Hell Comes to Frogtown

Last updated
Hell Comes to Frogtown
Hell Comes to Frogtown.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
Screenplay by
Story byRandall Frakes
Produced by
  • Donald G. Jackson
  • Randall Frakes
Starring
Cinematography
  • Donald G. Jackson
  • Enrico Picard
Edited by
  • R. J. Kizer
  • James Matheny
Music byDavid Shapiro
Distributed by New World Pictures
Release date
  • January 1988 (1988-01)
Running time
88 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1.5 million [1]

Hell Comes to Frogtown is a 1988 American science fiction action film directed by Donald G. Jackson and R. J. Kizer, and written by Jackson and Randall Frakes. The film stars professional wrestler Roddy Piper as Sam Hell, one of the last remaining fertile men in a post-apocalyptic world populated by both humans and mutant amphibians. The film's cast also includes Sandahl Bergman, Cec Verrell, William Smith and Rory Calhoun.

Contents

Hell Comes to Frogtown was followed by two sequels: Return to Frogtown (1993) and Max Hell Frog Warrior (1996).

Plot

In the late 20th century, a large-scale nuclear war ends in a nuclear holocaust. In the aftermath, Earth has become a post-apocalyptic wasteland, where, due to fallout, most humans have been rendered sterile. As a result, the government places a high priority on those who can still breed. Additionally, humanity now shares the planet with a race of mutant amphibians, whom the government has exiled to the desert and prohibited from possessing firearms.

Sam Hell, a nomadic scavenger, is recruited by the provincial government to serve as a human stud—they tracked him down by following a trail of pregnant women left in his wake from his travels, and have determined that he is one of few remaining fertile men in existence. A protective codpiece that monitors Hell's physiosexual condition is affixed to his groin and secured by an electronic lock. Upon learning that the mutant amphibians have armed themselves and taken a group of fertile human women hostage, Hell is ordered to infiltrate the mutant city (derogatorily referred to as "Frogtown") and rescue and impregnate the women. He is accompanied by nurse Spangle and corporal Centinella.

During their journey to Frogtown, Hell attempts to escape, but quickly learns that the codpiece will shock his genitals if he strays too far from Spangle. Despite their rocky start and Spangle's initial cold demeanor, the pair grow closer during the journey and eventually fall in love. When they reach Frogtown, everyone involved is captured. The frogs' second-in-command, Bull, tortures Hell and attempts to remove the codpiece for its technology. Meanwhile, a slightly drugged Spangle is forced to work as a slave and dance for the frogs' Commander Toty. Proving more successful than she had wished, the nurse soon finds herself at the mercy of the aroused commander. However, with the codpiece now removed (Bull finally removed it with a chainsaw, but it exploded and killed him), the escaped Hell rescues her along with the group of fertile women held captive. [2]

Cast

Roddy Piper portrayed Sam Hell in the film. Roddy Piper (2014-04-04 19-10-01 NEX-6 7421 DxO (13933727033)).jpg
Roddy Piper portrayed Sam Hell in the film.
Sandahl Bergman on Count Gore De Vol Sandahl Bergman on Count Gore De Vol.jpg
Sandahl Bergman on Count Gore De Vol

Production

After director Donald G. Jackson's $70,000 Roller Blade direct-to-video film proved a success, New World Pictures approached Jackson asking him if he had any other viable concepts for another direct-to-video project. [1] Jackson presented New World with a script he had written with Randall Frakes titled Hell Comes to Frogtown describing the concept as The Road Warrior meets Planet of the Apes and after responding positively to the pitch initially agreed to finance the film as a non-union $150,000 production. [1] New World then decided they wanted a name attached to the project which led to original Spangle actress, Suzanne Solari, recast in a smaller role and given the option of Sybil Danning or Sandahl Bergman as potential choices with Jackson ultimately choosing Bergman. [1] With the casting of Bergman this meant the film had to be cast with other SAG actors raising the budget to $500,000 and was moved from New World's direct-to-video division to their feature division. [1] Once the project moved to the feature division, executives expressed skepticism that the film's action and stunt sequences could be achieved for $500,000 and increased the budget again to between $750,000 and $1 million. [1]

Due to Jackson's experience with smaller scale projects and New World liking the project, they allowed Jackson to stay on as director only if he'd agree to co-direct with R. J. Kizer, an editor for New World who had directed the American sequences of Godzilla 1985 , New World's re-edit of The Return of Godzilla . [1] While Jackson wasn't happy to lose control of the project he ultimately accepted the condition as he felt it was a better career move. [1] Once in production Jackson experienced conflicts not only with Kizer but also the art director, who had been hired because he was a friend of one of the New World executives, as Jackson would often need to change the set dressing to make it look better in camera as Jackson was also performing cinematographer duties which led to executives filling that position with someone who was more agreeable to the art director. [1] Throughout the production producer Neal Nordlinger and R. J. Kizer deviated from and cut the script repeatedly and even fired Randall Frakes after he insisted the script be filmed as written. Despite New World's initial intentions of giving the film a theatrical release, upon reviewing the final cut it was decided to give the film a direct-to-video release. [1]

