What’s the weirdest movie you’ve ever watched?

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I’ve never been particularly attracted to weird movies. There’s probably a good reason for that. They’re weird. When I’m deciding how to spend two hours of my life, watching a movie that makes me question the sanity of everyone involved in producing it isn’t particularly high on my list. I generally prefer movies with believable characters, interesting plots, and at least a passing acquaintance with reality. Apparently, this makes me something of an oddball myself.

But over the years, a few movies have slipped through my defenses. And looking back at them, I’m beginning to wonder whether someone slipped something into my popcorn.

Take Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! from 1978. Yes, killer tomatoes. Somewhere, someone was sitting around thinking about ideas for a movie and decided that what audiences really needed was a film about murderous produce. And somehow, that person convinced other people to invest actual money in bringing this cinematic masterpiece to life. I can only imagine the pitch meeting. “Picture this: Tomatoes. But they’re EVIL!” And instead of calling security, someone wrote a check. I’ve never looked at a bottle of Heinz ketchup quite the same way. That’s not a condiment. That’s a crime scene.

And then there’s the theme song. If you’ve ever heard it, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

“Attack, of the Killer Tomatoes. Attack, of the Killer Tomatoes.”

Genius. It’s the kind of tune that burrows into your brain and refuses to leave, like a musical parasite with a produce fetish. Nearly 50 years later, I can still hear it. I’ve forgotten important phone numbers, people’s names, and occasionally why I walked into a room, but apparently my brain has reserved permanent storage space for a song about homicidal tomatoes. I’m fairly certain that when I’m 90 years old, I’ll have forgotten my own name but will still be able to hum that ridiculous song. If there’s a soundtrack to dementia, I’m afraid I’ve already heard the opening number.

Then there’s Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988). Apparently, someone decided that regular clowns weren’t sufficiently terrifying, so they made them aliens. These extraterrestrial Bozos descend upon Earth armed with popcorn guns and cotton candy cocoons, presumably because death by balloon animal wasn’t sufficiently gruesome. I suppose we should be grateful they didn’t arrive in tiny cars. Although watching 37 murderous alien clowns climb out of a Volkswagen Beetle might have been worth the price of admission. I’m not sure what’s more disturbing: the premise of the movie or the possibility that someone watched it and thought, “You know, this could really happen.”

And who could forget Humanoids from the Deep (1980)? Actually, I’ve tried. This cinematic treasure features mutated fish creatures that emerge from the ocean to terrorize a coastal community. It’s basically Jaws, except somebody decided the shark needed arms, legs, and a considerably more disturbing set of personal interests. I’m not sure what lesson we’re supposed to take from this one, other than to avoid swimming in the ocean and never trust a seafood buffet. And if something with gills knocks on your front door, don’t answer. It probably isn’t delivering your DoorDash order.

But apparently, Hollywood has continued exploring the outer limits of human stupidity. Recently, I came across Screamboat (2025), which features a homicidal version of Steamboat Willie terrorizing passengers on a New York City ferry. Yes, Mickey Mouse has apparently traded in his white gloves for a body count. After nearly a century of making children smile, he’s decided it’s time to start making adults scream. I suppose it was inevitable. Give a cartoon mouse enough years in show business, and eventually he’s going to snap. Frankly, after spending that much time with Donald Duck, I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner.

I can only imagine the conversation at Disney headquarters when somebody heard about this movie. “They’re doing WHAT with Mickey?” Of course, the original Steamboat Willie character entered the public domain, so apparently anyone can now turn him into a psychopathic rodent. Somewhere, Walt Disney is spinning in his cryogenic freezer. (Yes, I know he’s buried. Don’t ruin the joke.)

And the truly frightening thing is that people actually pay to watch this stuff. Not only that, but some of these movies have developed devoted followings. Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! even spawned sequels. SEQUELS! Apparently, there were still unresolved questions about the murderous produce that demanded further cinematic exploration. Did the tomatoes have a leader? Were the cherry tomatoes involved? Was there an underground resistance movement among the cucumbers? Inquiring minds apparently demanded answers, and Hollywood was only too happy to provide them.

I suppose there’s something to be said for the creativity involved. After all, somebody has to dream up these stories, write the scripts, convince actors to participate, and persuade investors that their money would be better spent on homicidal vegetables than, say, a nice vacation home in the mountains. And I’ll admit that there’s a certain genius in making something so spectacularly ridiculous that people are still talking about it decades later. I’m living proof. I can’t remember what I had for lunch last Tuesday, but I can remember a movie about murderous tomatoes released when Jimmy Carter was president.

As for me, I think I’ll stick with movies that make at least a little sense. Although I have to admit, there’s something entertaining about watching Hollywood completely abandon reason and common sense. And somewhere, right now, a screenwriter is probably pitching The Texas Chainsaw Fruit Salad to a room full of executives.

The scary part? Somebody’s probably reaching for his checkbook.

And they’ll undoubtedly commission a theme song.

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Copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.