Best Worst Movie (2009) User Reviews

A delightful surprise

[ncoxny-1 · 8/10 · 14 May 2010]

I saw the infamous "Troll 2" many years ago on Cinemax or HBO or somewhere. It was a prime example of the "so bad it's funny" category. Every now and then I'd describe the crazy ending and horrible acting to friends, but for the most part it stayed below my radar.

Then I read a review about "Best Worst Movie", co-directed by the actor who played the kid. I didn't know that "Troll 2" had such a furious following. The film is being four walled at the Village East Cinema this week, and I thought I'd check it out. I expected that I would be one of the few people there. Imagine my surprise when there was a line to get in!

I thought the movie was a delight! Most of the actors in the film have moved on and take there odd notoriety in stride. The woman who played the mother, however, thinks that "Troll 2" is on par with "Cassablanca". The director, who seems to think he's the heir to Fellini's throne, genuinely thinks he made a great film and a parable about modern society. Still, everyone seems to have had a great time making this film. Like "Ed Wood", "Best Worst Movie" celebrates the people who made the movie. They may not have made a great movie, or even a good movie, but they did SOMETHING that has endured.

Very interesting, but more focused on the fandom than the movie

[bpkellam · 7/10 · 6 August 2010]

I'm a huge fan of bad movies and I'm particularly interested in the story behind these movies and how they got so bad. I've seen Troll 2 countless times and the narrative that has been developed about its production is incredible. So, I have been eager to see this documentary since I first heard about and went to a screening at the Music Box Theater recently.

Overall the movie was very interesting. However, it did exactly what I was afraid it would do and focus the documentary on the "midnight movie" cult phenomena aspect of Troll 2 rather than its back story. It primarily follows George Hardy, the father from Troll 2, as he explores this strange, sudden form of fame. He seems very humble and gregarious, so his experiences in going to conventions and trying to persuade country folk to see Troll 2 are a little amusing, but they take up a huge portion of the film. Similarly, we see lots and lots of footage of the cast at Troll 2 midnight showings which, while colorful, takes up way too much screen time. It seemed as though the film was developed to appeal more a wider audience who is totally unfamiliar with Troll 2 or the bad movie culture. Everyone who is in the know (which makes up a vast majority of the film's audience because it is a small release) won't be too captivated by scenes that just show a couple of random friends hanging out in an AV room and getting others to watch Troll 2 for the first time.

When the movie does explore the movie's origins and production history and interviews cast members, it is extremely entertaining. All of the story's rumors of unintelligible scripts and intended social commentary are all true. Many of the people involved with the movie are fascinating, if not heartbreaking, to see now. Grandpa Seth seems to realize he "frittered his life away," the general store owner relates that he was in a dementia/drug haze during production and was not quite aware he was in a movie, and Margo Prey (the mother) is a delusional, agoraphobic cat lady.

Most interesting of all is the segments with director Claudio Fragasso. He actually believes the movie is great and it takes him time to understand that the sudden revival of the movie is ridiculing it. Eventually, he comes to terms with the criticism all the while still berating its cast members and insisting on his skill as a filmmaker. The documentary would have been considerably more interesting had he been its main subject.

Overall, the film is definitely worth seeing, Troll 2 fan or not. However, it's frustrating to think would the movie could have been. Some scenes are amazing, but much of it is bogged down by footage of people in line for a Troll 2 showing screaming at the camera or George Hardy telling uninterested neighbors about his "piss on hospitality" scene.

Where the heck is Creedence?

[oowawa · 7/10 · 14 July 2012]

Although I love Troll 2, I cannot concur with the general consensus that it is even close to the "worst movie ever made." (For that honor, you have to look at something that takes itself really seriously, with pretenses to high art, like a "film" by Godard). Troll 2 is a nutty little comedy with a ridiculous plot, silly dialog and amateurish costumes, and, as such, I really enjoyed it. It's fun.

IMHO, the main fault of this good-natured and generally excellent documentary is its failure to mention Deborah Reed, whose way over-the-top portrayal of veggie villainess and hippie druid Queen "Creedence Leonor Gielgud" is the wacky heart of the movie. She morphs from maniac priestess to gorgeous Elvira-like vamp whose hotness can literally pop corn (in the film's most overtly comic scene). Did Deborah Reed ask to be excluded from the documentary? (She does have an incomplete website). Was there a conflict between the documentary's creator and the actress? The documentary's failure to make any mention of Reed causes a real WTF moment. Anyway, Deborah was a doll, full of manic comic energy, and I was surprised to see that her career as a film actress seems to be limited to Troll 2. What happened to her? We want to know! But all-in-all, I am very grateful for Troll 2, and for Michael Stephenson's delightful documentary. Both of these films have made my life a marginally happier place. Bravo! And hang in there Margo! I really sympathize with your feelings about crappy neighbors!

It's awesome to see the people behind those cult bad movies

[carlos37andre · 6/10 · 30 July 2019]

The human part (besides the director) of the movie is awesome. The cast seems to be so cool, with the highlight of George Hardy, what awesome dude. I wish them all the best. Makes me really happy to see those movies thriving and reaching the audience it deserves.

The documentary itself could have being better tho. I felt that sometimes it showed seems that added little to the overall context of the movie, some weird cuts that come way after it should come, etc.

