Peeking into the Best Worst Movie

A lot of us have watched all sorts of movies throughout the years, and a nice portion of them are truly horrible. Out of those, there are always a couple of select films that stand out in our minds as the epitome of bad. Troll 2 is considered that to a majority of people, but has turned into a strange cult phenomena that’s grown throughout the world in recent years. We get to dig into the mind of filmmaker Michael Patrick Stephenson over the incarnation of his documentary Best Worst Movie with actor and dentist George Hardy on the bad film, nationwide screenings and green food.

Melissa Molina: Troll 2. I was telling you earlier about how my college friend said: “Oh my God! You’ve got to see Troll 2,” this was a couple of months ago. He said,” It’s so horrible!” And I was thinking to myself,”What’s so great about watching a bad film!?” It’s funny how it works in that way where you can’t just help but enjoy it despite all the things that are going wrong with the film in general at the same time.

So, you (Stephenson) clearly stated at the beginning of the film,”Oh my God, why was I attached to this?” and then you suddenly embrace it out of nowhere; how did that happen?

Michael Patrick Stephenson: As I mentioned in the film after getting cast in this movie, which really was going to be my big break. I was so excited, I thought I was making this great movie and really thought that the movie would be released in theaters. Then after we finished the movie it just kind of vanished, and I remember thinking, “Man, I wonder when my movie’s going to come out?”

It was a year and a half later, it was Christmas morning, I was unwrapping presents and the very last one was this VHS copy of Troll 2. You have to understand, when we made the movie it was known as Goblin. So I just stared at it puzzled, thinking what is this. I remember my mother saying, “Oh Michael, it’s your movie, put it in!” I looked at the back of the VHS and there’s my face screaming and I remember sticking it in and twelve seconds into it my dad just put his head in his hands and said, “Michael, this is a terrible movie.” I remember looking at that thinking what, that’s not my movie, and being pretty embarrassed by it.

That kind of set off this point in my life where I really was kind of embarrassed by Troll 2, I didn’t want anything to do with it. I actually continued to act and get roles in other productions, and I always thought, “Okay, this is the part that will be more notable and this is better than Troll 2“. From the surface they all seemed like they would be more notable, memorable productions, but for some reason Troll 2 had this will to live. It continued to show up in the weirdest ways in my life. It was always on and I had that one uncle who would call me every time it was on cable television and say, “Michael, your crappy movie’s on again!” I just couldn’t live it down.

It was just over four years ago, my wife and I just moved back to Los Angeles. I moved back here to pursue a career here in the industry and was also continuing to act, write and audition. I was living not too far from here (Santa Monica) when I started getting these messages on MySpace. They said: “are you Michael Stephenson, the same one that played Joshua Waitts in Troll 2?” You have to understand that this was before the phenomena, no screenings, nothing. I remember getting these messages at first just thinking, “Man, this thing’s just never going to go away.” Then more messages came, and they had pictures of these Troll 2 parties where seven or eight kids in a basement watching it, dressing up, eating green food. I saw these pictures and was thinking, “Why?”

It was that moment, I remember looking at these and just being so fascinated with how this movie that was made twenty years ago had somehow left it’s impression on these kids to the point of where they were having these parties. I was also interested in how I was getting messages from kids all over the country and none of them knew about each other, they thought that they were the only ones watching Troll 2. I was really fascinated with the word-of-mouth, how all this time this was all happening organically.

This was in April of 2006; I woke up one morning and I’ll never forget the feeling. I stare at the ceiling and having this crazy, undeniably warm feeling and grinning ear-to-ear thinking I’m the child star of the worst movie ever made. There’s a story here, and it just clicked. This is a perfect first film, documentary called Best Worst Movie, and at that time I had no idea what was to ensue. I had no idea about the screenings or the phenomena that it had blossomed into. But I did know that by which this movie was made and the circumstances around this film, I felt that there was a possibility of a great story. I thought of Claudio (Fragasso), this Italian who doesn’t speak English very well working with actors who couldn’t act. A dentist who would drill cavities half the day then show up on set. I remember just thinking this is great, and that’s when I started the documentary and interacting with fans online. I created the website and then all of a sudden fans came out of the wood work through it. Met up with this guy (George Hardy) then we were in New York for a Troll 2 screening, that was the very first thing I filmed.

