Toxic Memory.
Below is a scene from The Toxic Avenger.
I’ll warn you: It’s gory as hell.
I randomly found it while searching for tonight’s movie and… God, I’m having a moment, here.
Until now, I thought that I’d never seen the original Toxic Avenger movie, barring a couple of clips here and there. As a teenager, me and some friends rented one of the sequels, and I was so grossed out by a particularly ridiculous scene that I kind of just wrote the whole series off as “not for me.”
But here’s the thing: I DID see the scene embedded above, and I’ve spent DECADES wondering if I’d just imagined it.
On some ancient evening, I was home alone with my sister, who’s around eight years older than me. She was having a small party with her friends, and naturally, I wasn’t invited. I’m guessing she was 14, which would’ve made me 5 or 6. So figure this was ‘86, or ‘87 at latest.
They were watching some horribly violent movie that I only now realize was The Toxic Avenger. Obviously a video rental. I remember them all sitting in our living room laughing over it, while I peeked in from a corner. The scene embedded above was the only portion I caught.
At that young age, I couldn’t believe that people watched this kind of stuff for the entertainment value. I was horrified. I distinctly remember wondering if that was what it meant to be a teenager — as if watching actors get run over was a rite of passage, or something. It seriously upset the shit out of me. (Ironic, considering how much I’ve grown to love horror!)
My mind is completely blown right now. I’ve solved a thirty-year-old puzzle!
So, I guess this lends itself to a survey:
What horror movies (or even just horror movie scenes) did you see before you were really READY to see them? How did they affect you?
Halloween Costume Survey!
Random survey because I openly admit that I completely lost track of time and NOW IT’S MIDNIGHT OH NO.
Tell everyone about your single best AND single worst Halloween costumes ever, in the comments!
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2!
Damn, I have no idea how this one got on YouTube — let alone in what appears to be an official capacity — but I ain’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Here’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2!
I’m a big fan. The sequel is sometimes pushed as a horror/comedy, but I think it’s more accurate to call it a horror movie that just happens to be very over the top. If you’re just dipping your feet into the genre, it isn’t exactly an easy watch!
Fun fact: I first saw this back in 2003. It was the last videocassette I ever rented. 🙁
The Video Dead!
Guys, trust me on this one. You really, REALLY need to see The Video Dead.
Made in 1987, it’s a weird as hell zombie movie with some tongue-in-cheek tendencies. If I had to make a list of 20 obscure horror films that even a passing fan had to see, this would be on it. It’s uniquely bizarre and the kind of movie you can never forget.
Believe me, you’re gonna like this one. Maybe in a weird way, but still.
