Troma's War

Last updated

Troma's War
Troma's war poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
Written byLloyd Kaufman
Produced by
  • Michael Herz
  • Lloyd Kaufman
Starring
  • Carolyn Beauchamp
  • Sean Bowen
  • Michael Ryder
  • Patrick Weathers
  • Jessica Dublin
  • Ara Romanoff
CinematographyJames Lebovitz
Edited byBrian Sternkopf
Music byChristopher De Marco
Production
company
Distributed byTroma Entertainment
Release dates
  • October 1988 (1988-10)(Tokyo)
  • December 9, 1988 (1988-12-09)
Running time
104 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
Languages
  • English
  • German
  • Spanish
Budget$3 million

Troma's War, also known as 1,000 Ways to Die in the United States, is a 1988 American action-adventure comedy film written by Lloyd Kaufman and Mitchell Dana and directed by Michael Herz and Kaufman (credited as Samuel Weil). It began production in 1986 and was released in theaters in 1988 shortly after Class of Nuke 'Em High was done making its rounds at the box office.

Contents

Plot

After a commercial airliner crashes on an uncharted island, the surviving passengers, a multi-cultural cross-section of the US population with some of them coming from Tromaville, notice armed uniformed people of various countries apparently looking for survivors. When one of passengers surrenders herself, she is brutally shot. It becomes evident that the island is a terrorist infiltration camp. When passenger Parker, a tough, slightly unstable Nam vet, manages to kill one of the attackers, he and the fellow passenger, everyman Taylor, lead the other survivors to a safe haven, only to have part of their number captured. Brought to a training base, the captured are forced to watch a neo-Nazi horrifically murder an air steward and a priest. The remaining passengers gather what weapons they can find and make a rough attempt at storming the camp in hopes of recovering their lost friends. At the camp, a musician's girlfriend is shot and killed by an obese terrorist wielding an AK-47 assault rifle. The bandleader, Sean, attacks and loses a fight with the Nazi, and the rocker's female bandmate is taken away to be attacked and raped by "Señor Sida" (Mr. AIDS), leader of the AIDS brigade who hope to begin an American AIDS epidemic.

Meanwhile, an attractive African-American woman is taken to the brains of the operation, a pair of Nazi twins conjoined at the head. Parker and Taylor lead the remaining passengers in a surprise attack on the terrorists' hideout. Sida is dispatched by his victim via a crossbow bolt in the scrotum. Having been transformed by her experience, the African-American lady hunts down the Twins and violently hacks them apart with a machete. She then goes after a terrorist who tried to have his way with her and stuffs a grenade in his mouth.

Realizing the terrorists' are prepared to invade America and spread both carnage and AIDS, the remaining survivors are motivated to take steps in attacking the terrorists' main headquarters the next morning. Later that night, the formerly hostile Taylor and Lydia share an intimate moment. The men prepare to storm the camp but refuse to let the women go with them so they don't put their lives at risk. Hardwick, a depressed widower, volunteers to drive a truck full of explosives into a cargo boat hauling the terrorists into the United States. Hardwick however is shot down, ruining their plan. The Americans do their best, eliminating mass numbers of the enemy. Running out of ammo, the group awaits their last moments when the females ride in and help kill off the terrorists. A timid, morbidly obese passenger named Cooney musters his courage and decides to fill Hardwick's role. He fights his way through the terrorists blocking his way, until he gets to the truck. Just as the boat is taking off, Cooney drives the truck off a ramp into the boat, destroying it. The unlikely heroes mourn the loss of Cooney, until he appears unharmed, having ditched the truck at the last minute.

With the terrorists defeated, America saved, and knowing rescue will soon come the heroes all let out a jubilant cry of "America!" As the film ends.

Cast

Production

After finding success in such films as The Toxic Avenger and Class of Nuke 'Em High , Troma began production on what was intended as a criticism of President Ronald Reagan's attempt to glamorize armed conflict.