To sum up, it's worth seing to get to know the people behind this odd piece of art, even I that didn't like the movie that much, started to see it with new eyes.

Worth the Risk

[heathdavisspeed · 10/10 · 24 January 2010]

Every year, Wellington has a film festival and puts out a brochure with brief synopses of the films that will be shown. Something about the idea of a guy trying to track down the cast which he shared a movie with many years earlier appealed. It took a while to convince my other half that we should go and see a film about a horror film which neither of us had seen and had atrocious reviews on IMDb.

It was a risk.

However, it was a risk that with the benefit of hindsight I was very glad that we both took. Knowledge of the erstwhile Troll 2 was not necessary as the film is interspersed with relevant sections of the original movie as and when required.

I can only imagine that the previous reviewer has no sense of humour or has something against this film, because what I saw was one of the funniest films I'd seen in years. Some of the comic timing is absolutely perfect, as, for example, one of the cast members of Troll 2 is indulging in some ego massage only for the film maker to capture a telling glance or bemused expression from an onlooker.

At the screening, the director was present and took part in a Q&A after the fact. A question was somewhat rudely asked as to whether the director felt it was right to degrade his former colleagues in such a way, by displaying their insecurities, idiosyncrasies and foibles on celluloid. I, however, give this critic short shrift. With the potential exception of the director of the original Troll 2, these people have volunteered to be part of this film, and I found myself laughing along with these people rather than at them.

All in all, you won't find a much more amusing documentary to watch than this. Whether you are interested in the subject matter or not is largely unimportant. If you see this film advertised at a cinema, in a rental shop on DVD or maybe in your TV listings then make sure you too take the risk to see it. It'll be worth it.

Good funny documentary.

[deloudelouvain · 7/10 · 6 July 2020]

I didn't really know what to expect from this documentary. Maybe I watched Troll 2 when I was young but I for sure can't remember it, like I can't remember any of the worse movies I watched. I watched a lot of extremely bad movies, all waste of my time, but after watching this very well made documentary you kinda want to watch Troll 2 just to see what's the fuzz about. But reason came to me and I won't. The documentary shows a couple shots every now and then and it's obvious it's painful to watch so that's already enough for me. This documentary is just well done, contains a lot of funny moments and for that alone it's worth a watch. It's more about the cast than about the movie itself, and that doesn't really matter as there are some weird people in this cast, all worth watching. The director of Troll 2, the Italian Claudio Fragasso, seems to be a bit strange as well. I guess it all makes sense if he made the worst movie ever, even though I'm sure there are way worse movies.

the cult around the "worst" movie loved by so many, and the people in the whirlpool of "fame"

[Quinoa1984 · 9/10 · 6 July 2011]

The actors just hoped for the best with Troll 2, at the time of shooting called Goblin (named for the name of the town in the film, 'Nilbog', get it?). The script was awkward, the creature effects shoddy, and most of the Italian crew, including director Claudio Fragasso, and nobody really knew what would happen with the movie. No theatrical release, straight to video and HBO, and when people saw it (save for the director, who still thinks it's a good movie, and the actress who played the mother, Margo Prey, who thought it was a solid "actors" movie) they knew how bad it was... and that included what is now the director of the documentary on Troll 2, Michael Stephenson, who played the lead kid/protagonist in Troll 2. He goes back to visit all the actors in the film, what they're up to, and then confront them with an astounding fact: Troll 2, in small-certain circles, is a big, big deal.

One of the main keys here is that the documentary works kind of like a cross between American Movie and Overnight, only it's all taking place many years after the fact. You have the 'characters' who are kind of nutty (the guy who was actually in a mental asylum and let out one day to play the store clerk in the film, Don Packard), and the ones who just tried to put it aside and get on with a career without Troll 2 (Connie Young as the daughter Waits in the film). And then there's George Hardy, who is like the anti Troy Duffy: instead of an obnoxious jerk, Hardy is the guy everybody likes (which could be to a fault, but who cares) and has that nice, sweet, all-American disposition working as a dentist and always with a smile or a laugh. And when he finds out Troll 2 is such a cult, he not only embraces it, he goes with it on tour!

This is also a wonderful treat for those film fans who know what it's like to find a movie so-bad-it's-fun like Troll 2. We see them here at the screenings that take place midnight all across the country, from New York to Los Angeles and cities in-between (most touching is the first screening that happens almost underground at a comedy club of all places and where the first real rise of Troll-mania happens). Stephenson gets what it's like for these people to be such fans, and that the cast (save for Prey who doesn't show up cause of her sick mother, and the director who is bitter about the guilty-pleasure love) gets what kind of audience loves Troll 2. As a cult you get the guy who tattoos Troll 2 on his arm. You get the people wearing their hand-made t-shirts. You get people who drive six hundred God-knows-how-many miles for a screening. And of course they all know all the words.

Stephenson captures what a phenomena like this is like, and at the same time the bittersweet coin of sudden "fame". Hardy goes all the way to Britain to promote Troll 2, and it's a little staggering to find out a) he didn't see if, you know, there were actual FANS of the film willing to go to conventions for it like they did the screenings in the states, and b) people don't seem to automatically find it cool all the time to be the "worst movie ever made" (smile). This also happens in Dallas at a convention we see, albeit the one time Hardy loses the admiration (at least from me) is when he slams the people who come to horror conventions, without realizing how horror audiences can be at such places, or that, you know, Troll 2 is still and always will be a big film for some, and for others they'll have a blank look on their faces.

