I re-watched George McCowan's FROGS from 1972 tonight. I've only watched it once before, on television (sometime in the '90s). Tonight, I enjoyed my new rare Danish ex-rental VHS (I've been after that tape for almost 10 years so thanks to Henrik Larsen for finally letting go of his copy!).
I remember the TV print being way too dark but the VHS looked pretty good. There's also an MGM DVD and interestingly enough FROGS was included in MGM's "Midnite Movies" series but ONLY on video! Their DVD version is an ordinary release outside the series. Weird (and yes I own the DVD too).
Ray Milland is in the movie and he's always good. There are some good death scenes and the actors are all good. A few reviewers usually complain about the film taking way too long to really kick off and that it has too much dialogue. I guess a lot of people prefer the characters in horror movies to equal the depth of characters in the funny pages. Build-up and getting to know characters doesn't actually hurt a movie in my book. Actually not at all.
I like the movie, too, and it reminds me a bit of LONG WEEKEND with a similar tone. It isn't as "fantastical" as many other 'Nature Amuck' movies and I think the sense of dread builds nicely from start to finish and the ending is pretty spooky once the survivors realize the serious "nature" of the problem has reached beyond the Crockett estate. And love the last shot of the animated frog insinuating they've eaten Mr. Crockett.
ReplyDeletea very good movie. a favourite amongst australians who grew up in the 70s. don't own it yet but i'm waiting for mgm to release it locally like they did with those poe and vinnie price flicks.
ReplyDeletejoe
Jeg havde den engang på bånd, men det er forsvundet.
ReplyDeleteSynes filmen har en interessant, kvækkende atmosfære.
I love that animated frog too. LOL.
ReplyDelete@Joe, are they still releasing them in OZ? They cancelled the Midnite Movies series a long time ago in the US.
@Henrik, yeah, that kvækkende atmosfære er ikke til at slå.
They might be releasing them still as non midnite movie titles.Some of those beach movies with frankie avalon that were in the midnite series came out on mgm but that was a couple of years ago. I put off buying those vincent price/poe/corman mgm dvds. As you said they might've deleted those here too??
ReplyDeletejoe
Joe, if you haven't already seen it I have posted the complete list of MM titles a while back:
ReplyDeletehttp://enlejemordersertilbage.blogspot.com/search/label/...Complete%20MGM%20%22Midnite%20Movies%22%20list
What I meant is that they've cancelled the Midnite Movies series but I'm sure MGM are still putting out DVDs so if the titles you're looking for aren't already out in OZ then there's a chance they might be released at some stage. But then again you never know. LOL.
Yeah you're right they could put them out at any time but not as midnite movies.seen that list before and i think i might've made some comments on there as well.I was ordering those midnite movies from a guy in Haymarket near Chinatown,Sydney who had a store called Top 10 Sound & Movie. That was before i had a computer.
ReplyDeletejoe