| Jack Frost | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Michael Cooney |
| Produced by | Barry L. Collier Barbara Javitz Jeremy Paige Vicki Slotnick |
| Written by | Michael Cooney Jeremy Paige |
| Starring | Christopher Allport Stephen Mendel F. William Parker Rob LaBelle Eileen Seeley Jack Lindine Zack Egniton Brian Leckner Marsha Clark Shannon Elizabeth Kelly Jean Peters Scott MacDonald |
| Music by | Chris Anderson Carl Schurtz |
| Distributed by | A-Pix Entertainment Inc. |
| Release date(s) | January 1, 1997 (USA) |
| Running time | 89 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Jack Frost is an American horror comedy film written and directed by Michael Cooney and released in 1996. The movie takes place in the fictional town of Snowmonton, where (on the week before Christmas) a truck carrying serial killer Jack Frost (Scott MacDonald) to his execution is involved in a freak accident with a truck carrying genetic material. Although Jack escapes, the genetic material causes his body to fuse with the snow on the ground, mutating Jack into a killer snowman. With his body now as icy as his heart, Jack Frost seeks revenge on the citizens of Snowmonton and on the man who finally caught him, Sheriff Sam Tiler (Christopher Allport).
The film attracted cult status thanks to its low budget special effects, comical death sequences, poor acting, and the fact that an unrelated family film of the same name was released within two years of it, also featuring the concept of a living snowman. In addition, the film is also known for being the first movie featuring actress Shannon Elizabeth (credited as Shannon Elizabeth Fadal), who plays a minor role in the movie. Four years later, the film would spawn a sequel, Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman. It has also become quite a popular 'mock' on I-Mockery.
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On a snowy December night, a state execution transfer vehicle crosses into the quiet backwater town of Snowmonton. Contained within the truck is serial killer Jack Frost (Scott MacDonald), who eluded police for five years and left a trail of thirty-eight bodies across five states before finally being arrested, by the sheriff of the same town the truck had just entered. Frost is scheduled to be executed at midnight that night. However, due to the snowy weather, a tanker containing genetic material that is driving the other direction collides with the prison truck, freeing Jack. As he tries to make his escape, the burning truck breaks the compression tester on the tanker, and theacid contained within the tanker breaks free, melting Jack's skin and skeleton. Shortly after his death, Jack's remains are fused with the snow.
Sheriff Sam Tiler (Christopher Allport) is still haunted by his memories of Jack Frost. Despite news reports of Jack's demise, Sam cannot forget Jack's threats of vengeance against the sheriff, his family, and the whole town. The sheriff's fears soon prove to be founded when Old Man Harper is found murdered, his head forced back as if by a giant mitten. Soon afterwards, a local bully named Billy (Nathan Hague) and his ski patrol gang is also killed by getting his head decapitated by a sled after he "fell" into its path. According to the sheriff's son, Ryan, the snowman pushed the boy in the way. Billy's parents are murdered, Jake (Jack Lindine) having an axe shoved down his throat and Sally (Kelly Jean Peters) being strung up like a Christmas tree. Paul Davrow, the sheriff's friend, witnesses the murders, but no one believes him. Sheriff Tiler has his deputies lock him up in a jail cell.
Hearing of the murders, Agents Manners (Stephen Mendel) and Stone (Rob LaBelle) arrive in Snowmanton, claiming to be from the FBI. At the behest of the agents, Sheriff Tiler puts the town on 24 hour curfew and sends his officers out to gather all the townspeople. However, one of the officers (Brian Leckner) is killed when Jack Frost melts down and refreezes within his police cruiser, running the officer over. Two teens (the girl being Billy's older sister) are also killed when they sneak into the sheriff's house for a night of intimacy and as vengeance for the death of her brother.
Jack Frost returns with the police cruiser to the station, finally confronting Sam. Agent Stone reveals himself to be a representative of the genetic research company that created the acid and reveals that the snowman is a mutated Jack Frost. He also reveals that the human soul exists as a chemical and that the acid was going to be used to contain DNA in case of a nuclear holocaust. They attempt to destroy Jack by blowing him up by releasing aerosol cans in the police station and firing a bullet at him, but to no avail. They then use blowdryers to drive Jack into a furnace, which evaporates the snowman. Unfortunately, Jack condenses, killing Agent Stone. Jack Frost traps Sheriff Tiler and his son, Ryan (Zack Eginton) within his car, but the sheriff escapes by inadvertently throwing the oatmeal his son made him at Jack, burning the snowman's head. His son, not wanting his father to be cold, put antifreeze in the oatmeal, believing it could help keep the oatmeal from getting cold.
Sheriff Tiler tells his friend, Paul Davrow (F. William Parker) to fill the bed of his truck with antifreeze. In the movie's conclusion, Jack chases Sam through the halls of a church and finally catches him, driving an icicle into his chest and almost killing him. The truck full of antifreeze arrives just in time, however, and Jack and Sam crash through a window and into the truck's bed. Jack Frost melts in the antifreeze, and the antifreeze is buried deep under the ground of Snowmonton. Tiler's wife Anne (Eileen Seeley), realizes that the state police are on their way. When Paul asks Tiler what they are going to tell them, Tiler says, "we'll tell them that it's too late". But one of the containers is shown to be bubbling, suggesting that Jack is contained as a liquid, and is still alive.
The film was hated by critics, it has an 8% rating out of twelve reviews at Rotten Tomatoes.