Which, at the end of it all is fine for someone like Hardy, a genuine real-deal of a man who is fine with his dentist practice (albeit he is now acting in a few intentionally crappy movies like Ghost Shark 2), and for the director Fragasso and his co-writer wife who continue to berate the cast's friendly bashing of the film and the production, since, well, they think they did a good job with the movie (at one point, kind of unintentionally funny, Fragasso ponders why the audience laughs at the parts that "aren't meant to be funny", while also pointing out that the audience "saved" the movie from obscurity). Stephenson gets the human angle of everyone in the movie and understands them, even someone who could have been painted as a crazy like Margo Prey (who for some she may be anyway). And for such a movie like Troll 2 to get mainstream attention, if just for a little while, it's a swell treat for a movie so hilariously s***ty.

Moral of the story: You can't p*** on hospitality, I WONT ALLOW IT!

for the Nintendo generation

[VideoGameHollywood · 10/10 · 23 November 2010]

The Best Worse Movie, is a look at the making of the film Troll 2 and its journey from being crowned the "worst film of all time" to a cherished cult classic. Troll 2 is a perfect example of the "so bad it's funny" category. Very few movies get everything, I mean everything so far from right, except for Troll 2.

The Best Worse Movie was made by the child actor from the film, he manages to find all of the cast and discusses with them how the movie changed there lives. It was funny to see the reaction from everyone involved who either wrote the film off as an embarrassment or just a good laugh. Except for the Italian director of Troll 2, who still regarded the film as a masterpiece.

I was very shocked how much I enjoyed this documentary. I enjoyed it as much as "King of Kong", and really enjoyed the story of how a film can go so wrong in every department. It goes to show how beloved some of these terrible campy 80's movies are today with the Nintendo generation.

Rating= A+

UPDATE: After watching this documentary, I went out and watched Troll 2, and yes, it was as bad as they say.

Troll 2 and Unfulfilled Dreams

[room102 · 6/10 · 6 December 2013]

This is a documentary about the "so bad it's good" movie "Troll 2 (1990)", a movie that is so bad that it gained cult classic status, like "The Room (2003)", with sold-out screening, etc.

The documentary is pretty interesting and well made. Everyone in the cast is interviewed - many of them are aware of how bad the movie is, and take it lightly. Others (including the director himself) take the movie extremely seriously, completely unaware (or in denial) that people like the movie because it's terrible. One of the actresses actually compares it to movies such as "Casablanca". The Italian director - who, like Ed Wood, actually believes he made a great movie - goes so far as to call his actors "dogs" when they criticize the movie and tell people "you don't understand nothing" when they ask him simple questions about flaws in the movie. You get to meet some weirdos, but most of them are nice people and they all have one thing in common - they all like the movie industry.

5.5/10 Recommended

Uninformative and somewhat unpleasant

[galensaysyes · 3/10 · 13 January 2011]

Best Worst Movie isn't what I expected it to be. In publicizing it, its maker and its subject gave interviews in which they recounted their experiences as actors in the movie Troll 2 15 years ago, and I expected BWM to be an expansion on those accounts: a thorough history of T2's making. But BWM includes very little information on that, less than what was in the interviews, even though it had the director, the writer, and the entire cast to draw from. It doesn't, for example, tell how T2 came into being, how it was financed, its director--an Italian--came to shoot in Utah, how he assembled the cast, and so on. A viewer who didn't know T2 wouldn't be able to piece together the story from the evidence here. Instead BWM concentrates on one of the T2 actors--a one-shot actor--traveling around the country to make personal appearances in what appears to be a touring revival of T2, primarily for the benefit of the cult it has gained since its making. But apart from one fan's account of how his cell came into being, BWM is short on facts even about the cult.

So what does it show? It shows the one-shot actor telling people he once was in a bad movie and recapitulating his dialogue from it for the audiences at the revival showings. It also shows fans doing the kinds of things fans do: quoting lines from the movie, wearing homemade replicas of the costumes, and so on. A very little of this is entertaining--about enough for a five-minute feature on a TV magazine. But Best Worst Movie goes on for 18 times that length (30 times, if one counts the extras on the DVD). It's overkill. Worse yet, amidst all the repetition a somewhat unpleasant outlook comes to make itself felt.

BWM likes to stare and point at people. It doesn't have the sympathy to look beyond the obvious and perceive anything more in them, or the curiosity to find out. It's satisfied to stare. And it seems to divide the objects of its attention into two categories: Geeks and Freaks. The Geeks--the members of the fan cult--are Okay. The Freaks--those who don't like T2, or like it in the wrong way, or belong to some different cult--are Not Okay. Thus one of the actresses from T2, who gave the nearest thing to a successful performance in it but has now become, or perhaps always was, a jittery recluse, isn't given leisure to explain herself, and her invalid mother, who is in no way unusual for a person at her time of life in her state of health (and has nothing to do with anything except that she happened to be on scene), is treated as a freak, whereas the movie validates people who put on goblin get-ups, gobble down green-dyed cakes, and re-enact scenes from a 15-year-old bad movie. I submit that the life of that invalid mother, her reclusive daughter, or any of the other people the film shows as marginal--if someone had the interest and sensitivity to bring them out--could be shown to have more value than the adolescent nonsense BWM chooses to celebrate.

