Nov 23, 2022
The never before seen first cut of the Zen Film that became Toad Warrior and evolved into Max Hell Frog Warrior.
seen from Serbia
seen from China
seen from Philippines
seen from Türkiye
seen from United States
seen from Türkiye
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Argentina
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Serbia
seen from Türkiye
seen from Serbia
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Australia
seen from Brazil
seen from Israel
seen from Germany
seen from Kazakhstan
seen from United Kingdom
seen from United States
The never before seen first cut of the Zen Film that became Toad Warrior and evolved into Max Hell Frog Warrior.
The never before seen first cut of the Zen Film that became Toad Warrior and evolved into Max Hell Frog Warrior.
Zen Filmmaking & Super Hero Zen Cinema From Hawk to Max Hell to Jack B. Quick Space Sherif
By Scott Shaw
For obvious reasons, I’ve spoken and writing a lot about my film work with Donald G. Jackson. We created a new brand of cinema, ZenFilmmaking! Whether it was via interviews, through the articles and/or the books I’ve written, or via my teaching seminars and courses on filmmaking, I have presented a lot of the facts about how the films we made, (as a team), were created: the philosophy, the story development, the goings-on behind the scenes, the trials and the tribulations, and all of that kind of stuff. The reason for these presentations are obvious. I mean, let’s face facts, those films, and particularly the Zen Filmmaking philosophy we created, has become a big part of my life.
As I’ve said in the past, Don was a Comic Book guy. Me, not so much. This may have all had a lot to do with where and when we each grew up. Don, in a midwestern, semi-rural/industrial town, Adrian, Michigan, during the 1950s and me on the dark side of L.A. during the 1960s. He evolved one way and me another. He loved the fantasy of the Republic Serials and Comic Books. Me, I was more drawn to the urban nature of Motown and Blaxploitation cinema. We did, however, come together with our love for Spaghetti Westerns, Samurai Cinema, and the abstracts works born from 1960s Psychedelic Cinema.
Due to Don’s love for Comic Books, and Comic Book Cinema; especially on a few of the early Zen Films we created together, there was a Comic Book, Super Hero element presented in each of them.
The main Donald G. Jackson and Scott Shaw films that I can say were the most Comic Book, Super Hero influenced, were: The Roller Blade Seven, Max Hell Frog Warrior, and Guns of El Chupacabra. In each of these cases, it was Don who came up with my character’s name. Where the idea(s) for the character names came from, you would have to ask him, as I don’t know. I just heard them and agreed. Sadly, you can no longer ask him that, however, as he passed away over twenty years ago. The character and the character development were, conversely, created by both of us contributing ideas. We were a dynamic team.
Was Hawk in the Roller Blade Seven a Super Hero? Was Max Hell in Max Hell Frog Warrior a Super Hero? Was Jack B. Quick, Space Sheriff, in Guns of El Chupacabra a Super Hero? Those answers are, of course, debatable. I would say more of an Anti Hero. But, the Super Hero, Comic Book influence is present in each of those characters and active throughout all of those films.
There are truly some grand Super Hero’s in Comic Books and on the Silver Screen. In Comic Books and Graphic Novels, and with films that have large budgets, anything is possible. The sky’s the limit.
In Comic Books, anything can happen. The mind of the creator dreams it, puts it to paper, and the character lives. In high budget films, again, what comes from the mind of the creator can be made into a reality. On films with a shoestring budget, like the Zen Films Don and I made, this is not the case, however. You need to keep your ideas bound by the realms of your reality. The reality of your budget.
So, was what we created in the realm of Super Hero Cinema on par with the Bigs? Of course not. We knew they could never be. Thus, what we presented to the audience were the characters exhibited via the understand that they are living in an abstract reality. What is witnessed by the audience is the intent more than the actualization.
For example, in Armageddon Blvd., we presented a character named, The Rag Doll. Simply her physical movements, and the way she completely embraced her character, was a true presentation of Comic Book Mentality and Cinematic Art. This is the same with the character, Mime Girl, who appeared in a couple of our Zen Films and Music Videos; most notably in, Mimes: Silent But Deadly.
That actress completely embraced her role. To watch both of those actresses, they completely OWNED their characters! True art. True acting.
What I am saying here is that what Don and I created, via the very limited budgets we possessed, was at least partially inspired by his love for Comic Book Culture and our combined love for Artistic Cinema. Thus, though we did not possess the budget to take our productions to the place where they could be compared with the high budget Action Character Genres, what we did was to make Cinematic Art within the constraints or our limited resources.