Troma's War's budget was $3 million, making it Troma's most expensive film to date.

Release

The film premiered at the Tokyo International Fantastic Film Festival in October 1988 before receiving a limited release on December 9, 1988 in New York City.

The film was initially rejected by the MPAA as too violent to even receive an R rating, so several scenes were cut from to the film, including the entire AIDS subplot. Despite this, the film was rejected a second time leading to even heavier cuts. According to Lloyd Kaufman, Richard Heffner, the president of the MPAA at the time, told Michael Herz over the phone that the film was “no fucking good”. [2]

Critical reception

A review from Comeuppance Reviews gives the film three stars, stating "Troma's War puts a spin on the wilderness shoot-em-ups we’ve become so used to, and we welcome it." [3] Horrornews.net notes in their positive review: "A must-see for fans of trash cinema." [4]

Home media

An "Unrated Director's Cut", with a runtime of 104 minutes, was released on DVD on January 26, 2010 and was released on Blu-ray on August 18, 2015. [5] The heavily edited cut, with a runtime of 89 minutes, was released on VHS [6] and laserdisc. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Toxic Avenger</i> (1984 film) 1984 American superhero black comedy splatter film by Michael Herz and Lloyd Kaufman

The Toxic Avenger is a 1984 American superhero black comedy splatter film directed by Michael Herz and Lloyd Kaufman and written by Kaufman and Joe Ritter. It is the first installment of The Toxic Avenger franchise. The film was released by Troma Entertainment, known for producing low budget B-movies with campy concepts and gruesome violence. Virtually ignored upon its first release, The Toxic Avenger caught on with filmgoers after a long and successful midnight movie engagement at the Bleecker Street Cinema in Greenwich Village in late 1985. It is now regarded as a cult classic.

<i>Class of Nuke Em High</i> 1986 film by Michael Herz, Lloyd Kaufman, Richard W. Haines

Class of Nuke 'Em High is a 1986 American science-fiction horror comedy film made by B-movie production company Troma Entertainment. It was directed by Richard W. Haines and Lloyd Kaufman under the pseudonym "Samuel Weil". New York holographer Jason Sapan created the laser effects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Troma Entertainment</span> American independent film production and distribution company

Troma Entertainment is an American independent film production and distribution company founded by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz in 1974. The company produces low-budget independent films, primarily of the horror comedy genre. Many of them play on 1950s horror with elements of farce, parody, gore, and splatter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lloyd Kaufman</span> American film director

Stanley Lloyd Kaufman Jr. is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and actor. Alongside producer Michael Herz, he is the co-founder of Troma Entertainment film studio, and the director of many of their feature films, such as The Toxic Avenger and Tromeo and Juliet. Many of the strategies employed by him at Troma have been credited with making the film industry significantly more accessible and decentralized.

<i>Blood Sucking Freaks</i> 1976 exploitation-splatter film by Joel M. Reed

Blood Sucking Freaks is a 1976 American exploitation splatter film directed by Joel M. Reed and starring Seamus O'Brien, Luis De Jesus, Viju Krem, Niles McMaster, Dan Fauci, Alan Dellay, and Ernie Pysher. Set in New York City, the film follows a human trafficking ring masquerading as an experimental theater group, which stages Grand Guignol-style performances for audiences, who are unaware that actual murders and torture are being enacted onstage.

Joseph Isaac Fleishaker was an American character actor best known for his appearances in low-budget cult and horror comedy movies. In particular, those produced by New York-based independent film company Troma Entertainment, who have billed Fleishaker as "Troma's biggest action star", humorously alluding to his morbid obesity, which surpassed five hundred pounds.

<i>Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D.</i> 1990 film produced by Troma Entertainment

Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. is a 1990 American superhero comedy film directed by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz and distributed by Troma Entertainment.

