New Tromasterpiece DVD is great!

Here I'm gonna quickly sum up the dvd for those interested, explain the differences between the cuts and the easter egg I found.


VERSIONS:

Combat Shock runs 92 mins. The version on this dvd is the same as the one on the previous DVD. This version of the movie opens with an intercutting of Frankie Dunlan running in 'Nam, with stock footage of the war.

American Nightmares runs 100 mins. This version, to me at least, looks as good as Combat Shock's transfer, though the dvd explains this transfer is from the original 16mm print and not Troma's 35mm blow-up print as Combat Shock was. This version begins more or the less after all the stock footage does in Combat Shock (if you notice in Combat Shock, all the shots of Frankie intercut into the 'Nam stock footage are seen again a few moments later after the credits). This version has a directed by credit, production company and the title (with the train sound over the top), but no other credits. Then the movie altogether has extended scenes (the early conversations in the house spring to mind), but nothing I noticed as jaw-droppingly different. If there is more gore in this version, it's only for seconds at a time. One thing I did notice was in one shot of Frankie Dunlan, it cuts to a mirror (so the image is flipped), which I think was done to disorientate you and may not be in Combat Shock.

Still, it runs eight minutes longer than Combat Shock and it doesn't even have the opening credits...so there is a lot more here. It all adds to the mood. Personally I liked the stock-footage, I think it added scope and legitimacy to the 'Nam footage, but then I like the more sustained mood in the director's cut. In short, I like both cuts and am very glad they're both on the disc.

DVD:

Special Features are great. On disc one, the commentary from the old dvd is carried over for the Combat Shock print, but other than the alternate cut, that's it for disc one.

Disc Two has three informative interviews with Buddy G, including one with his longtime friend Jorg Buttergeit at the 2009 Berlin festival which has bad sound but is great anyway. It also has a new interview with Ricky G, almost unrecognisable without the greasy long hair and actually, believe it or not, smiling.

Buddy G's early shorts are all compiled neatly in it's own little menu, along with three goofy fun videos for Buddy and Ricky's band Circus AD...a sort of punk/metal/new/no/wave thing. Very fun. The shorts are great, especially "Jonathan of the Night", a 12 minute short intended to be Buddy's second feature. Actually, all the shorts on here reminds me of Dark Sky's Jim VanBebber set.

Hellscapes shows you how the locations in Statten Island look today.

The big extra, for me at least, was "Post-Traumatic: An American Nightmare", which features Jim VanBebber, John McNaughton (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer), Scott Spiegel, Richard Stanley, William Lustig and Roy Frumkes among others, talking about Combat Shock and their love of it. It runs 30 minutes and is all about it's influence to other filmmakers and the films that influenced it. It was not made by Buddy G and is not a making of. But it's great anyway.

There's also a Tromatic Extras folder (including a trailer for "Story of a Junkie", which I hope is soon to be on the Tromasterpiece series) and trailer for Combat Shock, including a new one for the dvd.

EASTER EGGS:

On disc two, either push "up" when "Post Traumatic: An American Nightmare" is highlighted, so the far right of Ricky G's eye lights up, or push left when "Short Works of Buddy G" is highlighted, and watch a short outtake from the docu of Jim Van Bebber talking about the Agent Orange baby. Pretty funny.

Definetely essential for fans.