The Toxic Avenger is a 1984 American superhero horror comedy film directed by Michael Herz and Lloyd Kaufman (credited as Samuel Weil) and written by Kaufman and Joe Ritter. The film was released by Troma Entertainment, known for producing low budget B-movies with campy concepts and gruesome violence. Virtually ignored upon its first release, The Toxic Avenger caught on with filmgoers after a long and successful midnight movie engagement at the famed Bleecker Street Cinemas in New York City in late 1985. It now is regarded as a cult classic.
The film has generated three film sequels, a stage musical production and a children's TV cartoon. Two less successful sequels, The Toxic Avenger Part II and The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie, were filmed as one. Director Lloyd Kaufman realized that he had shot far too much footage for one film and re-edited it into two. A third independent sequel was also released, titled Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV. A fourth sequel entitled The Toxic Avenger 5: Toxic Twins is planned for a future release. An animated children's TV series spin-off, Toxic Crusaders, featured Toxie as the leader of a team of mutated superheroes who fought against evil alien polluters. The cartoon series was short-lived and quickly cancelled. New Line Cinema had planned a live-action film based on the cartoon, but the deal fell through.
The Toxic Avenger may refer to:
The Toxic Avenger series
Music
Simon Delacroix (born 18 April 1982), better known by his stage name The Toxic Avenger (sometimes Toxic Avenger), is a French DJ, songwriter and music producer.
His first success was "Super Heroes" that resulted in a contract with Iheartcomix record label. He is known for his album Angst released on Roy Music label on 16 May 2011. He also released the music video directed by Wahib for the title track "Angst". He also released a number of EPs, and has had various collaborations with a number of artists including Canadian act Chromeo, Robert Bruce of the UK act South Central in "Never Stop" featuring Bruce and music video directed by Antoine Wagner. He also collaborated with French rapper Orelsan particularly in "N'importe comment", released in an EP in 2010 containing 9 remixes.
He is known to perform under a masked guise but removed his guise in EP release "Toxic Is Dead", in 2009, symbolizing the death of the personality he took in the group Ed Wood Is Dead.
The Toxic Avenger is a rock musical that is based on Michael Herz and Lloyd Kaufman's 1984 film of the same name. The book of the musical was written by Joe DiPietro, its music by David Bryan, and both wrote the lyrics.
Productions
The musical was first produced under the direction of John Rando at George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey and opened after previews officially on October 10, 2008. The title role of Melvin Ferd the Third/The Toxic Avenger went to Nick Cordero. Audra Blaser played Sarah, and Nancy Opel played Mayor Babs Belgoody and Ma Ferd. It received a generally favorable press.
The New York premiere opened at New World Stages on April 6, 2009. The New York Times called the production "exuberantly silly", while New York Post called it "hilariously funny". The show opening night cast included Sara Chase, Nick Cordero, Demond Green, Matthew Saldivar and Nancy Opel. Erin Leigh Peck and Nicholas Rodriguez are the original understudies. The musical closed on January 2, 2010 after over 300 performances, in which the production left for a tour across North America.