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Trog
Original theatrical release poster
Directed byFreddie Francis
Written byPeter Bryan
John Gilling
Aben Kandel
Produced byHerman Cohen
StarringJoan Crawford
Michael Gough
Bernard Kay
CinematographyDesmond Dickinson
Edited byOswald Hafenrichter
Music byJohn Scott
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release dates
  • July 1970 (1970-07) (UK)
  • 24 October 1970 (1970-10-24) (USA)
Running time
93 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Trog is a 1970 British science fiction horror film directed by Freddie Francis and starring Joan Crawford, Michael Gough and Bernard Kay.[1] The screenplay was by Peter Bryan, John Gilling and Aben Kandel.

The film concerns the discovery of a troglodyte (or Ice Age "caveman") in twentieth-century United Kingdom. Trog marks Crawford's last movie appearance.

Plot

[edit]

Set in contemporary Britain, the film follows Dr. Brockton, a renowned anthropologist who learns that in the caves of the countryside a lone male troglodyte is alive and might be able to be helped and even domesticated. In the interest of science and the potential groundbreaking discovery of the missing link, she gets the creature to the surface. While the rest of the townsfolk and police scatter in terror, Brockton stands steady with her tranquilizer gun and stuns the caveman into submission.

She brings him back to her lab for study, but runs into trouble as a few people oppose the presence of a "monster" in the town, especially Sam Murdock, a local businessman who is not only afraid of the negative commercial consequences but is also suspicious of a woman heading a research facility. In the meantime, the creature, given the name of "Trog", is taught by Brockton to play and share. A capacity for language is induced by a number of surgeries and a mysterious hypnotic device that causes Trog to see or relive his distant past, including clashes between various animals.

Still disturbed by Brockton's experiments, and enraged at a municipal court's decision to protect Trog, Murdock releases Trog in the middle of the night, hoping the caveman will be confronted and killed by either local residents or well-armed authorities. After being released, Trog wanders into town and kills the first three people he meets, a grocer, a butcher, and a citizen in a car, but not before he beats Murdock to death.

Trog then snatches a little girl from a playground and takes her to his cave. Dr. Brockton, the police, and army personnel soon gather at the cave's entrance. After pleading fruitlessly with the authorities to let her reason with Trog and safely retrieve the girl, Brockton suddenly acts on her own and charges down into the cave, where she finds the girl cowering in a corner. Trog initially behaves aggressively at the sight of the doctor in his refuge, but after a stern reprimand and a plea by Brockton, Trog surrenders the girl to her.

Shortly after the doctor and girl exit the cave, all of Brockton's work on behalf of science is shattered when soldiers ignite explosives before assaulting the cave. Trog is quickly wounded in a barrage of gunfire, falls, and is impaled on a stalagmite. The film ends with an on-site news reporter asking the doctor to comment on the death of the missing link; Brockton pushes aside the reporter's microphone and slowly walks away from the scene by herself.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

Based on an original story by Peter Bryan and John Gilling, the film was initially developed by Tony Tenser at Tigon Films, which sold the project to producer Herman Cohen.[2] In July 1968, Cohen announced he had signed a contract with Warner Bros-Seven Arts to produce Crooks and Coronets and Trog, with the latter to begin filming in September.[3]

Filming was delayed for several months, until after Joan Crawford agreed to star in the production in May 1969.[4] Trog was the second of two films that she starred in for Cohen, the first being Berserk! in 1967. It also paired her again with Michael Gough, who costarred with Crawford in that earlier film. Crawford's character in the original script had been a man but Cohen rewrote it specifically for Crawford.[4]

The director Freddie Francis later commented on the benefits and challenges that he experienced working on the film:

Trog wasn't my sort of picture. For political reasons, I'd rather not go too deeply into this. The only good thing...well, not the only good thing, but the best thing that happened on that picture was that I formed an association with Herman Cohen. He was delighted with what I did for him on Trog, even though in a case like that you know you're going to take a beating no matter what you do.[5]

