#Randall Frakes

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

Hell Comes to Frogtown (1988) co-directed by Donald G. Jackson and R. J. Kizer, and written by Jackson and Randall Frakes. The film stars professional wrestler Roddy Piper as well as Sandahl Bergman

[hazel-janes-books-galore]

1998 edition of Titanic: James Cameron's Illustrated Screenplay annotated by Randall Frakes.

[80smovies]

[argocitycosplay]

The Frogtown series

“The meek will inherit the earth!”

“Not without a good lawyer.”

Deleted line from “Hell Comes to Frogtown”

“Hell comes to Frogtown” is probably the most recognizable film Donald G. Jackson ever made. But it has a long history that goes all the way back to Jackson’t previous film, Roller Blade.

There is a section in L. A. they actually call Frogtown. It seems that back in the 1940s this part of…

[motionpicturebrew]

[hiddeninflame]

Comprehensive Crew List of The Walrus By Season

More to be added in the future.

Season 1 

James Flint, Captain. 

Hal Gates, Quartermaster, Then Captain of The Ranger, Killed by Flint (VIII.)

Billy Bones, Boatswain, Then Quartermaster, Presumed dead (VI.)

Dufresne, Purser. 

De Groot, Ship’s Master.

Randall, Cook.

John Silver, Cook.

Dr. Thomas Howell, Ship’s Doctor.

Logan, Armourer.

Muldoon, Gunner.

Mosiah, Leader of the Freedmen, Killed by Anne Bonny (I.) 

Levi, Mosiah’s bodyguard, Killed by Anne Bonny (I.)

Joshua, Vanguard.

Joji, Vanguard.

Dooley, Vanguard.

Singleton, Vanguard, Killed by Flint (I.) 

Beauclerc, Sharpshooter, Killed during The Battle of Division Bay (VIII.)

Crisp - Caused careening incident, Killed during battle with The Andromache (V.)

Froom, Caused careening incident, Killed in The Battle of Division Bay (VIII.)

Morley, Killed during the careening incident (IV.)

Bobby

Paxton

Nicholas Irving 

Vincent

Palmer

John Gaunt, Killed in The Battle of Division Bay (VI.)

[Unnamed], Helmsman.

Turk, Killed during The Battle of Division Bay (VIII.)

Lars, Shot by Hayes on The Andromache (VI.) 

‘Old’ Jim Carver, Killed during battle with The Andromache (VI.)

Sebastian Frakes, Killed during battle with The Andromache. (VI.)

Season 2 

James Flint, Briefly kicked from crew, Voted back as Captain (X.)

Mr. Scott, Quartermaster after Dufresne’s removal (XVI.) 

John Silver, Cook, Voted Quartermaster (XVIII.)

Billy Bones, Boatswain.

Dufresne, Captain, then Quartermaster, Kicked from crew by Billy Bones (XVI.)

De Groot, Ship’s Master.

Randall, Cook, Killed by Vane’s men (XVII.) 

Dr. Thomas Howell, Ship’s Doctor.

Logan, Armourer, Killed by Anne Bonny (XIV.)

Muldoon, Gunner.

Joshua, Vanguard, Killed by Charles Vane (XVII.)

Joji, Vanguard.

Dooley, Vanguard.

Howard

Tyson

Palmer

[Unnamed], Helmsman.

Nicholas Irving, Killed by Vincent (XVI.)

Vincent, Killed by Jenks of Vane’s crew. (XVIII.)

Season 3 

James Flint, Captain.

John Silver, Quartermaster.

De Groot, Ship’s Master.

Dr. Thomas Howell, Ship’s Doctor.

Muldoon, Killed in the storm (XX.)

Palmer, Killed by Flint for accusing Oates (XXI.)

Oates, Killed by Flint for stealing rations (XXI.)

[Unnamed], Helmsman, Killed in the storm (XX.)

Williamson, Helmsman.

Ben Gunn, Pirate resistance, Billy Bones’ Mate. 

Madi Scott, Maroon Princess, Passenger.

Kofi, Madi’s man.

Zaki, Madi’s bodyguard.

Udo, Madi’s bodyguard.

Chidi, Madi’s bodyguard.

Dobbs, Vanguard, Killed by Hornigold on Maroon Island (XXVIII.)

Colin, Vanguard.

Twitch, Killed by falling into a Maroon pit trap (XXII.)

Parker, Tortured to death by the Maroon Queen (XXII.) 