<i>Class of Nuke Em High 2: Subhumanoid Meltdown</i> 1991 American film

Class of Nuke 'Em High Part 2: Subhumanoid Meltdown is a 1991 American science-fiction action horror comedy film, and the first sequel to the 1986 film Class of Nuke 'Em High. There are no characters carried over from the first film, possibly because of the sequel's production being in Yuma, Arizona as opposed to the original's New York-based production.

<i>Class of Nuke Em High 3: The Good, the Bad and the Subhumanoid</i> 1994 American film

Class of Nuke 'Em High Part 3: The Good, the Bad and the Subhumanoid is a 1994 American science-fiction horror comedy film directed by Eric Louzil and distributed by Troma Entertainment. It is the third installment of the Class of Nuke 'Em High film series.

<i>Mothers Day</i> (1980 film) 1980 film by Charlie Kaufman

Mother's Day is a 1980 American rape and revenge slasher film directed, co-written and produced by Charles Kaufman, brother of Troma Entertainment co-founder Lloyd Kaufman. The plot focuses on three women on a camping excursion who fall victim to two deranged, murderous young men and their unhinged mother. The film contains elements of the satire, thriller and slasher genres.

Michael Herz is an American film producer, director and screenwriter. With the director and actor Lloyd Kaufman, the two are the co-founders of Troma Entertainment, the world's longest running independent film studio, known for their comedic horror films, including the cult favorite Toxic Avenger series and Tromeo and Juliet.

<i>Make Your Own Damn Movie!</i>

Make Your Own Damn Movie! is both a book and a DVD set about Troma Entertainment and independent film in general.

Richard W. Haines is an American independent genre filmmaker and film historian best known for his cult movies Space Avenger, Run for Cover in 3-D, and Splatter University, and the book Technicolor Movies.

Eric Louzil is an American low-budget film director and producer.

Jeffrey Mark Beltzner, known by his ring name Brick Bronsky, was an American actor, film producer, professional wrestler and sports promoter. He gained particular notoriety for starring in a string of films for Troma Studios during the early-1990s, most notably, in Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. (1990), Class of Nuke 'Em High 2: Subhumanoid Meltdown (1991), and Class of Nuke 'Em High 3: The Good, the Bad and the Subhumanoid (1994); he also had a small role in Jean-Claude Van Damme's The Quest (1996).

<i>Atom the Amazing Zombie Killer</i> 2012 American film

Atom the Amazing Zombie Killer is a 2012 American independent horror comedy feature film directed by Zack Beins and Richard Taylor, and written by Beins, Taylor and Tim Johnson. It stars Mark Shonsey, Lindy Starr, Zachary Byron Helm, and Lloyd Kaufman.

<i>Return to Nuke Em High Volume 1</i> 2013 American science-fiction horror comedy film by Lloyd Kaufman

Return to Nuke 'Em High Volume 1 is a 2013 American science-fiction horror comedy film directed by Lloyd Kaufman. The film, produced by the cult classic B-movie production group Troma Entertainment, is the fourth in the Nuke 'Em High film series.

Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High AKA Volume 2 is a 2017 American science fiction comedy horror film, made by the cult classic B-movie production group Troma Entertainment. It is directed by Troma co-founder Lloyd Kaufman and is the fifth in the Nuke 'Em High film series.

Human Hibachi is a 2019 American found footage horror film, written and directed by Mario Cerrito. It was selected by the New Jersey Horror Con and Film Festival and Philadelphia Independent Film Festival. The movie went on to win 2021 best feature film at the New Jersey Horror Con and Film Festival.

References

  1. ↑ "TROMA'S WAR (18) (!)". British Board of Film Classification . May 21, 1992. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  2. ↑ The Village Voice - Troma's Lloyd Kaufman: “I Hope the MPAA Burns in Hell”
  3. ↑ "Comeuppance Reviews: Troma's War (1988)". Comeuppance Reviews. Blogspot. August 22, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Film Review: Troma's War (1988)". Horrornews.net. June 15, 2015. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Troma's War Blu-ray". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Troma's War VHS". VHSCollector.com. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Troma's War laserdisc". LaserDisc Database. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.