Troll 2 (1991/MGM Blu-ray/DVD Combo) + Best Worst Movie (2009/Docudrama
Films)
Picture: C+/C Sound: B-/C Extras: D/B-
Films: B
Troll 2, a movie which has until recently remained at the bottom of the
heap, has been given a new lease on life in the cinema. An underground sensation, fueled by word of
mouth and through popular video clips on YouTube, the film has after 20 years
finally found its audience.
The town of Nilbog
is under the control of a populace of goblins disguised as humans, who ensnare
human beings to feast upon. Goblins. I stress that word as there is nary a troll to
be found in Troll 2. It doesn’t much matter, but such indifference
perfectly captures the overall attitude the filmmakers took in their approach
to the film. Clumsily written, poorly
acted, and just generally bad, this movie somehow still retains its
entertainment value.
Michael Paul Stephenson, the young star of that film, has recently produced and
directed the documentary Best Worst Movie, which centers around the film
and the impact it has had on the lives of the actors in it, as well as the
audiences who can’t get enough of it.
It is a fascinating documentary, and one of the better produced ones that I
have seen in recent times. Looking past
the connection it has to the film it revolves around, this movie has a much
broader appeal to audiences of all kinds due to the rather captivating human
element at the heart of its story.
The MGM Blu-Ray/DVD combo of Troll 2 has almost nothing in the way of
special features. This is disappointing,
as the packaging implies that it is something of a special edition of the film.
Sadly, a trailer is the only bonus
inclusion here.
The picture on the Blu-Ray disc of Troll 2 is in 1080p AVC @ 25 MBPS digital
High Definition, while it and the anamorphically enhanced DVD presentation are
both in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. Best Worst Movie is shown in its
original aspect ratio of 1.78:1. Image
quality on all three of these discs is average, with the Blu-ray disc being
only marginally better than that of the DVDs.
Sound quality is decent on all three releases, with 5.1 surround sound
on the Troll 2 Blu-Ray, as well as on Best Worst Movie, while the
DVD of Troll 2 contains only the original mono track in DTS-HD MA.
I highly recommend both of these films. Together, they would make an excellent
double feature. I also hope to see more
output from Michael Stephenson in the future. He is an undeniable talent and has quite the
knack for figuring out a good angle from which to approach a story that is a
little offbeat. In other hands, this
documentary could just as easily have been a static and rather boring affair. As is, it has more layers and replay value
than most fiction films have had as of late.
- David Milchick