Filming

[edit]

Crawford described Trog as "a low-budget picture", adding "I supply most of my own wardrobe."[6] Just weeks after she committed to performing in the project, the film began shooting on 30 June 1969.[7] The production also features actor David Warbeck, who has a small role as Alan Davis.[8]

In a 1992 interview with the horror-film fan magazine Fangoria, Cohen notes that Trog, which was shot at Bray Studios and on location on the English moors, was more expensive to produce than Berserk![9] Cohen in that same interview also recalls the problems he had with Crawford's increased use of alcohol during filming:

Well, on Trog, her drinking was worse than it was when we were doing Berserk. I had to reprimand her a few times for drinking without asking. She had a huge frosted glass that said Pepsi-Cola—but inside was 100-proof vodka! In fact, when she arrived to do Berserk as well as Trog, she arrived with four cases of 100-proof vodka, 'cause you can't get it in England.[9]

The stop-motion dinosaur sequence in the film is stock footage originally produced by special-effects artists Willis O'Brien and Ray Harryhausen and used in the 1956 Warner Bros. nature documentary The Animal World.[10] Also, according to Turner Classic Movies, the "ratty ape-suit" used to create Trog's caveman appearance was a "leftover monkey outfit" from Stanley Kubrick's epic 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey.[11]

Freddie Francis later referred to Trog as "a terrible film" and as one he regretted directing:[12]

I did it because of Joan Crawford, and poor Joan by this time was a very sad old lady. We had to have idiot cards all over the place because she couldn't remember her lines. It was the last thing she ever did and she shouldn’t have done it. Neither should I ... She had no friends, and she kept writing sad letters to my wife and I [sic] until she died.[12]

Joe Cornelius, who plays the feature's title character, provides a quite different perspective on Crawford's actions and demeanour during filming. As a professional wrestler in England, Cornelius performed in the ring for 20 years as "The Dazzler" and was chosen to portray Trog due to his physique and athletic abilities.[13]

Cornelius's role provided him with numerous opportunities to observe Crawford both on and off camera. Forty-five years after the film's release, in an interview arranged and video-recorded by the British Film Institute (BFI), he shared publicly for the first time his experiences working on the production and more specifically with the veteran actress.[14] That interview occurred in September 2015, just prior to a screening of Trog by BFI in one of its film retrospectives. It was conducted by the American director and writer John Waters, a notable promoter and creator of underground or "transgressive cult films", as well as a fan of many other types of low-budget, more mainstream productions like Trog.[15][16]

In his interview with Waters, Cornelius takes exception to reports that Crawford used "idiot cards" and was periodically drunk during filming. The former wrestler says he saw no use of such cards by her, and he described Crawford as "great" to work with, consistently on time and "lovely" on the set, as generous in giving gifts to the crew, and how for years after completing Trog she sent him a personal card every Christmas.[13] While he concedes that Crawford "possibly" had vodka in her Pepsi-Cola container, he stated that he never saw her drunk or unable to perform for any reason during the film's production.[13][17]

Reception

[edit]

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Aben Kandel's script has played down the horror to concentrate on the dramatic possibilities of the monster's humanisation. The result is a kind of horror-comic L'Enfant Sauvage, with Joan Crawford's lady anthropologist patiently initiating her uncouth pupil in the ways of classical music (it doesn't like jazz), clockwork toys, and finally human speech. Although credulity is tested by the fact that Trog never looks like anything but a beefy stunt man with make-up ... the makers have taken pains to win us round by presenting all the newsmen as nasty sceptics whose agnostic mutterings ("Surely, doctor, this is all too simple") wilt before Joan Crawford's radiant cry of "Anthropology supports me". ... It's a disappointingly lightweight addition to the horror films of Freddie Francis."[18]