Consider the case: The moviemaker called on his hermitlike former castmate with no warning, she welcomed him into her house--and then he crapped on her. He lured the director of T2 to this country with a promise that he would see his movie appreciated at last--and then not only his appreciators but his former cast crapped on him. He's shown becoming quite testy about it, and no wonder; that kind of treatment is a betrayal. Hence, in the end the taste Best Worst Movie left in my mouth was more worst than best.

Interesting Documentary about a Troubled Film and it's Cult Following

[Reviews_of_the_Dead · 7/10 · 22 February 2020]

I heard about this documentary from the 22 Shots of Moodz and Horror, so I added it to my list. I checked it out after seeing a heavy movie and needed to unwind before bed, so I figured this would fit that. This is a doc about the making of Troll 2 and the cult following that it has now. The synopsis is a look at the making of Troll 2 and its journey from being crowned the 'worst film of all time' to a cherished cult classic.

Since this a documentary, I'm not going to give as much a recap as I would for a normal movie. Most of this though follows George Hardy, who starred in Troll 2 as Michael Waits. He starred in that movie as he was starting out as a dentist in Utah and he always wanted to be an actor. He didn't think anything of it until the movie came out and kind of distanced himself from it. It wasn't until he realized the following that got him invigorated.

This documentary is being made by the child actor who starred as the lead in it as well. Michael Paul Stephenson was Joshua and he was hoping Troll 2 would be his break as the lead. The problem was that the movie wasn't good. I remember seeing it back when it hit VHS as a big fan of Troll. I know I watched it the once and it stuck with me, but I knew it wasn't good.

We then go about learning the cult following this movie got. This is what I mean with Hardy, who goes around to different screenings to interact with his fans. My problem with him is that because he gets a bit of the taste of success, he starts to think that he's really talented and that this movie is better than what it really is. It is semi-disingenuous though as we see when he goes to a horror convention in Texas and in the United Kingdom. He's over it when he's not being treated as star.

Learning the history of the movie and the problems through the production is what I really enjoyed. We actually get to see the director Claudio Fragasso and his significant other Rossella Drudi who wrote this film along with him. Meeting Claudio, his thoughts on the movie and his standoff nature with the fans I really dug. It is ironic as he was known to work with Bruno Mattei. They were both in that era where they would rip off Americans films while working under pseudonyms that sound like they're from the United States. Heck, Troll 2 is just capitalizing off Troll that had some success off of being an Empire film if memory serves. They made a lot of schlock as cash grabs, pretending that it was really good. This is what Italian cinema would do though. They would bill things as sequels, when they really had nothing to do with them.

I'm not one to step on the toes of people and try to rain on their parade. I will admit it has been some time since I've seen Troll 2. I do plan to rewatch it. I do know that it isn't as bad I remember it, but I can't go as far as people in this movie go with their love for it. I respect the story behind it for sure. It really has the workings of being a cult film in that it was made serious, but just feel apart and that's the way movies like this really do get made. I feel bad for the actors that were in it and the effects it had on their career, but for the most part, they mostly seem fine. This is a fun documentary. If you like the story of how things get made, I would definitely give this a viewing for sure. It isn't technically horror, but since the movie it is covering is a horror movie, I feel it counts. I'd say this is an above average documentary for sure.

6.5/10

Ignore Paul Kersey Jr., he's just trolling the reviews

[andrewjunlee · 9/10 · 25 July 2010]

Perhaps it was the build up for watching this documentary, but I found it to be the most enjoyable movie I've watched all year. I was reviewing the list of movies on display at the Sacramento Film Festival and I stumbled across the synopsis for this movie. I had vague recollections of Troll, but I couldn't really remember watching Troll 2. I recruited a few friends to watch the documentary since they'd heard of Troll 2 from some documentary about the worst movies ever filmed.

Three hours before the documentary was set to start, we gathered at my house with some chips and beers and set out to watch Troll 2. One friend had to switch to hard liquor to handle the outlandishly bad scenes in the movie, but the rest of us found the movie very watchable. It's like watching a train wreck at a high school talent show. You get a gut-wrenching feeling from watching these people make asses out of themselves, but you can't help but love their performance.

Anyway, we finished Troll 2 and we all agreed that there were several parts of the movie we'd love to have explained. That's where the documentary came in. It's like having an audio commentary extra from a special edition DVD, except you have to go to the local indie theater to watch it.

I don't know what the hell that one reviewer was writing about, but out of the 25 people who were in the small theater, at least 15 of them were constantly bursting into fits of laughter. The documentary is genuinely funny and I don't think people should watch it as a serious film... since it's about the worst movie ever. It'd make no sense.