Aside from Super Hero Central, the Zen Films I made, not in association with DGJ, were not Super Hero Orientated. I was and am far more interested in presenting the urban landscape. As abstracted as my film presentations of that urban landscape may be to some people. Certainly, my Zen Film like Samurai Vampire Bikers from Hell and Samurai JohnnyFrankenstein have a Comic Book quality to them. But, that it is not really their focus. Their focus is human interaction in the character’s living of their life.
More to the point, I believe what we, and particularly I, created was a genre onto itself, defined by nothing created before. Namely, a Zen Film.
Did I ever feel like a Super Hero in those films? No. I knew I was just a guy, with a background in the martial arts, trying to make a piece of Artistic Cinema.
The ultimately question becomes, when you attempt to pigeonhole any artistic project into a specific genre is, are you giving it credence by doing so or are you simply diminishing what it was truly created to be? That’s the question you need to ask yourself whenever you observe any piece of art, via whatever form it may take on. Are you judging it based upon what you believe you already know, via comparing it to projects of a similar category, or are you allowing it to be its own singular presentation, dominated or judged solely on its peculiar unique boundaries of creation?
To take this conversation a bit further, I recently thought about that multi-part parody that was made about Zen Filmmaking and myself, created by students at Grand Valley State University. I popped over to YouTube, where it is presented and found it was filmed seventeen years ago. Wow, time flies!
As I have stated in the past, I never met or conversed with any of the actors or filmmakers associated with that project. Except for one of the participants who contacting me before filming, asking me about where we got the Chupacabra monster, but when I told him that it cost like thirty-thousand dollars to create, I never heard from him again. I wonder where those people are now?
The guy who played Scott Shaw did a very funny portrayal, I thought. As did all of the actors. They truly hit the nail on the head, (as the old saying goes), in their presentation of the wildness of the Zen Filmmaking mindset. Particularly the Zen Films I created in association with Donald G. Jackson.
That parody was done at a time when Zen Filmmaking, Donald G. Jackson, and myself were on the lips of many people in the film industry and the surrounding communities. Times change, however. As is always the case. Now, it seems, not as many people speak about Zen Filmmaking.
Zen Filmmaking is not the only Art-Based and new style of cinema to fall from mass public discussion that rose near the end of the twentieth century. New styles of cinema like Dogme 95 have also seemingly fallen by the wayside.
Still, there are those who do discuss and attempt to describe and pick-apart Zen Filmmaking. The thing about those who do is, they generally get the understanding of Zen Filmmaking and the motivations of Don and myself totally wrong. But, that’s okay, that’s just life. People who aren’t busy living their own life and creating their own brand of cinema, or other artistic endeavors, need something to speak about.
The thing is, at the root, at the heart of all artistic endeavors, is the artist. They are the one(s) who create.
Not everyone is an artist. That’s fine. I’m sure people like that are doing other important things that contribute to this Lifescape. With this being said, as the artist is the creator of that something uniquely their own, this always needs to be at the forefront of any discussion about what that artist created; not simply a judgmental overview about what one individual thinks or interprets or claims to they understand about what and why that artist was doing what they were doing.
Don and I came from vastly different foundations, yet, we came together and created a new style of cinema. Sure, it was me who laid down most of the formation and philosophy for the method. That’s just who I am. Don was way too scatter for all of that. But, it was our coming together that created the inception and the means for this ratified method of filmmaking to be developed. Without that meeting of the minds, the formalization of Zen Filmmaking may never have taken place.
With all creative teams comes the input of the two or more people lending their understanding to the project or the projects they create together. This was the case of Donald G. Jackson and myself. Like George Lucas has stated about the characters he created for Stars Wars, he envisioned himself as the Luke Skywalker character. Though created on a vastly larger scale than anything Don and I ever did, what we each brought to the table was our interpretation of that Hero, Super Hero, Anti Hero, or just that Unique Character that was not just your average Any Body, because no character, in any of our films, was just that average anybody. They were all unique pieces to the puzzle of a cinematic universe created just slightly outside the boundaries of average reality.
I believe that the key to viewing, studying, researching, or discussing any form of cinema, or any type of art, you must step into the mind of the person or persons who are the creator. You must understand it from their perspective; their advantages and their limitations. For if you truly wish to understand the inception and the truth in any piece of art, via whatever form it may take, you must remove yourself from the equation. As is stated in Zen, if you wish to truly understand anything, you must become nothing. For all the things you believe you know, is only your ego talking. You can never know what any other person knows. At best, you can only guess.
If you wish to truly understand and appreciate any art, be silent, let the piece of art be what it is. For there is the only place where a true understanding of art may be gained.