A drive-in advertisement from Loma Linda, California, 1970

Recalling his work on the film in 1992, Cohen noted that the film was completed on time, came in under budget, and was in his opinion "very successful".[19] Many 1970 reviews of the film, however, were not favorable. In September that year, after previewing Trog, critic Roger Ebert begins his assessment of the film with a question:

Now what can you really say about a movie where Joan Crawford, dressed in an immaculate beige pantsuit, hunts through a cave shouting: "Trog! Here, Trog!" to her pet troglodyte? A scene like that surpasses absurdity, and so does this movie.[20]

In October 1970, only a few days after the film's nationwide release in the United States, The New York Times's review at least offers two faintly positive observations about Crawford's involvement in the low-budget production:

There is, however, a rudimentary virtue in "Trog" ... in that it proves that Joan Crawford is grimly working at her craft. Unfortunately, the determined lady, who is fetching in a variety of chic pants suits and dresses, has little else going for her. As the anthropologist chief of a research center that has unearthed a living, hairy, half-caveman half-ape, Ice Age "missing link," a troglodyte she cutely nicknames 'Trog' and attempts to rear as you would a backward child, she poses no threat either to Dr. Margaret Mead or Dr. Spock.[21]

In the decades since its premiere, Trog has achieved a near cult status among some movie fans, especially those who enjoy watching low-budget horror and sci-fi productions for their outlandish plots or for their sheer campiness, that a particular film is "'so bad it's good'".[22][23] The British Film Institute in the promotion of its 2015 retrospective program on Trog provided attendees with an updated or more current take on the film's appeal:

One of the most ludicrous, touching, mind-boggling star vehicles ever. Joan Crawford, desperate for a job, teams up with director Freddie Francis(!) and an actor in a pitiful monkey mask for a sci-fi howler like no other.[14]

Warner Bros., the film's distributor in 1970, also chose "mind-boggling" to describe Trog during the company's "31 Days of Horror" promotion to sell copies of it in October 2015.[24] In part of that promotion leading up to Halloween, Warner Bros. assures "campy cult fans" they will "delight" in the film and that both the troglodyte's makeup and "Crawford's boldly colored pantsuits" are "hilariously bad".[24]

The film is listed in Golden Raspberry Award founder John Wilson's 2005 book The Official Razzie Movie Guide as one of "The 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made".[25] In 2012, several years before his previously described BFI interview with Joe Cornelius, John Waters recognized Trog as one of his favorite films on the streaming service MUBI.[16]

The film was released as a double-bill with Christopher Lee's Taste the Blood of Dracula and after its first week in release, Variety on November 4, 1970, ranked the double-feature as the #1 top-grossing film(s) of the week, raking in $300,000.

Releases

[edit]

The film was released theatrically in both the United States and United Kingdom by Warner Bros. in 1970.[26][27] Warner Home Video began marketing VHS copies of Trog in 1995 and in DVD format in 2007.

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Trog

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Trog is a 1970 British directed by and starring as Dr. Brockton, a sympathetic who discovers a primitive troglodyte creature in a local and employs drugs, , and behavioral to communicate with and civilize it. The plot begins when three students exploring a are attacked by the ape-like beast, resulting in one death; the survivors alert Dr. Brockton, who leads an expedition to capture the creature, naming it Trog after tranquilizing it. In her laboratory, Dr. Brockton teaches Trog basic skills, such as catching a and interacting with toys, while facing skepticism from police Inspector Greenham () and antagonism from land developer Sam Murdock (), who views the creature as a to his plans. Trog's violent outbursts escalate after he kills a and later escapes, murdering Murdock and abducting a , leading to a and a climactic assault on the where Dr. Brockton attempts a final , only for Trog to be destroyed by . Produced by horror specialist Herman Cohen and filmed in British studios, Trog marked Joan Crawford's final leading role in a , with supporting performances by as the scheming Murdock, as the inspector, and as Dr. Brockton's daughter Anne. Released in 1970, the 91-minute film incorporates from the 1956 The Animal World for prehistoric sequences and features practical effects for the creature, portrayed by wrestler Joe Cornelius. Upon release, Trog received overwhelmingly negative reviews, with critic describing it as "Z-grade" and praising only Crawford's commitment amid the absurdity, while its low-budget production and bizarre caveman premise were lambasted. Over time, it has developed a for its campy charm, eccentric dialogue, and Crawford's intense performance, often highlighted by filmmaker for scenes like her commanding the creature to "catch the ball, Trog!" as if reciting Shakespeare. The film holds a 13% approval rating on based on contemporary and retrospective critiques.

