I saw this movie in a theater in 1972 and I have to say that in a darkened theater, the fear level is multiplied several times over. Fast forward 45 years and the intensity is still there.Two things are clear from all of it. One of the rules of survival in a horror movie, tongue in cheek, is to never go off alone. Almost everyone who got nailed did exactly that. It is also clear that a lot of these people's characters had not spent much time in the woods, let alone a swamp.I call myself a conservationist which is an environmentalist with common sense. This movie makes a case for sensible conservation by using the absurd. We have come a long way from when no one took seriously the problems caused by pollution, trashing the landscape, and abusive use of pesticides. We are the better for it. We who are Christians are taught that it is our responsibility to care for the animals and the landscape but we also have to balance it with the needs of humanity. This movie is a wake up call to how careless pollution and trashing the landscape is detrimental to all of us.It also appears to me that this movie may have been the inspiration to the hit series "Zoo". Also, the producers clearly learned from the master Roger Corman. You should try to watch this one if you get the chance.

Joining their family for a holiday celebration, a photographer gets caught up in their struggle to survive when the local wildlife population suddenly turns on them with deadly intent and must help them get away alive.On the whole this was certainly a watchable if still really unremarkable effort. One of the few areas this one gets right is the fact of being able to effectively make the encroaching wildlife a force to be reckoned with, gathering a sizable number of beasts of all different backgrounds, varieties and deadliness to make a worthwhile run at the human group assembled. With all manner of frogs, lizards, snakes and other reptiles as well as birds and fish all involved here, the gathered army makes for quite an impressive lot and the fact that there's a constant presence here with the near-continuous croaking, screeching and calling out to each other here makes for a truly chilling time here that really gets it's worth the more it's utilized throughout here. Likewise, that alone makes the final half-hour here all the more enjoyable as it's basically a series of chases throughout the compound trying to get the remaining visitors to safety as the previous attempts fail spectacularly in a couple rather enjoyable encounters with an alligator in the swamps, a vicious spider assault out in the forest and the endless frog and snake attacks that lead throughout the finale as there's no shortage of these fun scenes throughout here. However, these are all that really work here as the film doesn't really offer much beyond that. The biggest mitigating factor is the fact that despite the best efforts to the contrary, the film is completely obvious about the hokey nature of having completely non-threatening animals turn vicious and tries several tactics to convince us otherwise that really come up short. The fact that the creatures' continuous presence is seen throughout the film always hanging out on the fringes of the property, that they never once pose any kind of active threat to the people nearby unless they're on their own is a big flaw, as they seem content to perfectly watch them go about their routine and never try any kind of attack instead of peacefully sitting around, much as the creatures ordinarily would in such an occasion. The close-ups of them constantly croaking or hopping along are nowhere near threatening as it would be just hearing the noises, and the fact that they literally have to drag the creatures on top of them during the attacks, are forced to wrestle with obviously tame and non-threatening beasts in their scenes or confuse non-poisonous species for deadly creatures makes the large majority of the attacks here quite hilarious rather than chilling. As such, with a long introduction that shows the patriarch's stubbornness as a storyline ploy rather than anything else to keep them in danger stretches the flimsy plot out far longer than it really should and makes for a really tough time getting into this one, which is another big stumbling block to overcome here. Otherwise, this one wasn't all that bad.Rated PG: Violence including violence-against-animals, Language and children-in-jeopardy.

The movie is simplistic and goes without much thought than wildlife taking revenge on a group of humans. For what it's worth though, Frogs presented this eco-minded thought into a really strong concrete horror film message. There are no cheesy giant frogs, like the cover might indicate, no off-shot kills, and there are no crude looking special effects. In fact the trickery is non-existent and the movie shot an abundance of real creepy animals. Real spiders, snakes, lizards, and yes, frogs, are all placed on the actors, but selling that they were actually being attacked was weak at times. It's unique in that way, but while watching Frogs, I felt that were too many limitations to filming it. The two main leads, Sam Elliot and Joan Van Ark were fun characters but there were a few roles by the supporting cast that were too unlikeable. The ending is rather expected, fitting and satisfying. In the end, Frogs is a good watch but doesn't provide anything memorable or one outstanding scene.

I first saw "Frogs" when I was 11, when Joan Van Ark gave me crush-like feelings and Sam Elliott seemed a role model. I liked the horror vibe, the snakes, alligators, lizards and frogs, and the death, as well as the creepy vibe of the implied southern coastal humid island madness. It made me think at the time of a pop song called "Swamp Witch." But "Frogs" doesn't hold up to re-watching. Its seams abound, and its shooting is nearly as hapless as its editing. It made money in spades for producers, but that is mainly because of a shoestring budget rather than being smashing at box offices. I cannot watch it now, however, without being ever-aware at every moment how much better it could have been with just a few re-takes, a few better set-ups, and some pleats in the script. It may help baby-boomers revisit their youth, but otherwise lacks virtues to recommend it.