Editorials
[Editorial] ‘Bad Ben’ and the Benefits of Found-Footage
With the release of The Blair Witch Project back in 1999, detractors of Found-Footage were worried that the success of the sub-genre might open the door for untalented filmmakers to flood the market with DIY horror movies. While I can’t deny the influx of terrible Found-Footage films since then, we’ve also seen quite a few cinematic gems that we now consider to be horror classics, so I think it was a fair trade. Elitist critics have a habit of complaining when their hobbies become less exclusive, but history’s shown us again and again that the more people contribute to an art form, the more interesting it becomes.
That’s why I’d like to take a moment to talk about Nigel Bach’s 2016 Found-Footage anomaly Bad Ben, and the homegrown franchise that followed it.
The story of Bad Ben begins with 300 dollars and a New Jerseyan military vet willing to devote time and effort into making his filmmaking dreams a reality. Armed with nothing but an iPhone and his wits, Nigel proceeded to make the most of the now infamous “House on Steelmanville Road”; producing a surprisingly entertaining and minimalist take on the age-old haunted house flick.
In this one-man production, Bach plays Tom Riley, an investor who’s just purchased a beautiful house for a steal at a Sheriff’s Sale, and plans on renovating and flipping the place for a huge profit. However, Tom discovers a collection of suspicious surveillance cameras hidden throughout the property, and soon realizes that the house has a sordid history that he wasn’t warned about. When a series of escalating paranormal occurrences attempt to drive Tom away, he realizes that this house might not have been such a bargain after all.
The plot may not sound like much to most horror movie veterans, as there are countless other scary stories with a similar setup, but trust me when I say that watching a grumpy middle-aged man refuse to be harassed by supernatural forces hell-bent on ruining his investment is one hell of a fun ride. It’s hard not to grow attached to Tom during his ghostly ordeal, and the limited budget actually forces Bach into thinking outside the box when planning most of the subtle scares. All this results in an unexpectedly fun slow-burn thriller.
A surprisingly badass protagonist.
Sure, the film has major pacing issues and some incredibly disappointing effects towards the end (though still miles better than most of the CGI that would eventually show up in the sequels), but the rest of the movie more than makes up for these flaws with charm and the likable main (well, only) character.
Nevertheless, actually making a movie is only half the battle. Luckily for Nigel, in the age of online self-publishing, it’s no longer inconceivable to consider producing and distributing your feature film all by yourself, relying on digital word-of-mouth to do the marketing work for you. It may not be a guaranteed success, but if your movie is entertaining enough (like in Nigel’s case), there’s always a chance that the internet might catch wind of it and you’ll eventually have a hit on your hands.
I actually came across Bad Ben while researching lesser-known Found-Footage films online, and was shocked to discover the amount of fans this tiny little movie had on every kind of forum and image board. I was even more surprised that the movie was profitable enough to warrant three sequels and an ever-expanding mythology. Reading about it, it seems that this online following began enjoying these films ironically, but somehow transitioned into a genuine appreciation of Nigel’s work.
Whatever the case, this audience allowed for a series of homegrown sequels that really pushed the limits of what a one-man creative team can do. The first of these, a prequel entitled The House on Steelmanville Road, while easily the worst entry in the franchise, simultaneously serves as an example of why Nigel’s work is so damned fun. Clearly overreaching as he attempted to implement digital trickery, conventional storytelling and a larger cast in the film, Nigel’s missteps are usually the result of trying too hard rather than the more common apathetic filmmaking that typically ruins this sort of cheap production.
The prequel might have borrowed a bit too much from other similar stories as Nigel attempted to establish himself as a serious filmmaker, but with Badder Ben: The Final Chapter, the director finally gave in to the absurdity that made the first film a hit and gifted us with one of the weirdest sequels in recent memory. Featuring a retcon of the first film’s ending as a team of paranormal investigators bring Riley back to the cursed house for a highly unethical documentary, Badder Ben is easily the most entertaining (if not necessarily the best) film in the franchise.
Spooky on a budget.