Melissa Molina: Hardy, you seemed to openly embrace the fandom that sprung out of nowhere for Troll 2. It appears that you ran around from one screening to another. Taking a trip down memory lane, how did you two end up on Troll 2 or Goblin as it once was known?

George Hardy: One of my patient said that you ought to go up and audition for this B-rated film in Park City, Utah. I ended up going out there, got the part of the lead, and I just thought to myself, “Should I do this?” The very first day I found out, I remember calling my parents. I was thirty-four years old and I just remember thinking, “Should I do this?” and remembering that I just needed somebody to tell me to do this. Anyways, I thought, “You stupid idiot, why not!?” I remember asking them if I can practice (dentistry) and do this film together? They said that they would see what they could do, since it’ll only take thirteen days to shoot and some of it will be on weekends. I didn’t take that much time away from my practice, but I had to take some time away. I was able to juggle it, so I would do a root canal in the morning and go act in Troll 2 in the afternoon or vice versa.

I just did it for the experience of it, because I thought, “You know, I’ll never have an opportunity like this again. Why not? I’m a dentist, this opportunity came up, try. Not for future stuff, but just go for the experience”. I did, and that’s the basis of what happened to me.

Melissa Molina: That’s one hell of an experience.

George Hardy: (Laughs) Yeah, I mean how could you believe that? I mean it really is a miracle in a lot of ways. How many movies out there that are made everyday in the world? For this one to get recognition and for me to get recognition from a movie? That’s pretty weird. (Laughs)

Melissa Molina: It just seemed to happen at the perfect time when it came to the whole phenomena of Troll 2. It’s like some time all of these midnight screenings just cropped up and everybody just had eighties movie fever, where it clearly spawned off from.

In regards to it being the worst movie, our [Killer Film] writer (Jason Bené) who gave this documentary a four star review (here), ended up arguing about this being a totally bad movie. I thought to myself that yeah, it is a bad movie in that sense, but it’s not like bad to the point of where you cannot watch it.

Michael Patrick Stephenson: Well, this will give you an inside of how crazy this whole process made me. I can’t say that Troll 2 is a bad movie anymore. I can’t say that it is a bad film. There are certainly worst films than Troll 2, and I think the worst movie is one that fails to entertain. Regardless of what it’s intentions are, if a movie is boring that’s bad. Troll 2 is not boring.

Melissa Molina: When it comes to the screenings, what were your favorites? Was there just any sort of experience in there that just made it memorable?

Michael Patrick Stephenson: Just every city. I mean really, fans were always doing things differently in every city. In Seattle, and I’ll never forget this visual, a kid came dressed up as a tree. He had branches coming out of him and stood in the pot while his friend dragged him in the pot into the theater. That was quite visual, I won’t forget that.

George Hardy: There’s so many home made t-shirts. People would bring in the actual goblin book for us to sign, or anything that you would see in the movie in Joshua’s room they would pick up and have me sign it, and I’d sign everything. (Laughs)

Melissa Molina: Now, when it comes to Claudio (Fragossa), I was surprised to see how serious he took the film to a degree. I felt bad because it seemed a bit laughable, but it reminded me of the same time of an Ed Wood complex, you don’t believe that your making a bad film.

Michael Patrick Stephenson: Well, that’s the thing too, looking back on Claudio (Fragossa). To the understood principles of what makes a film good (good acting, writing, directing). Who are we to say what he did was bad, really? Is it so bad when you look at somebody like Claudio and the level of heart and sincerity of Troll 2. It has more heart than most of these movies ever have. So how is that such a bad thing? Even though it fails in every other level, all what we would categorize as bad, the result’s not bad. It actually makes sense when you look at Troll 2 because that’s what makes it in a way magical, it’s sincere and genuine. It’s everybody trying their hardest to make a great film and then failing miserably. But it doesn’t fail at having that heart, and that’s something that you can’t learn, teach and just really comes from within.

