Rana: The Legend of Shadow Lake (1975)

Director:

Bill Rebane

Writers:

Lyoma Denetz (writer)
Jerry Gregoris (writer)

Genre:

Adventure | Horror | Comedy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Something's wrong beneath shadow lake... dead wrong!

Plot:

When Kelly Morgan was 11 years old he had a terrifying encounter with Rana, a strange half man/half frog monster living in a lake...

Plot Keywords:

Monster | Lake | Frog | Frog Monster | Gold

Cast

Paul Callaway	...	Rana
Richard Lange	...	Rana
Glenn Scherer	...	Kelly Sr.
Brad Ellingson	...	Kelly Jr.
Karen McDiarmid	...	Elli
Alan Ross	...	John
Julie Wheaton	...	Susan
Jerry Gregoris	...	Charlie
Jim Iaquinta	...	Burley
Bruno Alexander	...	Cal (as Bruno Aclin)
Michael Skewes	...	Mike (as Michael J. Skewes)
Doreen Moze	...	Chris
Lorry Getz	...	Sorenson
Angel Rebane	...	Baby Rana

Also Known As:

Croaked: Frog Monster from Hell
Rana: The Creature from Shadow Lake (UK) (video title)
Ranna

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:15 (video premiere)

Filming Locations:

Gleason, Wisconsin, USA

Company:

Galaxy One Productions

Bill Rebane's Black Lagoon homage Sci-Fi-Horror-Thriller Z-Grade Cult Classic!

This film was a lot better then I thought. It was pretty much a throw back to "Creature From The Black Lagoon" except half man half frog & he had a weapon also guarded gold treasures. This is an excellent throwback tribute to Jack Arnold's Sci-Fi Classic the monster suit isn't as good as in Lagoon, but hey what the hell Rana was done a lot lower of a budget then Jack Arnold's Lagoon. I saw this movie finally when I bid & won on ebay. My mom purchased it was a VHS used in good condition got that during X-Mas 2005. I enjoyed pretty much every sec. down to the needle. It was pretty bloody is one reason I really liked it bloodier then Lagoon but not as scary almost though. If the suit would of been better but it's damn good for the budget. The Frog Man likes the younger girl the one that was swimming around in the lake in the sexy one piece pink swimsuit. Yeah Rana got her in the end after Kelly's father was killed. Kelly & the Female Palentologist's young niece were there & that is when Rana broke in & attacked them. He took her over his shoulder this is a lot like in Lagoon when The Gillman takes Julia Adams off the boat & dives back into the lagoon with her. Well I ain't telling much about Rana all u B & Z Graders should see it I loved it! By the way I will be getting the DVD release of it from Troma under it's a.k.a. title "Croaked: Frog Monster From Hell". Which I got & was very disappointed in cause it ran only 89 mins. I also have the old Burbank VHS as I stated & that one ran about 93 mins. Stupid because Troma originally distributed the film why they cut out 3 or 4 mins. for the DVD release makes no sense. Doubt there will ever be another more commercial DVD this being such an obscure 70's monster flick. Along with Rebane's other 70's Sci-Fi Efforts besides, "The Giant Spider Invasion" from 1975. That just got a 2009 2-Disc DVD Deluxe Treatment. That one seems to get the most attention. Which is a shame his 1977 Sci-Fi Effort "The Alpha Incident" was doubled billed with Star Wars at the theaters back in 1977. It was the second feature to Star Wars. Rebane stated in the commentary on the new Spider Invasion DVD, he didn't know if Alpha or his 1987 Horror Slasher Effort "Blood Harvest" got the bigger share of the pie. He never did get the money for Spider Invasion's theatrical gross. Neither it's enduring Cult Status as a mainstream Drive-Inn Sci-Fi Classic. Rana is one of my favorites of the 70's though. So I gave it a 6 but Octaman '72 & Zaat '72 are better they got an 8 for their type.