One of my friends that went to the theater with us did so without watching Troll 2. After the documentary, he insisted that we watch the Troll 2 again that night, which we did. After watching the documentary, it's hard not to like Troll 2 since you now know the people that played the characters. It's comforting to know that they're as embarrassed about some of their scenes as you were for them.

cinematic love

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 22 August 2016]

George Hardy is a happy dentist beloved by everyone including his ex-wife. In 1989, he acted in a small budget horror in Utah. It is Troll 2, and by everybody's opinion, it is one of the worst movies of all times. This documentary interviews various actors involved in the movie and even they agree with its poor quality. However, the movie has since garnered a cult following who love the poor quality but also the sincere artistic effort. The movie lovers start showing it in festivals and cheered on by Hardy. Then there is the movie's Italian director Claudio Fragasso who insists on its artistic merits. There is an unadulterated joy of movies in this documentary. There are also great characters just like any fictional movies. There is a minor concern as the movie struggles to find a specific ending. Claudio seeing the film print is probably a solid climax. This is directed by Michael Stephenson who was the child actor lead in the original Troll 2.

Mainly about the people not the picture

[Red-Barracuda · 8/10 · 29 March 2011]

The film Troll 2 has become something of a cult item in the last five or six years. It's one of the movies that truly defines the term 'so bad it's good'. It's a consistently ridiculous film that is so very amusing because it so clearly never intentionally tries to be funny at any point. Its mixture of earnest endeavour, cinematic hopelessness and general strangeness aligns it alongside the much-loved yet utterly inept work of Ed Wood. It's really a very rare occasion for any film to achieve the very specific anti-brilliance of Troll 2. So with this in mind, it only seems right that a documentary has been made to celebrate its existence.

It focuses mainly on two things. The people involved in the making of the film and the audiences it has subsequently attracted. What it doesn't do – and this is a mistake in my opinion – is tell us how the movie came to be made in the first place. It doesn't even answer the question that many people find the most obvious – why is it called Troll 2 when there aren't any trolls in it? I think the story of Troll 2 warranted a little more historical context and background info, as much of the facts are fascinating in themselves.

That said I did enjoy Best Worst Movie and think it's great it was made at all. I remember back in 2005 Michael Stephenson the director and child star in the film frequented the IMDb boards with other cast members and he did say back then that he was planning on making this very documentary. I must say I thought it would never happen but fortunately I was incorrect. George Hardy, the father in the film, emerges as a real star; a very likable man who seems to have lapped up his bizarre fame. Although the real main man of the piece turns out to be director Claudio Fragasso. Every time he was on screen was gold. He was a living embodiment to what made Troll 2 so entertaining in the first place, i.e. committed artistic seriousness and a refreshing lack of irony. Fragasso truly believed that Troll 2 was loved so much because it was a complex family drama. Although he at least didn't go as far as to compare it with Casablanca as Margo Prey did without any sense of jest. Prey was clearly a disturbed woman. But then so was Don Packard, the man who played the drugstore owner, he in fact was an out-patient at a sanatorium when the film was made. So this is surely an example of fact being as strange as fiction. Well, almost.

Best Worst Movie is ultimately a perfect accompaniment to Troll 2 itself. The documentary somewhat strangely does not really focus on the content of the film itself. There are numerous clips of course but they're never commented on and many of the best parts are bizarrely not featured in the first place. This would perhaps be more of a problem if you didn't have the movie itself to enjoy afterwards. Ultimately Best Worst Movie is a look at a group of people who were inadvertently involved in making a movie that not one of them could have imagined in their wildest dreams would go on to become something of a cult classic. It's a strange story but one worth knowing about.

A good documentary, but at times it does become "The George Hardy Show"

[bazmitch23 · 7/10 · 13 October 2015]

We get nice interviews from the actors all admitting that they hated Troll 2 when they first saw it. But grew to love it after the movie gained a cult status.

Claudio is clearly a guy who cannot take criticism. When someone tries to correct him about anything, he gets annoyed. There's a scene near the end when the cast do a Q and A and he is in the audience. Anytime somebody says the movie is bad, he would shout at them and get angry. He's like a child who can't understand that you can't have everything you want.

He also gets annoyed when people laugh at the movie for how bad it is.

We have interviews with random people explaining why they love this movie and we have screenings of them showing the movie.

The biggest focus on this doc is George Hardy. Shot in his home town, everyone is like "George is so great" and "George is amazing".....

The focus is no longer on Troll 2, but about fecking George.

We see him go over the moon when he is at screenings of this movie. Not just in his hometown, but all around the States too.

He is on top of the world and nothing can spoil his enjoyment.

That is until he goes to a convention in Birmingham.

He's sitting by the stalls, wondering why the hell aren't people asking for his autograph.

"Hey, I was in Troll 2!"

(Silence)

You just want to say "Take that, George! Serves you right for your attention seeking."

But it get worse when he goes to the convention in Texas and the same thing happens again.

Also, he is not found of the other Horror movies being promoted.

"I don't know this movie. This one neither. Oh boy."

Despite his attention seeking, you do feel a tad bit sorry not just for him, but for the other actors who starred in movies about 20 years ago and haven't done anything since.

This is why being an actor or actress sucks big time.

But then George goes back to his hometown and it is all "George is so great" again.

You're famous in your hometown, but not everywhere.

Claudio also gets one last word. "I make movies that emote me and this movie emotes the audience too."

Yeah, cos I clearly remember how emotional this movie made me.

You poor bastard, Claudio.

Still, it is a nice doc and worth watching if you liked (or even didn't like) Troll 2.

Hysterical documentary that celebrates a great "bad" movie.

