Best Worst Movie is not just a look back at Troll 2...
Best Worst Movie is an examination of the cult of celebrity and an appreciation of movies that are entertaining for all the wrong reasons.
Written by James “Crypticpsych” Lasome
December 16, 2010
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Release: April 25, 2010 (USA)
Written and Directed by: Michael Stephenson
Starring:
George Hardy as Himself
Michael Stephenson as Himself
Darren Ewing as Himself
Claudio Fragasso as Himself
Jason Steadman as Himself
Oh, how I love Troll 2. For those not familiar, Troll 2 is the Italian-produced tale of a family under attack by a band of vegetarian goblins who want to eat them for dinner, their only protectors being their son, Joshua, and the ghost of his Grandfather. It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Until you add in a cast of actors including an Alabama dentist and a mental patient on his days off, a script so laughable that half of the film is unintentionally quotable, a crew that barely speaks any English, and a plot that features such mind-blowing elements as a completely nonerotic popcorn-related seduction, a total lack of actual “trolls”, and possibly the single most ludicrous ultimate weapon in the history of cinema.
To call the movie “bad” does not do it justice. It is spectacularly bad, reveling uncaringly in the fact that just about every aspect of it fails while still being made with unmistakable care by those involved. One can imagine starring in a film like this might scar a child actor, and young Michael Stephenson was certainly more disappointed than most that Christmas morning he first received his performance on VHS. Almost 20 years of running from the film later, though, he began to realize there was more to this film than just its many flaws.
Best Worst Movie, at first glance, serves as a look back at Troll 2, telling stories and interviewing the stars to see where they ended up. It’s also about sold-out screenings, Q&A’s, rabid fandom, and what it means to appreciate movies so flawed and bad that they become great in their failure. But, at its core, Best Worst Movie is about celebrity and the subjective meaning of art. It’s about George Hardy, the Alabama dentist who played Joshua’s father Michael in the movie, and his journey as he discovers the growing power of a movie he had never previously fully watched. It’s also about Claudio Fragasso, the movie’s director, and his reaction to the fact that a film he believes to be a serious and compelling artistic expression… is seen by its legions of fans as a laughable, lovable failure.
Hardy runs a thriving dental practice and is loved by all as a pillar of the community (even his ex-wife!). One day while doing his post-doctoral work years prior, he managed to find his way into acting in Troll 2. Now, he and Stephenson (as well as the rest of the cast) attempt to figure out why the movie is so beloved, interviewing cast members and talking to fans. The movie becomes primarily focused on how he responds to his fame, from his initial enthusiasm and open embrace of it through to a form of burnout and boredom with the spotlight.
Fragasso and his Italian crew, on the other hand, believe their film to be a serious, compelling work of art. One even claims that the Harry Potter series’ popularity owes a debt to Troll 2! Stephenson brings him to America where he and his writing partner wife are confronted with the realization that their work is instead seen as a laughably bad cult disasterpiece. The viewer can almost see Fragasso mentally progress through stages of denial and a bit of anger over the situation before coming to realize that the love people show this misfit of a movie might be just as impressive and powerful as the impact of critical acclaim.
Tonally, Best Worst Movie is effective because it manages to be entertaining and funny while being painfully honest, leading to some awkward and sad cast interviews that enhance the realism of the story Stephenson tells. That said, I do have a bone to pick in this regard. As part of the journey, Hardy and Stephenson head out to conventions in England (non-horror) and Texas (horror) to meet the fans. After getting 
minimally recognized at both, the group decides to never do them again. Hardy in particular comes off as unusually cruel as he secretly insults the crowd for its poor dental hygiene, black clothing, and extreme look. I understand the point of the scene in terms of the story but also believe that it hurts the likeability of George as the movie’s “star” and makes dangerous generalizations about horror fans and conventions themselves.
Best Worst Movie is great because it does not sugarcoat its subject matter. It never pretends that Troll 2 is classically “good”, nor does it turn the camera away when the viewer discovers that some of the cast members do not lead the most normal lives. At times, it can hit a little too close to home because of this, but mostly, it is about being happy and proud of who or what you are, whether that be an Italian filmmaker, an Alabama dentist, a fan who makes their own goblin masks, or a movie with a 0% rating on Rottentomatoes.
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