Combat Shock (1984)

Director:

Buddy Giovinazzo

Writer:

Buddy Giovinazzo (written by)

Release Date:

14 May 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War | Horror

Tagline:

Fighting, killing, maiming. Agent orange and the torture cages were the easy part!...

Plot:

A dangerously disturbed Vietnam veteran struggles with life 15 years after his return home, and slowly falls into insanity from his gritty urban lifestyle.

Plot Keywords:

Vietnam | Veteran | Vietnam Veteran | Rage | Main Character Dies

Cast

Rick Giovinazzo	...	Frankie Dunlan (as Ricky Giovinazzo)
Veronica Stork	...	Cathy Dunlan
Mitch Maglio	...	Paco - Gang Leader
Asaph Livni	...	Labo - Gang Member
Nick Nasta	...	Morbe - Gang Member
Michael Tierno	...	Mike - Junkie
Arthur Saunders	...	Pimp
Lori Labar	...	Lead Prostitute / Vietnamese Woman
Jim Cooney	...	Interogating GI
Ray Pinero	...	Welfare Worker
Leo Lunney	...	Frankie's Father
Eddie Pepitone	...	Terry - Strung-Out Junkie (as Ed Pepitone)
Martin Blank	...	Doctor
Bob Mireau	...	Security Guard
Tom Desantis	...	Man Behind Frankie
Nancy Zawada	...	Girl on Motorcycle
Brendan Tesoriero	...	Weird Guy
Mary Cristadoro	...	Mary - Mugging Victim
Dean Mercil	...	Passerby
Colette Geraci	...	Prostitute
Janet Ramage	...	Prostitute
Melissa Tait	...	Young Prostitute
Stacey Tait	...	Young Prostitute
Ginny Cattano	...	Vietnamese Woman
Doo Kim	...	Vietnamese Man
Claire Harnedy	...	Nurse
Howie Murphy	...	Passerby
Bobby Giovinazzo	...	Passerby (as Bobby G)
Tom Devito	...	Passerby
Vincent Petrizzo	...	Bum
Yan Lai	...	Vietcong Soldier
Leif Vetland	...	Vietcong Soldier
Don Loftin
Jimmy May
Barry McBride
Jeff Mathes	...	Passerby
Joe Loach
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Buddy Giovinazzo	...	Social Worker (as Carmine Giovinazzo)
Ralph Cordero	...	Man Pushing Wheelchair (uncredited)
Jerry Giovinazzo	...	Prisoner of War (uncredited)

Directed by
Buddy Giovinazzo

Writing credits
Buddy Giovinazzo		(written by) (as Buddy G)

Produced by
Buddy Giovinazzo	....	producer
Jerry Giovinazzo	....	associate producer
Michael Herz	....	executive producer
Lloyd Kaufman	....	executive producer
Lori Labar	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Rick Giovinazzo		(as Ricky G)

Cinematography by
Stella Varveris		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Buddy Giovinazzo		(as Buddy G)

Makeup Department
Ralph Cordero	....	special makeup effects artist (as Ralph Cordero II)
Jeff Mathes	....	special makeup effects artist
Brian Powell	....	special makeup effects artist
Ed Varulo	....	special makeup effects artist (as Ed Varuolo)

Sound Department
Howie Murphy	....	sound

Special Effects by
George Rice	....	explosives

Camera and Electrical Department
Matthew Affron	....	grip
Jim Grib	....	gaffer (as Jim Gribb)
Jim Grib	....	lighting designer (as Jim Gribb)
George Rice	....	key grip
Brendan Tesoriero	....	grip

Other crew
Phill Niblock	....	technical consultant

Thanks
Mirella Jona Affron	....	special thanks (as Mirella Affron)
Jerry Giovinazzo	....	special thanks
Rose Giovinazzo	....	special thanks
Phill Niblock	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• 2000 A.D. Productions
• Troma Entertainment

Distributors

• Prism Entertainment Corporation (video)
• Troma Entertainment
• Troma Team Video (2009) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Video Entertainment (1988) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

85 min | Norway:90 min | USA:92 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:R | France:-16 | Norway:18 | USA:R | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | West Germany:18 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Port Richmond, Staten Island, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

2000 A.D. Productions

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Frankie inspects the revolver drum magazine after loading it, some of the cartridges have a dent in the primer made by a firing pin, meaning that they've already been fired.

Quotes:

Cathy Dunlan:Taste it!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Cinema Snob: Plutonium Baby (#5.10)" (2013)

Fictional soldier-in-poverty film is strong and powerful on fact.

What another guilty pleasure this is! And a truly incredible one! COMBAT SHOCK is not what you'd expect from Troma, but it doesn't matter anyway. This is a strong and powerful account of Frankie, a former American P.O.W. in Saigon facing a harsh dilemma of society and family matters back home following the war. It's all based on true experiences with very disturbing levels of detail, and does become nerve-shattering. There possibly has never been a film that could deliver a high amount of intensifying power like this before, even outweighing its minimal plot and graphic violence. While some will find the infant looking like a stupid clone of E.T., others will worry about its povertic and dying state, but the character becomes a victim in its notorious shocking ending. This was the first "Tromatized" movie I've seen, and it sure ain't like the rest of 'em! A rock solid independent outing from Buddy G, whose brother plays the leading role as Frankie. Low budget, but delivers powerful meaning. Asks the all-important question of the hour: "Where will you be tomorrow?". Highly recommended!