SXSW Review: ‘Best Worst Movie’

Twenty years ago, I was the child star (Joshua Waits) of one of the worst movies ever made – Troll 2. I ran from Troll 2 and I wanted nothing to do with it. But that was before I realized that there was more to this movie than I understood, and so… I decided to make a movie about it. – Michael Stephenson

Quick! Â  What’s the worst film ever made? Â  If you said ‘Troll 2’, you probably wouldn’t be in the minority. Â  Long standing as the worst film of all time according to the IMDB Bottom 100 (it currently isn’t even on the list, Damn You, Jonas Brothers!), ‘Troll 2’ has garnered a cult following in recent years. Â  People hold screenings of the film, and, in ‘Rocky Horror’ fashion, reenact some of the more interesting scenes.

The documentary, ‘Best Worst Movie’, follows this cult phenomenon that has surrounded ‘Troll 2’ and everyone involved. Â  The documentary was directed by Michael Stephenson, who starred in ‘Troll 2’, and follows Stephenson’s trek with the ‘Troll 2’ road show that took the film from town to town. Â  Accompanying Stephenson is George Hardy, the man who played his father in ‘Troll 2’ and probably the sweetest man on the planet. Â  Seriously, if you ever see George Hardy, and he’s not smiling, note the time and date, because the world is coming to an end.

‘Best Worst Movie’ is more than just candy for fans of ‘Troll 2’ or people who are interested in the idea of cult film. Â  It is an intriguing character study of people who, 20 years ago, did something that didn’t turn out how they thought it would and how it has affected their lives ever since.

Hardy is a man who is extremely pleased at the celebrity status he has gained from the cult following of ‘Troll 2’, and it is heartbreaking whenever he approaches someone who doesn’t know who he is. Â  Equally heartbreaking is the scene where Stephenson and Hardy track down and visit Margo Prey, who played Stephenson’s mother in the film. Â  The actress’s story could be turned into a film all in itself, and, as if channeling ‘Sunset Blvd’s Norma Desmond, Prey still believes her time in the spotlight is yet to come.

Stephenson tracks down all of the cast and crew from ‘Troll 2’, all colorful characters in their own right. Â  Some have gone on with their lives. Â  Some are still trying to hold onto their celebrity. Â  Some are happy they appered in ‘Troll 2’. Â  Others are apathetic. Â  However, none of these characters are as colorful as the director, Claudio Fragasso, who, to this day, claims that there is a deeper meaning in ‘Troll 2’ that people just don’t understand.

There is a fine line between failure and success, and ‘Best Worst Movie’, in several different ways, depicts this line with pristine accuracy. Â  The filmmaking seems effortless for Stephenson. Â  It should. Â  The film was a passion project for him. Â  Whether he can hold this same level camera work and storytelling with a story that does not find him at the center of it remains to be seen. Â  However, with ‘Best Worst Movie’ he has created an extremely well-crafted film about a film that was…well…not so well-crafted.

Overall: 4.5 stars out of 5