The Wild Tale Behind Hell Comes to Frogtown

      Jack Gayer discusses the origins of the 1988 cult classic Hell Comes to Frogtown…

      “It’s the end of the 20th century, and humanity has exhausted its potential. The future of the human race depends on the actions of one man.” This cleverly phrased line from the trailer encapsulates the tone and storyline of Hell Comes to Frogtown (1988). While it could have also pointed out the presence of bizarre frog monsters in the film, viewers should ideally gather that on their own. It's best to approach the movie without any prior knowledge.

      The first thing we discover about Sam Hell, the protagonist in Hell Comes to Frogtown, is that he is a rapist. This serves as your standard “drown the cat” moment in the script. Instead of making the hero sympathetic, it quickly establishes that he is fundamentally flawed. Not only is he predatory, but he is also foolish, clumsy, and somewhat cowardly. Yet he can be charming at times. Sam is portrayed by the late “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, who, while not a brilliant actor, at least makes an effort, which is more than can be said for many athletes who transition to acting.

      The film openly “borrows” elements from Escape from New York (1981), Mad Max (1979), and Planet of the Apes (1968), along with a narrative that feels like a poorly conceived adult film script by someone who should be kept far from a zoo's amphibian enclosure. Frogtown has been described as the illegitimate child of Mad Max and Planet of the Apes. While there's no concrete evidence that the director used the term “illegitimate child,” it might have been hard to hear him clearly due to the humor in his statement. In a somewhat self-referential act, the film’s main writer, Randall Frakes, had done effects work on Escape from New York seven years earlier.

      Who looked at a script featuring such a detestable protagonist and a ludicrous plot—so rife with misogyny it could have been written by a clinic advocating forced sterilization—and thought, “Yes! This movie needs to be made immediately”? Unsurprisingly, there are varied accounts of the atmosphere on set, revealing that not every person involved fully embraced the project or was initially proud of it, and that some contributors were quite eccentric.

      To grasp the film that resembles an idea pitched by a stoned teenager (and you're not far from the truth), one must understand the writer. You might not recognize the name Randall Frakes, which admittedly sounds like a poorly crafted pseudonym. For years, he has frequently collaborated with James Cameron, often in uncredited roles as a story consultant. He claims to have contributed to the story of Avatar (2009) as well. Frakes mentions being asked to help with the script for The Terminator (1984) but felt a disconnect between his vision and Cameron’s, leading him to step back without explaining why. However, he did assist in creating the novelization of The Terminator. Frakes asserts that Cameron had expressed interest in contributing to Hell Comes to Frogtown, and when the studio hesitated to finance a larger introduction, Cameron offered to lend the money, which they declined.

      In the oral history titled “HDTGM: A Conversation With Randall Frakes, Writer/Producer Of ‘Hell Comes To Frogtown,’” Frakes candidly recounts his experiences with this pivotal sci-fi film. Unsurprisingly, he cites Planet of the Apes as a significant early influence. Also unsurprisingly, he talks about his last editing endeavor, a short film featuring a “straight-laced girl” seemingly engaging in self-pleasure on camera. His friends were thrilled that he got a girl to do that. What's shocking is that he was only 14 when filming this. While one might expect such a concept from a teenager, it's surprising that no one intervened. It's also startling that he may have inadvertently confessed to creating something resembling child pornography, as the body double was likely a sophomore as well. The connection to his later role in the film is also telling.

      In another part of the interview, he shares that while serving as a journalist in the army, he narrowly avoided having his throat cut by a fellow soldier. From this experience, he concluded that the world needs investigative journalists and truthful voices. Despite this realization, Frakes believed it would be safer to “tell truths” through screenwriting. As for the truths relayed in Hell Comes to Frogtown? Frogs are dirty creatures with outrageous libidos that would put dolphins to shame.

      Frakes explains that the concept for Frogtown originated from director Donald G. Jackson, who was on a creative roll after making several profitable films. When asked what he had next, he responded with a “list of characters and situations” for a film he envisioned