Uploaded October 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes - Comicgeddon History and Origins
The footage and music used in this video is per Fair Use as the video is not dependent upon it and is only used to promote the film "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" owned by John DeBello and
Stephen Peace, and distributed by NAI Entertainment, New World Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Marvel Productions and Saban Entertainment. The footage and music have been edited so as not to replace purchasing the film or watching it in it's original source.
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, Return of the Killer Tomatoes, Killer Tomatoes Strike Back, Killer Tomatoes Eat France
Script:
Tomatoes have been a central part of our diets for centuries. Salads, pizza, and sandwiches. Let’s not forget that we love to throw them at our politicians and comedians. But what would happen if one day, the tomatoes decided to attack?
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes is a parody film created in 1978 by Stephen Peace and John DeBello as a B movie spoof which led to three sequels and an animated series which premiered on Fox Kids in 1990 a video game and a series of toys.
In the original film, after a wave of reports of mysterious attacks involving people and pets being eaten by tomatoes, a special government task force is established to investigate the attacks and stop them. The team is made up of Lieutenant Wilbur Finletter played by Stephen Peace, who never goes anywhere without his sword or parachute. Greg Colbum An underwater expert who’s never out of his scuba gear, Sam Smith a master of disguise, Gretta Attenbaum and Olympic swimmer and Mason Dixon, a special agent who leads the task force.
The original film had a budget of $100,000 and received a $567,000 return at the box office. In the film, it’s revealed that the tomatoes can’t stand the song “Puberty Love” which is how the world manages to defeat them.
The completed film contains a scene where a helicopter crashes, making the audience believe the tomatoes were the cause. However, the scene was the result of a real helicopter crash. The Hiller Aircraft UH-12E which had been rented for the film, was supposed to have landed in a tomato patch behind a number of police officers. However, during the landing, it’s rotor hit the ground and caused the craft to spin out of control near the ground. It then rolled and burst into flames with the pilot escaping without any serious injuries. In the film, it’s stated that the copter was hit by a kamikaze tomato.
Though the film didn’t receive very good reviews, it did spawn an entire franchise with a cult following.
In 1988, a sequel set ten years after the original was produced where tomatoes have been outlawed and people have had to find creative new ways of getting by without them, such as Finletter’s pizzeria where Wilbur produces tomato-less pizzas of a wide variety. Wilbur’s nephew Chad works for him as a delivery boy. Chad’s roommate Matt Stevens also takes a central role in the film as a suave ladies’ man played by a very young George Clooney.
Also joining the cast was John Astin who played Professor Mortimer Gangree and his assistant Igor played by Steve Lundquist as the villainous duo who unleash another wave of killer tomatoes in order to conquer the world. Gangreen developed a way to transform ordinary tomatoes into replicas of human beings, one of them being that of Tara who falls in love with Chad and defects to the side of good. Just as with the first, the film was critically panned. However, it did produce two more sequels and an animated series back to back.
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes the animated series, followed the events of Return of the Killer tomatoes (the second film in the franchise). The professor in the series, however, was renamed to Putrid T. Gangreen and was played by the returning John Astin.
The reason the animated series was made, wasn’t so much to do with the movies themselves, but because of the Muppet Babies episode “The Weirdo Zone” where Fozzie talks about how he once faced an attack of silly tomatoes which used scenes from the movie. The episode was one of the more popular among the series and thus caused Marvel Productions to approach the producers of the films about making a sequel and animated series.
Following Return of the Killer Tomatoes and the series, the 1990 film Killer Tomatoes Strike Back followed by Killer Tomatoes Eat France were produced. John Astin returned in both as the evil Dr. Mortimer Gangreen.
In 2008 a remake of the original film was announced; however, it never saw the light of day.
The most memorable part of the entire franchise was the theme song which was written by film creator and director John DeBello, which describes the tomatoes rampages through the world.
If you have a chance, and haven’t seen the films I strongly suggest giving them a watch.
VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED:
The content featured on this channel and it's videos is not made for kids... And is intended for the adult collector and enthusiast.