Louis, Tortured to death by the Maroon Queen (XXII.) 

Simon, Tortured to death by the Maroon Queen (XXII.)

Graves, Tortured to death by the Maroon Queen (XXII.)

Season 4 

James Flint,  Captain, Killed by Silver on Skeleton Island (XXXVIII.)

Long John Silver, Pirate King, Quartermaster, Survived.

Madi Scott, Maroon Princess, Loyal to Flint, Survived.

Israel Hands, Gunner, Silver’s bodyguard, Loyal to Silver, Survived. 

Billy Bones, Traitor, Marooned on Skeleton Island, Survived.

Ben Gunn, Loyal to Silver, Marooned on Skeleton Island, Survived.

Tom Morgan, Loyal to Silver, Survived.

Wallis, Killed by Eurydice crew on Skeleton Island (XXXVII.)

Jones, Killed by Eurydice crew on Skeleton Island (XXXVII.)

Williamson, Helmsman, Killed by Eurydice crew on Skeleton Island (XXXVII.)

Obi, Madi’s bodyguard, Loyal to Madi and Flint.

Zaki, Madi’s bodyguard, Killed by Spanish Soldier on Nassau (XXXIV.)

Adams, Loyal to Silver, Killed by Flint on Skeleton Island (XXXVIII.)

Colin, Loyal to Silver, Killed by Flint on Skeleton Island (XXXVIII.)

Kofi, Madi’s man, Killed by Woodes Rogers (XXXVI.)

De Groot, Ship’s master, Killed by Billy Bones on Skeleton Island (XXXVII.)

Dr. Howell, Ship’s doctor, Hanged in Nassau (XXXI.)

Joji, Loyal to Silver,  Killed by Flint on Skeleton Island (XXXVII.)

Dooley, Vanguard, Loyal to Flint, Killed by Flint on Skeleton Island (XXXVII.)

Treasure Island 

(Men who claimed to be crew of The Walrus.)

Billy Bones, Known as ‘The Captain’, Loyal to himself, Dies of a stroke.

Black Dog

David ‘Blind’ Pew, Trampled by horses. 

Long John Silver, Owns The Spy-Glass in Bristol, Married to Madi, Cook, Captain of the pirates.  

Tom Morgan, Marooned on Skeleton Island.

Job Anderson, Boatswain, Killed by Abraham Gray.

Ben Gunn, Loyal to Jim and Co., Returned to England as a beggar.

Israel Hands, Coxswain, Loyal to himself, Killed by Jim Hawkins.

O’Brien, Killed by Israel Hands.

George Merry, Killed by Jim and Co.

[khelinski]

Books I’ve read in 2020:

A Study in Scarlet, by: Arthur Conan Doyle Full Throttle, by: Joe Hill No Happy Endings, by: Nora McInerny Clockwork Angels, by: Kevin J. Anderson/Neil Peart The Sign of the Four, by: Arthur Conan Doyle Uglies, by: Scott Westerfeld Raptor Red, by: Robert T. Bakker The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by: Arthur Conan Doyle Gwendy's Magic Feather, by: Richard Chizmar The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by: Arthur Conan Doyle The Turning, by: Henry James The Hot Zone, by: Richard Preston The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by: Arthur Conan Doyle Sonny's Blues, by: James Baldwin The Terminator, by: Randall Frakes/Bill Wisher Terminator 2 – Judgement Day, by: Randall Frakes The Hound of the Baskervilles, by: Arthur Conan Doyle The Valley of Fear, by: Arthur Conan Doyle Pretties, by: Scott Westerfeld If It Bleeds, by: Stephen King milk and honey, by: rupi kaur Full Dark No Stars by: Stephen King His Last Bow, by: Arthur Conan Doyle Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, by: David Sedaris Daisy Jones & The Six, by: Taylor Jenkins Reid Frozen Hell, by: John W. Campbell The Little Dog Laughed, by: Jackie Sonnenberg The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, by: Arthur Conan Doyle The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes, by: Suzanne Collins The Cay, by: Theodore Taylor Normal People, by: Sally Rooney Lovecraft Country, by: Matt Ruff The Bad Beginning, by: Lemony Snicket The Reptile Room, by: Lemony Snicket Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, by: Jane Austen/Seth Grahame-Smith The Dead Zone, by: Stephen King Specials, by: Scott Westerfeld Frankenstein, by: Mary Shelley The Autumn Balloon, by: Kenny Porpora Books of Blood Vol. 4-6, by: Clive Barker Channel Kindness, by: Born This Way Foundation The Astonishing, by: Peter Orullian/John Petrucci Mental Molting, by: Melissa Gibbo The Walking Dead Compendium Vol. 4, by: Robert Kirkman/Charlie Adlard Wandering Wonders, by: Brian Harris The Addams Family: an Evilution, by: H. Kevin Miserocchi/Charles Addams The Cabin at the End of the World, by: Paul G. Tremblay The Wide Window, by: Lemony Snicket The Places That Scare You, by: Pema Chodron The Queen’s Gambit, by: Walter Tevis Dark Places, by: Gillian Flynn Still Learning, by: India Oxenberg (Audiobook) A Promised Land, by: Barack Obama One Day in December, by: Josie Silver A Christmas Carol, by: Charles Dickens I'll Be Gone in the Dark, by: Michelle McNamara

