Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! (1978) on Netflix
PG19781h 23mAdventureComedyHorror
Tomatoes become violent against people, and the President assembles a task force led by Mason Dixon to stop them. Reporter Lois Fairchild chases the story as a masked assassin targets Dixon.
- Netflix3.3/5
- IMDb4.6/1016,635 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes27%
Trailer
Plot summary
Reports spread of tomatoes attacking people and pets, and one woman is found dead in her home covered in tomato juice rather than blood. The President's press secretary, Jim Richardson, tells the public there is no credible threat, while the President assembles a team led by Mason Dixon. The group includes Sam Smith, a disguise expert, scuba diver Greg Colburn, Olympic swimmer Gretta Attenbaum and parachute-carrying soldier Wilbur Finletter. Smith tries to infiltrate the tomatoes at a campfire. Richardson visits an ad agency where executive Ted Swan spends large sums on anti-tomato stunts. A masked assassin takes a shot at Dixon and misses. A leaked pamphlet sends society writer Lois Fairchild after the story, and she follows Finletter, who mistakes her for a spy.
Cast
- George Wilsonas Jim Richardson
- Ernie Meyersas The President
- Costa Dillonas Man in Library
- John Quallsas Captain
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! (1978)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- While filming a scene of officers firing at tomatoes, a $60,000 Hiller Aircraft UH-12E helicopter rented for Attack of the Killer Tomatoes crashed during landing and burst into flames, though the pilot escaped serious injury. The cameras were rolling, so the crash stayed in the film, explained away with new dialogue about a "kamikaze tomato" hitting the helicopter.
- The song "Puberty Love" in Attack of the Killer Tomatoes was sung by a then-teenaged Matt Cameron, who later became the drummer for Soundgarden and, between 1998 and 2025, the drummer for Pearl Jam.
- Kim Harrison's book series The Hollows is set in a world where genetically engineered tomatoes killed off a significant portion of the human population, and the author admitted the idea was inspired by Attack of the Killer Tomatoes.
- Gordon Goodwin, one of the original composers on Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, later wrote an Emmy-nominated big-band piece inspired by the film's music for his ensemble Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band.
- Attack of the Killer Tomatoes contains the first screen appearance of Dana Ashbrook, who was then aged 10 or 11 and played the uncredited role of Boy on Boat.
