One of the most famous “eco-horror” or “nature run amok” films that were very popular in the 1970’s, Frogs concerns a young Sam Elliot trapped on the isolated island of a rich, spoiled United States Southern family who fall victim by different enraged animal species including snakes, birds, spiders and, of course, frogs. Nature, the movie explains, is exacting revenge on this family because of its patriarch’s (played by genre vet Ray Milland) casual, thoughtless abuse of the local ecology. The family has gathered at Milland’s mansion to celebrate his birthday, but all festivities come to an end as members of the clan are dispatched by various animals, bugs and assorted beasties, seemingly under the guidance of the croaking bull frogs always seen or heard in the distance. The movie is a riot from start to finish with virtually all the family members despicable, spoiled bastards who have no respect for each other, let alone the environment.

His black servants may be a bit over the top and stereotypical, but it fits Milland’s almost Col. Sanders from Hell look perfectly. The animal attacks themselves are unusually well handled, with plenty of tension and creepiness involved for a lower budgeted picture of this era. Most of the victims find themselves in some sort of incapacitating condition during the attacks and usually are powerless to fend off the overwhelming swarms of creepy-crawlies descending upon them. Most of the critter attacks take place when characters are conveniently alone, and while it’s a small point, it is glaringly obvious that characters leave the main group for practically no reason only to be picked off. Or another crutch is when someone else wanders off to look for the first person who disappeared and so on and so on.

There are many scenes that will be shiver-inducing, especially if you have a phobia of creatures such as snakes or spiders. The movie exploits the usual “slimy” stereotype that general audiences at the time had regarding most of the hopping, slithering or crawling stars of the movie, and uses our phobias to their maximum potential for plenty of squirm-inducing set pieces. Most of the deaths are gruesome, surprisingly so given the unusual jovial tone the non-kill scenes of the movie takes. No amount of damage is held back on the family who, even to their bitter ends, can’t believe that this is happening to them because of some “dumb animals.”

After catching this oddity during a midnight run, this has become a staple in my household. The atmosphere is one of playfulness, almost as if nature itself is celebrating. When the jaunty atmosphere is shattered by the deaths, it’s actually very jarring and shocking. The movie is silly and goofy, yet it works. There is no real reason given for this happening, and no real denouement with many open plot points and character fates unknown. When Milland gets his in the eerie finale, the frogs swarm en masse through every open door and window, all closing in on Milland, in a hilarious yet disturbing ending.