31 Days of Drafts and Darkness:

"The Toxic Avenger" (1984)

Note: This film is available on Netflix Instant Streaming right now! 

You know, it's funny how much schlock is improved by a sense of self-awareness. In the horror and B-movie realm, there exists a species that critics describe as the good kind of bad movie. These films are often made with a $10 budget, cardboard sets, and a dream. While the resulting vision may not be professional-looking, it can still be tremendously entertaining.

When those involved actually care about the project, it can often take on a sort of DIY charm. For all the cheap effects and props bought from Toys R' Us, a sort of scrappy energy invigorates the film. We can overlook the bad acting and shoddy story if the film can entertain. And even the trashiest films can be endearing if they're laughing right along with their audience.

And no studio perhaps better understands this concept than Troma. Founded in the 70's by Lloyd Kaufman and Mike Herz, Troma films are packed with all manner of violence, sex, and general sleaze. As far as entertainment goes, they're pure cinema junk food.

And Troma will be the first to tell you that. Proudly.

That's why we like them. They know exactly who they are and make no apologies. Their goal is simply to make the most unabashed, over-the-top films they can with what little resources they have.

And what better film to represent Troma on '31 Days of Drafts and Darkness' than their flagship?

The Plot:

Tromaville, NJ appears much like any other small, urban town. Well, aside from all the nuclear facilities and industrial plants. Ok, so it's not the most environmentally-conscious of locales. How about it's residents? The good folk of Tromaville embody an almost Norman-Rockwellian vibe, seeking to live out the American dream despite their polluted surroundings.

Well, most of them.

You see, while the majority of Tromaville is just trying to get by, the few bad apples go well beyond simple thug. The town's government is corrupt to the bone. What street crime occurs in broad daylight. Heck, even the town bullies don't just torment their victims. They run them over and take pictures to laugh at. There is no grey-area type of person in Tromaville. You're either a nice guy or the most vile, despicable human to walk the Earth.

This bodes poorly for our hero Melvin. Freckled, skinny, and with all the social graces of Napoleon Dynamite and Steve Urkel combined, Melvin lives an existence of daily ridicule. Working as mop boy at the local health center, he spends each shift cleaning up after the very muscleheads that torture him. But seeing as these are Troma-bullies we're talking about here, things escalate from swirllies to near-manslaughter pretty quickly. When a prank results in poor Melvin being dumped into a vat of toxic sludge, he is transformed into the hideous but super-strong Toxic Avenger!

Part superhero, part Frankenstein's monster, the Toxic Avenger swears to clean up Tromaville. His crusade is less noble pursuit and more rampage, as criminals are frequently torn to pieces in his green hands. He also has no qualms about stalking and taking bloody revenge on the bullies that caused his little accident.

While the town praises their new hero, the local government sees him as a threat to some of their more shady enterprises. And so they being a plot to slander the Toxic Crusader and turn Tromaville against him.

The Flavor:

Blending equal portions monster movie and superhero flick, "Toxic Avenger" has just as much bloody mayhem as it does crime fighting. While Toxie only goes after the bad guys, he takes the level of retribution well past gratuitous. Let's just say the Tromaville prisons aren't very full.

Such scenes are extremely gory, but quite fun. It's clear many of the special effects and makeup are improvised. Exploding dummy-heads and plastic limbs are employed frequently. I'm not sure what they used a greater quantity of: Karo-syrup blood or green goop. Both are routinely splattered for an added squishy effect. These scenes are meant to entertain more than horrify, as everyone overacts their heart out. Literally, at times.

For the monster that he is, the Toxic Avenger can also be quite well-spoken and polite. Provided you're a good guy. That Melvin's nerdy persona + toxic waste resulted in a hideous exterior but articulate speaking voice makes the character quite funny. He'll dismember criminals with the best of em' but is all chivalry around his blind girlfriend. 

Best Paired with:

Troma is honest, if anything. They play exactly to their zany, horror-loving audience. If you're sitting down to check out "Toxic Avenger", you know exactly what you're getting into. Turn up your sense of humor to maximum, roll with the inconsistencies, and enjoy yourself.

Obviously keep the kids away. While the content is all tongue-in-cheek, there are plenty of gross moments. I can see teenagers having a ball with "Toxic Avengers", though I can't see the film ever becoming a family-night staple.

For friends, especially after a round of beers, "Toxic Avenger" provides an energized and light-hearted romp  of B-movie fun!

Accompanying Brew:

 Like Troma's signature film, we'll keep things light. Just as "Toxic Avenger" pairs up naturally with pizza and sugar, so too should our beer. We'll keep the seasonal flavor but shoot for drinkability over hops.

From Leinenkugel's (WI) comes tonight's pairing brew: Oktoberfest German-Style Marzen.

Over the course of this list, I've covered beers ranging from intensely hoppy to sweet. From crisp to heavy. Dark and light. There are certainly a ton of options out there. I mainly covered Fall brews, and yet we're already on number 30!

Though I prefer stronger ales, I understand that everyone has different tastes. Just as I wanted to pick out Halloween movies for everyone, so too do I want an equally-encompassing selection of beers. That said, for those more used to your typical American-style ale or pilsner, where's a good place to being expanding your beer horizons?

Leinenkugel's Oktoberfest provides a solid entry. In body and texture, this Oktoberfest is highly reminiscent of larger-scale American styles. The brew goes down easily and is low enough in ABV to ensure even multiple pints won't put you down for the count.

The flavor is also on the lighter side. As this is an Oktoberfest, the addition of caramel malts provides a nutty taste to each sip. It's not a strong flavor, but it will leave a nice malt aftertaste on the tongue. For those who find hops too strong, Leinenkugel's Oktoberfest is also very low on the bitter scale.

If you're feeling a lighter, milder beer that manages to be refreshing without being watery, Leinenkugel's Oktoberfest German-Style Marzen makes a good choice. Combine with pizza and friends, fire up "Toxic Avenger" on Netflix, and enjoy a fun and unhealthy night of Halloween celebrations.