[brokehorrorfan]

Blu-ray Review: Hell Comes to Frogtown

Despite lighting up the screen during his wrestling promos throughout the ‘80s, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper didn't fully transition to film until 1988's Hell Comes to Frogtown. While the low-budget B-movie didn't exactly advance Piper's career outside the ring, it opened the door for him to secure the lead role in John Carpenter's They Live, which opened at #1 at the box office in 1988. Hell Comes to Frogtown may not have the same notoriety, but, warts and all, it’s a fun one - wars and all.

The film is set a decade after a nuclear war has left most of the United States a desolate wasteland. Male survivors are rare, and rarer still are those who remain potent for re-population. Enter Sam Hell (Piper), a scavenger with a high sperm count. The provisional government offers to wipe his lengthy record clean if he rescues and impregnates fertile women held captive in a ghetto of the wasteland dubbed Frogtown, so named for its humanoid-amphibian mutant inhabitants. Piper's loyalty is ensured by an electric chastity belt of sorts that has a "flap" that allows him to perform when duty calls.

The outlandish concept was conceived by director Donald G. Jackson and writer Randall Frakes, who came up together under Roger Corman and previously collaborated on 1986’s Roller Blade. Jackson had a connection with the wrestling world, having made the documentary I Like to Hurt People, but when New World Pictures opted to give Frogtown a bigger budget, they paired him with the more experienced R.J. Kizer (who helmed the new footage for Godzilla 1985's American release) as co-director.

The creature effects sometimes look like low-rent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles knock-offs, particularly under the scrutiny of high definition, but Steve Wang's (Predator, The Monster Squad) admirable work on the frog people - particularly Commander Toty, the leader with an animatronic head - elevates the production beyond its low budget. The post-nuke setting also helps to bolster the production value.

As a wrestling personality, Piper was used to playing for the cheap seats, so his take on Sam Hell is big and broad. He improved as an actor tenfold in the short time between Frogtown and They Live, with the latter performance far more grounded, but Frogtown's absurd material allows him to chew the scenery like he would in his wrestling promos. There's nothing to rival his legendary fight scene in They Live, but Piper does duke it out with a few frog-men, including outsmarting one with a Three Stooges gag.

Sandahl Bergman (Conan the Barbarian) co-stars as Spangle, Sam Hell's handler who is "trained in seduction techniques." Although she occasionally gets the upper hand on Hell, as you might imagine, she is largely relegated to the damsel in distress at best and eye candy at worst. The cast also includes William Smith (Maniac Cop), Rory Calhoun (Motel Hell), Nicholas Worth (Darkman), and Lee Garlington (Cobra).

Hell Comes to Frogtown has been newly restored in 4K from its 35mm interpositive for Vinegar Syndrome's Blu-ray/DVD combo pack. It looks clearer than a movie called with such a ridiculous title has any right to, with a 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix to match. It features reversible cover art with two different archival posters. Vinegar Syndrome also offers an exclusive, V-shaped splitcover designed by Earl Kessler Jr., which is limited to 3,000 units.

The disc features a new, 55-minute interview with Frakes, who provides an exhaustive history of the film. It's filled with interesting anecdotes, like the fact that he and Jackson initially wanted Tim Thomerson for the role of Sam Hell, while New World originally pushed for Daniel Stern. If that's not enough, the audio commentary with Jackson and Frakes from Anchor Bay's 2001 DVD release features additional insight, and the filmmakers were not afraid to air their grievances.

