Best Worst Movie

A good documentary about a very bad film, director Michael Stephenson's Best Worst Movie celebrates the cult popularity of Troll 2, a dreadful 1990 horror flick relished for its unintentional incompetence. Stephenson (the kid star of the picture) revisits Italian director Claudio Fragasso and adult lead George Hardy, an Alabama dentist who happily accepts the fact that Troll 2 has become a camp classic, reveling in the attention he receives at special screenings. Fragasso, on the other hand, is not only shocked when the “crazy” audiences laugh at his film, he also repeatedly “corrects” the recollections of cast members at Q&As, suggesting that they don't recognize the genuine quality of the movie, which was intended (according to its screenwriter) to be a serious statement about vegetarianism (plant-eating monsters figure prominently). Fragasso emerges as a somewhat pathetic figure, while Stephenson's attempt to lure semi-recluse co-star Margo Prey to the screening circuit adds a poignant note. The fleeting nature of celebrity is also touched upon when convention-going Stephenson and Hardy barely register a blip on the radar of hardcore fanboys. But Best Worst Movie is not a downer, emphasizing instead that most people associated with Troll 2 have accepted it for the junk it is and enjoy the weird fame it's brought them. As an affectionate tribute to what's often called le bad cinema and its aficionados, this is recommended. [Note: DVD extras include deleted scenes, interviews, and fan contributions (72 min. total), an interview with Troll 2 star Deborah Reed (13 min.), a “Monstrous Music Video” clip segment (4 min.), an audio-only Q&A with filmmaker Michael Stephenson and Troll 2 star George Hardy by Creative Screenwriting magazine, filmmaker text bios, and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a winning doc.] (F. Swietek)