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The Original: 'Tomato That Ate Cleveland' (1974)


According to Harry Knowels from the website "Ain't It Cool News", this 1974 horror spoof that predates 'Attack of the Killer Tomatos' by four years---is actually the superior film...

"I know Austin films that don’t seem to freaking exist any more like Bruce Maness’ THE TOMATO THAT ATE CLEVELAND that was shot in Austin in 1974, 4 years before THE ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES claimed ownership of the killer nature of the tomato. And God, I’d love to see that film again!"

Apparantly a poster exists for the film:
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/2438430

But, this film is not listed anywhere on the IMDb.

So, what gives? Does anybody out there know anything more about this extremely obscure film from 1974?

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Some more refereces to this "real obscure film that nobody's ever heard of"---

This one from a FaceBook blog response to an old post made around the time of the death of actor Lou Perryman, by one "Michael Shiloh":

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=63935868119&topic=8163

"I acted with Lou in what he said was his first film, "The Tomato That Ate Cleveland," where duct tape was essential (such a low budget film!), but Lou had assisted on "Chainsaw Massacre" already.

As I recall, there was an assistant on "Tomato" who'd never worked in film before, who kept getting rattled each time Lou called for some "gaffer tape," which would be the filmmaker's term for duct tape.

I still remember the funny, exasperated looks Lou and the assistant (who probably wondered what a "gaffer" might be) kept giving each other whenever Lou said, "We need some gaffer tape over here.""

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Another online reference, this one a talkback responce on an old IFC blog about Lou:

http://www.ifc.com/blogs/thedaily/2009/04/lou-perryman-1942---2009.php

"I acted with Lou on his first film, 'The Tomato That Ate Cleveland'(really!) in the Austin area and this is such sad news. We shared lots of stories with Lou telling me about his work on "Chainsaw Massacre" and about a future project with Tobe Hooper and Strother Martin that apparently never happened. My love to his daughter and all his family."

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