Beyond that, the special features from Arrow Video's Region B release of the film in 2013 are ported over. They include interviews with Piper, who is open about his lack of acting experience and how his perspective on the movie has changed over the years; actor Brian Fran, who discusses the challenges of working in a heavy suit topped by an animatronic head; and Wang, who reveals how he created the frog-men on a budget, accompanied by behind-the-scenes photos.

Hell Comes to Frogtown is as ludicrous in tone as it is in title. It largely functions as a post-apocalyptic action flick, but it also dabbles in the creature feature, sex comedy, and exploitation realms. The result is an amalgam of Mad Max, Planet of the Apes, and Porky's, as if directed by Russ Meyer. It mostly works, thanks to a healthy helping of campy charm to hold it all together.

Hell Comes to Frogtown is available now on Blu-ray/DVD via Vinegar Syndrome.

[ambrosiacombr]

O Exterminador do Futuro: como fica a franquia com a volta de James Cameron?, por Cesar Monteiro

Ao que tudo indica, a franquia O Exterminador do Futuro está mesmo voltando para as mãos de seu criador, o diretor James Cameron. A informação veio do site Deadline. Os direitos de Terminator retornam para Cameron em 2019, quando será iniciada uma nova produção da série. Porém, Cameron não dirigi...

#Cinema #AlanTaylor, #AndyVajna, #ArnoldSchwarzenegger, #DavidEllison, #GaleAnneHurd, #JamesCameron, #JohnCarpenter, #MarioKassar, #MeganEllison, #OExterminadorDoFuturo, #RandallFrakes, #TimMiller

http://ambrosia.com.br/cinema/o-exterminador-do-futuro-como-fica-franquia-com-volta-de-james-cameron/

[funmedia101]

Randall Frakes is a film and science fiction writer primarily known for his work with long-time friends Bill Wisher and James Cameron on The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

[elaine-white-author]

Share-It Saturday: Best Movie Novelisations

Share-It Saturday: Best Movie Novelisations

This Listopia was created by the members of Goodreads. You can find the full list here. I’ve shared the Top 20 of the list.

1

Alien by Alan Dean Foster2

The Terminator (Terminator Movie Novelisation, #1) by Randall Frakes3

Aliens by Alan Dean Foster4

The Lost Boys by Craig Shaw Gardner5

The Last Starfighter by Alan Dean Foster6

The Goonies by James Kahn (Goodreads Author)7

The Abyss by Orson Scott Card8

Gold…

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

Hell Comes to Frogtown (1988) co-directed by Donald G. Jackson and R. J. Kizer, and written by Jackson and Randall Frakes. The film stars professional wrestler Roddy Piper as well as Sandahl Bergman

[fathizaki]

T-800 and Sarah Connor reunited

Further results

Yes, even was doomed from the start. Because without Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor, the emotional core of the journey that began in the first “Terminator” was missing. Everything that came after that was not a real sequel, but at best spin-offs. The soundtrack to the film was released in May 1994 under the title The Terminator (The Definite Edition) and was written by Brad Fiedel. In the fourth part of the series, the Terminator theme, which is very well known to soundtrack fans, was taken up again and orchestrated by the composer Danny Elfman, so that it sounds more epic. Sometimes it is also played as a guitar solo. Three songs sung by Tané McClure (You Can't Do That, Burnin 'in the Third Degree and Photoplay) are from the band Tahnee Cain & Tryanglz. The terminator is an android. In the second film, he correctly describes himself as a cybernetic organism, consisting of human tissue over a metallic endoskeleton. Only in the fourth part of the film series is a real cyborg depicted with the person of Marcus Wright. Sarah will have already tried to implement her plan in Terminator 2 - Billing Day and will continue to pursue it. In two scenes, it is also pointed out how Cyberdyne Systems Corporation obtains knowledge about the development of Skynet. When the injured Sarah was removed, iphone 11 bazooka phone case has the lettering Cyberdyne on it to read the company logo of the factory building, in which, in another scene, two employees discover a computer chip from the main unit of the terminator. In terms of content, “Dark Fate” follows the second, and for many fans, the last good part of the “Terminator” series.

