One of the most successful B-movie companies of the 1980s was a survivor from the heyday of the exploitation era, Troma Pictures, founded in 1974. Troma's most characteristic productions, including "Class of Nuke 'Em High" (1986), "Redneck Zombies" (1986), and "Surf Nazis Must Die" (1987), take exploitation for an absurdist spin. Troma also built on another B-studio tradition: re-releasing the often embarrassing early films of actors turning into major stars. In 1986, the company acquired and distributed two unreleased films, "Sizzle Beach U.S.A." (shot in 1974) and "Shadows Run Black" (shot in 1981), capitalizing on performances by Kevin Costner, who had recently appeared in the popular "Silverado" (1985) and was set to headline "The Untouchables" (1987). Troma's best-known production is "The Toxic Avenger" (1985), whose hero, after plunging into a vat of toxic waste while attempting to escape a loathsome gang of tormentors, mutates into a hideous creature with enhanced physical strength and revenge on what's left of his mind. After the film's successful release, the character, affectionately known as Toxie, became the symbol of Troma and an icon of the 1980s B movie. One of the few successful B-studio startups of the decade was Rome-based Empire Pictures, whose first production, "Ghoulies", reached theaters in 1985. Despite other profitable ventures such as "Re-Animator" (1985), financial difficulties forced the company's American founder to sell it off in 1988.