Adding a sizable amount of humor to a legitimately clever script, this remarkable third entry surpasses the other films in charm and scope, but by no means is it a flawless endeavor. There are several instances of awful effects work and some questionable acting, not to mention quite a bit of cinematic deja-vu, but the self-aware presentation and endearing characters are a heartwarming reminder of how an entertaining story and sheer tenacity can make up for almost any amount of technical limitations.
Naturally, as is usually the case within the horror genre, “The Final Chapter” was a bit of a misnomer as we were soon presented with yet another sequel through Bach’s Bad Ben: The Mandela Effect, earlier this year. While the title alludes to the infamous internet story regarding remembering fragments of alternate timelines, this film works more like a horror-comedy remake of Tom Tykwer’s Run, Lola Run. Though it’s a solid return to Nigel’s roots as a one-man crew, remaking parts of the first film with slightly different setups and outcomes, it feels a lot like filler, rushed into production before a true sequel could be made.
And, like clockwork, you can bet your bottom dollar that a new entry in the Bad Ben franchise will be releasing soon, just in time for Halloween! While I have no idea if this next film will be an improvement on the last, this is still, for better or for worse, bona fide auteur filmmaking, and I know I’m curious about what will become of it.
I’m aware that Nigel’s films aren’t exactly re-inventing the wheel here, and they’re not even especially good examples of Found-Footage, but the fact remains that a single person got up off his ass and managed to make a horror franchise, and I find that incredible. Ultimately, the Bad Ben films are more important because of what they represent, rather than what they actually are.
Now, I can’t defend Nigel 100%, especially because of his unprofessional reaction to several cases of constructive criticism, but he had the guts to put himself out there, and I think that’s something we can all respect. Though I unironically enjoy these films despite their glaring flaws (hell, by now I feel like a previous resident of the House on Steelmanville Road), they’re also a fascinating look at an outsider attempting to express himself in an elitist art form.
In all honesty, I don’t even think you can consider Nigel a so-bad-it’s-good movie mogul akin to Ed Wood, since his films actually walk the line between being legitimately good and legitimately bad. However, personally, I feel that the good outweighs the bad here, and I’m glad that we live in an age where anyone can pick up a camera and make a movie. I mean, if you don’t like Nigel’s films (which is totally understandable) why not try to make something better? They say Alan Moore only started working with comics because he was unsatisfied with the lack of creative geniuses in the medium, and we’re all glad he did.
Bach’s films may not be your cup of tea, and I can’t quite argue that his films are modern classics, but by embracing more of these DIY productions we could actually be opening the door for cinematic geniuses who’d otherwise never get the chance to produce anything at all. Anyone of us could be the next Carpenter or Romero, and I think it’s awesome that we live in a time where this kind of movie is possible.
In this day and age, the word “troll” is often used to describe various online nuisances. Yet as abundant and irksome as the modern troll can be, they aren’t usually as fearsome as their mythological counterparts. I’m not talking about the small and gentler versions that have become more common to see in media. No, there are much bigger and scarier trolls out there—and André Øvredal’s movie Troll Hunter is one of the best places to find them.
It doesn’t take long for Troll Hunter (or Trolljegeren) to dump the Blair Witch Project-esque setup and aim for something a lot fresher. The trajectory of the story is augmented by Otto Jespersen’s character Hans, the titular Troll Hunter. The second he comes barreling out of the deep, dark woods and shouts “troll” at the camera, this movie takes a turn into what feels like uncharted territory. Not only subject-wise, but also conceptually.
For fantastical and made-up subject matter in cinema, found footage is a fast way to add a guise of believability. After all, what we accept to be the most crucial aspect of documentaries—the truth—rubs off on pseudo-documentaries, despite our understanding of the pretense involved. That is what Øvredal delivered with Troll Hunter: a movie so convincing that some viewers wondered if trolls really do exist. So, had this been straightforwardly made, it likely wouldn’t have been as effective. Conventional narratives would be more inclined to treat something like trolls as flat out unreal, and never try to convince the audience to think otherwise.
Hans petrifies the three-headed Tusseladd troll.