Copyright © 2024—All Rights Reserved
This article can also be found on Zen Filmmaking.com @
Zen Filmmaking & Super Hero Zen Cinema From Hawk to Max Hell to Jack B. Quick Space Sheriff
Every Scott Shaw Movies and TV Shows In Order [With Our Favorites Highlighted Throughout]
Here's a fun page on Serp Media where they list a bunch of my Zen Films and films I have appeared in with posters and info about each flick. Thanks!
Every Scott Shaw Movies and TV Shows In Order [With Our Favorites Highlighted Throughout]
Zen Filmmaking: The Art of No Story
By Scott Shaw
As I state, way too often, there is a rarely a week that goes by that I do not receive questions about (particularly) The Roller Blade Seven, in addition to Max Hell Frog Warrior, Armageddon Blvd., Samurai Vampire Bikers from Hell, Vampire Blvd., Guns of El Chupacabra (which has just been licensed to RiffTrax), and the list goes on and on; you name the Zen Film, I get questions about it. All good! I’m happy to answer, whenever I can. I have had several really good chats about the truth and the realities of the movies and filmmaking in general with some of those people. I also get a lot of question about why don’t I/will I ever do another Roller Blade Seven or Max Hell. Plus, for and from some very astute studiers of the Zen Filmmaking Legacy, I am often asked, will I ever do another story-driven film at all, as I haven’t made a narrative film in about fifteen years? …And, why did I move away from that style of filmmaking onto the more freeform Non-Narrative Zen Films, that I currently create?
There are a million reasons, of course, all based in my own mind, as I am the artist and the creator of my products. Mostly, it has to do with an ever-evolving freedom of art.
To discuss… I’ve read and heard, ever since I got into the filmmaking game, that the storylines of some of my films don’t make a lot of sense. Whenever I hear or read such a statement, it invokes many amused emotions in me. First of all, if you are saying that, you are not looking too deeply into the story development of that film. But, more importantly, who cares? For those who make such a statement, have you ever even looked into my philosophy about filmmaking and the stories these Zen Films are based upon? If you have, you would have known that one of the primary tenets of Zen Filmmaking is that the stories have already all been told, (so why bother retelling them in a fake-coherent manner), and/or that a story has to be lived before it can be written down. So, allow it to evolve in a natural process, whether it makes sense or not. Look at any of the interviews or discourses I, or Donald G. Jackson, ever gave about Zen Filmmaking, and this premise is made very-very clear. I/we never cared about the story development. It is only used as means and method to create a cinematic work of art revolving around a projected premise. But, that storyline is not essential, in any manner, to the art of that film. Moreover, stop trying to compare a Zen Film to a traditional film. For it is not. It never was intended to be.
What am I saying here? If you are looking for concise story development, a Zen Film is intentionally the wrong place to seek that out. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a visual movement of time and space that peeks into a particular altered reality, this is what you may find in a Zen Film.
I mean really, what does a critic do? Answer: Looks for something to criticize. But, is that a conscious place to live your life from? You may love or hate a piece of art. That’s human nature. But, do your homework before you criticize it. Attempt to truly understand any form of art from the place where it was created, not simply defined by whether you like or dislike it, while seeking out the flaws you feel it possesses.
That’s the thing about Zen, seeking the perfection within the imperfection.
Each artist presents their own interpretation of art in their own unique manner. And, this goes across all genres of the spectrum of art. Once upon a time, abstract art was new and unique. When seeing it for the first time, it was something totally new and different. Sometimes, so different that even to this day, many people do not like or appreciate it as art. But, loved or hated, it is the expression of that artist’s vision of art. This is the same with film art. My cinematic presentations are defined by the fact that the story does not matter, so stop looking for one.
Therefore, in answer to the question(s), would I ever do another story-driven narrative film? Sure, if I found the inspiration and the people to surround the project with positive energy. But, till that time, it is currently my focus to make the undefined Non-Narrative Zen Film. A space where, obviously and intentionally, the story does not matter.
You can’t criticize the storyline when there intentionally is no storyline.
Copyright 2024—All Rights Reserved
Croaking with Cult Appeal: An Exploration of Max Hell Frog Warrior
Released in 1996, Max Hell Frog Warrior, also known as Toad Warrior, is a film that defies easy categorization. A low-budget blend of martial arts, science fiction, and post-apocalyptic themes, it has garnered a devoted cult following over the years. This essay delves into the film's unique qualities, analyzing its narrative, characters, style, and impact on pop culture.
A World Gone Toadally Wrong: The film throws viewers into a desolate future where an experimental serum has transformed most of humanity into grotesque toads. The lone survivor, Max Hell (played by Scott Shaw), a stoic samurai-inspired warrior, emerges as the hope for the remaining humans. His mission: to rescue Dr. Trixi T, the creator of the serum, and find a cure.