The shooting lasted until May 1984. According to his own statement, during the production of Piranha 2 - Flying Killer in 1981, Cameron had a dream about a robot skeleton surrounded by flames. [4] Together with his friends William Wisher Jr. and Randall Frakes, he developed the first script from it. Cameron later sold it to producer Gale Anne Hurd for $ 1 on condition that he could direct it. Cameron and Hurd further refined the script and received sole writing credits. Kyle Reese is a Resistance Tech Sergeant and an experienced war veteran. He has the important role of protecting Sarah Connor, whom he only knows from an old photo, from the Terminator in the past. When he arrives in 1984 and shadows her, she initially perceives him as a criminal stalker, but over time learns his motives, finally believes him and falls in love with him. - Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of his best roles. Please enter five or nine digits for the postcode. There are 1 items available. Please enter a number that is less than or equal to 1. Now that I have recognized this, I also understand why not a single sequel has been able to work since Judgment Day.

[karthik82]

[#DrawWithMango × #DailyMovieSketch] Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) Directed by James Cameron Continuing my series of #90snostalgia sketches, one for every year in the decade, for @mangopenciler's art challenge. One of the best sequels of all time - T2 is a landmark movie. It was one of the early films that use computer generated imagery for visual effects, winning an Oscar for that. I watched it some months ago and it still holds up well. The first two films are far better than the sequels that came out in subsequent years. There's a T6 coming up with James Cameron's blessing and Deadpool's Tim Miller involved, but I am not keeping any expectations. If it's good that'll be a pleasant surprise. What most of us would have watched in theatres or on videotape back then (in 1993 or 1994 I bought the tape and watched it many many times that the tape wore out) would've been the 136 min theatrical release, DVD / Blu-ray Extended editions run about 15 min longer. I also had bought a novelisation (remember those?) of the film by Randall Frakes, based on the script by James Cameron and William Wisher. You can find a PDF online of you look for it. I drew Schwarzenegger from the ending steel plant scene where he tells the T-1000, "Hasta la vista, baby". The drawing was done with the @ns1pen on A6 Brustro sketchbook. I also used a blue and red ballpoint pen, and Sakura Gelly Roll white pen on this. This is a scan. The reference image is from the theatrical trailer, which apparently used a different take of the scene than the one that ended up in the actual movie. I drew from here, as the shot in the movie is framed tighter and Arnold's hair wasn't visible. Next up — 1992! Can you guess which movie I'll be drawing? #t2 #terminator #terminator2 #schwarzenegger #ns1pen #ink #inksketch #blackworknow #ballpointpen #ballpoint #biro #420 / 4-Mar-19 (at Secunderabad) https://www.instagram.com/p/Buk21_ogYbU/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=3ltpublruxny

[the-master-cylinder]

SUMMARY This film is set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where few fertile men and women exist due to atomic fallout. As a result, the government places a high priority on those that can still breed. Shortly before the movie opens, a group of mutant amphibians (who have been exiled to the desert by humans) capture a group of fertile women and are using them as sex slaves.

Sam Hell (Piper) is a nomadic traveler who wanders the countryside. He is eventually captured by an organization of warrior-nurses, the closest thing to a government in his region of the world, who reveal that they located him by tracking the trail of pregnant women left in his wake. Their original plan was to use him as breeding stock with their collection of fertile women, but this was the group captured by the mutants. With their own attempts to capture the women failing, the group presses Hell into service as a mercenary; he is to infiltrate the mutant city (derogatorily referred to as “Frogtown”) and rescue the women. To make sure that the rebellious Hell follows his orders, he is forced to wear an electronic protective codpiece that will explode if he disobeys or tries to abort his mission. Having already taken numerous samples of reproductive material from him, he is now deemed far more expendable than the women themselves. To aid him in his mission (and make sure he follows the plan), he is paired with one of the nurses, Spangle (Bergman), and an aggressive guard named Centinella (Verrell).

During their journey to Frogtown, Hell tries numerous times to escape but quickly learns that a device Spangle carries will shock his genitals if used or if he gets too far away from it. Despite their rocky start and Spangle’s initial cold demeanor, the pair grow closer during the journey and eventually fall in love. When they reach Frogtown, everyone involved is captured. The frogs’ second-in-command, Bull (Nicholas Worth), tortures Hell and attempts to remove the codpiece for its technology. Meanwhile, a slightly drugged Spangle is forced to work as a slave and dance for the frogs’ Commander Toty (Brian Frank) in the notable “Dance of the Three Snakes” sequence. Proving more successful than she had wished, the nurse soon finds herself at the mercy of the aroused commander. However, with the codpiece now removed (Bull finally removed it with a chainsaw, but it blew up and killed him), the escaped Hell rescues her along with the group of fertile women (Ellen Crocker, Kim Hewson, Ilana Ishaki, Annie McKinon and Janie Thorson) held captive.

