Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: An Outrageous Cult Classic
All the humanity is threatened by bad, deadly tomatoes and a group of bizarre government experts tries to save the world. They include odd and unusual characters headed and led by Mason Dixon. As they learn the behind the scenes human villain, their mission becomes even more stupid. Filling ones head with ridiculous scenarios, full of deadly encounters and extremely odd investigations, this also unearths more than just the sinister threat offered by mutated vegetables. It’s a tongue-in-cheek satire of monster film genre, flipping it on its head; or in this case people are filled with terror by tomatoes.
This is a tongue in cheek satire of the horror and sci fi tropes, painting a ridiculous scenario of people running from tomatoes. The play is about absolutes — absurdity, parody, and subverting the expectations and fitted with a comedic tone that mocks the government responses and societal panic. On the surface at least, its hilariously lampoons media sensationalism and government ineptitude, while poking fun at the ludicrousness of its plot and the ludicrousness of its characters, which are played with over the top comedic flair. Humor and unpredictably are provided by such characters as the undercover spy in strange disguises or the eternal parachute wearing lieutenant. While not overly impressive in its performance, the cast chucks effusive exaggeration into their absurd roles in making the movies zaniness appealing. In doing so, he hands out a bizarre cinematic universe where the impossible is everyday and shifts the-genre-through on the film’s ridiculous events with humor and intent. De Bello’s ingenuity with managing this unorthodox style is on display and it helps the film sit as it does.
The film’s score — and the song Puberty Love, in particular — is absolutely perfect for the film’s absurd narrative fit. Attack of the Killer Tomatoes further rounds out as the music reinforces the absurdity of the plot and films satire ton with an additional layer of comedy and cinematography that further rounds out by simply shooting in ways that mimic classic horror tropes.
The visuals take this absurdity for granted, mirroring beautifully the narratives spoof angles, or emphasizing extreme views and overly dramatic circumstances that add to the films charm and meant to be disorderly.|With its not-so high budget aesthetics, the production design supports the whimsical tone. While these help to create the outlandish environment, the design choices follow the satirical and comedic in vein, the giant tomato costumes and lurid special effects all in keeping.
Especially the special effects are crude, amateurish and parodic and in in keeping with the film’s comedic and parodic style. Its scenes of slapstick and barreling absurdity, like the infamous giant tomatoes, are outlandish and over the top in way that filters satirical aggression at the genres conventions.
The film belies its outrageousness and plays for laughs. Cuts on the perfect comedic beats, adding to this already absurd comedic timing, this already unbelievable narrative happenings, and it all happens right under your nose quickly with its 83 minute time. And it has staying power; it never ceases, shifting abruptly from scene to scene at rapid and sharp speeds, keeping people in the thrall of inane absurdity.
In Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, where the dialog is filled with absurd one liners and satire, they capture the film’s parody of bureaucratic nonsense. The story often strays into nonsensical territory, which actually makes it all more charming and ridiculous, and adds something to the taste of cult classic films that just makes everyone want to keep watching.|Not a film for everyone (not everyone), as it is both an outrageous parody and a deliberately camp kind of film, entertaining those who appreciate the cult classic. This is unique in that some might find the humor too simplistic and the production too rudimentary but that’s exactly where the charm comes in. Attack of the Killer Tomatoes is all about the absurdity, the satire, the parody that comes together in a movie like no other, that offers an attack of the figure of all kind of fun, a one of a kind cinematic experience. Its an ode to the independent filmmaker on the cheap, and fun because of its very unorthodoxness. Its playfulness through its satire is its charm, but its comedy is equally clever and silly.
