''Return to Frogtown'' (also known as ''Frogtown II'') is a 1993
B movie
A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature ...
directed by
Donald G. Jackson
Donald G. Jackson (April 24, 1943 – October 20, 2003) was an American filmmaker.
Biography
Born in Tremont, Mississippi, Jackson grew up in Adrian, Michigan. As an adult he struggled to become a filmmaker for many years while working at an ...
.
It is the sequel to the 1988
cult film
A cult film or cult movie, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage ...
''
Hell Comes to Frogtown
''Hell Comes to Frogtown'' is a 1988 American science fiction action film 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 ...
''. Like its predecessor, the film is set in a
post-apocalyptic
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction is a subgenre of speculative fiction in which the Earth's (or another planet's) civilization is collapsing or has collapsed. The apocalypse event may be climatic, such as runaway climate change; astro ...
future where
mutant
In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It ...
frog-people are at war with mankind.
Plot
Set some years after the events of the first movie, Captain Delano (Charles Napier) sends Sam Hell to infiltrate Frog Town again to rescue Texas Rocket Ranger John Jones (played by
Lou Ferrigno
Louis Jude Ferrigno Sr. (; born November 9, 1951) is an American actor and retired professional bodybuilder. As a bodybuilder, Ferrigno won an IFBB Mr. America title and two consecutive IFBB Mr. Universe titles; and appeared in the documenta ...
) who crash landed. In what may be a direct reference to his ''
Incredible Hulk'' fame, Jones is an unwilling test subject who is modified and turned into a frog-person, giving him superhuman strength.
The tests are conducted by Professor Tanzer (Brion James) and Nurse Cloris (Linda Singer
This is part of a larger plot by the Evil Star Frogmeister to turn all humans into frogmen. Hell must journey to the Frogtown Mutant Reservation in a desperate attempt to stop the planned mutation
Cast
*
Robert Z'Dar
Robert James Zdarsky (June 3, 1950 – March 30, 2015), better known by his stage name Robert Z'Dar, was an American character actor and film producer, best known for his role as officer Matt Cordell in the cult horror film ''Maniac Cop'' and it ...
as Sam Hell
*
Denice Duff
Denice Marie Duff (née Burker; born July 1, 1965 in New York City) is an American actress, director, and photographer, who is best known for her roles as Michelle Morgan in Full Moon Features' ''Subspecies'' series and as Amanda Browning in t ...
as Dr. Spangle
* Kelsey as Commander Toty
* Michael Nyman as Frog
* Linda Singer as Nurse Cloris
*
Lou Ferrigno
Louis Jude Ferrigno Sr. (; born November 9, 1951) is an American actor and retired professional bodybuilder. As a bodybuilder, Ferrigno won an IFBB Mr. America title and two consecutive IFBB Mr. Universe titles; and appeared in the documenta ...
as Ranger John Jones
*
Don Stroud
Donald Lee Stroud (born September 1, 1943) is an American actor, musician, and surfer. Stroud has appeared in over 100 films and 200 television shows.
Early years
Stroud was the son of vaudeville actor Clarence Stroud (of "The Stroud Twins" team ...
as Brandy Stone
*
Brion James
Brion Howard James (February 20, 1945 – August 7, 1999) was an American character actor. He portrayed Leon Kowalski in ''Blade Runner'' and appeared in ''Southern Comfort'', '' 48 Hrs.'', ''Another 48 Hrs.'', '' Silverado'', ''Tango & Cash'', ' ...
as Professor Tanzer
*
Charles Napier as Captain Delano
*
Rhonda Shear
Rhonda Honey Shear (born November 12, 1954) is an American television personality, comedian, actress, and entrepreneur. She is known for her role as a host in the 1990s USA Network's weekend B-movie show, ''USA Up All Night''. In 2001, she start ...
as Fuzzy
*
Ken Davitian
Kenneth Davitian ( hy, Քենեթ Դավիթյան; born June 19, 1953) is an American actor, best known for his role as Borat's producer Azamat Bagatov in the 2006 comedy film ''Borat''.
Early life and education
Kenneth Davitian was born in ...
as Bud
* Brad Baker as Frog Guard
Production
Robert Z'Dar
Robert James Zdarsky (June 3, 1950 – March 30, 2015), better known by his stage name Robert Z'Dar, was an American character actor and film producer, best known for his role as officer Matt Cordell in the cult horror film ''Maniac Cop'' and it ...
plays the main character, Sam Hell, in place of Roddy Piper. Notable co-stars of the cast include:
Don Stroud
Donald Lee Stroud (born September 1, 1943) is an American actor, musician, and surfer. Stroud has appeared in over 100 films and 200 television shows.
Early years
Stroud was the son of vaudeville actor Clarence Stroud (of "The Stroud Twins" team ...
,
Brion James
Brion Howard James (February 20, 1945 – August 7, 1999) was an American character actor. He portrayed Leon Kowalski in ''Blade Runner'' and appeared in ''Southern Comfort'', '' 48 Hrs.'', ''Another 48 Hrs.'', '' Silverado'', ''Tango & Cash'', ' ...
,
Charles Napier,
Rhonda Shear
Rhonda Honey Shear (born November 12, 1954) is an American television personality, comedian, actress, and entrepreneur. She is known for her role as a host in the 1990s USA Network's weekend B-movie show, ''USA Up All Night''. In 2001, she start ...
.
The movie was followed by ''
Max Hell Frog Warrior
''Max Hell Frog Warrior'' also known as ''Toad Warrior'' is a 1996 martial arts sci fi cult film written, produced, and directed by Donald G. Jackson and Scott Shaw. This film is the third in the ''Hell Comes to Frogtown'' series, following the cu ...
''. Filmmaker Jackson claimed New World Pictures interfered with the picture.
Reception
Received two out of five stars in Creature Feature.
TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
gave the movie one star out of five, greatly preferring the original film.
[Frogtown II Review. https://www.tvguide.com/movies/frogtown-ii/review/129292/]
References
External links
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1993 films
1990s science fiction action films
American science fiction action films
American sequel films
American post-apocalyptic films
Films set in Texas
1990s English-language films
Films directed by Donald G. Jackson
1990s American films
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