DEVELOPMENT/PRODUCTION Donald G. Jackson had directed a $70,000 16mm direct-to-video feature for New World’s video division: ROLLERBLADE, a tale of “futuristic rebel nuns on skates with knives, “according to Jackson. On the strength of that project’s overseas sales, New World asked him to pitch ideas for another low-budget, direct-to-video feature. Jackson pitched HELL COMES TO FROGTOWN, a tongue in-cheek post-apocalypse action-adventure story, which he described as “ROAD WARRIOR meets PLANET OF THE APES, except they’re frogs.”

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New World loved the script by Randall Frakes, who was supposed to co-produce the film with Jackson, and agreed to finance the project, which was to be shot 16mm, non-union, for $150,000. It was then that the project began to balloon. New World wanted a name in the cast and suggested Sybil Danning for a role intended for Suzanne Solari, who had appeared in ROLLERBLADE. As a bone, Solari was given the small part of a nomad girl in the film. Jackson did not think Danning was right for the part, so New World offered it to Sandahl Bergman, who was finishing up a two-picture contract with them. Unfortunately, the casting of Bergman meant that the whole film had to be cast SAG, which immediately raised the budget to $500,000. New World’s video division could not afford that price tag, so the film was moved over to the feature division where executives questioned whether the script’s extensive action and stunt requirements could be achieved for half a million dollars. They rebudgeted the film somewhere between $750,000 to $1,000,000.

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“Then I got the phone call,” said Jackson. “They basically said, ‘We’re not going to trust you with a million dollars, but here’s what we’d like to do, because we like the project: we’ll give you a million, but we want you and R. J. Kizer to co-direct.” Kizer was the editor New World brought in to direct scenes of Raymond Burr for GODZILLA: 1985. Jackson was not pleased to lose control, but ultimately he decided it was a better career move to go for a bigger-budget theatrical release than another low budget video. New World brought on line producer Bill Edwards, who did not think the script could be shot for $1,000,000. He and executive in charge of production Neal Nordlinger raised the budget to $1.5 million. While at Alan Lansburg Productions, Nordinger had co-produced JAWS 3-D.

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Said Jackson, “We had five accountants, two directors, three producers, one executive in charge of production and two executives in charge of the executive in charge of production-so everybody had his finger in the pie, getting their friends jobs instead of spending money on the film. They wouldn’t hire the lighting guy I wanted, so I had to pay additional money out of my pocket to get the right guy.”

The first and only time I ever saw the movie with an audience—prior to a couple of months ago—was on the old MGM lot in Culver City. The Cary Grant screening room. The audience was made up of the crew and some of the cast, and the movie dropped like a 10-ton stone into mud. I hated the movie. Hated it. Looking at it was like staring at a wrecked career. My friend William Wisher—who I mentioned earlier, and who was amazed my dopey script even got made—came up to me afterward and said, “I’m sorry they screwed up your movie, Randy.” That was the nail in the coffin. But I must also say that a few months ago, when the Cinefamily Theater here in L.A. did a one-night Rowdy Roddy Piper memorial screening of They Live and Hell Comes to Frogtown, the audience seemed to get all the jokes as intended. They were extremely appreciative and enthusiastic in their response. So, despite all the ruinous stuff that happened to compromise Frogtown, it evidently still hits the mark well enough for some people who like weird and funny stuff to enjoy. For that, I am grateful. And producing that movie was a huge learning experience, an on-the-job training that has helped me navigate this silly business and the people who presume to run it. – Randall Frakes (Producer/Writer)

The film went into production with former wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper in the lead role of Sam Hellmond and frog masks by 21 year-old Steve Wang. Unfortunately, despite the rising budget, Wang’s budget was never increased, limiting what he could accomplish, so most of the mutant frog people are rather inexpressive. However, the radio-controlled mask for Commander Toty, the chief villain, features an impressive range of expressions, including bulging eyes, flaring nostrils, and flickering eyelids.

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The production soon ran into trouble. Despite early agreements on a cinematic style inspired by samurai films and Italian westerns, Kizer and Jackson were just too different in their approach. “I knew it wouldn’t work I’m sure he didn’t like being in that position any more than I,” said Jackson. “R. J. in my opinion never liked the project. He wanted the money and the directing credit.”