Production

Development

The project for the film Trog originated as an idea from Tony Tenser, the founder of Tigon British Film Productions, who initially developed it based on an original story by screenwriters and John Gilling before selling the rights to American producer Herman Cohen in the late 1960s. Cohen, renowned for producing low-budget horror and exploitation films that often featured aging in sensational roles, saw Trog as a fitting vehicle to continue this formula after successes like (1957) and his British productions such as Berserk! (1967). The screenplay was penned by Aben Kandel, a frequent collaborator with , who crafted the story around the discovery of a troglodyte—a primitive, ape-like creature representing an evolutionary missing link—amid the era's fascination with sci-fi horror tropes exploring human origins and monstrosity, as seen in films like 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and (1968). In July 1968, Cohen secured a distribution deal with for Trog, alongside another project, enabling production to commence under tight budget constraints typical of Cohen's independent ventures, with scheduled for mid-1969 in . Director , a two-time Award-winning cinematographer best known for his work on Films such as Paranoiac (1963) and Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968), was selected to helm the picture, bringing his expertise in merging gothic horror with speculative elements to enhance the film's atmospheric tension. Joan Crawford was chosen for the lead role of Dr. Alice Brockton, a compassionate studying the creature, marking her return to the horror genre following her acclaimed performance in Strait-Jacket (); by the late , amid a career decline marked by fewer leading roles, the role was changed from a male scientist to female by to feature her. This casting aligned with Cohen's strategy of leveraging established stars to draw audiences to B-movies, ensuring Trog fit into the 1960s trend of horror narratives blending evolutionary themes with social .

Casting

Joan Crawford was cast in the lead role of Dr. Brockton, an who discovers and attempts to civilize the titular creature, marking her final feature film appearance before retiring from theatrical roles. This performance aligned with the "hagsploitation" subgenre of the late and early , in which aging female stars like Crawford portrayed authoritative, often matriarchal figures in horror scenarios, allowing her to embody a commanding scientist amid declining opportunities for leading roles. Michael Gough portrayed Sam Murdock, a developer and vocal opponent to the creature's existence, bringing a sense of antagonism rooted in his established reputation in British horror cinema, including multiple Hammer Films productions such as (1958) and Horror of Dracula (1958). The supporting cast featured British actors prominent in 1970s and , including as Inspector Greenham, a figure investigating the creature's activities; Kim Braden, an up-and-coming actress from a showbusiness family, as Dr. Brockton's daughter, Anne Brockton; and David Griffin, in an early career role, as Malcolm Travers, a colleague in the research team. Other notable performers included John Hamill as Cliff, a local youth, and as the magistrate, contributing to the film's ensemble of established character actors in the British industry. The role of the troglodyte, Trog, presented unique considerations due to the film's modest budget and emphasis on physicality over dialogue, with the character limited to grunts and minimal speech to emphasize its primitive nature. Professional wrestler Joe Cornelius, performing under the ring name "The Dazzler," was selected for the part, donning a simple ape-like suit to embody the creature's hulking, menacing presence through and physical performance. This choice underscored the production's reliance on practical effects and non-actors for the monster role, prioritizing brute strength over nuanced . Crawford's casting as the central scientific authority introduced notable gender dynamics, positioning a female lead as the primary expert and decision-maker in a genre typically dominated by male protagonists during the era, thereby subverting expectations in horror by centering her character's protective and intellectual dominance over male skeptics like Murdock. This approach enhanced the film's tone, blending campy absurdity with a feminist undertone through resolute portrayal, which contrasted the era's more conventional male-led monster narratives.

