In its early years, Troma was known for making sex comedies like Squeeze Play and The First Turn-On. However, while working as a production supervisor on Rocky in 1975, Troma president Lloyd Kaufman had an idea brewing. After reading an article about how horror films were dead, he decided to make one set in a health club. Originally titled Health Club Horror, the concept was constantly being revised and reworked as new ideas started popping up. There was talk about the dangers of nuclear and atomic waste, so they decided to turn it into something positive. With a budget of around $500,000 – $800,000 and a cast of relatively unknown actors, they began filming in New Jersey. Little did they know that what they were making would set the standard for Troma films to this day. Finally, 1984 saw the release of the first superhero from New Jersey, The Toxic Avenger!
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Synopsis
Our story takes place in Tromaville, NJ, where Melvin Funko (Mark Torgl) works as the janitor at the health club. A 98-pound weakling, Melvin is constantly teased and bullied, especially by local bullies Bozo (Gary Schneider) and Slug (Robert Prichard). Bozo’s girlfriend Julie (Cindy Manion) decides to prank Melvin, but things go wrong when Melvin falls into some nuclear waste. That night, Melvin starts mutating and transforms from a weakling into a hideously deformed creature of superhuman size and strength. With his new abilities, Melvin goes around cleaning up crime, ripping all manner of mugger, rapist, pimp, and corrupt politician. Along the way, he finds love in blind girl Sarah (Andree Maranda), and the locals are singing their praises. However, Mayor Peter Belgoody (Pat Ryan Jr.) wants Melvin, now dubbed the “Monster Hero”, taken out for ruining his operations. Will Toxie stop the corrupt mayor, or will corruption win?
Review
The Toxic Avenger is proof that you don’t need millions of dollars to make a fun and entertaining movie. Even with its low budget and inexperienced cast and crew, you can tell plenty of love put into the film. All the Troma staples are here: copious amounts of nudity, plenty of blood and guts, and ridiculously over-the-top humor. As silly as the acting is, it’s intentionally silly and cartoonishly exaggerated, especially from Mark Torgl and Gary Schneider. Some might be annoyed by the camera mugging and exaggerated delivery, but it’s done with love instead of being obnoxious. The special effects, though crude, are impressive given the small budget, and the design of Toxie is instantly memorable. The death scenes are unique and delightfully cartoonish, whether it’s deep-frying someone’s hands or stuffing someone in an oven. There’s even a scene of a kid getting his head crushed done with a watermelon!
With a 90-minute runtime, the film moves at a very fast pace, but it never feels like it’s rushing. What also helps is that, at its core, it’s a simple story of good vs evil with some revenge elements. It also presents an interesting duality where Toxie is saving the day but through violent means, almost becoming a villain. At the same time, it presents some pretty humorous moments of people calling Toxie a hero despite his brutal methods. It’s hard to classify what type of movie The Toxic Avenger is since it mixes comedy, horror, and superhero tropes. Still, that’s what makes the film so unique and stands out from its contemporaries, further solidifying its cult status. If you’re a first-timer to the world of Troma and are interested, this would be a great way to start. Overall, The Toxic Avenger is a prime piece of trashy entertainment.
Buy The Toxic Avenger from Troma Direct: https://bit.ly/3lNeTFd