The frog effects were designed by Steve Wang. [1]

Reception

Critical reception for Hell Comes to Frogtown has been mixed to positive. TV Guide awarded the film two out of five stars, calling it "Another of those futuristic, post-apocalyptic science fiction dramas". [6]

DVD Talk gave the film three out of five stars, writing, "Rowdy Roddy Piper has to save the world by diddling beautiful babes and squashing six-foot mutant toads with crummy attitudes. What's not to like?" [7]

Jason Cook of The Spinning Image rated the film a score of six out of ten stars, writing, "Cheap and cheerful its narrative lulls and directorial shortcomings are glossed over by a winning central performance and a smattering of witty dialogue. Its no cinematic masterpiece, but were there any talking mutant frogs in Citizen Kane ?" [8]

Creature Feature gave the movie 2.5 stars, finding that while it is a Mad Max ripoff, it does so with a sense of style and has the ability to laugh at itself. [9]

Though not received well by critics, producer Randall Frakes says he was glad the fans seemed to like it and "get all the jokes as intended". [10]

Legacy

Hell Comes to Frogtown inspired the title of the "Hell Comes to Quahog" (2006) episode of animated television series Family Guy . [11]

Sequels and spinoffs

Hell Comes to Frogtown spawned one sequel, Return to Frogtown , which was released directly to VHS in 1993.[ citation needed ]

Toad Warrior was released in 1996 and later re-released as Max Hell Frog Warrior in 2002. According to Jackson, the film was intended as a stand-alone story. [12]

Related Research Articles

<i>They Live</i> 1988 American science-fiction action film

They Live is a 1988 American science fiction action horror film written and directed by John Carpenter, based on the 1963 short story "Eight O'Clock in the Morning" by Ray Nelson. Starring Roddy Piper, Keith David, and Meg Foster, the film follows a drifter who discovers through special sunglasses that the ruling class are aliens concealing their appearance and manipulating people to consume, breed, and conform to the status quo via subliminal messages in mass media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roddy Piper</span> Canadian professional wrestler and actor (1954–2015)

Roderick George Toombs, better known as "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, was a Canadian professional wrestler and actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense</span> Fictional government agency

The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense is a fictional organization in the comic book work of Mike Mignola. The B.P.R.D. originally appeared in the Hellboy comics and has since become a major part of its expanded universe, where it was supposedly founded by the United States and United Kingdom governments, and charged with researching the occult, paranormal and supernatural, and also defending against their dangers.

Donald G. Jackson was an American filmmaker.

<i>Flushed Away</i> 2006 animated adventure comedy film

Flushed Away is a 2006 animated adventure comedy film directed by Sam Fell and David Bowers, produced by Cecil Kramer, David Sproxton, and Peter Lord, and written by Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais, Chris Lloyd, Joe Keenan and Will Davies. It was the third and final DreamWorks Animation film co-produced with Aardman Features following Chicken Run (2000) and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005), and was the first Aardman project mostly made in CGI animation as opposed to starting with their usual stop-motion – this was because using water on plasticine models could damage them, and it was complex to render the effect in another way. The film stars the voices of Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Ian McKellen, Shane Richie, Bill Nighy, Andy Serkis and Jean Reno. In the film, a pampered fancy rat named Roddy St. James (Jackman) is flushed down the toilet in his Kensington apartment by a sewer rat named Sid (Richie), and befriends a scavenger named Rita Malone (Winslet) in order to get back home while evading a sinister toad (McKellen) and his hench-rats.

<i>The Roller Blade Seven</i> 1991 film by Donald G. Jackson

The Roller Blade Seven is a 1991 cult martial arts film directed by Donald G. Jackson, written by Jackson and Scott Shaw, produced by Jackson and Shaw, and starring Shaw, Frank Stallone, Karen Black, Joe Estevez, Don Stroud, and William Smith.

<i>Max Hell Frog Warrior</i> 1996 American film

Max Hell Frog Warrior also known as Toad Warrior is a 1996 martial arts sci fi cult film written, produced, and directed by Donald G. Jackson and Scott Shaw. This film is the third in the Hell Comes to Frogtown series, following the cult films Hell Comes to Frogtown and Return to Frogtown. Initially developed under the title Toad Warrior, the film gained its current title for its 2002 release. The story was co-conceived by Donald G. Jackson, creator of the Frogtown franchise. The film stars Scott Shaw, Joe Estevez, Conrad Brooks, and Jill Kelly.

<i>Return to Frogtown</i> 1993 American film

Return to Frogtown is a 1993 B movie directed by Donald G. Jackson. It is the sequel to the 1988 cult film Hell Comes to Frogtown. Like its predecessor, the film is set in a post-apocalyptic future where mutant frog-people are at war with mankind.