Filming

Principal photography for Trog commenced in July 1969 in , , following production delays that postponed the original schedule from November 1968. The shoot lasted several weeks, necessitating practical effects to depict the film's horror elements rather than more elaborate techniques. Filming locations emphasized natural and disused sites to evoke the troglodyte's primitive habitat, with cave sequences captured at Ivinghoe Beacon in the near the border. The creature's rampage scenes were shot in along the River Thames, while the Brockton Research Center exteriors utilized New Lodge in Winkfield Village and interiors at Oakley Court in Windsor. Indoor sets for the laboratory, courtroom, and additional cave interiors were constructed and filmed at Bray Film Studios in Windsor. The troglodyte was portrayed by performer Joe Cornelius in a practical suit featuring fur and prosthetics to simulate a half-man, half- form, aligning with the low-budget production's reliance on tangible effects over optical illusions. Directed by , the production incorporated on-set challenges typical of period horror filmmaking, including rumored tensions that led Francis to briefly step away, though he completed the credited work. Desmond Dickinson employed to contrast the shadowy, desaturated tones of the environments with the vivid, structured of civilized , enhancing the thematic divide between primitive and modern worlds.

Narrative and Cast

Plot

The film opens with a group of cavers exploring an unmapped cave in the English countryside, where they encounter and are attacked by a primitive troglodyte creature later named "Trog," resulting in the death of one caver and the survival of the others, who report the incident to local authorities. Dr. Brockton (), a renowned heading the Brockton Institute, assembles a team to investigate and successfully captures Trog using tranquilizers, bringing the creature to her laboratory for study. In the central conflict, Dr. Brockton employs experimental drugs and surgical procedures, including an operation to develop , in an effort to communicate with and civilize Trog, viewing it as a living link to prehistoric humanity. This approach clashes with the views of her rival, Dr. Selbourne (), who pushes for exploiting Trog for broader scientific or commercial gain, while escalating public —fueled by sensational media coverage—demands the creature's elimination. Despite initial progress, such as Trog responding to basic commands, tensions rise as local developer Sam Murdock () rallies opposition, leading to a court hearing where Dr. Brockton defends her research. Trog eventually escapes the institute after Murdock sabotages the facility, immediately killing Murdock and sparking a wave of terror as the creature rampages through nearby villages, killing residents including a and attacking others in brutal chases. The horror intensifies when Trog abducts a young girl from a near a , prompting widespread media frenzy and a to hunt the beast down. Blending scientific inquiry with frantic pursuits, the narrative builds to a climactic in the cave, where Dr. Brockton ventures to rescue the child and confront Trog amid an army assault. The story resolves with Trog's death at the hands of authorities during the rescue, thwarting Dr. Brockton's hopes of further understanding the creature and underscoring the perils of its misunderstood primitive nature through the sequence of events.

