Max Hell Frog Warrior | |
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Directed by | Donald G. Jackson Scott Shaw |
Written by | Donald G. Jackson Scott Shaw |
Produced by | Donald G. Jackson Scott Shaw |
Starring | Scott Shaw Joe Estevez Conrad Brooks Jill Kelly |
Release date |
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Running time | 90 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $375,000 |
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. [1] 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. [2] [3]
The Earth is being swept by a toad plague. Enter, the lone Samurai, Max Hell, the Earth's last hope to save the planet from the mad clutches of Mickey O'Malley. [4]
"Shaw stars as Max Hell in this no-budget mess that doesn’t really have much to do with earlier Frogtown movies. He uses a samurai sword and seems irresistible to women. The plot involves some renegade scientist about to detonate a bomb that’ll turn everyone into toads." [5]
"Jackson and Shaw codirected 1996's Toad Warrior, which taps one of their other obsessions: amphibian ninjas. We're in an alternate universe set during the Third Toad Resistance, in which Joe Estevez is the president, who lives in a tent with dirt-covered babes. Shaw fights ninjas in a car park. Old Ed Wood player Conrad Brooks wears a beekeeper's getup and sleeps while a purple alligator talks to him." [6]
This film follows the lead character, Max Hell, played by Scott Shaw, who goes on a mission to rescue Dr. Trixi T from the clutches of the evil Mickey O'Malley, played by Joe Estevez. According to Donald G. Jackson, Max Hell Frog Warrior is not so much a sequel as it is a standalone film inspired by the original concept for Hell Comes to Frogtown.
This film is considered a Zen Film in that it was created in the distinct style of filmmaking formulated by Scott Shaw known as Zen Filmmaking. In this style of filmmaking no scripts are used; instead a rough plot is outlined including the basic scenes and locations and then the crew and actors improvise the rest, all dialogue and action is spontaneous and entire plot points, scenes and setpieces are formulated on the spot. Shaw and Jackson have claimed the technique offers freedom of creativity allowing for very natural performances from actors and a unique artistic outcome.[ citation needed ]
Usagi Yojimbo is a comic book series created by Stan Sakai. It is set primarily at the beginning of the Edo period of Japanese history and features anthropomorphic animals replacing humans. The main character is a rabbit rōnin, Miyamoto Usagi, whom Sakai based partially on the famous swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. Usagi wanders the land on a musha shugyō, occasionally selling his services as a bodyguard.
Michael Mignola is an American comic book artist and writer best known for creating Hellboy for Dark Horse Comics, part of a shared universe of titles including B.P.R.D., Abe Sapien, Lobster Johnson, and various spin-offs. He has also created other supernatural and paranormal themed titles for Dark Horse including Baltimore, Joe Golem, and The Amazing Screw-On Head.
Richard Harrison is an American actor, writer, director and producer known for his work in European B-movies during the 1960s and 1970s, and exploitation films of the early 1970s.
Jiraiya, originally known as Ogata Shuma Hiroyuki (尾形周馬寛行), is the toad-riding protagonist of the Japanese folk tale Katakiuchi Kidan Jiraiya Monogatari. The tale was originally a Yomihon that was published in 1806–1807, and was adapted into a serialized novel that was written by different authors and published in 43 installments from 1839 to 1868; one of its illustrators was woodblock artist Kunisada. Kawatake Mokuami then wrote a kabuki drama based on the first ten parts of the novel, which premiered in Edo in 1852, starring Ichikawa Danjūrō VIII in the leading role. Since then the story has been adapted into, several films, video games, and manga and has also influenced various other works.
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Scott Shaw is an American author, martial artist, and filmmaker.
Donald G. Jackson was an American filmmaker.
Conrad Brooks was an American actor. He was known for his many appearances in the 1950s films of cult director Ed Wood.
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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.
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.
Ryūzaburō Ōtomo is a freelance Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator who was formerly affiliated with Aoni Production, 81 Produce and the Tokyo Actor's Consumer's Cooperative Society.
In the history of Japan, ninja operated as spies, assassins, or thieves; they formed their own caste outside the usual feudal social categories such as lords, samurai, and serfs. Ninja often appear as stock characters in Japanese and global popular culture.
The Rock n' Roll Cops, also known as Rock n' Roll Cops 2: The Adventure Begins, is a 2003 martial arts action film directed by Scott Shaw. The film stars Scott Shaw, Kevin Eastman, Julie Strain, Robert Z'Dar and William Smith. The film was co-produced by Donald G. Jackson who also plays a small role in the movie.
Afro Samurai: Resurrection, is a 2009 Japanese anime television film sequel to the anime series Afro Samurai, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Lucy Liu. It aired on Paramount Network on January 25, 2009.
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Not Another B Movie is a 2010 American satirical film written and directed by John Wesley Norton which peers into the processes of making a low-budget horror film. The film stars Byron Thames, Larry Thomas, James Vallo, David Faustino, Joe Estevez, and Ed Asner.