As both a horror obsessive and a cryptid nerd, I really feel as though there are not enough scary movies about the world of cryptozoology.
Which is a very specific complaint to have, and I recognise that, but my burdens are my own to bear (and complain about on this blog). But I sincerely feel like the sub-genre of cryptid horror has gone criminally untapped as part of horror cinema as a whole – aside from a few highlights such as Willow Creek, stories that centre on creatures of modern urban legend are few and far between.
Which is why, as you can imagine, I was quick to jump (or, rather, hop) on to Frogman, the found footage story following a trio of friends heading deep into the forests of Ohio to capture footage of the legendary Loveland Frogman, after one of their number, Dallas (Nathan Tymoshuk), encountered the creature decades earlier as a child.
Look, string together found footage, cryptids, and small towns, and I’m in – that was pretty much my childhood, after all, growing up on the banks of Loch Ness with a wobbly video camera in one hand and an ill-fated sense of adventure in the other. And Frogman, written and directed by Anthony Cousins, really serves its purpose as an enormously fun romp through cults just as amphibious as you’d hope given the premise, with a really interesting and well-explored dynamic between the central trio that offers some genuinely engaging character work amongst the Frogman-themed merch. Toss in some appropriately warty real effects, and I’m sold, you know?
But what I really loved about Frogman was how it tapped into and understood the ways that obsession, belief, and disbelief alike fuel this passion for the world of cryptids. Dallas caught footage of the Frogman as a kid, and since then, it’s become one of the most iconic images associated with the creature – leading to ridicule, doubt, and outright disdain for his apparently-supernatural encounter. His brief interaction with Frogman has haunted him ever since, and proving his sanity and the sanctity of his footage becomes an obsession. His return to Loveland is as much an attempt to prove to himself and the people who doubt him that what happened to him was real – that the seemingly-impossible was more than just a hoax intended to flog a few more Frogman calendars. It really adds an interesting wrinkle to the usual found footage story of people wandering into the woods to pursue some creature or another, as the ridicule that’s followed Dallas ever since his encounter has been a major part of what’s shaped him as an adult.
Frogman’s a worthy and well-needed entry into the cryptid horror genre – but I would love to hear some more recommendations below. What cryptid-centric horror movies do you love? Where does Frogman rank on that list, should you have it? Let me know in the comments!
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By Lou MacGregor
(header image via IMDB)
No But Listen 