Zone Troopers

ZONE TROOPERS was another great "B" picture from the prolific Charles Band (of "PUPPET MASTER" movie series fame). This film was made in Europe and was a great fusion of WWII war action with pulp sci-fi.

The period music by Richard Band was particularly delightful, as was the well presented 1940's dialogue (my father was a WWII vet himself, so I was accustomed to some of the colorful phrases in the film).

Tight editing in the action scenes enhance the picture, as does the interweaving of humor with believable, relaxed performances.

Only quibbles- the "Lost In Space" style space ship the Zone Troopers arrive in and the corny, 70's TV Show sounding incidental music. Mr. Band and Mr. Bilson must have blown their cash on the "bug's" conveyance, for the Zone Trooper ship was ineffectual, and Richard Band seemed much more interested in the Big Band music in the film and just used "throw-away" music for the other incidental score.

Remember:

"Butt me, Mittens"!

"Did I just K.O. Hitler?"

Following is the write-up from the back of the original VHS cover box:

FROM THE PRODUCERS OF GHOULIES, TRANCERS AND RE-ANIMATOR COMES A WAR MOVIE LIKE NO OTHER!

"An outlandish blend of World War II combat and alien invaders, ZONE TROOPERS Stars TIMOTHY VAN PATTEN (CLASS OF 1984) and TRANCERS veteran TIM THOMERSON as two G.I.’s trapped behind enemy lines. Hitler's forces are rapidly approaching and all hope seems lost, until the Americans discover the wreckage of an alien spacecraft with one of its crew still alive.

It's 1944, somewhere in Europe. Sarge, Mittens, Joey and Dolan are the only remaining survivors of a German ambush.

Stranded in the wilderness they're cold, tired and ready to fight for their lives. They were prepared for anything— or so they thought. Bizarre radio signals and a loud bang announces the crash landing of an alien spacecraft. When the men reach the wreckage they discover that the pilot is dead, but the co-pilot is alive and lost somewhere in the wilderness.

The four G.I.’s split into two's to search for the alien. Mittens and Dolan find the alien but the real test comes when they must face an entire battalion of intergalactic warriors called ZONE TROOPERS, sent to rescue their comrades.

ZONE TROOPERS are ready to fight. It's a fight no one, American or German, is ever going to forget."