Characters and Casting Details

Dr. Brockton, portrayed by Joan Crawford, serves as the film's central protagonist, an empathetic anthropologist who discovers and advocates for the rights of the troglodyte known as Trog, treating him with a maternal protectiveness that underscores themes of compassion and scientific ethics. Crawford's performance, marked by her authoritative presence in chic pantsuits, emphasizes Brockton's determination to civilize Trog through gentle training, such as teaching him to catch a ball, while pleading his case in court against those who view him as a threat. This casting of the 62-year-old Crawford, in her final film role, infuses the character with layers of pathos, highlighting a seasoned woman's fight against prejudice and evoking sympathy for both Brockton and her "adopted" charge. In opposition to Brockton stands Sam Murdock, played by Michael Gough, an antagonistic real estate developer and local council member who rigidly pushes for Trog's dissection and destruction, embodying the film's ethical debates on exploitation versus humanity. Gough's portrayal delivers a venomous demeanor, sneering lines like "I say kill him and study the hide!" to highlight the conflict between scientific progress and opportunistic authority, creating a stark dynamic where female-led empathy clashes with male-dominated skepticism. This antagonism amplifies the narrative's exploration of prejudice, with Murdock goading events that lead to Trog's tragic fate. Trog himself, enacted by professional wrestler Joe Cornelius in a rudimentary ape suit, functions as a non-verbal primitive and tragic figure, his physicality conveying confusion, rage, and vulnerability without dialogue, making him a sympathetic symbol of misunderstood otherness. Cornelius's sweaty, hulking presence under the costume evokes a sense of raw , enhanced by interactions like fetching balls or reacting to dolls introduced by Brockton, which underscore his childlike innocence amid escalating threats. Supporting roles further enrich these dynamics, with Inspector Greenham, portrayed by , representing law enforcement's skeptical oversight during the investigation and court proceedings, adding institutional doubt to the ethical tensions. Young characters such as Anne Brockton (), Dr. Brockton's daughter, and Malcolm Travers (David Griffin), her assistant, introduce elements of vulnerability, as their interactions with Trog heighten the stakes of potential and reinforce the theme of endangered by societal . Overall, the of veteran performers like Crawford and Gough against Cornelius's physical role deepens the , contrasting aged wisdom and with primal in a driven by and power imbalances.

Release

Theatrical Release

Trog premiered in the in July 1970. The film was distributed internationally by , which handled its release across and . In the United States, the film had a premiere screening in , , on September 18, 1970, followed by a national theatrical release on October 24, 1970, often as a with Hammer Films' . Marketing campaigns positioned Trog as a horror thriller, heavily leveraging Joan Crawford's star power alongside sensational imagery of the troglodyte creature on the loose, as seen in promotional posters featuring Crawford confronting the ape-like monster. These materials emphasized the film's premise of a "missing link" terrorizing modern , targeting audiences seeking low-budget scares amid the era's horror boom. The film's performance was modest, earning approximately $618,700 in U.S. and Canadian rental grosses. Its limited U.S. run was hampered by competition from more extravagant horror entries of the era and the waning draw of Crawford's stardom in her final leading role. In the UK, earnings were similarly restrained, with the double-bill format contributing to brief theatrical stays. Internationally, releases varied, with seeing it on November 26, 1970, and some European markets experiencing delays into 1971 due to distribution scheduling. Censorship posed minor hurdles in some markets. Variations in international versions reflected local standards, with some European releases unaltered. undertook promotional efforts, including television interviews in early 1970 where she described Trog as a thoughtful exploration of and the "missing link," aiming to elevate its scientific undertones beyond mere horror. Her tours focused on major U.S. markets during the rollout, framing the project as a serious dramatic role despite its B-movie trappings.

Home Media and Restorations

The home video release of Trog began with a VHS edition distributed by Warner Home Video on August 22, 1995, offering the film in a standard format without notable special features. This marked the initial availability for personal viewing following its theatrical run, catering primarily to horror enthusiasts and collectors interested in Joan Crawford's final leading role. Warner Home Video followed with a DVD release on June 26, 2007, presented in with 1.0 mono audio and optional English or Spanish subtitles, though it included no supplemental materials such as trailers or commentary tracks. The transfer preserved the film's original but exhibited some dated typical of early digital conversions from analog sources. The film's Blu-ray debut arrived on December 7, 2021, from Scream (an imprint of Shout! ), featuring a new 2K scan of the interpositive for enhanced clarity and detail in resolution with 2.0 mono sound. This edition improved upon prior releases by revealing finer grain structure and more natural colors, particularly in low-light sequences, while maintaining the original 1.85:1 ; however, it lacked extras beyond the core feature. As of November 2025, Trog is not available for free streaming on major platforms but can be rented or purchased digitally on services including , Apple TV, and Fandango at Home (Vudu), typically for $3.99 to rent or $9.99 to buy in HD. Earlier availability on Max prior to its 2023 merger into Max has not been sustained, reflecting the film's niche status. Internationally, Region 2 DVD editions have been distributed in , often as region-free imports compatible with PAL players, including versions with English audio and subtitles in multiple languages such as Spanish and French to accommodate local markets. These variants reuse elements from the U.S. packaging but adapt for European standards, though no dedicated 4K UHD release exists due to limited commercial demand for the low-budget horror title. Fan efforts toward restorations remain minimal, with no widely documented color-corrected edits or upscales circulating, as official transfers have sufficed for most archival purposes up to 2025.

