Hell Comes to Frogtown is a 1988 sci-fi/action-horror film directed by Donald G. Jackson and starring pro wrestling legend Roddy Piper, Sandahl Bergman, Rory Calhoun, and Cec Verrell. This film is played like a bit of a parody onto itself. This was made in the late 80s when the Cold War nuclear scare was at one of its heights and there had been plenty of movies and TV shows portraying a post-apocalyptic future of the Earth, seems quite fitting that I’m having the discussion over this film now considering history is repeating itself and we are yet again under a bit of a nuclear threat as we speak. Kind of feels like as long as nuclear weapons exist on any scale, we’re going to be somewhat worried about the threat of them until the end of time, which could potentially come in the form of a nuclear war. Who Knows, right?! It’s awesome! Which brings me to this weeks’ RIDICULOUS film review, Hell Comes to Frogtown!
The story is that after a nuclear war nearly 70% of the world’s male population has been wiped out, women run the government, and virile men are a rarity and a commodity as they are needed to help repopulate the Earth. There’s no one perhaps more manly and virile than Roddy Piper’s ‘Sam Hell’, who’s assigned to help and rescue a group of fertile women prisoners from the evil frog humanoids who are holding them for ransom and who were created as a direct result of the nuclear radiation following the war. Strapped with nothing but a government issued chastity belt and some badass women soldiers who know their way around fully automatic weapons he sets off on a rescue mission into Frogtown. This movie was clearly meant to be played as a parody and poke fun at a lot of the post-apocalyptic scare media propaganda of the time while mixing in some schlocky B horror movie subplot, but it works on its own levels as just being a wacky piece of 80s entertainment as well. The director has actually stated that he filmed this to play like a Samurai/spaghetti-western film with frog humanoids (that has to be the first and only of its kind), but I wouldn’t even really know how to describe this film if someone asked what it was. It’s part parody, part sci-fi, part action, part comedy, part horror, and all crazy.
Felt like a bit of a crossing of my 2 worlds though (pro wrestling & horror films) as good ole ‘Hot Rod’ Roddy Piper was the star of the show here. This was Roddy’s first big film project actually, though he would go on to do his most famous piece of acting as the lead in John Carpenter’s ‘They Live’, which came out just 10 months later in this same year, 1988. I would say he’s most well-known for his role in that film (outside of being Hulk Hogan’s arch nemesis of course), but he comes off just as silly and lovable in this movie as well. They actually said he was chosen for this role because of the innocence in which he portrayed Sam Hell. This would be a very easy part to play as cheesy and sleazy and most every actor who read for the part apparently did, but Roddy brought a sort of aloof innocence to Sam that ultimately landed him the role. This movie almost feels like it was like originally scripted to be one of those softcore Cinemax movies, but the story was even too weird and out there for them, so they just added in some more scenes of horror and gunfights and explosions and decided to still go for it. The frog prosthetics and makeup were pretty incredible though. I’m all about those 70s and 80s horror practical effects anyways so everything in Frogtown itself were my favorite parts of this movie. Just the detail and care that was put into creating these frogs’ costumes and looks and the frog dive bar/night club scene as well you could tell was put together with a lot of time, care, and attention to detail which is something that I’ve really come to appreciate when watching some older horror films.
If you peel back all the wacky layers of metal chastity belts, humanoid frogs, scantily clad badass women soldiers, and nuclear war though this movie is a bit problematic as a script, but I kind of feel like that sleaziness is the intention. Everything that fuels this movie and drives the plot forward has to do with sex (sometimes forced, slave sex) and procreation. It’s actually kind of impressive that they could touch on some subject material that is so bleak and dark and find a way to make it just some silly, campy fun. You don’t really think about the fact that you’re watching a movie based around the end of humanity and slave women and forced sex all that often because you’re distracted by these humanoid frogs and the overall silly and unbelievable nature of the plot. That’s where the secret lies I believe, you can get away with just about anything in the entertainment sphere if it’s played in a more silly and unbelievable way rather than a more raw and real feeling one. When you head down that road that’s when it has to be handled with more delicate care because you begin to turn some heads and hit people in a much different and more emotional way. If your movie involves some talking humanoid frog villains and an over-the-top machismo laden hero with a chastity belt however, people will just write that off as silly slop and they should. This movie isn’t taking itself all that serious and you aren’t meant to either at the end of the day. Just sit back and enjoy Mr. Macho Roddy Piper, a scantily seductive government doctor played by Sandahl Bergman, a very over the top badass women soldier, some evil frog humans, and some B-level sci-fi/horror in all of its 80s glory.
I think that’ll just about do it for this one though! If this sort of so bad it’s good little 80s gem sounds of interest to you then you can check it out on Prime with a subscription or on YouTube or Tubi for free! Make sure to like the page on social media or bookmark my website to keep up with all my latest posts on horror films (both new and old), newly released movies, WWE wrestling, and so much more! Until next time, be good to one another out there!
