The Toxic Avenger Collection [DVD]

Let me start off by saying I LOVE Troma, and I love The Toxic Avenger (Toxie). What I don't love, is purposely putting off buying the blu-rays off individually, in hopes that Troma will release a Blu-ray set of the films...and when that happens, having your heart crushed by the product. Here is what you get in the set:
The Toxic Avenger
The Toxic Avenger II
The Toxic Avenger III : The Last Temptation of Toxie
Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV
(Note: This set does not include any of the dvds, that the blu-rays originally were released with...which should be fine, considering this a Blu-ray set)

Now, most will argue that 1 and 4 are the only ones to own (Hell, I've heard only 1 is the one to own, I've heard only 4 is the one to own...), but I genuinely love all 4 of these films, for one reason or another.

The first Toxic Avenger Blu-ray is great! It looks great, sounds great, has great special features, literally have no complaints.

Toxic Avenger II, also looks good and sounds good. What made me happy, was the dvd that I own of this, while it says unrated and uncut, is in fact cut. I've never been able to see this movie uncut until I purchased this box set. I was beyond happy. It was like seeing the film for the first time.
(Note: This is not the first time part II has been released uncut...The Complete Toxic Avenger dvd set included it as well). The special features included commentary as well as some other special features. I don't remember exactly what all is there, but it was great.

Toxic Avenger III: Last Temptation of Toxie....this is where the set takes a SEVERE downfall. While the blu ray looks good, the audio is awful. There is a part of the movie where it sounds like somebody has taken sandpaper to the boom mic. There's severe audio damage. The dvd does NOT have this (at least to my knowledge...if anyone knows, definitely comment). I can look past that. What I CANNOT look past is the fact that part III is SEVERELY CUT. The dvd that is out there The Toxic Avenger Part III - The Last Temptation Of Toxie (Unrated) is completely uncut. Most notably, is the scene in the video store where some goons go in the wreak havoc on the citizens of Tromaville. Toxie comes in, puts his mop through some guy's head (Pericles Lewnes, director of REDNECK ZOMBIES http://www.amazon.com/Redneck-Zombies-Anniversary-Tromasterpiece-Collection/dp/B001BP14MG/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1452690766&sr=1-1&keywords=redneck+zombies, which has an OUTSTANDING dvd release), and twists it until the head pops off.... that scene is COMPLETELY MISSING from this Blu-ray. Also, before he does that, he puts his hand through a professional vhs rewinder, and his hands gets all eaten up. You see his hand go in, but that's it...none of the aftermath. It's completely appalling that this happened. They literally could've just copied the uncut dvd onto the Blu-ray and I would've been happy. But someone at Troma took the R-rated dvd and put it on this Blu-ray.

Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV: This looks and sounds good on dvd (it's obviously the newest of the films), BUT, I would recommend keeping the outstanding two disc Citizen Toxie - The Toxic Avenger IV (Unrated Director's Cut) because all of the special features do not carry over. What DID carry over are the 3 audio commentary tracks, and the feature length making of, "Apocalypse Soon", which is hilarious. Imagine if you were a fly on the wall during the making of a Troma film, and that's exactly what this is. But all the deleted scenes, the bloopers, the alternate takes, music videos...none of the carried over. I know there's people that don't care about all the special features, but Troma used to put out some outstanding releases of their films...what the hell happened?

I'm giving this 3/5 stars, because it's all four Toxic Avenger films, on Blu-ray. If you don't own any of them, Part 1 and 2 this set are worth it alone. I just cannot, in good faith, fully recommend this set because of part 3 being completely cut to crap. I don't understand how 88 Films, a company in the UK, put out better editions of the films they LICENSE from Troma...than Troma themselves.

Anyone at Troma reading this...PLEASE fix Toxic Avenger III.... I'm begging you.

The cover art sucks. The plastic case isn't green. The region-free 88 Films Blu-ray releases of all four movies (1, 2, 3, 4) look and sound better than the Troma versions. Very disappointing, Lloyd.

Toxic Avenger 3 is the R-Rated version! Ridiculous!