Sources: Wikidata. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
FILM NOTES
The Garbage Pail Kids Movie arrived in 1987 from Atlantic Releasing Corporation, riding the coattails of Topps' notorious trading card line that had already scandalized parents and delighted schoolyards. Directed by Rod Amateau, it translated the cards' gross out humor into a live action feature populated by small performers in elaborate character suits. The film was savaged by critics on release and pulled quickly from theaters, yet that very failure has given it a strange second life among collectors of oddball eighties cinema. It stands as one of the few attempts to bring a card and sticker property to the screen in physical, practical effects form, a curiosity of licensed filmmaking history.
This cell centers on Valerie Vomit and Greaser Greg, two of the more recognizable Garbage Pail Kids brought to life through suit performance, with Valerie Vomit appearing here in two separate likenesses tied to performers Sue Tally and Sue Rossitto, alongside Greg played by Phil Fondacaro. Pairing these two named characters together reflects the ensemble dynamic collectors prize, capturing the ragtag camaraderie at the heart of the film's cast and the layered production history behind a single beloved character.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm colour release print of The Garbage Pail Kids Movie (1987).
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on each edge, evenly spaced; punched edges appear clean with no torn or missing perforations visible.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area, appearing as two thin white lines consistent with a dual bilateral or variable-area stereo track.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at the resolution and angle shown.
Base & colour
Base shows a warm amber-yellow tint typical of processed colour print stock; dye image appears saturated with no obvious fading or red shift.
Projection history
Two continuous horizontal white lines run across all three frames in the lower picture area, consistent with repeated projection scratches on the base side.
Picture
Positive colour image; the three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, consistent with a release print of a 1987 live-action feature.
Era check
The dual variable-area optical soundtrack, warm amber base tint, and colour dye saturation are all consistent with a mid-to-late 1980s theatrical release print.
Read from the original intake capture shown below. Observations only — film is authenticated, not graded.
This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading in partnership with National Film Vault, and encapsulated for archival preservation.
Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.
CROWN SERIAL 000062925
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