Beyond B-Movie Clichés: While the plot might sound like a B-movie trope, the film surprises with its self-awareness and absurdist humor. The dialogue is peppered with witty one-liners, and the action sequences, though low-budget, are executed with surprising energy and choreography. Max Hell, despite his stoic demeanor, exhibits moments of dry humor and genuine heroism, making him a surprisingly endearing protagonist.
Cinematic Frog Stew: The film's visuals are a bizarre amalgamation of influences. The post-apocalyptic landscape is a wasteland of abandoned drive-in theaters and dilapidated gas stations, evoking a sense of forgotten Americana. The costumes range from Max Hell's samurai garb to the villainous Mickey O'Malley's (played by Joe Estevez) flamboyant suit, adding to the film's offbeat aesthetic.
Cult Status and Legacy: Max Hell Frog Warrior never achieved mainstream success, but its low-budget charm and offbeat humor resonated with fans of B-movies and cult classics. Its unique blend of genres, quotable dialogue, and memorable characters earned it a devoted following. The film has been screened at midnight movie festivals, inspiring cosplay tributes and fan art.
Beyond the Croaks: The film's enduring appeal lies in its embrace of camp and its refusal to take itself too seriously. It serves as a reminder that entertainment doesn't always have to be high-budget or follow conventional formulas. Max Hell Frog Warrior's success lies in its ability to be both ridiculous and strangely compelling, offering a unique cinematic experience that continues to entertain and inspire cult movie enthusiasts.
Further Exploration:
This essay is just a starting point. Consider delving deeper into specific aspects of the film, such as:
The film's satirical commentary on environmentalism and technological advancements.
The influence of other cult classics and exploitation films.
The film's portrayal of masculinity and heroism.
The enduring fandom and its creative expressions.
Here's the poster with the alternative title, Max Hell Comes to Frogtown.
Toad Warrior VHS
By Scott Shaw
It’s interesting… Every now and then people hit me up on Facebook or Instagram or somewhere and tell me about the what’s what of the what’s going on. Today, some guy contacted me, letting me know that an apparent Screener Copy of Toad Warrior was up for auction on eBay and he was wondering if he should bid on it. I found all of this karmically serendipitous as I had, just the other day, written a blog mentioning Max Hell Frog Warrior AKA Toad Warrior. Anyway, I took a look at the auction and I don’t where the seller got that video tape but it was not an actual Screening Copy, at least not from the source: namely Don or I, even though it did have my name on it: Scott Shaw, Toad Warrior, Screener Copy, and a phone number. It must have been some sort of bootleg or something??? Here’s a secret that you may not know and a way to tell if a VHS tape is an original or a fake for those of you who weren’t in the film game back in the days of video tape. If there is video picture separation and a light glitching along one of the sides of the tape, normally the left side, it was a VHS-to-VHS transfer and not a transfer from a Beta Master. FYI. More interesting than even that was/is the fact and the question, “Why do these video tapes sell for so much money?” I mean, I should sell the ones I have. They would equal a big chunk of change. Plus, they aren’t a bootleg. They are a Valid Original. Even more than that, I could print more copies—make more money. I’m the one with the Masters collecting dust in my Film Vault. But, I was never about the money… I was just about the art… Stupid me… :-) Anyway, back to the question, what makes these video tapes so valuable? The quality of the picture and the sound are not that great. I mean, sure they take you back to a place in time but was a bad picture with not great sound actually a better viewing experience? I mean, the DVD is still available and you can watch Toad Warrior on Amazon Prime Video. So??? And remember, Don and I never wanted that version of the film to be released in the U.S. We didn’t like the cut. I was forced to release it on DVD because someone/somehow, probably stolen from one of the screening houses, got a Beta copy of the film and then sold it to a distribution company who released it without our permission. Just a bit of history for you… Plus, if you truly care about the legacy of Donald G. Jackson, Zen Filmmaking, and myself you wouldn’t try to make a buck by selling a bootleg copy of Toad Warrior on eBay. In closing, this is just a note to all you people out there… Be warned… There’s a lot of fakes. Maybe you don’t care? I don’t know? But, to whomever paid all that money for that video tape, just know that it is not a True Source Copy. As for the guy who contacted me, I’m going to sent him one of the original video tapes of Toad Warrior; signed. A real Screening Copy. No charge.
Like I used to sign my letters back in the days of Max Hell: This is Life. This is Zen. This is Scott Shaw Signing Out. Zen Filmmaking!
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