Best Worst Movie is a love letter to Troll 2, that 1990 paragon of crappy cinema. And like all love letters, the documentary – directed by Troll 2’s child star, Michael Stephenson – is a warm, jovial and decidedly uncritical look at both the film and its rabid fans. Italian director Claudio Fragasso’s pseudo horror story, about vegetarian goblins and the bizarre family they wish to eat, has risen from its original direct-to-video grave thanks to a so-bad-it’s-good reputation. Stephenson certainly captures the fervor of its admirers and the embarrassment felt by most of its cast, who at the time thought their participation in the project was the next step to stardom rather than ignominy. The focus is most squarely on the film’s nominal lead George Hardy, a gregarious man (now working as a dentist in Alabama) whose enthusiasm for Troll 2’s revival comes partly from the unexpectedness of the phenomenon, and partly from his continuing desire to realize his actor dreams. Catching up with Fragasso (convinced his work is good) and other cast members (some of whom are saner than others), as well as tagging along to reunion screenings and trade shows, the doc conveys the passion of cult-film enthusiasts while also, during its home stretch, expressing how clinging to a work of art this lousy – no matter how endearingly lousy it is – borders on the pathetic. In this regard, though, Best Worst Movie doesn’t go far enough, avoiding any real examination of over-the-top fandom and its frequent festishizing of artistic incompetence. The “fun” of watching Troll 2 involves condescendingly looking down on (and laughing at) it, and why so many adore feeling superior to a cruddy B-movie remains a pertinent issue throughout. Yet it’s one that Stephenson ultimately avoids, choosing to celebrate the film for those few things he can (it’s sincere! It’s unique!) but never investigating why those qualities alone warrant admiration, much less the type of fervent zeal that’s directly led to this non-fiction tribute in the first place.
Hey Nick,
Couple of bad movie related questions:
1) Do you have a favorite so bad it's good movie? For myself, I am going with "Hobgoblins," but partially because of the great related MST3K episode.
2) Where do you stand on "Showgirls"? Slant is an unabashed pimp of it, but I sit the middle on it. Awesome sleazy (but non-sexy) pulp mostly, but I dunno if I can embrace Slant's description of it as meta-satire nonpareil.
Thanks,
Blue
Posted by: Blue Sullivan | June 17, 2010 at 01:33 PM
Blue,
1) Not really; the "bad" films I like are ones (usually genre B-movies) I don't think are bad at all, but have unjust reps as being "bad."
2) I've haven't seen Showgirls since the theaters, and don't really care to revisit it. My gut tells me that it's not as bad as its rep nor as good as my Slant colleague Eric Henderson staunchly believes, but again, I'd have to see it again.
Posted by: Nick | June 17, 2010 at 03:42 PM