Reception and Legacy

Critical Response

Upon its release in 1970, Trog received largely negative reviews from contemporary critics, who highlighted its low-budget production and campy tone. awarded the film 1.5 out of 4 stars, describing it as a "Z-Grade" effort that fully embraced its own absurdity, particularly critiquing the campy elements such as Joan Crawford's character hunting the creature while shouting "Trog! Here, Trog!" in an immaculate . echoed this sentiment, calling the script "vapidly obvious" and the narrative no more exciting or scientific than simple antics, emphasizing the film's failure to generate tension despite its horror premise. Critics offered mixed assessments of director Freddie Francis's work. The creature's suit drew widespread derision for its unconvincing appearance, often described as cheap and poorly fitted, which undermined the horror elements and contributed to the film's unintentional comedic effect. Joan Crawford's performance as Dr. Brockton elicited divided responses; some reviewers saw her delivery as over-the-top and self-parodying, especially in scenes where she interacts with the creature in a pet-like manner, while others commended her professional commitment in what would be her final leading role. In retrospective analyses from the 2000s and later, Trog has been viewed primarily as an unintentional comedy due to its elements and production shortcomings, with the aggregate score standing at 13% based on eight critic reviews.

Cultural Impact and Legacy

Trog marked Joan Crawford's final film role, symbolizing the decline of Golden Age Hollywood stars into low-budget B-movies amid industry toward women. In biographies, it is portrayed as a poignant endpoint to her career. The film has garnered a in the , appreciated for its absurdity and embraced as a rather than straight horror. Filmmaker has championed it, screening Trog at the in 2015 and praising Crawford's earnest performance in the face of its ridiculous premise. This appreciation has extended to midnight screenings and online discussions highlighting the troglodyte's comically impractical suit, influencing the aesthetics of subsequent low-budget . Thematically, Trog explores human-animal boundaries through Dr. Brockton's empathetic attempts to civilize the creature. Its pop culture references include nods in horror retrospectives. Scholarly analysis positions Trog within queer cinema studies, where Crawford's portrayal reinforces her status as a camp icon, blending elements with defiant femininity in late-career roles. Directed by , a Hammer Films veteran, it exemplifies the evolution of British horror post-Hammer, shifting toward eccentric, independent productions in the 1970s.

References

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  15. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066492/plotsummary/
  16. https://www.nytimes.com/1970/10/29/archives/trog-and-taste-blood-of-dracula.html
  17. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066492/releaseinfo/
  18. https://warnerbros.fandom.com/wiki/Trog
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  26. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtCk3QfXf5o
  27. https://horror.fandom.com/wiki/Trog_%281970%29
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  32. https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/trog
  33. https://www.tvguide.com/movies/trog/2030279907/
  34. https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/7053521865
  35. https://picclick.co.uk/Trog-Region-Free-DVD-New-375898868173.html
  36. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/trog-why-joan-crawford-made-killer-caveman-horror-final-film/
  37. https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/04/fx-feud-finale
  38. https://www.rogerebert.com/features/the-feminine-grotesque-on-the-warped-legacy-of-joan-crawford
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