Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Dir: John De Bello

1978

****

John De Bello original killer tomato film 'Attack of the Killer Tomatoes' has been quite unfairly dismissed as a failed comedy and below average b-movie. It really isn't any of these things and many a comedy/horror made since owes it respect and gratitude. The opening shot shows a helicopter smashing to the ground and bursting into flames, this was an unintentional accident and probably the best thing that could have happened to the film. The pilot got out in time and unhurt, the camera got it all on tape and the actors improvised just long enough for it to make the final cut. However, the cost of the accident was the same as the film's budget, so John De Bello cut corners and got creative, giving the film its importantly cheap-looking feel. It's a brilliant spoof and a cracking satire. The opening lines start with "When Alfred Hitchcock's film The Birds was released in 1963 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 that sees a tomato rising out of a woman's waste disposal unit and attacking her. The Birds and Jaws are obvious references but looking at it now, Airplane (that came out two years later) copied it almost to the letter. The humour is incredibly silly, the specialist team that is brought in to defeat the tomatoes (made up of the worst ever disguise expert, an Olympic swimmer and a paratrooper) is hilarious, the idea ridiculous and the physical comedy delivery brilliantly timed. This really isn't a b-movie horror, it's a satirical look at society's perception of world leadership, propaganda and ideology. It has influenced every spoof made ever since, Mars Attacks is also a good example of how the film has been exploited over the years, as the method of beating the tomatoes is exactly the same as the method used to kill the Martians. The overall poor quality of the film does let it down somewhat and jokes are repeated a little too often but this is more than made up for by the brilliant musical numbers that feature throughout. Why has the soundtrack never been released? An overlooked gem that deserves way more recognition than it has received.