COMBAT SHOCK Review On "Violent Maniac's Cage"

COMBAT SHOCK

ALSO KNOWN AS: American Nightmares.

(1984, USA)

DIRECTED BY: Buddy Giovinazzo.

So so shocker about a Vietnam vet who is plagued by re-occurring nightmares of Nam and what gruesome goings on happened there. The worst thing is that his present life is just as bad. He lives in a poor neighborhood, his wife is a nag, his baby is deformed and things are getting worse by the minute. The film has absolutely no plot and that electro disco music that keeps playing throughout the film really pissed me off after awhile. Its not really gory either.

What really makes it thrive is a bizarre style and the absolute misery the film wallows in, could be described as the feel good movie of the year, gotta love that ending.

Troma released this film years ago and claim that it was cut and the Canadian version is cut badly. This claims to be the directors cut and if you have the original American Prism version you're not missing a whole lot. This is not the case with the original Canadian version which was cut extensively. Troma try to pass this and others off as collectors editions but they're only worth buying if you haven't experienced the film before or you have the original Canadian release (of Combat Shock I mean). Trust me.

Rating: 3 ½ Skulls

Review by: Richard J. Taylor

Email: rtaylor@roadrunner.nf.net

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