The viewers, like the characters trailing Hans, are quickly thrown into the deeper end of that extraordinary story. They have to process all this new information while staying on the go. So, although there is no significant amount of meandering, narratively or physically, there is still a good amount of atmosphere, not to mention tension building. It’s never anything frightful, but then again, Troll Hunter isn’t your standard offering of horror; it’s more on the low end of the dark fantasy spectrum. We aren’t ever spirited away to a faraway world—we stay in rather familiar surroundings, as well as dip into those less so. The outcome is a movie where you’re constantly more in awe than in terror.
As fantasy fiction might do, Troll Hunter prefers not to deal with incredulity. There is no time to waste on doubt, as interviewer Thomas (Glenn Erland Tosterud), soundperson Johanna (Johanna Mørck), and cameraman Kalle (Tomas Alf Larsen) all follow Hans around, recording whatever this character is willing to reveal about his bizarre job. Of course, the Troll Hunter himself is not an open book; in that respect, the diegetic documentary fails to fully capture and unpack the more interesting of its two subjects. Yes, all those giant, monstrous trolls are indeed incredible, but understandably, your mind wanders to their pursuer. What kind of person signs up for this gig and then chooses to stick with it for so long?
Reviews have called out Troll Hunter for its lack of character development. In regard to Thomas and his fellow documentarians, that criticism is valid, but bear in mind, they aren’t the focus of the story, either. Meanwhile, Hans is a well-crafted character. At least better than first realized. Before he was introduced, Hans had already grown tired of the troll grind. Fed up with that low compensation for his services, resentful of the bureaucracy, and wanting to expose his employer on a large scale, Hans’ discontent is glaring.
Then there are those finer details about the Troll Hunter, such as that indifference to both the natural splendor of his everyday surroundings and the affections of an obviously smitten colleague, that also suggest some level of despondency. So it is fair to say this movie doesn’t feature any sizable growth for its characters; however, the namesake isn’t underwritten. No doubt, putting a real-life character like Otto Jespersen in that role is partly why Hans is so fascinating—maybe even relatable.
Otto Jespersen as Hans the Troll Hunter.
There is always a small risk whenever using the term “mockumentary” to describe a found-footage movie, as the word could imply humor where there is none. In the case of Troll Hunter, the term’s usage is appropriate. Some folks have claimed the English-dubbed version has the more comedic tone, however, the Norwegian cut isn’t exactly humorless. Apart from the trolls’ absurd appearances, this is a movie where the characters nearly choke on the monsters’ farts, and Christians are like walking targets. Hans’ complete apathy towards everything is another cause of laughter. Overall, the comedy is intentionally dry and inconsistent. Unfunny, though? Absolutely not.
In a movie where endemic creatures are maltreated, as well as disavowed from living freely and peacefully, it’s hard not to notice the ecological message buried beneath the story. In addition to that is the unmistakable political satire. There is this whole business about intrusive and unsightly power lines—like trolls, they’re big blemishes on the land—that leads to what is perhaps the movie’s funniest moment. The scene in question is that one where certain electric lines, the ones secretly being used to keep the trolls at bay, go in a loop and don’t actually send power to any residents. Yet the monitors of said lines don’t find this at all weird. So it stands to reason that Øvredal was having a go at those who accept the government’s doings without question.
Looking past the fact that trolls aren’t actually real, this movie is an enlightening source of information. And not just for international audiences; Norwegians, too, get schooled about their homeland’s own mythology. It’s also evident from everything on screen that Øvredal and his crew were enthusiastic about the topic. The creature designs are the most indicative of that zeal; those imaginative yet myth-accurate manifestations are equally amusing and grotesque. One second you’re laughing at their phallic noses, the next you’re white-knuckling during a hairy sequence. Most surprisingly is how well the trolls’ visual effects hold up after fifteen years. It’s not all spotless, but on the whole, they remain impressive.
Vouching for a mockumentary about trolls isn’t easy, but those who do come around and give it a shot will more than likely be grateful for the recommendation. For Troll Hunter is a real find in that vast and varied genre we call “found footage“.
A bridge troll reaches up for food and finds Hans decked out in armor.
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