[PJoseph73 · 9/10 · 18 October 2010]

I had never seen Troll 2 before this film, but decided to watch it before viewing Best Worst Movie. After I saw it, I immediately watched the documentary as I was now hooked and had to know the story behind Troll 2.

Now, I liked Troll 2. As a connoisseur of "bad" movies, Troll 2 has it all. I keep putting "bad" in quotes because they are only labeled that, and in my mind are not REALLY bad. They are wonderful. And that's exactly why Best Worst Movie is wonderful. It celebrates with love the awesome earnestness of strange film making that is Troll 2.

It catches up with many of the film's stars and the highlight is George Hardy, the leading man in Troll 2. He's a living Ken Doll - you can't believe how sincere and likable he is. (I recently met George, and let me tell you, he is really the nice person he portrays.) At one point in the doc, George and the documentary's director (Michael Stevenson, who played the little boy in Troll 2) are on a mission to show the film to George's hometown. George, who is a dentist in his non-acting life, has known these people for years. But most them are not aware of this illustrious Hollywood moment he had in 1989. George goes door to door, handing out fliers, and acting out moments from the film. Even though many of his neighbors stare blankly as he repeats a classic line from Troll 2, he gives the moment his all - smiling and laughing the whole time. You know then that this is a man who loves to exist in a world where he can tell people to see a movie he starred in that most actors would remove from the IMDb page.

I can't do justice in this review the documentary's many great moments because the reality of those scenes have to be seen. But what you take away from this film is that the love true cinephiles have can breath life into films and give them meaning never meant by a filmmaker.

And this is the amazing magic of movies - like a good novel, they continually have new meaning. THAT is what makes "bad" movies - or any movie for that matter - a classic.

From a Joke to Cult

[cynthia-ostrich · 7/10 · 25 June 2013]

I begin with a preface - As a watcher of truly awful movies for the comedic value, Troll 2 has been on my DVD shelf for many years. It is one of the worst movies ever made, making it indeed hilarious. I know it is not a watch for everyone.

While going through a documentary phase recently I began to watch 'Best Worst Movie' on Netflix. I had no idea what it was about. I didn't pay particular attention to the description. It starts by telling the story of a southern dentist named George Hardy. He is definitely a pillar of the community and an all-around great guy with a million dollar smile. I couldn't put my finger on it, but for some reason George Hardy looked so familiar to me. Then they point out about 5 minutes in that the always smiling Hardy starred in one of the worst movies ever…Troll 2. The brain synapses fired and I recalled it all immediately.

This documentary takes you not only behind the making of this ill-conceived poorly budgeted film back in 1989, but also the lives of all those behind it…then and now. It takes you on the journey of Troll 2; from being a laughable joke to one with an impressive cult following.

Michael Stephenson starred as young Joshua in Troll 2, believing it was going to be the start of a long and successful acting career. The movie was a flop and pretty much ruined Michael's dream. Now as an adult, Michael directs the documentary telling the heartwarming story behind many of the actors in the film. It shows us that even the worst of films has a story to tell and indeed a little heart. If you have never screened Troll 2 I guarantee you after watching this documentary you will want to.

How to Embrace a horrible experience and turn it into a positive one.

[entrepreneurbytrade · 9/10 · 1 August 2010]

I enjoyed watching this documentary. I think this was a good example of a situation where the original cast overcame a negative experience (endured 18 years ago). Described as embarrassing, depressing etc... which isn't a stretch I could imagine it must have been crushing to be cast in a movie you thought was going to be a legit movie, to than watch it and find out that it's not only a bad movie or a bomb it's so bad there isn't a category for it, other than a college film making 101 project. I could also imagine it must have been rough for the younger actors going to school after this aired (especially the girl… the dancing in the mirror scene, should I say anymore?). Thanks to the making of this documentary (the kid from Troll 2)… the movie resurfaced for the actors involved and they learned to embrace it and have fun with it. There's no better example of this then Dr. George Hardy (the father in Troll 2). He makes all of the various personalities of those involved comfortable, including the viewer. He is just an all around good guy. This guy is destined for something big... I don't know whether it's acting or what, spokesperson for something maybe, who knows? So it's no coincidence and definitely a smart move to have focused most of the attention on this guy. A few of the original cast members have continued to pursue acting. The sister from Troll explains, she would never put this on her resume… if it's found out she was in this movie, any chance of getting a call back is gone. I really think this documentary will change things for her if she learns how to embrace it. Think about it, if she tries out for a role, interview or whatever and embraces that experience… there isn't a better conversation piece or way to be remembered than that. I mean who else can say they were in the worst movie ever made? Do you think many of the various regularly seen actors on TV Shows , Movies, commercials etc. got to that point on talent alone? Probably not, at least not in the beginning… I'm sure something stood out or was remembered about them in those initial casting calls.

So how does one create the worst movie ever? This question is answered upon watching the director in this movie. Not speaking English (very little), having a big ego and possessing very little reasoning skills probably had a lot to do with it. So for me Troll 2 became even funnier upon learning that this wasn't an intentional dud or recognized as bad by the director even 18 years later. He doesn't understand the joke of the whole thing. It took him a while to catch on, that the reason everyone liked the movie so much was because it was so bad. I liked the part where the original cast was speaking in an auditorium about their experience when making the movie. I would have liked to have heard a little more about the movie making experience. Unfortunately we miss out on what some of them said because the director gets mad and throws a little tantrum.

