the stunt driver who was driving the vehicle.
It took four hours to get Mitch Cohen into the Toxic Avenger costume. While wearing it, he could only eat through a straw.
After going behind the scenes on Rocky (1976), Lloyd Kaufman decided to make a movie in a health club with his friend Michael Herz. After reading a magazine article with the headline “Horror Film Is Dead”, Troma decided to change it into a horror movie. The film’s working title was “Health Club”, and lobby cards bearing this title can be viewed on Troma’s website.
The scene where a toxic waste drenched Melvin soaks in his bathtub was largely directed by Mark Torgl himself. The water in the tub was ice cold, and attempts were made to warm it up. Ultimately, Torgl chose to bear the discomfort and get the shot finished.
The seeing eye dog that was shot had been trained to glide across the floor on command and its “guts” were spaghetti covered in gray paint.
Mark Torgl caught fire from the police officer’s flaming hands. You can see the fire drop on him during an overhead shot.
A deleted scene, which is available on the DVD, shows Toxie throwing a Peanut Butter and Drano sandwich, smacking the face of Sara’s next door neighbor. Playing Sara’s next door neighbor is Mitch Cohen without his Toxic Avenger make-up.
According to Mitch Cohen during filming the scenes fighting Cigar Face and his gang in Shinbone Alley, a homeless man walked up to him and offered him a drink, believing him to be a genuine homeless burn victim.
Although Andree Maranda was dating one of the film’s main producers, she won her part through an audition.
The crew reportedly ate the large sandwich that Pat Ryan lay on top of for his role as The Mayor.
Jennifer Babtist was also considered for the role of Sara.
According to Dan Snow The character name and gimmick for Cigar Face were thought up on the spot by Lloyd Kaufman while they were filming his scenes when Kaufman spotted Snow lighting up a cigar on the set.
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