Sunday 2 February 2014

"Hell Comes to Frogtown" - UK BD/DVD review

Campy, post apocalyptic, cult classic “Hell Comes to Frogtown” makes it’s UK Blu-Ray debut this month, courtesy of Arrow films, in an extras laden, special edition BD/DVD combo pack.
 
Set in the near future, several years after a nuclear war has laid waste to large portions of America. The provisional govt rules what’s left of civilisation, like a brutal police state. Except that it’s the women who wear the trousers in this dysotopian future.
 
With the radiation having rendered most people infertile, the US Govts medical corp are busy rounding up anyone who’s capable of reproducing for use in their forced reproduction program, to help repopulate mankind’s dwindling numbers.
 
Unfortunately for hard man Sam Hell (played by WWF wrestler ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper), when they find he’s got a “live cannon” (so to speak) he finds himself being “pressed into service” (as it were). Accompanied by a feisty female army Doctor, (Sandahl Bergman) and a female soldier (Cec Verrell), who spend most of the film lounging around in their underwear, they head out into the wastelands looking for fertile women for Sam to impregnate (it’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to do it).
 
But, this task is going to be no Sunday picnic. As the desert wastelands are ruled by giant mutated frogs (I kid you not), who treat humans as second class citizens, and the group have also got try and rescue a bunch of fertile women from the clutches of the Toad King, who has captured them for his harem. Meaning the group have to formulate a plan to try and free them, which will involve a lot of guns and even less clothes…
 
Released back in 1988, the film isn’t “Mad Max” to be sure, being extremely tongue-in-cheek, but is hugely entertaining.
 
Extras on the disc include...
 
Grappling the Green Gargantuans feature. Which is a 20min interview with lead actor Roddy Piper (who sounds slightly drunk), discussing his time on the set, how he got the job and his many run-ins with the production team. As well as how he came to be involved with John Carpenter’s “They Live” and discusses his wrestling career.
 
Amphibian Armageddon (amusingly miss-spelled Aemageddon on the menu page), in which actor Brian Franks talks about his time wearing the frog costumes in his role as Commander Troy.
 
Creature Feature Creator, special effects guru Steve Wang discusses how he created the frog costumes and sheds some interesting light on the conflict going on behind the scenes between the producers and director.
 
Also included on the disc is an extended scene, between Roddy Piper and William Smith’s characters in the detention cell from the start of the film. Plus you also get the original theatrical trailer.
 
You also get a collectors booklet, illustrated with stills and artwork, featuring new writings about the film from journalist Callum Waddel and the sleeve also contains reversible artwork.
 
The case contains both Blu-Ray and DVD versions of the film, both of which contain the exact same special features.
 
If you love campy B’movies, this one is a must. This special edition release by Arrow is strictly limited to 1000 copies, so if you want to snap this one up, you’d better be quick (I just hope Arrow release the sequel Frogtown 2)
 
Buy the UK BD/DVD combo pack from Amazon.co.uk
 
 
 

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