Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! (1978)

Director:

John De Bello

Writers:

Costa Dillon (written by) &
John De Bello (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

October 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Sci-Fi | Musical

Tagline:

"Aaargh! ..."

Plot:

A group of scientists band together to save the world from mutated tomatoes that KILL!

Plot Keywords:

Underwater | Master Of Disguise | Female Reporter | Punctuation In Title | Helicopter Crash

Cast

David Miller	...	Mason Dixon
George Wilson	...	Jim Richardson
Sharon Taylor	...	Lois Fairchild
J. Stephen Peace	...	Lt. Wilbur Finletter (as Rock Peace)
Ernie Meyers	...	The President
Eric Christmas	...	Senator Polk
Ron Shapiro	...	Newspaper Editor
Al Sklar	...	Ted Swann
Jerrold Anderson	...	Major Mills (as Jerry Anderson)
Don Birch	...	Old Man
Tom Coleman	...	Singing Soldier
Art K. Koustik	...	FIA Director (as Art Koustik)
Jack Nolen	...	Senator McKinley
Paul Oya	...	Dr. Nokitofa
John Qualls	...	Captain
Alan Scharf	...	Roberts
Gary Smith	...	Sam Smith
Byron Teegarden	...	Dr. Morrison
Doug Vernon	...	Scientist
Dean Grell	...	Miss Potato Famine of 1922
Jack Riley	...	Salesman
Von Schauer	...	Special Appearance
Cindy Charles	...	Housewife
Joe Price	...	Detective #1
Gordon Ross	...	Detective #2
D. Wayne Cyphert	...	Husband
Efemia Dillon	...	Wife
Rebecca Birch	...	Old Woman
Nigel Barber	...	Guard at Gate
John De Bello	...	Janitor / Charles White
Paul Abbot	...	Sergeant
Gregg Berger	...	Sergeant
Wayne Wynne	...	Mr. Mikkelson
Chad Demmon	...	Bobby Drake
Ellen Drexler	...	President's Secretary
Burt Miller	...	The Admiral
Richard Curtis	...	General #1
Hal Chidnoff	...	General #2
David Hall	...	Bruce
Benita Barton	...	Gretta Attenbaum
Steve Cates	...	Greg Colburn
Brian Cantwell	...	Superman
Lydia Hannibal	...	Receptionist (as Linda Hannibal)
James De Bello	...	Deaf & Blind Cop
Richard Buresh	...	Hotel Clerk
Dan Walsh	...	Billy
Hutch the Dog	...	Spot the Dog
Riba Nolan	...	Lady at Supermarket
Costa Dillon	...	Man in Library (as C.J. 'Clark' Dillon)
Mike Niederman	...	Soldier at Phone
Jim Hess	...	TV Reporter
D.J. Sullivan	...	Mrs. Williams
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Oscar Granquist	...	Dinner Guest
Dana Ashbrook	...	Boy on Boat (uncredited)
Gordon Browning	...	Cigar-Smoking Senator (uncredited)
Patrick Browning	...	Boy in Chair Reading (uncredited)
Elissa Groh	...	Biker's Screaming Girlfriend (uncredited)
Randee Lynne Jensen	...	Stadium Crowd (uncredited)
Marc Sandknop	...	Boy in Crowd (uncredited)
Ralph Waxman	...	UPS Man (uncredited)
Donna Woodrum	...	Stadium Crowd (uncredited)

Directed by
John De Bello

Writing credits
Costa Dillon		(written by) &
John De Bello		(written by) &
J. Stephen Peace		(written by) (as Steve Peace)
Rick Rockwell		written by

Produced by
Michael Bard Bayer	....	associate producer (2003 special edition)
John De Bello	....	producer
J. Stephen Peace	....	producer (as Steve Peace)
Mark L. Rosen	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Gordon Goodwin
Paul Sundfor

Cinematography by
John K. Culley

Film Editing by
John De Bello

Costume Design by
Costa Dillon		(as Constantine James Dillon)