By the way, I'm one of those people who thought Troll 2 was hilarious and entertaining. Basically because the movie is so poorly done and horribly acted. So the title of this documentary is perfectly fitted… "Best Worst Movie". One exception, the store owner in Troll 2 did a great acting job, plus he looked the part. It was the only moment where one may find a hint of eeriness in this movie. It's unfortunate this guy was never cast in another horror movie. There's still time… I can see him fitting well in some minor roles, since he would give the movie an eerie edge.

Fun, Touching Look at the Cult of Troll 2

[Michael_Elliott · 10 October 2010]

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.

Enjoy and revel and even do celebrate (way) below average acting and directing.

[imseeg · 7/10 · 23 January 2022]

I usually shy away from cult movies, because they are truly so difficult to watch, without getting a terrible headache.

What makes this documentary ABOUT a cult movie stand out though, is that we get to see all the old actors again, who are now being worshipped around the world for having starred in the worst movie ever made. Hilarious.

And those old actors are truly way below average. They truly are. But they (too) are revelling in the sudden admiration this old and terrible movie has gotten.

Simply a good fun watch. Oh yes and finally a special thanks for the participation of the director who was a true genius................ ..... ...... (pun intended)

Neither - but

[kosmasp · 9/10 · 8 April 2020]

A damn good documentary for sure! While you may not agree with calling the Troll 2 movie (which probably could have been called anything else and originally had a different title, also not a sequel to the Original Troll) either the best worst or just the worst ... the documentary makes quite a compelling case.

There is nothing like having a watch party with a lot of people who feel similar. So that experience those people have is quite unique. Also very unique is the italian director of the movie. Still in denial or rather very much in delusion when it comes to his movie. Then again, what do I know? He's the expert, right? But kidding aside, he is quite the character and his constant bickering and and telling off people (even the actors involved) ... genius.

And there are notes that give you different perspectives, like "actors" from back then experiencing everything differently, even so many years after the fact. The "Dad" being primarily the focus here - even when it comes to shipping him to a convention - where nobody seems to care about him. You know the other side of "fame".

Some might feel that there are omissions, especially the number one bad character from the movie, but she is in the extras of the Disc version - not to mention a lot of deleted scenes - probably at least an hour. Not all of that good, but when you watch them you have even more respect of the editing of this documentary. Well done overall - which while it can't be said about the movie this is based on, shows us the real people behind that movie and how they really are. Loveable to say the least the lot of them

"Best Worst Movie" is the best movie you'll find about one of the worst...

[TedStixonAKAMaximumMadness · 9/10 · 31 January 2012]

Oh, "Troll 2", how I love thee! Yes, the 1990 "horror" film that doesn't even have trolls in it is widely considered to be one of the worst films ever created. (Even holding the #1 worst spot on this site at one time) It's one of those "so-bad-that-it's-good" movies- the film is just so fundamentally flawed in every way that it becomes strangely watchable and enjoyable. It ranks up there with "Plan 9 from Outer Space" and "The Room" as some of the Best-Worst movies. (Hence, this hilarious documentary's title.)

"Best Worst Movie" is directed by the child "star" of "Troll 2", Michael Stephenson, as he analyzes the impact the film has made, and gives us glimpses at the lives of the principal actors involved.

And it is a heart-felt, nostalgic ride, filled with great real-life "characters" and some touching moments. We mainly follow George Hardy, who played Stephenson's father in the film. He is a decent, divorced father with a teenaged daughter, a nice house and a successful dentist office. He's your small-town, friendly guy. Everyone loves him- even his ex-wife, who appears in the movie to speak on his behalf. We also meet a good portion of the other actors, and learn about the troubled production of "Troll 2" (including shooting with a foreign crew that didn't speak English, and working with a director whom doesn't seem too open to criticism or suggestions), and how many of the actors tried to forget about it. Of course, films like these never die, and the film became a cult classic for its unintentional awfulness and hilarious acting. The YouTube generation especially has made it into a sort of Holy Bible of Bad Movies.

So we follow George and the others, as they slowly reclaim "Troll 2", and enjoy the success it has found. It's a lot of fun seeing George in particular, who you can tell actually enjoys acting, running around and giddily telling people about how he was in the "worst movie ever" with a smile. He's so happy to have been part in something so notable, and it's quite touching how much joy he can make out of it, when such a thing would jade most other people.

There isn't a whole lot that happens in this documentary, to be honest. No real underlying theme or message, per say. But it is still a fun analysis of a pop-culture, cult icon, and those involved with it. There is also some extremely unexpected emotion in a few key scenes, including a sequence where Stephenson and George track down the actress who portrayed the mother in the film- only to learn that she has become reclusive, delusional and is clearly "out of touch." It added a weight to the film that I quite admired.

I really enjoyed this. It's not the strongest documentary, but it's one of the "funnest" (I know that's not a word), and is a joy to watch. I give it a great 9 out of 10.

A wonderful examination of the horror movie industry, fans and dreams

[cjmccracken · 8/10 · 6 May 2012]

George Hardy is an incredibly likable man. He has a steady job at a successful dental surgery and is devoted to his children. He keeps fit and has a great sense of humour alongside an admired position amongst the rural community of his Alabama home. Hardy was never a famous man, but he did have one significant outing on the silver screen as part of Italian director Claudio Fragasso's (Zombi 3, Zombie Creeping Flesh) infamous Troll 2.

