| "Superridiculous
- a thorough time waster. Trog is a dog ote" Creature
Features
"Wooden
acting" Blockbuster Video
"Dont
Watch it" Maltin's |
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A group of three
students exploring underground caves stumble upon an amazing
discovery - a living specimen of the missing link - a part ape
part human specie that has somehow survived in the subterranean
tunnels. The creature is known in scientific terms as a Troglodyte
or Trog. Viewed with some trepidation only the eminent anthropologist
Dr. Brockton believes the students enough to go off to the caves
and photograph the beast. Once the find is authenticated then
the BBC provides live coverage of the 'opening ceremony' wherein
Trog is lured out of his cave and beamed into the homes of eager
viewers. The story then follows a familiar route.
Dr. Brockton
tames the beast to the point that it behaves like a harmless
pet. However, more narrow-minded elements are bent upon destroying
the scientific discovery. The law steps in to raise the tension
till the inevitable tragic ending. Trog sadly is an excessively
dull and long drawn out film. Numerous scenes simply meander
on aimlessly. On other occasions we are treated to watching
Trog playing with a doll, Trog playing with a toy train, Trog
playing with a football - all scenes meant to tug at the heartstrings
of the viewer! There is even an excessively touching scene where
Trog manages to talk.
The only relatively watchable scene prior to the end is also
part of an amazing sequence. Trog is hooked up to some sort
of electronic machine that somehow translates his thoughts onto
a small monitor. So we see the secrets of the demise of the
dinosaurs as well as few nifty dino attacks and even a hatching
dinosaur egg. Not sure where Trog managed to see all this considering
that dinosaurs died out millions of years before man ever walked
on the earth but its obvious where Spielberg got his inspiration
for Jurassic Park from. It's all completely ludicrous. Towards
the end there are some fireworks as Trog rampages through the
community while impaling a butcher on a meat hook along the
way. Unfortunately the film actually tries to take itself semi
seriously and that along with the fact that it is interminably
boring destroys any chance of Trog being amusing. It may be
bad but it is also extremely slow. That's where Trog misses
out.
It is a surprise to see that Freddie Francis, a long time Hammer
director who directed such classics as
Dracula has Risen from the Grave was in charge of Trog.
Even more surprising is another Hammer connection - John Gilling
who directed Hammer's excellent Reptile
as well as the highly underrated Mummy's Shroud (also
for Hammer) was responsible for the original story for Trog.
With two of Hammer's seasoned directors associated with the
project it is a surprise that such an inept product was churned
out. Performance wise you can expect (and get) a grand finale
from Joan Crawford in what was her last acting role. As the
pioneering anthropologist she puts in another exceptionally
awful but fitting performance for the film. Her timing with
Trog in particular is faultless. The only other person worth
mentioning is Trog him (it) self. Constrained by somewhat rubbery
features, Trog still manages to steal the show through his wonderfully
emotive eyes and those expressive grunts. May need some help
in the looks department though.
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