<i>Emmet Otters Jug-Band Christmas</i> Christmas TV special first aired in 1977

Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas is a 1977 television special directed by Jim Henson, based on the 1971 children's book of the same name by Russell Hoban, itself inspired by "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry. The special features characters from Hoban's novel, in a teleplay adapted by Jerry Juhl. The special features narration by Kermit the Frog, who tells the story of Emmet Otter and his widowed Ma, a poor family of otters who struggle to get Christmas presents for the other as a result of their financial situation. The special was produced by The Jim Henson Company and first premiered on CBC Television on December 4, 1977.

<i>Galaxy of Terror</i> 1981 film by Bruce D. Clark

Galaxy of Terror is a 1981 American science fiction horror film directed by Bruce D. Clark and produced by Roger Corman through New World Pictures. It stars Edward Albert, Erin Moran, Ray Walston, Taaffe O'Connell, and future horror film stars Sid Haig and Robert Englund. Set in a dystopian future where humanity is a spacefaring race ruled by a sole person called "The Master," the film features a space crew confronting primal fears after they are marooned on a distant planet.

Randall Frakes is a film and science fiction writer primarily known for his work with long-time friends Bill Wisher and James Cameron on The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

<i>She</i> (1984 film) Post apocalyptic film by Avi Nesher

She is a post apocalyptic film directed by Avi Nesher and starring Sandahl Bergman. She was based on H. Rider Haggard's 1887 novel She: A History of Adventure.

<i>Body Slam</i> (film) 1987 film by Hal Needham

Body Slam is a 1986 American comedy film directed by Hal Needham and starring Dirk Benedict, Roddy Piper, Tanya Roberts, Sam Fatu, and Captain Lou Albano. The film revolves around a down-and-out music promoter who inadvertently becomes a successful professional wrestling manager. After being exiled from the business by a rival manager, he finds success in promoting shows that feature both wrestling and rock music. The film features many well-known wrestlers of the time and references the Rock 'n' Wrestling era of professional wrestling.

<i>Buy & Cell</i> 1987 film by Robert Boris

Buy & Cell is a 1988 comedy film directed by Robert Boris. The original music score was composed by Mark Shreeve.

<i>Red Sonja</i> (1985 film) 1985 American epic sword and sorcery film directed by Richard Fleischer

Red Sonja is a 1985 American epic sword and sorcery film directed by Richard Fleischer, and written by Clive Exton and George MacDonald Fraser. It is based on the character created by Robert E. Howard, Red Sonya of Rogatino, who also inspired the comic book character of the same name.

Frogtown may refer to:

<i>Mutant World</i> 2014 TV series or program

Mutant World is a 2014 Canadian-American neo-sci-fi western horror television film directed by David Winning and written by Matt Campagna, produced by Nomadic Pictures on behalf of SyFy. The film follows the adventures of a group of doomsday preppers who emerge from an elaborate bunker a decade after a meteor wipes out civilization, finding the world overrun by mutants. Shot in Alberta, the film stars Holly Deveaux as the leader of the preppers exploring their new world, Ashanti as a mysterious stranger who shadows them, and Kim Coates as the original leader who saved the handful of people ten years earlier.

<i>A Nymphoid Barbarian in Dinosaur Hell</i> 1990 film directed by Brett Piper

A Nymphoid Barbarian in Dinosaur Hell is a 1990 American science fiction film written and directed by Brett Piper and produced by Troma Entertainment. It premiered at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Biodrowski, Steve (July 1988). "Hell Comes to Frogtown". Cinefantastique. Fourth Castle Micromedia. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Hell Comes to Frogtown (1987)". Moria. 2011-01-18. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  3. ↑ Irel, Rob (2020-07-31). "Roddy Piper - From The Streets to the Big Time". Pro Wrestling Stories. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  4. ↑ Canby, Vincent (1982-05-15). "Fighting, Fantasy in 'Conan the Barbarian'language=en-US". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  5. ↑ Allen, Henry (1997-08-24). "The Slippery Slope of Stardom". The Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  6. ↑ "Hell Comes To Frogtown - Movie Reviews and Movie Ratings". TV Guide.com. TV Guide Staff.
  7. ↑ Gross, G. "Hell Comes To Frogtown: SE : DVD Talk Review of the DVD Video". DVD Talk.com. G. Noel Gross. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  8. ↑ Cook, Jason. "Hell Comes To Frogtown Review (1987)". The Spinning Image.co.uk. Jason Cook.
  9. ↑ Stanley, J. (2000)Creature Feature:3rd Edition
  10. ↑ "HDTGM: Conversation With Hell Comes to Frogtown Writer/Producer Randall Frakes". /Film. 2016-05-13. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  11. ↑ MacFarlane, Seth (2006). Family Guy season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Hell Comes to Quahog" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  12. ↑ "Donald G. Jackson The Final Interview | Scott Shaw.com". www.scottshaw.com. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.