Troma's War (1988)

Directors:

Michael Herz
Lloyd Kaufman

Writers:

Mitchell Dana (writer)
Eric Hattler (writer)
(more)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

NOT a true story but who cares!

Plot:

A small group of typical Tromaville citizens find themselves in the path of a terrorist army controlled by the power elite...

Plot Keywords:

Blood | Death | Machete | Explosion | Violence

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Carolyn Beauchamp	...	Lydia
Sean Bowen	...	Taylor
Rick Washburn	...	Parker (as Michael Ryder)
Patrick Weathers	...	Kirkland
Jessica Dublin	...	Dottie
Steven Crossley	...	Marshall
Lorayn Lane Deluca	...	Maria
Charles Kay-Hune	...	Hardwick
Ara Romanoff	...	Cooney
Brenda Brock	...	Kim
Lisbeth Kaufman	...	Jingoistic baby
Lisa Petruno	...	Jennifer (as Lisa Patruno)
Alex Cserhart	...	Sean
Aleida Harris	...	Nancy
Mary Yorio	...	Laurie
Susan Bachli	...	Susan
Dan Snow	...	Rev. Brown
Nora Hummel	...	Shelly Somers
James Galvin	...	Samsom
David Louden	...	Sal Longo
Rick Collins	...	Col. Jennings
Tod Johnson	...	Capt. Schweinhart
Zenon Zeleniuch	...	Maj. Asyolsky (as Zenon Zelenich)
Alexis Grey	...	Maj. Ramirez
Burt Wright	...	Siamese twin
Michael Locascio	...	Siamese twin
Paolo Frassanito	...	Senor Sida
Andrea Achilles	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Robert Amico	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Lisa Amsterdam	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Gregory Paul Anthony	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Eileen Beal	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Paul Borghese	...	Specially Trained Terrorist (as Paul Borgese)
Daniel Bouru	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Angel Caban	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
L.B. Chanin	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Roberto Colon	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Zane Daniels	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Bart DeFinna	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Storenzo Domenech	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Paul Drazen	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Reno Federighi Jr.	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Craig Fertel	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Patrick Fighot	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Joe Fleishaker	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Prince Steven Garcia	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Steve Genova	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Ron Goldberg	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
David Greenspan	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Jonathan Greenspan	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Cecil Hawsen	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Paul Izzo	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Jay Jones	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Lily Hayes Kaufman	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Graham Kimble	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Pericles Lewnes	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Domenick Mastrianna	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Carl Morano	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Leslie Nemet	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Benny Nieves	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Manuel Olmo Jr.	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Ann Parker	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Lee Robin	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Kenneth Simmons	...	Specially Trained Terrorist (as Kenny Simmons)
Roy Sundance	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Michael Swiskay	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Chava Tiger	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Jack Tiger	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Jim Welsh	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Alan West	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Michael Wire	...	Specially Trained Terrorist
Adrienne Abbate	...	Senor Sida's Task Force
Allison Abbate	...	Senor Sida's Task Force
Geraldine Abbate	...	Senor Sida's Task Force
Jaine Averbach	...	Senor Sida's Task Force
Ilene Chaitowitz	...	Senor Sida's Task Force
Eric Hattler	...	Senor Sida's Task Force
Pat Jacoby	...	Senor Sida's Task Force
Jorge Fernández	...	Senor Sida's Task Force
Damian Sullivan	...	Senor Sida's Task Force
Carol Crowe	...	Crash Victim
Jennifer Pang	...	Crash Victim
Kathleen Richards	...	Crash Victim
Dawn Woo	...	Crash Victim
Mary Ellen Wood	...	Crash Victim
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Christopher De Marco	...	Terrorist (uncredited)
Michael Gingold	...	(uncredited)
Vincent J. Mazella	...	Terrorist (uncredited)
Phil Rivo	...	Terrorist Eating Pear (uncredited)
Fred Salzberg	...	Specially Trained Terrorist (uncredited)
Scott Shepherd	...	Terrorist (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Herz
Lloyd Kaufman		(as Samuel Weil)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Mitchell Dana		writer
Eric Hattler		writer
Lloyd Kaufman		screenplay
Lloyd Kaufman		story
Tom Martinek		writer
Rick Washburn		additional dialogue

Produced by
Michael Herz	....	producer
Lloyd Kaufman	....	producer
Jeffrey W. Sass	....	associate producer
Rick Washburn	....	associate producer (as Ryan Richards)

Original Music by
Christopher De Marco

Cinematography by
James A. Lebovitz		(as James London)

Film Editing by
Brian Sternkopf

Casting by
Eric Hattler

Production Design by
Alexis Grey

Makeup Department
Regina Deavers	....	makeup artist
Alita Griffin	....	makeup artist
Tom Martinek	....	special makeup effects
Kathleen Richards	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jeffrey W. Sass	....	production manager
Brian Sternkopf	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Denis Hahn	....	first assistant director
Rick Washburn	....	second unit director

Art Department
Pat Jacoby	....	props

Sound Department
Peter Dungan	....	apprentice sound editor
Dennis Fierman	....	supervising sound editor
Tom Foligno	....	sound editor
Joel Hirsch	....	assistant sound editor
David Pastecchi	....	sound mixer
Reilly Steele	....	sound mixer
Fontaine Stevens	....	boom operator
David Wahnon	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Wilfred Caban	....	pyrotechnics coordinator
Anthony Calandrillo	....	special effects makeup
Lawrence Ferber	....	special effects makeup
Jorge Fernández	....	special effects makeup
William Jennings	....	special effects coordinator
Pericles Lewnes	....	special effects coordinator
Tom Martinek	....	special effects makeup
Stephen Patrie	....	special effects makeup
Paul Pisoni	....	special effects makeup

