While on a family vacation in 1999, 10-year-old Dallas Kyle captured footage of Frogman, a strange creature said to lurk in the woods of Loveland, Ohio. Although Frogman lore was long established in Loveland—first making a notable splash in 1975 when a local man named George Hale photographed it—Dallas’ video was brushed off as a hoax.
To this day, Dallas is still haunted by the memory of Frogman—and by the experience of not being believed even though he had evidence. Now in his 30s, Dallas’ life is far from where he wants it to be. A struggling filmmaker with only two short films to his name, he’s been crashing at his sister and brother-in-law’s house for two years while harboring an obsession with Frogman.
Dallas decides to break out his Hi-8 camcorder—the camera he was using when he caught that fateful footage—and return to Loveland to film a documentary about Frogman. Roping in his friends Scotty, a videographer, and Amy, an aspiring actor, he sets off on his quest to make the public see the truth: Frogman is real.
In Quaint Ohio, Lies Something Sinister
In Loveland, they check in at the Frogman-themed Bullfrog Bed & Breakfast, interview locals, and venture into Frogman Point—an area of the woods where one might glimpse the enigmatic amphibian. Although they had a promising start, things quickly take a turn. In his determination to find the creature that changed his life, Dallas may have stumbled into something darker than he could have ever imagined.
Frogman, directed by Anthony Cousins, who co-wrote it with John Karsko, is a found footage creature feature about obsession and trauma. Dallas (played by Nathan Tymoshuk) is unable to lead a normal, productive life because of his obsession with Frogman. He talks about the entity nonstop to the detriment of his personal relationships, and watches videos about the mythology online—even when the narration turns to his footage and paints him as a liar and a hack. His sister believes his Frogman fixation is because their family fell apart after that vacation, but Dallas emphatically denies her theory. He’s adamant that he only wants to bring to light the truth about Frogman, even if it means leading his friends (played by Benny Barrett and Chelsey Grant) into perilous—and illegal—activities. He’s convinced that he’ll be able to get his life on track once he accomplishes this goal.
Check out our interview with Frogman director Anthony Cousins here!
The film also puts a humanizing spotlight on cryptid-centric tourism. The town of Loveland experienced a boom in tourism after a local released the first photograph of Frogman. Decades later, Loveland still welcomes folklore-loving travelers. There’s a themed B&B, wooden photo props in Frogman’s likeness, and Frogman souvenirs. It’s kitschy, but it’s also a realistic portrayal of tourism based on legends, conspiracy theories, and cryptozoology—think Roswell, New Mexico’s UFO museum, and Point Pleasant, West Virginia’s Mothman festival. Cryptozoology may be a niche interest, but enthusiasts keep it alive, which in turn supports local economies, especially in towns that might not get as many (or any) out-of-towners otherwise.
Is that a Hitachi Magic Wand, Or Are You Just Happy to See Me?
There’s an overarching question in the film in addition to “Is Frogman real?”: Does Frogman fuck?
It’s a question that’s asked in the interviews with locals (they laughingly answer in the affirmative) and is present throughout the film. While filming, Dallas, Amy, and Scotty are told that Frogman carries a wand (a phallic symbol? A tool for magic? Maybe a Hitachi?), and has been known to have human lovers. When the trio searches the woods, they find slime on trees and on their tent (Frogman ejaculate, perhaps?). At the film’s climax, they discover further evidence of froggy fornication.
“Does Frogman fuck?”, on a surface level, seems to be just a cheeky and deranged question, designed to elicit uncomfortable laughs from the audience. And it may be just that. But it can also lead the way to deeper conversations on topics such as paraphilias, consent, and the subgenre in erotic fiction known as “monster fucking.” The question “Does Frogman fuck?” may indeed make some people uncomfortable…but isn’t that discomfort worth interrogating? What is the purpose of the horror genre if not to provide an outlet to explore and analyze the human psyche and all of its kinks and deviances? The question isn’t just “Does Frogman fuck?”; we must also ask ourselves, “Why do we need to know if Frogman fucks?”
So is Frogman Good?
As a film, Frogman is enjoyable. It’s hard to do found footage horror well, and harder still to bring something new to the table, but the cast nailed it. The protagonist Dallas is undeniably hubristic, but Tymoshuk plays the role with such earnestness and vulnerability that you can’t help but root for him. In her role as Amy, Grant shines through with a performance that swings from playful to heartfelt, and Barrett, as Scotty, delivers equal doses of comedy and cynicism.
The rest of the cast, including Chari Eckmann as B&B proprietor Gretel, Jack Neveaux as George Hale, Liam Hage, and Shea Mikel, who play the younger versions of Dallas and his sister Lizzie, respectively, round out the film with believable portrayals of people wrapped up in cryptid lore.
Frogman is available to stream on multiple platforms, including YouTube, Apple TV, and Google Play.