It made sense seeing Claudio serious for all of these years because this was his movie. That’s what makes Troll 2 successful, because it’s not ironic with us thinking that we’re going to make a movie so bad it’s good, it’s just a disaster. It’s genuine at that, and whether a film, I think that’s in an age with so much cynicism and irony, it’s refreshing to see somebody really go for it. Even though they fail, that heart and that level of sincerity is really appreciated.

Melissa Molina: The whole heart thing that your talking about, it is something that stands out in comparison to a nice portion of those big budget flicks that you see out there and they’re just God awful. You can tell it’s just made for the money, unlike Troll 2 where everyone thought they were seriously making an awesome film.

What is this about Troll 2: Part 2?

Michael Patrick Stephenson: Yeah, it’s actually funny because Claudio called me today. Him and Rosella (Drudi) have written a script and really want to make Troll 2: Part 2. (Chuckles)

Melissa Molina: Wow. Now, I know you (Hardy) said you would do it.

George Hardy: Sure I would, why not? I’m in for the experience of it all, I really am. The opportunity’s there.

Melissa Molina: What about you?

Michael Patrick Stephenson: That’s a great question. You know, I’d have to say–

George Hardy: You’d have to read the script first.

Michael Patrick Stephenson: (Laughs) You know I have to say that.

George Hardy: C’mon, have fun with it!

Michael Patrick Stephenson: If I had any opportunity to work with this guy again, and I don’t care what it was, Troll 12, I don’t know if could turn it down. Do I think it could work? No. You can’t set out to make a movie like Troll 2. As soon as you do I think the intent is wrong. But if it were to happen and it had to happen, there would be only one way to do it and that’s book Claudio Fragasso in the director’s chair and give him creative free reign to do what he wanted.

George Hardy: I agree with that. He would need creative free reign, it would have to be that. That’s the only way it would work.

Melissa Molina: Yeah, cause wouldn’t you kind of be afraid of loosing that unique spark that comes with Troll 2 by trying to make a sequel?

Michael Patrick Stephenson: Oh yes, without a doubt. I mean, Troll 2 is perfect as it is. There’s no reason to add anything on top of it. I believe it’s beautiful and perfect and should be left as is.

Melissa Molina: So, Mr. Hardy, how did your town take it after they say the screening?

George Hardy: They didn’t show too much of that.

Michael Patrick Stephenson: You saw all what you needed to see, and that was the old couple walking out of the screening shaking their head. (Laughs)

George Hardy: Those were my parents and they all came out of church because it was a Sunday afternoon and needed something to do in a small town. The kids loved it, all of my daughter’s age group liked it. Yeah, it’s not a movie for someone my parents age really to watch.

Melissa Molina: You’ve got a lot of attention with Best Worst Movie, coming out on limited release this past weekend, you must be psyched about that. Is there anything coming up, are you doing anymore documentaries, features or anything of the sort?

Michael Patrick Stephenson: Troll 2: Part 2. (Laughs) Yeah, I mean this is what I want to do, be a filmmaker. As cliché as it sounds it is a dream come true. I’ve been asked to direct a narrative film, not sure if it will be the next project but it is one that I’m really excited about. I would love to see it off the ground or I could end up doing another documentary. You know, it’s one of those things where I’m still right in the thick of this. As soon as I feel like I’ve given it everything I can then I’ll take a vacation, reset, and I’ll find another project to work on.

Melissa Molina: So, anybody gone after you to do any other projects? Cause I know you said your still open to–

George Hardy: (Laughs) Sure why not. I don’t know, were kind of talking and we’ve got some friends that we worked with at the screenings as far as the documentary goes. They’ve got ideas and stuff too with something to do.

Michael Patrick Stephenson: You’ll see more of him. At the very least, he’s in every movie that I do.

Melissa Molina: The random cameo!

George Hardy: Yeah, exactly. I enjoy what I do.

Melissa Molina: You can always be the random evil dentist in some horror movie.

George Hardy: There you go, with green blood. (Laughs)

Have you seen Best Worst Movie yet? Feel free to share your thoughts and comments below!