Exclusives
‘Best Worst Movie’ Clip Explores Fan Devotion
In 1989, unwitting Utah actors starred in the undisputed worst movie in history: Troll 2. Two decades later, the legendarily inept film’s child star unravels the improbable, heartfelt story of an Alabama dentist-turned-cult movie icon and an Italian filmmaker who come to terms with this genuine, internationally revered cinematic failure. David Harley raved about Best Worst Movie, and now YOU can see it as it makes its way across the country. Below you’ll find more details alongside an exclusive clip that explores the new-found lore of Troll 2.
“Is Troll 2 really the worst movie ever made as claimed by IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes? Or is Troll 2, as some would claim, a misunderstood masterpiece that never fails to entertain… a work of genius. Twenty years after Troll 2 was made, the feature length documentary BEST WORST MOVIE explores the phenomenon that is Troll 2 through the personal story of the cast of characters that took part in its creation and why it is celebrated by fans worldwide.
In the summer of 1989, Italian director Claudio Fragrasso cast small-town dentist Dr. George Hardy and a group of unwitting Utah actors in an ultra-low budget horror film, which eventually became the undisputed Worst Movie in History. Soon after Troll 2’s initial release, Dr. Hardy decided he was better-suited battling tooth decay than goblins. He retired from acting and returned to dentistry in his hometown of Alabama unaware of the legions of fans that would one day recognize him as a cult movie luminary.
Nearly 20 years later, Dr. Hardy finds his days of drilling cavities are met by nights of signing hundreds of autographs at record-setting revival screenings throughout the world. Unlikely byproducts celebrating the BEST WORST MOVIE include fan sites, music videos, dress-up dinner parties and even homage in one of the most successful video games, Sony PlayStation’s Guitar Hero 2.
Drawing on his experiences reconnecting with the Troll 2 family, director Michael Paul Stephenson reveals the improbable heartfelt story of an Alabama dentist-turned-cult movie icon and an Italian filmmaker as they both come to terms with this internationally revered cinematic failure. The result is a hilarious and tender off-beat journey and a genuine homage to lovers of bad movies and the people that create them.”
Visit the newly launched official website
April 23 – Austin, Alamo Drafthouse
May 14 – New York City, Village East Cinema
May 21 – Los Angeles, Landmark Nuart
June 4 – San Francisco, Landmark Lumiere
June 4 – Berkeley, Landmark Shattuck
July 2 – Washington D.C., Landmark E Street Cinema
July 16 – St. Louis, Landmark Tivoli
July 23 – Atlanta, Landmark Midtown Art Cinema
A gnarly infection threatens to claw its way out of a moving camper in the first trailer for Shudder’s claustrophobic Hellcat.
The feature debut of writer/editor/director Brock Bodell, who previously edited the Fantasia title Ultrasound, makes its debut on Shudder on August 14.
In Hellcat, “Lena wakes up in a moving camper trailer with a horrifying wound. She’s warned by the driver that they have one hour to get to a doctor, or she’ll succumb to an unimaginably awful fate. As the pain sets in and reality begins to fray, who should really be afraid?”
Dakota Gorman (Natural Disasters) leads the cast that also includes Todd Terry (“Breaking Bad”), Liz Atwater (The Other People), Jordan Mullins (The Bikeriders), and James Austin Johnson (“Saturday Night Live”) in a voice role. Bodell also produces alongside Andrew Duensing and Nate Eggert.
Hellcat made its world premiere last summer at Fantasia. I wrote in my review, “Hellcat is a bit of a Trojan horror that defies easy classification, by design. Bodell’s sneaky debut feature is occasionally too sparse in its worldbuilding in its bid to preserve the mystery, but not enough to detract from the thrilling road thriller that transforms into a completely left-field type of horror we don’t get nearly enough of. The stripped-down tribute to a classic horror staple catches you off guard in more ways than one, marking Bodell as one to watch.”
In other words, there’s a lot more than meets the eye to Hellcat‘s simple infection setup, delivering plenty of surprises along its bumpy road of horrors.
Check out the trailer and poster below and add Hellcat to your watchlists asap.
You must be logged in to post a comment.