Another major source of friction arose regarding the film’s photographic look. Jackson, who according to his usual practice was photographing as well as directing the film, clashed with the movie’s art director. “The executive in charge of production had a friend of a friend who had never been an art director – he was an architectural draftsman. I never liked the way he dressed the sets, and I kept changing them around to make them look good for the camera which really upset him and the executive in charge. All my sets looked better after being redressed. He was building them like for a stage play, not for a movie. He didn’t age it-everything was too new. I kept taking cans of flat black paint and aging everything down.

“After doing this for ten days, the final blow-up was in the bar scene. They had blow-up sex dolls, I found that really offensive. They had naked mannequins, I found that offensive. They had this big poster of Reagan as Max Headroom, which the guy had swiped from a Doonesbury cartoon. So I wanted that all torn down. I got in a violent argument with the art director, who said he was gonna quit. I wish he had. He didn’t.

“The next day, when I came to work, they said, “There’s a new cinematographer, and he’s not gonna fuck with the art director.’ And I was told to watch they didn’t want me to talk to R. J. on the set, only in the trailer, so he was happy.

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“So I watched. I got tired of watching after six hours, so I grabbed a camera, went outside, and put together my own 2nd unit crew and started shooting a lot of insert shots. We shot two cameras on the pyrotechnics and fights and shot a lot of closeups of fingers pulling triggers and so on.”

By this time, Jackson’s co-producer Randall Frakes had already been fired for insisting the film be shot as written. Said Jackson, “The script was cut so drastically by Neal Nordinger and R. J. Kizer it no longer resembled the action script we wrote. New World said we couldn’t afford it, but I’d just shot a whole movie for hardly any money so I know it can be done.

“When I was shooting I was going as fast as anybody could go and everybody was complaining it wasn’t fast enough. As soon as they put on another d.p., the pace slowed down to one-half. The original schedule was twenty days. They shot twenty-two days principal, plus five more days of pickups because they didn’t cover the action properly-it wouldn’t cut together.”

The final product pleased neither Jackson nor New World, who, ironically enough, now plan to release it directly to video rather than theatrically.

Donald G. Jackson Interview Tell us about the genesis of Hell Comes to Frogtown ? Where did you find the inspiration for frog mutants ? What kind of deal New World proposed to you ? And how do you feel about that afterward ? Donald G. Jackson: There is a section of Los Angeles known as Frogtown. The story goes, that back in the 1940s this area was overwhelmed by a large invasion of Frogs — which is why it got its name. I had a friend Sam Mann, who was one of the actors in Roller Blade and lived in this area. We were driving along one day and he came up with the title, Hell Comes to Frogtown. From there, I ran with the idea and that is how the movie developed.

New World had made so much money on Roller Blade they offered to finance Hell Comes to Frogtown. My original plan was to shoot the movie with Sam Mann and Suzanne Solari (both from Roller Blade) as the leads. I was going to shoot it on 16 mm, with my Bolex — as I had done with Roller Blade. But then, New World decided they wanted to “Up” the budget. The problem is, the minute you let the devil in the door, the devil is going to take control over you. And, that is what happened with New World and Hell Comes to Frogtown. They decided that they wanted to cast name talent and take over the production of the film. So, the movie evolved from being a 16 mm art film, to a relatively high budget 35 mm cult movie. Sadly, my friend Sam didn’t get to play Sam Hell and Suzanne was only given a small part in the film.

Were Roddy Piper and Sandahl Bergman your firsts choices for the roles of Spangle and Sam Hell ? What were they like on the set ? Donald G. Jackson: No, as stated, my original plan was to shoot the movie with Sam Mann and Suzanne Solari as the leads. But, New World wanted to use Roddy Piper as he was a very famous wrestler at the time — and this was going to be his first movie.

As a fan of wrestling, I was happy to have him. But, as you can understand, what occurred was not fair to my friend Sam. I think I may have made the wrong choice by not standing by my friend Sam, who actually came up with the title and the idea for the movie. But, I spoke with him and he seemed Okay with what was happening. Though Hell Comes to Frogtown is, no doubt, my most famous feature, by my accepting New World’s offer, I believe it did set a lot of bad karma in motion.

Regarding Sandahl Bergman: She had just finished Conan: The Barbarian, and they wanted to use her for her name power, as well. I had very little to do with any of the casting of the film. Again, this is the problem when a large production company becomes involved in a project — the actual filmmaker is allowed very little creative control. Which is why I have never again worked with a large production company. But, Piper and Bergan were both very nice people to work with.

