Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! Trivia

1. The movie opens with a reference to another film about surprising attacks on people. Which 1963 Alfred Hitchcock classic is the subject?

From Quiz Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Answer: The Birds

According to the information scrolling down across the screen, 1963 audiences laughed at the idea that birds could attack people, but an actual bird attack in 1975 made them change their tune. I don't remember the original reception of Hitchcock's classic that way at all! It builds a truly ominous sense that those beady-eyed little bundles of feathers are a lot more clever and vindictive that we had realized, in our blithe ignorance. 'Empire of the Ants' (1977) was directed by Bert Gordon; 'Jurassic Park' (1993) was directed by Steven Spielberg; 'Piranha' (2010) was directed by Alexandra Aja.

From Quiz Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Answer: The Tomatoes of Wrath

Among the other crazy credits for this movie was "This Space Available 714-474-5566" and that the Royal Shakespearean Tomatoes were appearing.

From Quiz Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Answer: Ronny Desmond

Luckily, while the song was incredibly bad, the tune was the only thing that could stop the Killer Tomatoes.

From Quiz Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Answer: Jaws

Steven Spielberg's 'Jaws' kept swimmers out of the water in droves - now there was a movie that convinced viewers that there was real danger lurking out there. (I personally never swim in the ocean, even where they say it is netted and safe. Wading in water that reaches my knees is just fine for me.) As well as the swimmers, we see tomatoes poisoning people, and devouring children and small dogs. These incidents provide the background for a later quote from Ted Swan, whose advertising agency is employed to help reduce the public panic: "We have to convince the little housewife out there that the tomato that ate the family pet is not dangerous!"

From Quiz Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Answer: The Bay of Pigs

Mason Dixon (David Miller) was chosen to head the project so that the government's involvement in the 'tomato situation' (through the USDA's GD-3 project) would not be publicized.

From Quiz Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Answer: Mason Dixon

Mason Dixon will end up with the girl, in the love story that is an obligatory sideshow in this genre of films. He is appointed to be the leader of a team which includes Gretta Attenbaum, an Olympic swimmer; Greg Colburn, a Navy diver who wears his scuba gear at all times; Wilbur Finletter, a soldier who drags his parachute behind him at all times; and Stan Smith, a master of disguise. It is far from clear why anyone thought this motley group would form an effective anti-tomato task force. We find out later that it is all part of Presidential Press Secretary Jim Richardson's plot to rule the world via tomato power.

From Quiz Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Answer: Mindmaker

Ted Swan's Mindmaker was hired by Jim Richardson and the US Government in order to start getting good press on the tomato problem. Ideas included STP (Stop Tomato Programs; using STP oil additive stickers), comparing tomato plants to nuclear plants, and the jingle "when you're feeling sad and blue, tomatoes end it all for you".

From Quiz Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Answer: 'Hey, can somebody please pass the ketchup?'

As he is eating a hamburger, Stan foolishly asks for ketchup, a condiment primarily composed of tomatoes - cooked, crushed, juiced, pulped tomatoes. He realizes his error when he sees the reaction of the tomatoes around him, and escapes to safety with a half-eaten hamburger. The tomato disguise is only one of those in which we see Stan; others include George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Adolf Hitler. Since he is African-American, it takes a bit of suspended imagination, but most people on the screen seem to find them very convincing disguises.

From Quiz Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Answer: Presidential Press Secretary

Richardson (George Wilson) was actually the mastermind behind the tomato project. He was also behind the "Puberty Love" record that could control them.

From Quiz Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Answer: Sam Smith

Stan was just part of the 'top-notch' team that Richardson's people gathered to deal with the tomato problem. Greta was the team's swimming expert and Greg was the underwater expert. Finletter was some sort of expert, too ... apparently at screwing up.

From Quiz Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Answer: Adolf Hitler

Mason was luckily (or unluckily) able to keep Finletter away from Sam until he came to his senses.

From Quiz Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Answer: San Diego Stadium

Everyone takes shelter in San Diego Stadium (you can see the name on the scoreboard when the call is sent out to start the record players), where the tomatoes arrive to attack them. Once the music starts, the tomatoes are rendered helpless, and the infuriated crowd starts stomping them into oblivion. The tide has turned, and humanity seems to have been saved once again. The closing credits include a number of jokes, one of which is crediting the crowd in the stadium as 'Every Screwball in San Diego County'. One of my personal favorites in the credits is the assertion that the movie was based on the best-selling novel 'The Tomatoes of Wrath', a reference to John Steinbeck's classic 'The Grapes of Wrath'.

From Quiz Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Answer: Mobil Stations

The army wasn't having any luck containing the advancing tomato army, especially after finding a large, volleyball-sized tomato that was actually a cherry tomato. It finally culminated in a major battle that resulted in a platoon breaking out into song with the "Tomato Stomp".

From Quiz Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Answer: The society section

Lois Fairchild (Sharon Taylor) was a pretty lady but not much of a reporter. She was sent out to report on the tomato menace, but didn't really get very far with Mason and his team. However, she did manage to get arrested for indecent exposure and almost inadvertantly seduced Finletter.

From Quiz Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Answer: Killer carrots

The ending of this film has been altered slightly in different cuts. In some versions, it ends with a carrot sneaking up from out of the ground and saying "All right, you guys. They're gone now." In others, there is only a message during the closing credits advising audiences that they can expect a sequel, 'Attack of the Killer Carrots', to be appearing shortly. That sequel never got made (thank goodness for small mercies), but 'Return of the Killer Tomatoes' was released in 1988.

From Quiz Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Answer: The San Diego Stadium

Mason had everyone remaining in the city gather in the stadium in order to lure the tomatoes there. He, Finletter and Lois, along with a cast of thousands, watched as the song "Puberty Love" shrank the tomatoes. Then there was a stompin' frenzy that created salsa a-plenty for all.

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