Stunts
Steve Ambrogio	....	stunts
Alexis Berrios	....	stunts
Paul Borgese	....	stunts
Gary Bravata	....	stunts
Thomas R. Campbell	....	stunts
Terry Cash	....	stunts
Peter Castillo	....	stunts
Trevor DeSouza	....	stunts
Charlie Driscoll	....	stunts
T.J. Glenn	....	stunts (as James T. Glenn)
Scott Leva	....	stunt coordinator
Joseph Massa	....	stunts
William J. McVey III	....	stunts
Robbin McVey	....	stunts
Kevin O'Donnell	....	stunts
Annette Presti	....	stunts
Scott Rhodes	....	stunts
Peter Rocca	....	stunts
David Tatosian	....	stunts
Matt Tomasino	....	stunts
Markus Wischmeyer	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael A. Broz	....	second assistant camera
James Brummel	....	best boy electric
Jonathan Burkhart	....	camera operator
Neil Danziger	....	electrician
Kenny Lee Hamel	....	grip
Rolfe Kanefsky	....	apprentice grip
Michael J. Latino	....	first assistant camera
James A. Lebovitz	....	camera operator
Deborah Lipman	....	second assistant camera
Jimmy Mah	....	key grip
Jamie Maxtone-Graham	....	first assistant camera
Kenny Myers	....	grip
Tom O'Halloran	....	camera operator
Theo Pingarelli	....	first assistant camera
David Pisani	....	second assistant camera
Chris Rotter	....	first assistant camera
Dave Samuel	....	grip (as David Samuel)
Ron Schlaeger	....	camera operator
Mark Serman	....	gaffer
Joseph Spallino	....	grip
Neal Spencer	....	first assistant camera
Josh Steinberg	....	grip
Bruce Verman	....	electrician
Heather White	....	second assistant camera

Casting Department
Carol Crowe	....	casting assistant
Laurie Joseph	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ilene Chaitowitz	....	wardrobe
Heidi House	....	wardrobe mistress

Editorial Department
Sarah Berry	....	assistant editor
Ken Blackwell	....	assistant editor
Tim Cahill	....	apprentice editor
Dick Cohen	....	negative cutter
Justin D'Orazio	....	assistant editor
George Larkin	....	assistant editor
Gary Levi	....	first assistant editor
David Lyons	....	assistant editor
Dean Merriman	....	first assistant editor
Victoria Robinson	....	apprentice editor
Alexandra Solona	....	apprentice editor
Sarah Teitler	....	assistant editor
George Thomas	....	supervising editor
David Lyons	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Joel Azzopardi	....	production assistant (2008)
Lu Griffin	....	weapons assistant
Douglas Hill	....	script supervisor
Carl Morano	....	production coordinator
Randy Parker	....	location manager
Phil Rivo	....	production assistant
Rick Washburn	....	weapons coordinator (as Ryan Richards)

Production Companies

• Troma Entertainment

Distributors

• Troma Entertainment (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Filmmuseum Distributie (2010) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Troma Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (2 disc special edition)
• Troma Team Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Select Effects (optical effects)

Other Companies

• Sound One Corporation  sound mixed at
• Weapons Specialists  armourer

Also Known As:

"1,000 Ways to Die" - USA (alternative title)

Runtime:

Germany:91 min | USA:105 min (director's cut) | USA:87 min (R-rated version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 | Netherlands:16 | USA:R | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | Germany:BPjM Restricted | Finland:K-18 | West Germany:18 (heavily cut) | Australia:M

Company:

Troma Entertainment

Trivia:

Lloyd Kaufman reportedly wrote the film as a response to what he saw as the Reagan administration's glorification of war.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Parker:Airborne!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Tromeo and Juliet (1996)

A good time for all (Especially for those with a twisted sense of humor)!

One of the BEST exploitation films ever made! This movie has everything a B-movie lover could want: Shootings, explosions, a multifarious cast, action, violence, thrills, mayhem, and romance! One of the finest pieces of opus ever embraced by the human being.

Essentially, TROMA'S WAR is a spoof of the action and war genres. The film's contrived plot concerns a bunch of incompetent plane crash survivors on an island. They've encountered a conspiracy that will not only endanger the United States, but will place the whole world in jeopardy! Eventually, this leads to all sorts of scenes of random silliness...not to mention moments of bloodshed. Will the survivors beat the odds, or will the world spell doom?

TROMA'S WAR is a fine amalgram of the features expected in a comedy, horror, and action mixture. Unlike most Troma films, this satricial flick offers caustic political commentary about biological warfare and fascist terrorism. The black humor in TROMA'S WAR is subtle at times, conspiciously sleazy during most other parts of this movie. The explosive intensity in this film is buoyed by great one-liners and a feeling of tons of guilty pleasure. Also, the delightfully amateurish cast in Troma's War also must receive approbation for having lots of fun with this movie. Highly recommended movie to all connoiseurs of fun, low budget films. A movie treat guaranteed to provide an entertaining time with lots of friends.

RATING: ***1/2 out of ****.