Frostbiter: Wrath of the Wendigo

I've been a Troma fan ever since I was a small child, and I can say with confidence that the majority of the company's non-Lloyd Kaufman films tend to be…well, junk. I've wasted many, many hours of my life wading through some of Troma's most despicable pictures, but every once in a while I have the luck to stumble upon a true hidden gem, and "Frostbiter: Wrath of the Wendigo" is one of them.

Despite the "terror" that the DVD box promises us, "Frostbiter" is most definitely a comedy. More so, it's a straight-up parody of the "Evil Dead" movies: after a decades-long curse is disrupted, an army of ghouls and demonic forces see fit to attack the residents of a remote cabin in the woods, and before you know it, one of our shotgun-toting heroes has lost his right hand and a giant stop-motion tree-like monster is attacking the cabin. Just about every major plot point from "Evil Dead" 1 and 2 is spoofed, but it's all done with a knowing wink n' smile, and all approached in the same Raimi-esquire Three Stoogian fashion.

Yes, it's stupid, and no, it doesn't adhere to anything remotely resembling logic, but it's consistently entertaining, and that's mostly because it's considerably well-made for its minuscule budget. The jokes, although mostly low-brow, are funny, the editing keeps the manic comic pace constant throughout the film, and the cinematography is rather good, especially during the action scenes: whenever one of those puppets comes to assault the protagonists, the camera goes into "Coen Brothers mode", whipping around frenetically, exaggerating close-ups, skewing perspectives…although said rubber puppets are insanely silly-looking and hardly plausible, one can't help but get involved in the scene.

As with any low-budget picture, though, "Frostbiter" suffers from uneven acting: some of the actors were decent enough, but a few were distractingly terrible. At the center of the cast is Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton, who goofily hams up each of his scenes, coming off as a mix somewhere between a hyper Bill Murray and a subdued Chris Farley. Asheton isn't the best actor, no, but his sheer over-the-top presence seems to fit the zany tone of the movie quite well, and works excellently in comparison to the rest of the cast, who play their roles straight.

'Frostbiter: Wrath of the Wendigo' isn't the best Troma film, nor might it appeal to everyone within the Troma fan base, but it's certainly one of their better horror-comedies, and definitely worth a look for fans of offbeat horror or the "Evil Dead" series.

Maybe I am biased, since I live near the Manitou islands (although the film was really shot in Tecumseh, Michigan), but this was one fun horror romp. The story tied together well enough, and the producers of the film did an admirable job of special effects (watch the battle with the Windigo at the end in super slow-mo, it is a hoot). This is in the Troma library, so if you come across it, pick it up, and support independent cinema!

I came across Frostbiter by renting a DVD called Nightmare Never Ends: Troma Triple B-Header, Vol. 4 (2004). It features "The Nightmare Never Ends", "Igor and the Lunatics", and "Frostbiter". I wasn't expecting too much but thought I would get some entertainment value out of the three movies. Forget about the other two movies. Frostbiter would be worth the rental or maybe even a purchase if it stood alone. This is a blood and guts, horror/comedy, B movie. The Wendigo is a shape shifting monster in this movie and it takes on many interesting forms, some humorous but all deadly. Lots of violence, some nudity, and quite a few laughs. It's low budget movie and it certainly has some problems, but it's not bad. I thought the music was great but had a problem with it being too loud, especially when there was dialogue going on. I recommend this movie but you really have to be a B horror movie fan to enjoy it.

Yes, it's cheesy. But once you start, you'll enjoy the cheese! Plus, the rock and roll is fun: Great hooks and driving beats.

Frostbiter is about the Wendigo which has been portrayed in many movies and TV shows... even Charmed. But this movie is fun, creepy, cheesy, hilarious, gory, and a great pick for a snowy night when you're in the mood for popcorn and a B-movie! Think back to the days of the Killer Tomato or the Blob or the Gremlins or Friday the 13th or the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. All of those became cult classics because of a certain amount of CHEESINESS! And frankly all were better done than this one, but... I'd love to see this flick in a drive-in theatre, sitting in the backward-facing backseat of an old station wagon. Yup - that's the kind of movie this is.

