Best Worst Movie (2009) / Documentary by Michael Paul Stephenson- Stephenson's perfect film for a cult film's second life.
This has gone a couple of months or so, since I've probably seen the film Troll 2, starring Michael Paul Stephenson as a tyke. And ever since his documentary on his past experiences as an up and coming child star, while acting in a film, that is infamous amongst the critic circles, as one of the "worst films ever created", his directorial debut astounded me. It's reasonably an average film, not a masterpiece mind you, but an average film. In a slight defense for Troll 2, it is the most unjust title it could ever had, as "one of the worst films ever made". Also because, there is a paradox, how can a movie, being the "worst", bring some much joy and excitement to thousands and thousands of a cultish audience who come in droves just to see this in very packed theatres ? There, of course, lies the paradox, because a true "worst film" would drive you mad with irritation and anger, logically speaking. A "worst film" finds it way to creep under your skin, in order to make you tick and pissed, like an annoying bug bite.
As a I recall, when I've watched Troll 2, on a pure objective standpoint, Troll 2 had an extraordinarily brillant concept, but suffered an amazing calamity of incompetence, for it's own production. Claudio Fragasso, who also appears in Stephenson's documentary, is his own worst enemy, because he let his own big ego take over him in order to direct the film(or to do the regia of the film, in italian). Even in this film, Fragasso still retains that ego. Fragasso also seemed to be surrounded with the wrong actors, in which the cast members seemed so out of their element in Troll 2. Fragasso, like in this documentary, as a director, is impatient. Well, impatience is impatience, to some artists, it doesn't become so much as an important flaw, there are just worser flaws, The screenplay(or in italian, scenegiattura, before it was scenario) was terribly bad, him and his wife, Rosella Drudi should have completely written the script in Italian, and afterwards have someone to translate it, for the time being of the 1980's. Maybe the whole film should have been made in Europe, with Italian actors. But what done is done. There is no use of trying to go back in time. It's so much a shame too, because I love Italian filmakers, even the extremely impatient ones like Federico Fellini, and Italian cinema, even the giallo ones.
Now, Fragasso has to understand on his own, the reason Troll 2 became the cult phenomenon, by watching the final 35mm print original. He doesn't seem to learn anything from the audience or reception itself, of the multiple reasons of their newfound appreciation for Troll 2. Yes, sometimes, the creator and the audience live on two worlds apart.
Next almost nearing to the end, we see George Hardy, the star dad of Troll 2, and his fellow co-star Darren Ewing, had HorrorFest Conventions, and other numerous comic-book conventions, who do a lot of fan pandering. It's pretty much it for cult filmakers or for actors who would sign autographs for fans of everywhere, who even for a ridiculous old age still love their work. Some actors happen to sign free of charge, or some would go to the lengths of charging 350 $ for a signature. Don’t ask me, I don’t know why they would, maybe they just have five mortgages to pay back. In a small snippet of the film, we see George, the ever-lovable dentist conversing with Erika Anderson, of A Nightmare on Elm Street 5 fame. Erika confides to the camera, that horror fans happen to be very loyal, and they keep a torch for a very long time. Also, we see the rather snappish banter between Erika and George, almost as if she was irate with George’s presence, amongst the costumed fans, open for their own pandering and commerce of memorabilia. When you see this sort of thing, between actors, it’s sort of ugly, giving you the impression that actors who can’t stand one another in a fan convention, are like hookers who are about to explode in a catfight in order to assure dominance on a small land of street. (Erika if you're reading this, it's just a metaphor. It's the only thing that crossed my mind. I don't really think you're a skid row hooker, it's only because I'm afraid of people richer than me. I enjoy you and your work. Please, for the love of God, don't sue me :)) It’s quite much an ugly sight to see, repeling me from ever going to comic book conventions, or horror conventions.
On the other hand, I have nothing more but respect for artists who love and care about their work, to also care about what their own public feels about their work. Because in the end, your work does not exist in a vacuum, it exists also with people like it or not, and you can’t choose your audience. In a comic-book convention, when everything goes right, there is a wonderful and loving relationship that exists between an artist and an admirer, as much as it is a love and emotional affair that only lasts for a day. During the end of the day, the artist and the admirer come out of the building and go back to their lives and their careers, like nothing ever happened. Some actors love being with the public, and they go to these conventions. Some actors wouldn’t be caught dead being with a fan. A marvelous relationship based on platonical love, when ego is never involved in the mix.
As a personal fantasy, if I’d ever went to one of these conventions, I would have love to meet, a very rare man to see pubicly, Thomas Pynchon, secluded author of such literary classics, such as V. and Gravity’s Rainbow. Well, as of now, it’s only wishful thinking, because he might be dead, and we don’t know it yet. But still at ripe old age, I would love to meet him. Well, according to Wikipedia, he's right now 74 years old.
