NAI Entertainment released Attack of the Killer Tomatoes on 4 October 1978 in the United States.

When I was in high school, this film was iconic. But no one I knew had seen it. It just had a very memorable title. I assumed it was a cheeky parody of a 1950s science fiction monster movie. And it is. But I was surprised when I finally saw it. It’s much closer to The Kentucky Fried Movie and the later Airplane! than it is The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes will do anything for a laugh. And this gets in the way. It especially gets in the way when the humor is more obscure. And it is often very obscure. But the film keeps its momentum throughout.

But Killer Tomatoes is amazing in one way especially. They made it for $100,000 — maybe less. Some of it shows. The sets are hotel rooms and college multipurpose rooms. But it features amazing crowd scenes. It also features a great scene when the army is attacking the tomatoes.

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes features a mostly amateur cast. There are exceptions. Jack Riley has a small role in the film. You will remember him as Elliot Carlin on The Bob Newhart Show. But he was already a very successful TV actor at that time. Eric Christmas is also in the film.

Most of the less experienced actors are fine. And even when the acting is sketchy, it still works. Sharon Taylor is especially weak. Yet she works for the role.

“Critics” didn’t like the film at the time. Even Michael Weldon said that although parts were funny, “it doesn’t really make it as a midnight cult film.” And he was right. It never did become the kind of cult film you would expect. And that probably explains why “critics” today also don’t like it.

But I don’t think there is any doubt. It’s a fun film as long as you get past your predetermined idea of what it ought to be. So let’s watch Attack of the Killer Tomatoes to celebrate its 47th birthday!

Other 4 October Anniversaries

Filmmakers

• Buster Keaton (1895-1966): Iconic silent film star.
• George Sidney (1916-2002): Director known for musicals like Annie Get Your Gun and Pal Joey.
• Charlton Heston (1923-2008): Actor known for Planet of the Apes, The Omega Man, and much more.
• Scotty Beckett (1929-1968): Yet another tragic Our Gang actor who played Winky on Rocky Jones, Space Ranger.
• Anne Rice (1941-2021): Novelist responsible for several decades of “cool vampire” films.
• Susan Sarandon (1946-): Actor known for The Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Hunger.
• Armand Assante (1949-): Actor known for playing mobsters but also has had a broad career including starring in the horror film Smile.
• Kyra Schon (1957-): Actor who played the sick little girl who knows how to use a trowel in Night of the Living Dead.
• Liev Schreiber (1967-): Actor known for The Last Days on Mars and the Scream trilogy.

Films

• The Earth Dies Screaming (1964): A small group fights back against a space alien invasion.
• Night of the Living Dead (1968): The first modern zombie film. Few that came after compare well. A notable exception is the 1990 remake.
• Night of the Lepus (1972): Huge rabbits. And pretty boring all the same.
• Santo vs Black Magic Woman (1973): Once again, the police are flummoxed and must turn to the masked wrestler.
• Demons (1985): Demons attack people in a movie theater.
• The Doctor and the Devils (1985): Another films based on Burke and Hare.
• Kingdom of the Vampire (1991): Micro-budget coming-of-age vampire film. Highly recommended!
• Red Dragon (2002): Agent searches for serial killer with the help of Hannibal Lecter.
• Frankenstein vs the Creature From Blood Cove (2005): Battle between the normal creature and a fish monster.
• Tokyo Gore Police (2008): A daughter searches for the murderer of her father in a future world.
• Drive-In Horrorshow (2009): Post-apocalyptic horror anthology.
• ClownTown (2016): Young people are stranded in a small town filled with psychopathic clowns.
• In the Tall Grass (2019): Brother and sister go to help someone in the tall grass but get lost there.
• Wrinkles the Clown (2019): Sort of fake documentary about a clown who hires himself out to parents to scare naughty children.

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes poster via Wikipedia under Fair Use.