Ron Asheton ain't the best actor - or really anything even remotely close to the second from worst... but there are still fun monsters, gore, scary faces, creepy old people, a plane flying through a snow storm.

And hey - anyone who's lived in Northern Michigan knows of the tales of the Wendigo. It's Big Man. Really Big!

Words cannot really encapsulate my strange enjoyment of this movie (admiration and love are both too strong words for this feeling).

Basically a cut-price EVIL DEAD rip off, Frostbiter: Wrath of the Wendigo (on-screen title: WENDIGO) doesn't have a lot to recommend it, at least on the face of it, but none the less is quite an entertaining hour and a half. Some, most critics in fact, have taken it to task for it's slavish copying of Sam Raimi's infinitely superior Evil Dead films, particularly EVIL DEAD II, but I personally admire this aspect of the film. Think of it more as the film equivalent of one of those tribute covers records, where many different bands do all the songs on a classic album. Frostbiter wears it's influences on it's sleeve (even including a torn poster of EVIL DEAD II, both a nod to the classic and to Evil Dead's similar tribute to The Hills Have Eyes), which is a lot more honest than some other Sam Raimi/Evil Dead influenced film-makers (like the watered down hack, Edgar Wright). The presence of one Tom Hitchcock, Stop motion animator/miniature creator of Evil Dead and Evil Dead II, under multiple miniature/compositing/stop motion credits strengthens the Michigan based productions' EVIL DEAD connections, and both Bruce Campbell and David Goodman get Special Thanks too.

The basic elements of the Evil Dead movies are here, whether they're appropriate to the Native American Wendigo myth or not - the cabin (this time covered in snow as is the rest of the woodland, perhaps a homage to The Thing?), the monsters, the possession, the humour, the unexpected heroics, the often-ropey practical effects, the wonderful stop motion, but there's enough of a twist to make it a good choice when you've worn out your Evil Dead II VHS or are scared the DVD or Blu-ray has been played so much, Bruce Campbell's chin will be permanently burned onto your television. The acting is generally awful, but often fun. The effects are ropey and totally ineffective, but again add to the fun. The camera work, storytelling and writing are all way below the standards of the Evil Dead series, which shouldn't surprise ANYONE, but this film is able to turn it's "absolute insane chaos - Evil Dead II style!" strategy into something likely to raise a smile, if not exactly raise the pulse. So having said that, only you know if you're interested in the movie.

Notable Frostbiter: Wrath of the Wendigo facts:

• Not only are scenes from the then Public Domain "It's a Wonderful Life" used as a contrast to the chaos (an idea previously used in Gremlins), the scenes set on the mainland (most of the movie is on an island) also occur in Bedford Falls (as did "It's a Wonderful Life"). Note also the news stations call sign - BDFD.

• Filmed in the late eighties, rather than the late nineties, where the copyright places it.

• Ron Asheton, the late guitarist for The Stooges (and bassist for Iggy & The Stooges, the Raw Power incarnation), plays a major role in the film. Watching the man who wrote the "No Fun" and "I Wanna Be Your Dog" riffs ham it up like a middle-aged Bruce Campbell is a wonderful thing.

• Troma claim the film was based on a comic book from Caliber Press, but that was in fact pressed AFTER the film as a promotional item. Why they would lie about this, I do not know.

The DVD has some Troma produced extras, a ridiculous and apparently unrelated music video where Ron Asheton and his son sing a cringeworthy duet about "Bitchin' Babes" (I don't know what this is, but it made me question my life choices, beginning with "Why am I watching this?"), a historian talking about the Wendigo, an awful intro with the then Troma team etc. Picture is a full-screen video master, stereo...as expected. Doubt this one will ever be reissued. Director Tom Chaney later did the more straight Mosquito, with Gunner "Leatherface" Hanson.