Stephenson, by coming out of one the worst films of all time, has definitely made to one of the most spellbinding documentaries of all time. It’s almost to say to what he made, was close to the perfect documentary, making us pass through all the gammes of emotion, through thick and thin. Everything that could have been explored in depth, is made through hard and persistent concision. I do wish that Best Worst Movie, will significantly lauch his career as a documentarian, because he’s showing right now a promise that is unparalleled ever since Errol Morris. You should buy this film on DVD or Blue-Ray, and put it in your private collection, because this is simply must for all B-grade film fans out there. The Stephenson documentary acts as a final swan song for the worst film ever made, and for all the b-movies ever made.
My highest rating for this film
4.8*/5
M.L.
October 11th, 2011
As a I recall, when I've watched Troll 2, on a pure objective standpoint, Troll 2 had an extraordinarily brillant concept, but suffered an amazing calamity of incompetence, for it's own production. Claudio Fragasso, who also appears in Stephenson's documentary, is his own worst enemy, because he let his own big ego take over him in order to direct the film(or to do the regia of the film, in italian). Even in this film, Fragasso still retains that ego. Fragasso also seemed to be surrounded with the wrong actors, in which the cast members seemed so out of their element in Troll 2. Fragasso, like in this documentary, as a director, is impatient. Well, impatience is impatience, to some artists, it doesn't become so much as an important flaw, there are just worser flaws, The screenplay(or in italian, scenegiattura, before it was scenario) was terribly bad, him and his wife, Rosella Drudi should have completely written the script in Italian, and afterwards have someone to translate it, for the time being of the 1980's. Maybe the whole film should have been made in Europe, with Italian actors. But what done is done. There is no use of trying to go back in time. It's so much a shame too, because I love Italian filmakers, even the extremely impatient ones like Federico Fellini, and Italian cinema, even the giallo ones.
Now, Fragasso has to understand on his own, the reason Troll 2 became the cult phenomenon, by watching the final 35mm print original. He doesn't seem to learn anything from the audience or reception itself, of the multiple reasons of their newfound appreciation for Troll 2. Yes, sometimes, the creator and the audience live on two worlds apart.
Next almost nearing to the end, we see George Hardy, the star dad of Troll 2, and his fellow co-star Darren Ewing, had HorrorFest Conventions, and other numerous comic-book conventions, who do a lot of fan pandering. It's pretty much it for cult filmakers or for actors who would sign autographs for fans of everywhere, who even for a ridiculous old age still love their work. Some actors happen to sign free of charge, or some would go to the lengths of charging 350 $ for a signature. Don’t ask me, I don’t know why they would, maybe they just have five mortgages to pay back. In a small snippet of the film, we see George, the ever-lovable dentist conversing with Erika Anderson, of A Nightmare on Elm Street 5 fame. Erika confides to the camera, that horror fans happen to be very loyal, and they keep a torch for a very long time. Also, we see the rather snappish banter between Erika and George, almost as if she was irate with George’s presence, amongst the costumed fans, open for their own pandering and commerce of memorabilia. When you see this sort of thing, between actors, it’s sort of ugly, giving you the impression that actors who can’t stand one another in a fan convention, are like hookers who are about to explode in a catfight in order to assure dominance on a small land of street. (Erika if you're reading this, it's just a metaphor. It's the only thing that crossed my mind. I don't really think you're a skid row hooker, it's only because I'm afraid of people richer than me. I enjoy you and your work. Please, for the love of God, don't sue me :)) It’s quite much an ugly sight to see, repeling me from ever going to comic book conventions, or horror conventions.
On the other hand, I have nothing more but respect for artists who love and care about their work, to also care about what their own public feels about their work. Because in the end, your work does not exist in a vacuum, it exists also with people like it or not, and you can’t choose your audience. In a comic-book convention, when everything goes right, there is a wonderful and loving relationship that exists between an artist and an admirer, as much as it is a love and emotional affair that only lasts for a day. During the end of the day, the artist and the admirer come out of the building and go back to their lives and their careers, like nothing ever happened. Some actors love being with the public, and they go to these conventions. Some actors wouldn’t be caught dead being with a fan. A marvelous relationship based on platonical love, when ego is never involved in the mix.
As a personal fantasy, if I’d ever went to one of these conventions, I would have love to meet, a very rare man to see pubicly, Thomas Pynchon, secluded author of such literary classics, such as V. and Gravity’s Rainbow. Well, as of now, it’s only wishful thinking, because he might be dead, and we don’t know it yet. But still at ripe old age, I would love to meet him. Well, according to Wikipedia, he's right now 74 years old.
Stephenson, by coming out of one the worst films of all time, has definitely made to one of the most spellbinding documentaries of all time. It’s almost to say to what he made, was close to the perfect documentary, making us pass through all the gammes of emotion, through thick and thin. Everything that could have been explored in depth, is made through hard and persistent concision. I do wish that Best Worst Movie, will significantly lauch his career as a documentarian, because he’s showing right now a promise that is unparalleled ever since Errol Morris. You should buy this film on DVD or Blue-Ray, and put it in your private collection, because this is simply must for all B-grade film fans out there. The Stephenson documentary acts as a final swan song for the worst film ever made, and for all the b-movies ever made.
My highest rating for this film
4.8*/5
M.L.
October 11th, 2011