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes - Comicgeddon History and Origins
The footage and music used in this video is per Fair Use as the video is not dependent upon it and is only used to promote the film "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" owned by John DeBello and
Stephen Peace, and distributed by NAI Entertainment, New World Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Marvel Productions and Saban Entertainment. The footage and music have been edited so as not to replace purchasing the film or watching it in it's original source.
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, Return of the Killer Tomatoes, Killer Tomatoes Strike Back, Killer Tomatoes Eat France
Script:
Tomatoes have been a central part of our diets for centuries. Salads, pizza, and sandwiches. Let’s not forget that we love to throw them at our politicians and comedians. But what would happen if one day, the tomatoes decided to attack?
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes is a parody film created in 1978 by Stephen Peace and John DeBello as a B movie spoof which led to three sequels and an animated series which premiered on Fox Kids in 1990 a video game and a series of toys.
In the original film, after a wave of reports of mysterious attacks involving people and pets being eaten by tomatoes, a special government task force is established to investigate the attacks and stop them. The team is made up of Lieutenant Wilbur Finletter played by Stephen Peace, who never goes anywhere without his sword or parachute. Greg Colbum An underwater expert who’s never out of his scuba gear, Sam Smith a master of disguise, Gretta Attenbaum and Olympic swimmer and Mason Dixon, a special agent who leads the task force.
The original film had a budget of $100,000 and received a $567,000 return at the box office. In the film, it’s revealed that the tomatoes can’t stand the song “Puberty Love” which is how the world manages to defeat them.
The completed film contains a scene where a helicopter crashes, making the audience believe the tomatoes were the cause. However, the scene was the result of a real helicopter crash. The Hiller Aircraft UH-12E which had been rented for the film, was supposed to have landed in a tomato patch behind a number of police officers. However, during the landing, it’s rotor hit the ground and caused the craft to spin out of control near the ground. It then rolled and burst into flames with the pilot escaping without any serious injuries. In the film, it’s stated that the copter was hit by a kamikaze tomato.
Though the film didn’t receive very good reviews, it did spawn an entire franchise with a cult following.
In 1988, a sequel set ten years after the original was produced where tomatoes have been outlawed and people have had to find creative new ways of getting by without them, such as Finletter’s pizzeria where Wilbur produces tomato-less pizzas of a wide variety. Wilbur’s nephew Chad works for him as a delivery boy. Chad’s roommate Matt Stevens also takes a central role in the film as a suave ladies’ man played by a very young George Clooney.
Also joining the cast was John Astin who played Professor Mortimer Gangree and his assistant Igor played by Steve Lundquist as the villainous duo who unleash another wave of killer tomatoes in order to conquer the world. Gangreen developed a way to transform ordinary tomatoes into replicas of human beings, one of them being that of Tara who falls in love with Chad and defects to the side of good. Just as with the first, the film was critically panned. However, it did produce two more sequels and an animated series back to back.
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes the animated series, followed the events of Return of the Killer tomatoes (the second film in the franchise). The professor in the series, however, was renamed to Putrid T. Gangreen and was played by the returning John Astin.
The reason the animated series was made, wasn’t so much to do with the movies themselves, but because of the Muppet Babies episode “The Weirdo Zone” where Fozzie talks about how he once faced an attack of silly tomatoes which used scenes from the movie. The episode was one of the more popular among the series and thus caused Marvel Productions to approach the producers of the films about making a sequel and animated series.
Following Return of the Killer Tomatoes and the series, the 1990 film Killer Tomatoes Strike Back followed by Killer Tomatoes Eat France were produced. John Astin returned in both as the evil Dr. Mortimer Gangreen.
In 2008 a remake of the original film was announced; however, it never saw the light of day.
The most memorable part of the entire franchise was the theme song which was written by film creator and director John DeBello, which describes the tomatoes rampages through the world.
If you have a chance, and haven’t seen the films I strongly suggest giving them a watch.
VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED:
The content featured on this channel and it's videos is not made for kids... And is intended for the adult collector and enthusiast.
