Some believe that our misgivings against the earth will come back to haunt us, and honestly, who can blame them? Historically humans arrogant and selfishly have used the earth for personal gains, often without little thought as to the ramifications to the creatures surrounding them. The perfect narrative for a Horror film, the ‘70s brought us several Eco-Horror flicks including 1972’s Frogs.
Released theatrically on March 23rd, Frogs joined Night of the Lepus (a film about giant killer rabbits) in 1972 where animals got even with humans. Interestingly, while some may want to miscategorize Frogs as a Comedy, it is truly anything but such… because there are some legitimately scary moments with an underlined serious tone. Directed by George McCowan (known for work on series like Charlie’s Angels and Starsky and Hutch), Frogs shows how frightening it can be when nature attacks.
Expanding on this idea, Frogs does not bludgeon you with mutated animals with a thirst for blood but instead presents you with the concept that the out-of-control croaks of frogs can send an entire ecosystem into a frenzy. With this, it is not necessarily the frogs themselves being the perpetrators, but more as the ring leader for any other creature beside them. Certainly a concept that would make some chuckle, do not do so too hard, because the mood created by Frogs is quite effective.
Summarizing it, the tale begins with a Wildlife Photographer named Pickett Smith canoeing through a swamp capturing images of nature around him. Along the way, he finds disgusting pollution and then out of nowhere is nearly taken out by a careless speed boat. From here Pickett is brought back to an island where a fridged, wealthy man named Jason Crockett is basking in his mansion with close family. What should be a joyful gathering, quickly turns into terror as the frogs continuously close in on the area.
Paced well, perhaps the biggest selling point is the performance of a very young Sam Elliot as Pickett Smith and how his character plays off the Award-winning Ray Milland as Jason Crockett. This is while supporting cast like Joan Van Ark (known famously for Knots Landing and Dallas) as Karen Crockett brings Frogs together. Factors that helped Frogs become a box office success, making multi-millions on an estimated $200,000 budget, to this day it is still a fun watch.
Recalled by some for the classic clamshell VHS release in 1983, since then Frogs was released to DVD in 2000, but now in 2024, the movie finds its way to Blu-ray thanks to Kino Lorber. A part of the international distribution company’s Kino Cult series, Frogs is number 12, whereas 1977’s Empire of the Ants was number 11, and 1976’s Squirm is number 13. Something to consider if you are looking to build a collection, the Frogs Special Edition Blu-ray from Kino Lorber marks the first domestic issue of the film as a standalone feature; because in 2015 Shout Factory put it out as a double feature with 1976’s Food of the Gods.
Released on August 27, 2024, the Kino Lorber edition features the same 2K resolution as Shout Factory’s, but again, collectors will love that it is now sole. With this in mind, the image quality and sound are solid in their own right. Done well enough to make Frogs enjoyable to long-time fans, as well as newcomers, the special features here mirror Shout Factory’s, with an interview with Joan Von Ark, but the difference is that you now also have a cool commentary from Film Historian/Producer Daniel Marino (the son of NFL Hall of Famer Dan Marino).
In the end, Kino Lorber’s special edition release of Frogs should satisfy fans thanks to the transfer quality and the nice reversible artwork. That is why this Blu-ray is a great addition to any collection, and thus Cryptic Rock gives it 4 out of 5 stars.
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