Best Worst Movie is a documentary about the legacy which Troll 2 left behind. Although, the actual depth and significance of this legacy may have been exaggerated slightly by the filmmaker Michael Stephenson, who was the child star of the feature. The documentary follows the reunited cast of Troll 2 as they relive the insanity of the shoot and wallow in the brief appreciation that arose out of the obsessive nostalgia of the fans.

Hardy is the first to be studied in depth and his amiability and small town charm ooze through the screen, as they hunt down the other stars the story starts to take a turn for the weird. It is worth noting at this point that none of the stars of Troll 2 were professional actors, they had all answered casting calls for extras and were given leading roles by Fragasso, who spoke very little English at the time. Fragasso also used an entirely Italian crew who also spoke very little English, all of which resulted in the bizarre farce that the movie became. This practice was not uncommon though, Lucio Fulci (who Fragasso shared directorial duties with at certain points of his career) adopted the same practice for his 'Trilogy' (The Beyond, House by the Cemetery and City of the Living Dead). The end result of the two directors couldn't be further removed, however, as were Fulci managed to inject a great deal of style and cinematic flare into his work. Fragasso does not.

Troll 2's infamy lies in the fact that it was voted the Worst Movie Ever on IMDb, a quote which is often mentioned in the subsequent promotion of the movie. The actors are all happy to admit that it is a terrible movie and have no problem playing along with the crowds who showcase the movie with the intention of having a good laugh at it all. Fragasso is not as pleased about it. One gets the impression that he is of the idea that his movies have been taken on board as classics and his smile drops very quickly when he realises that people are laughing at his 'art'.

There are actors who have since become damaged recluses and others who were quite literally on day release from mental institutions. Hardy gets swept up in the media furor, eager to lash out his catchphrase; 'You can't p*ss on hospitality, I won't allow it.' For anyone who will listen. He organises a charity event showing in his hometown and even attends a few conventions. The UK convention was a particularly sobering affair, with the attendance in single figures, it seems to be the moment when Hardy realises that the film industry isn't where he wants to be. His disgust and revulsion at the attendees of the horror con is kind of sad in many ways.

This is such a compelling and interesting documentary that it becomes very much about the individuals involved and less about the original subject matter (Troll 2). This is an absolute must see for any fan of horror, sci-fi or good documentaries as it offers a worthy insight into the machinations of the low budget movie industry.

Read more at zombiehamster.com

Surprisingly dull

[son_of_cheese_messiah · 4/10 · 24 April 2011]

Michael Stephenson sets out to exorcise the ghost of his child performance in entertainingly bad classic Troll 2. In so doing he reacquaints himself with the cast and the small but dedicated fan base. Despite the cast being the strangest group of people you would ever meet the result is surprisingly conventional and boring. I'm not sure whether it is because Stephenson wished to spare his fellow cast members unnecessary embarrassment or (more likely) lack of their willingness to participate, but he chooses to focus his attention on George Hardy, the lead in Troll 2 who is now a dentist. Other members of the cast and crew are viewed only fleetingly so we find out very little about them or their stories. George comes across as a thoroughly nice chap if not the most interesting, but it is asking a lot for him to bear the weight of an entire documentary. He seems game enough, attempting to drum up business for certain Troll 2 events by going door to door, reciting his most famous lines from the film to all and sundry. But as he himself says "It gets old real quick".

One gets the impression that Stephenson had very much a "Spinal Tap" approach, inter cutting shots of the hapless hero with perplexed reactions, as in the scene where George is speaking at a sci-fi convention and the camera then pans the audience and we see about 6 not very interested people. This seemed a little unkind to George so perhaps the others were wise not to want more involvement.

But the real problem is the lack of material. George repeats the same line over and over again and a few fans repeatedly say "Wow Troll 2" This documentary runs out of legs a least half an hour before its end.

Fun, and more than fun

[grnhair2001 · 8/10 · 3 May 2012]

I liked this movie for many of the same reasons I liked Burton's Ed Wood. There is something about delusional filmmakers making bad movies but believing they aren't bad that touches me. I pity them, I have to laugh at them, I feel a little bad for laughing at them, and in the end, I think them more than a little noble for following their obsessions into delusionville.

I've seen Troll 2, and I have to say, it isn't the worst movie of all time. It's goofy, and it's badly acted from top to bottom, but it's not as bad as many movies that were made with 1000 times the budget. It's bad, but not the worst.

This documentary also helps us see into the fandom phenomenon, which is such a bizarre American (and beyond) practice, wherein people spend far too much time and energy keeping latched on to some mediocre to awful movie. Surely maturity eventually descends on such folks, and this record of their misspent youth will amaze them as it amazes us outsiders. Sociologists will be looking at the film 100 years from now, I imagine, for this alone.

It's hard to see the interviews the the Italian director and cast without concluding that at least some Italians are batpoop insane. Of course, so are some of the American actors and fans.

I enjoyed the recreations of the scenes from the movie--what a weird thing to decide to do. I probably laughed hardest at these. I laughed a lot, though I watched it at home by myself; like Troll2, this must be even more fun to watch with a crowd.