The Toxic Avenger (1984)

 

 

 Sometime in the late 80's I discovered Troma Entertainment.  The first introduction I had to Lloyd Kaufman was The Toxic Avenger which was Kaufman's first dip of the toes into the horror genre as he usually did sexploitation films.  Kaufman wrote and directed here as he did many of his early films.  He is also a producer here again, as he is on most of the entire Troma Entertainment library.  Starring is Mark Torgi (The First Turn-On and Return To ... Return to Nuke 'em High) as Melvin a nerdy 98 pound weakling who is a janitor at a fitness club.  All the jocks and women make fun of him and bully him unmercifully.  During a mean prank, Melvin falls out of a second floor gym window and into a vat of toxic waste.  Melvin jumps out of the vat and catches on fire and runs home where he puts out the fire in his bathtub.  Afterwards, Melvin is transformed into a deformed creature with superhuman strength. 

 

Melvin begins patrolling the streets of Tromaville and stopping crime wherever he can.  Only problem is he's homeless now because his mom is so afraid of him.  Melvin decides to live at the junkyard.  He is hunted by the National Guard and corrupt Mayor Pete Belgoody Goldberg.  Mayor Pete is played by Pat Ryan Jr. (Street Trash and Class of Nuke 'em High) who seems to sweat through the entire movie.  Sadly the rather rotund actor passed away from a heart attack at just 44 years of age.  Rounding out the cast is long time character actor Patrick Kilpatrick (Class on 1999 and Death Warrant) as Leroy one of the gang leaders.  Originally panned by critics (if they were to even acknowledge it at all) it caught on when it was featured in midnight showings in Greenwich Village in New York City.  It is now considered a cult classic and it is the film that would launch Tromaville Productions long run of low budget but gory horror films.  Besides being a series of films, Toxie (as he is fondly known) has also appeared in his own comic book that was published by Marvel Comics, a video game, and an animated series.

 

 

What can I say about this one, it's gross, it's badly acted, but it's The Toxic Avenger.  It's Lloyd Kaufman!  I still remember meeting him for the first time at the Monster Mania convention in New Jersey many years ago.  How long ago was it?  Back before cell phones had cameras and we could take pictures wherever we wanted.  I think I stood talking to him for almost a half hour and let me tell you he's as corny in person as he seems on film.  Sadly, now that I have a cell phone with a camera, he doesn't appear at the conventions anymore.  Troma Entertainment still has a stall (at least the last time I was there they did) but he has some of the younger lackeys manning the booth.  This isn't really a horror movie if I'm being honest it's more of a superhero spoof but with all the gore it qualifies as horror comedy.  It takes a certain kind of horror fan to like The Toxic Avenger but it was over thirty years ago when I first watched it and it's still enjoyable today.  Now for my horrible confession: I've only ever seen the first one and there's something like three sequels I think.  Plus, now I read about a reboot with Peter Dinklage coming soon.  I don't think this is the last you will be seeing of Toxie on the blog this Halloween.  I'm going to give this three pink tutus out of five; it would have been three and a half but they needlessly killed a dog.  That'll cost ya, even if you're Lloyd Kaufman.