Production Management
Costa Dillon	....	production manager (as C.J. Dillon)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Costa Dillon	....	assistant director
Costa Dillon	....	second unit director (as C. James Dillon)

Art Department
Costa Dillon	....	properties
Jean Hollbrook	....	art work

Sound Department
Paul Wear	....	sound

Special Effects by
Craig Berkos	....	special effects
Robert Matzenauer	....	special effects
John Eggett	....	pyrotechnician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Roger Dorney	....	optical camera (uncredited)

Stunts
Billy Reil Sr.	....	stuntman

Camera and Electrical Department
Craig Berkos	....	grip
Steve Cates	....	gaffer
Steve Dillon	....	grip
Pete Hoffman	....	assistant camera
Robert Matzenauer	....	key grip
Julian Pena	....	grip
Mike St. James	....	grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cheryl Peace	....	costume designer: tomato costume

Editorial Department
Robert Matzenauer	....	assistant editor (as Bob Matzenaur)

Music Department
John De Bello	....	composer: theme music
John De Bello	....	music editor

Other crew
Craig Berkos	....	miniaturization
Costa Dillon	....	all purpose bit player (as 'Clark' Dillon)
Costa Dillon	....	location scout (as Constantine J. Dillon)
Robert Matzenauer	....	chief tomato maker
Robert Matzenauer	....	giant tomatoes (as Bob Matzenaur)
Barbara Muir	....	talent coordinator
Beth Reno	....	production accountant

Thanks
Gene Ames	....	our thanks to
Robert Matzenauer	....	our thanks to (as Ronald Matzenauer)

Production Companies

• Four Square Productions

Distributors

• NAI Entertainment (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• Danton Films (1979) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Media Home Entertainment (1981) (USA) (VHS)
• Rhino Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Crest Films (2004) (Spain) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Geneon Entertainment (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Media Home Entertainment (19??) (Netherlands) (video) (Betamax)

Other Companies

• American Airlines  our thanks to
• Consolidated Film Industries (CFI)  titles: opticals & color (as CFI)
• County of San Diego  our thanks to
• FedMart  our thanks to (as Fed Mart)
• I.D. Sound  music recorded at
• Little America Westgate Hotel  our thanks to
• Royal Inn  our thanks to
• Russo's Market  our thanks to
• Scott Sound  recorded at (as Scottsound)
• Security Pacific National Bank  our thanks to (as Security Pacific)
• Wagon Wheel Produce  our thanks to

Also Known As:

Runtime:

83 min | 90 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Iceland:L | Spain:13 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California, USA

Company:

Four Square Productions

Trivia:

The climax at the San Diego Stadium was shot in a single day. Moreover, all of the extras at the climax wore their own outrageous outfits.

Quotes:

Dr. Nokitofa:Technically sir, tomatoes are fags.
Dr. Morrison:He means fruits.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Familiar Faces: Familiar Face-Off: Killer Klowns vs. Killer Tomatoes: Results (#2.21)" (2010)

Soundtrack:

THE MINDMAKER SONG

Satire and ketchup all rolled into one!

"Tomatoes" has been unfairly maligned as one of the worst movies of all time. This is too bad, because the film is really a satire of cheap, bad sci-fi movies. So what better way to satirize a cheap, bad sci-fi movie than by unintentionally making one?

If you saw this movie as a child or teenager, scenes will be indelibly imprinted upon your mind. The guy taking a shower in a hallway; the dubbed voice of the Japanese scientist; the helicopter crash (which wasn't supposed to happen...the pilot came in at too steep of an angle and crushed the back rotor blade. The pilot lost control and crashed the copter. The producers, not wanting to waste this precious filming of an actual accident, put it in the film and instructed actor Jack Riley to pretend to crawl away from the smoldering wreckage); the tomato chasing a woman in a parking lot, with oh-so-noticeable wheels propelling it forward; ah, the magic of film.

Brought to you in part by future California state Assemblyman and State Senator J. Stephen "Rock" Peace.