Anything to say on Cec Verrell (Centinella)? Donald G. Jackson: No, just somebody cast by New World. Also, very nice

The “Dance of the Three snakes” scene didn’t really stand its promises ? Did Sandahl Bergman have something to do with that ? Donald G. Jackson: In the script, Bergman’s character was to be naked in this scene. On the set, she would have nothing to do with nudity, however. So, it was one of those power struggle things happening between the actor and the director. Due to New World’s influence and decision, the actor won.

William Smith is one of my favorite actors. How did you get in touch with him ? He would have made a perfect Sam Hell too, don’t you think ? Are you still in touch with him ? Donald G. Jackson: Yes, Bill is a great actor and a great friend. He has been around the film industry forever. And, I have known him for a lot of years. I put him in my films whenever I can.

Nicolas Worth is also brilliant, even under his heavy make-up. A very talented actor. Did you notice him from his creepy performance in Don’t Answer the Phone (1980) ? Donald G. Jackson: No, he was cast by New World.

The makeup of the Frogmen are excellent, could you tell us about that ? Donald G. Jackson: Steve Wang who went on to direct films like Kung Fu Rascals, The Guyver, and Drive was the main force behind the frog masks and make-up. He is a great guy and has gone on to do a lot of special effects work for a number of very big feature films.

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There’s always comedy coupled with eroticism and sexual content in your movies that remind me of the films of Russ Meyer. Do his films form part of your influence ? Donald G. Jackson: Some of Russ’s stuff is great. Particularly when you think that he made them without the help of any of the big studios. But, he has never been an influence to me. It was more the avant-garde films from the 1960s like Dr. Chicago and Chinese Fire Drill that really inspired me as a filmmaker.

I think you’re also a car lover and “Hell Comes to Frogtown” showcases two amazing cars, were they part of your own collection ? Donald G. Jackson: Yes, I am a big fan of classic cars. I love the cars made in Detroit from the 1950s and early 1960s. One of the cars in Frogtown is a 1962 Plymouth Belvedere. I found and purchased two at the same time. One, we customized for the film and the other one I customized to my own specification and have driven ever since.

R.J. Kizer, the guy guilty to have shot the useless and ugly new scenes of the American version of The Return of Godzilla is often credited as the co-director of Hell Comes to Frogtown. Why ? Was it imposed to you by New World ? Why ? What was your relations with him on the set ? Of which part is it exactly responsible in the final cut of the movie ? Donald G. Jackson: Like a lot of people in the film industry, I sometimes say things, trying to soften the reality of what actually occurred in a particular situation and trying to make it more understandable for those who have never made a film. But, now is the time for me to spell out the truth.

Hell Comes to Frogtown was my baby. Though I have been the one to get the most press from the film, regarding Kizer, again, New World took over the project and said that was part of the deal — Kizer was going to be the co-director of the movie. Even though I was the creator, my complete creative control was taken away. New World became angry at my desire to maintain control over the project and I was eventually removed as the director and banned from the sets. There was never any collaboration.

Regarding the final cut of the film, New World handled it. Though I watched some of the editing — they didn’t like my flaring temper, when I didn’t like something I didn’t like. Again, this is why I have never worked with another big production company. Because it just takes all of the creativity away from the filmmaker.

CAST/CREW Directed Donald G. Jackson J. Kizer

Produced Donald G. Jackson Randall Frakes

Written Donald G. Jackson and Randall Frakes (story and screenplay)

Roddy Piper as Sam Hell Sandahl Bergman as Spangle Cec Verrell as Centinella William Smith as Captain Devlin/Count Sodom Rory Calhoun as Looney Tunes Nicholas Worth as Bull Brian Frank as Commander Toty Julius LeFlore as Squidlips Eyde Byrde as Patton Lee Garlington as Briefing Officer

Special Effects by Grant Arndt  … creature effects Wayne Beauchamp  … pyrotechnician Makio Kida   … creature effects Crit Killen  … creature effects David Kindlon    … creature animatronics (as Dave Kindlon) Steve Patino … creature effects Matt Rose    … creature effects Johnnie Saiko    … creature effects Steve Wang   … creature effects Ed Yang  … creature effects

CREDITS/REFERENCES/SOURCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY Scottshaw.com slashfilm.com Cinefantastique v18n05 Imagi-Movies v01n04

Hell Comes to Frogtown (1988) Retrospective SUMMARY This film is set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where few fertile men and women exist due to atomic fallout.

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