‘A tidal wave of slithering, slimy horror devouring, destroying all in its path!’
Frogs is a 1972 ecological horror film about helpless victims on an island estate crawling with killer amphibians, birds, insects, and reptiles.
The movie was directed by George McCowan from a screenplay by Robert Hutchison and Robert Blees. The soundtrack score was provided by Les Baxter.
The film falls into the “eco-horror” category since it tells the story of an upper-class US Southern family that is attacked by several different animal species, including snakes, birds and lizards. Nature, the movie suggests, may be justified in exacting revenge on this family because of its patriarch’s abuse of the local ecology.
The movie stars Ray Milland (X; The Premature Burial; The Uninvited), Sam Elliott (The Legacy), Joan Van Ark, Adam Roarke, Judy Pace and Lynn Borden.
Plot:
Pickett Smith (Sam Elliott) takes photographs of various animals from around the Crockett family’s estate. After Clint (Adam Roarke) accidentally tips Smith’s canoe over, he and his sister Karen (Joan Van Ark) escort Smith to the family mansion where he meets the entire Crockett family. Jason (Ray Milland) intends on spending the next day enjoying both the 4th of July and his own birthday celebrations uninterrupted.
Due to the mutual dislike of the fauna around the mansion, Jason has sent a man called Grover to spray pesticide in order to get rid of the amphibians. Pickett discovers Grover’s corpse covered in snake bites. Despite this warning, Jason continues with his celebrations the next day, unaware that the frogs and other animals plan to get revenge for the constant pollution around the area…
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” … few people will actually feel frightened by this film, although some might squint and squirm. It’s a likeable film, generally competent all around (though never distinguished), and it makes a reasonable moral point … it should be noted that the frogs themselves do little or no attacking; instead they inspire (or command?) the snakes, lizards, gators, spiders, birds, crabs, and even some plants to do the attacking for them.” David Elroy Goldweber, Claws & Saucers
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” … the film degenerates rapidly into a series of highly improbable animal attacks. At one point, the preposterous screenplay even has the audacity to suggest that frogs have cut the phone lines at Ray Milland’s mansion! The attacks are also poorly integrated into the action, possible only because each of the characters (or victims) persists in stupidly venturing off alone.” John Kenneth Muir, Horror Films of the 1970s
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“So yes, the story is silly and hardly ever scary, but it’s praiseworthy how director George McCowan attempts to build up an atmosphere of tension. He simply zooms in on the frogs and puts the emphasis on their stoic eyes and rhythmic croaking, so even though they’re just everyday frogs, they look extremely ominous and psychopathic.” Sven Soetemans, When Animals Attack, book
On October 24, 2016, Frogs was released on Blu-ray and DVD in the UK by 88 Films.
Buy Blu-ray: Amazon.co.uk
Cast and characters:
Ray Milland … Jason Crockett
Sam Elliott … Pickett Smith
Joan Van Ark … Karen Crockett
Adam Roarke … Clint Crockett
Judy Pace … Bella Garrington
Lynn Borden … Jenny Crockett
Mae Mercer … Maybelle
David Gilliam … Michael Martindale
Nicholas Cortland … Kenneth Martindale
George Skaff … Stuart Martindale
Lance Taylor Sr. … Charles
Hollis Irving … Iris Martindale
Dale Willingham … Tina Crockett
Hal Hodges … Jay Crockett
Carolyn Fitzsimmons … Lady in Car
Filming locations:
Walton County, Florida, on the Emerald Coast in and around the Wesley House, an old southern mansion located in Eden Gardens State Park in the town of Point Washington, situated on Tucker Bayou off Choctawhatchee Bay.
Technical specs:
1 hour 31 minutes
Audio: Mono
Aspect ratio: 1.85: 1
Trailer:
Free to watch online on YouTube:
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