When Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz set out to make a sequel to their cult hit The Toxic Avenger, they only intended to make just that: a single film. But when they ended up with an excess of footage, the planned sequel was split into two films, The Toxic Avenger Part II and The Toxic Avenger Part III. Well, now fans are getting an opportunity to see the planned sequel as it was originally envisioned, as the reconstruction Mr. Melvin is set to make its world premiere at this year’s Troma-Thon.
The event celebrating Troma Entertainment at Pennsylvania’s Mahoning Drive-In will feature the first screening of the reconstruction, put together by Kaufman’s assistant Andrew L. Miller and Adam Peltier, the star of upcoming Troma film The Power of Positive Murder. Having unearthed the film’s original script, they worked together to edit the two films down into one two-hour movie, releasing under the title Kaufman and Herz originally planned. New voiceover for Mr. Melvin was also provided by original Toxie star Ron Fazio.
“I always dreamed of reconstructing The Toxic Avenger Part II and III into the single epic we originally intended before the MPAA sliced it up like week-old sashimi,” Kaufman said in a statement to Bloody Disgusting. “I’m extremely delighted this is finally happening before I croak, and it’s even given me a reason not to blow my fucking brains out! It’s a very happy ending, and I’m proud to say Michael and I are leaving our mop in toxeriffic hands.”
“This isn’t a restoration. It’s a resurrection. We’re taking Parts II and III and making them whole—one film, one story, told the way it was originally intended. After this, you won’t want to watch them any other way,” Peltier said to BD. “Lloyd Kaufman is a true auteur. His work is important. It has meaning. I hope Mr. Melvin gives people—especially the naysayers—another chance to actually look at what he’s been doing all these years.
“Because Mr. Melvin isn’t just a goofy sequel—it’s a complex piece of work. It’s as much about Toxie trying to figure out his place in the world once there’s no more crime to fight as it is about Lloyd grappling with what to do after creating a surprise cult hit. Both of them—Toxie and Lloyd—are facing the same question: do I sell out to the corporate overlords, or do I keep fighting the good fight?”
Additional screenings of Mr. Melvin are being planned, but for now, fans can buy tickets for this year’s Troma-Thon, which takes place on July 18 and 19, on the event’s website. In addition to the premiere of Mr. Melvin, the marathon also includes screenings of Surf Nazis Must Die, Rise of the Super Tromettes, Rabid Grannies, Class of Nuke ‘Em High, and Def By Temptation.
