Arguably the worst film ever made has paved the way for the most enjoyable documentary you’ll see all year.
Former child actor Michael Paul Stephenson starred in the abysmal film “Troll 2″ nearly 20 years ago.
Now, he’s revisiting the movie – and its sudden cultural cache as a great bad movie – with a documentary that’s as hilarious as the source material was unintentionally funny.
“Best Worst Movie,” playing at the Starz Denver Film Festival, documents the surreal growth of camp classic without ever stooping to mock those responsible for the screen debacle.
Alabama dentist George Hardy might not look like an A-lister, but to the legions of “Troll 2″ fanatics he’s a sort of deity. “Best Worst Movie” follows Hardy as he takes a break from his dental practice to reunite with his old cast members and drop in on packed “Troll 2″ screenings in cities across the country.
“Troll 2″ had no connection to the very minor horror hit “Troll” which prededed it. But the so-called sequel failed on every cinematic level possible – laughable dialogue, crude special effects, incomprehensible storytelling and acting performances – well, let’s stop before it gets too cruel.
Pop culture took its sweet time before starting its love affair with the film. But once a growing number of geeky film fans started their own “Troll 2″ viewing parties, and members of the Upright Citizens Brigade began honoring its eternal ineptitude, a legend was born.
And Hardy couldn’t be happier about it. The affable dentist always wanted to be famous, and now his infamy is complete. Not every cast member lived happily ever after. Some went on to different careers while a few, sadly, appear emotionally troubled
Stephenson the director keeps the tone almost uniformly light, capturing fine comic moments and simply getting out of the way when “Troll 2″ director, Claudio Fragasso, enters the picture.
The Italian film veteran, utterly unaware of both how awful his film truly is as well as its cult following, is the kind of character no screenwriter could ever hope to write.
He’s that good, and you almost wish a reality show producer would latch on to him.
It would be easy to mock everyone and anyone who played a role in creating such a lousy movie, but there’s an infectious joy to “Best Worst Movie.” Stephenson and co. understand that a truly terrible movie that still attracts an audience is a success in its own right.
“Best Worst Movie” doesn’t need any equivocations. It’s a sweet, hilarious ode to an awful movie that refuses to go away.
(Photo: The horrible horror film”Troll 2″ inspired “Best Worst Movie,” a documentary capturing the film’s unlikely cult following./Photo courtesy of the Starz Denver Film Festival)
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I haven’t seen Troll 2, but there’s something very endearing about an awful movie that just wants to entertain.
Couldn’t agree more, Mike. And when I hear a film is truly awful, it makes me even more curious to see it.
I think? “Troll 2″ is available on Hulu.com
Troll 2 is awesomely bad but in all the best ways possible. If you get a chance to see it at a midnight show or something then that is the way to see it with an audience. I was at the showing in Chicago which I believe is in this doc. I don’t think I’m in it unless in passing but the leading actors were there and it was so much fun.
To say it’s the worst film ever made is a misnomer of sorts. To me a horrible film is one that fails on the fundamental level which is to entertain. A film (no matter how serious) needs to be entertaining or it is a failure in my opinion. Troll 2 is not high art and is the epitome of what films shouldn’t be on the technical level but in its awfulness it is entertaining. I can’t wait to see this doc. For me it’s easy to love the best cinema has to offer. However, it’s special to celebrate it at its worst.
The doc does a good job of celebrating the film’s entertainment value — is a film entertains on some level, that’s an achievement, it says.
I agree. But it’s also a perfect storm working here. An awful film that’s so bad it’s good, the years pass allowing people to reassess the movie, the move toward slick special effects which renders what we see in “Troll 2″ all the more crude, etc.
One thing that I remember from “Troll 2″ is the subtext between the daughter and her boyfriend. She was kind of athletic and masculine and he just wanted to hang out with his boys…weird.
I suspect the director didn’t know what subtext meant … but you never know!
“You can’t piss on hospitality! I WON”T ALLOW IT!!!”
Best movie line ever?