Best Worst Movie (2009)
*** (out of 4)
It's not too shocking when bad movies become cult favorites but I think anyone would be shocked by this film, which clearly came out of no where and ended up becoming a major hit on the midnight-screenings and it even grew enough to get a positive review by Roger Ebert himself. This loving and irresistible documentary asks the question of what it's like to be in a film that many consider the worst ever made. The film in question is TROLL 2, a film released in 1990 that went straight to video and pretty much disappeared only to be discovered by fans years later and today it's a beloved cult classic. Director Michael Paul Stephenson plays the kid in that movie and he gets the majority of the cast members back to see how being in that movie changed their lives. George Hardy, who plays the father in TROLL 2, is the main star here as he pretty much takes us through all the midnight screenings and the various fan conventions that have been held throughout the country. I think what makes this documentary so special is that these bad films are often overlooked and forgotten about until decades after those involved with the film are dead. That's not the case here so it's incredibly interesting hearing from people who were in this thing and have lived long enough to gain some fame from it. It's also interesting to hear from those who were excited about their careers getting on the right path only to then see the movie and know that no one would ever want to hire them. Hearing about the embarrassment some of the actors had made for some great stuff as did their feelings on the cult that has followed. It's good to note that the majority of the cast members are having a good time with it and you can't help but smile as you hear their stories about the making of the film as well as their thoughts of when they first saw it. TROLL 2 director Claudio Fragasso is also on hand here and it's interesting to see how different he feels as he believes he made a good movie and doesn't quite understand why people are laughing at it. Many people have commented that Fragasso comes off as a jerk but I must admit that I can understand him being upset with people laughing and making fun of his work. There are a lot of moments where you can smile in this documentary but it also has some rather heartbreaking moments including a scene where one of the actors, who now lives alone, elderly and without any children, pretty much admits that he's wasted his entire life. There are other moments where the filmmakers try to expand the cult of TROLL 2 only to have no one show up. This documentary was originally mentioned as a tribute to TROLL 2 but I think it's something much more than that. I can't say it's a masterpiece but it's certainly something that will make you think when you watch really bad movies like I love to do. I'm not one of the "fans" of TROLL 2 but I must admit that this documentary has me ready to view it again and perhaps see it in a different way.
*** (out of 4)
It's not too shocking when bad movies become cult favorites but I think anyone would be shocked by this film, which clearly came out of no where and ended up becoming a major hit on the midnight-screenings and it even grew enough to get a positive review by Roger Ebert himself. This loving and irresistible documentary asks the question of what it's like to be in a film that many consider the worst ever made. The film in question is TROLL 2, a film released in 1990 that went straight to video and pretty much disappeared only to be discovered by fans years later and today it's a beloved cult classic. Director Michael Paul Stephenson plays the kid in that movie and he gets the majority of the cast members back to see how being in that movie changed their lives. George Hardy, who plays the father in TROLL 2, is the main star here as he pretty much takes us through all the midnight screenings and the various fan conventions that have been held throughout the country. I think what makes this documentary so special is that these bad films are often overlooked and forgotten about until decades after those involved with the film are dead. That's not the case here so it's incredibly interesting hearing from people who were in this thing and have lived long enough to gain some fame from it. It's also interesting to hear from those who were excited about their careers getting on the right path only to then see the movie and know that no one would ever want to hire them. Hearing about the embarrassment some of the actors had made for some great stuff as did their feelings on the cult that has followed. It's good to note that the majority of the cast members are having a good time with it and you can't help but smile as you hear their stories about the making of the film as well as their thoughts of when they first saw it. TROLL 2 director Claudio Fragasso is also on hand here and it's interesting to see how different he feels as he believes he made a good movie and doesn't quite understand why people are laughing at it. Many people have commented that Fragasso comes off as a jerk but I must admit that I can understand him being upset with people laughing and making fun of his work. There are a lot of moments where you can smile in this documentary but it also has some rather heartbreaking moments including a scene where one of the actors, who now lives alone, elderly and without any children, pretty much admits that he's wasted his entire life. There are other moments where the filmmakers try to expand the cult of TROLL 2 only to have no one show up. This documentary was originally mentioned as a tribute to TROLL 2 but I think it's something much more than that. I can't say it's a masterpiece but it's certainly something that will make you think when you watch really bad movies like I love to do. I'm not one of the "fans" of TROLL 2 but I must admit that this documentary has me ready to view it again and perhaps see it in a different way.