Attack of the Killer Tomatoes/Fun Facts
From The Grindhouse Cinema Database
< Attack of the Killer Tomatoes
- The helicopter crash in the early scenes was unintentional. You clearly see the helicopter's tail rotor blades accidentally hitting the ground which caused the helicopter to spin out of control and crash, with debris and the top rotor blades narrowly missing the policemen in the scene and the crew off camera. The pilot received minor injuries. After being pulled from the wreck, Jack Riley and George Wilson quickly ad-libbed the rest of the scene as the wreck was set on fire. The crash of the $60,000 rented helicopter used up more of the budget than all other aspects of the film combined.
- The song "Puberty Love" was performed by Matt Cameron, who would later go on to be the drummer for Soundgarden and Pearl Jam.
- The giant ear muffs that the giant tomato is wearing at the end was actually two big bright green toilet seat covers.
- Shot on 35 mm Kodak 5247 negative stock film - very unusual for a low budget film at the time. Most low budget films were shot on positive stock film. The quality of the negative is one reason why many people thought the film cost more to make than it did.
- J. Stephen Peace did all of his own stunts. Moreover, Peace had a wooden board on wheels placed under his stomach for the scene in which he's dragged down the street by a car.
- Various relatives of the filmmakers were financial backers for the movie. Moreover, several family members of the filmmakers appear throughout the picture in small parts.
- The scene at the public water fountain was shot without a permit.
- The giant tomatoes were made out of foam.
- All of the crew members were non union.
- Most of the army uniforms were purchased at Goodwill department stores.
- Film debut of Dana Ashbrook.
- 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.
- The press conference scene was shot in a high school auditorium.
- Played on a double bill with Return of the Pink Panther at The Liberty the week of March 21, 1980.
