Troll 2
Directed by: Claudio Fragasso
Written by: Rossella Drudi and Claudio Fragasso
Starring: George Hardy, Michael Paul Stephenson, Robert Ormsby, Margo Prey, Connie Young

I took my first trip to Nilbog just a few years ago, when my friends Katie, Nuno and Erin hosted a Halloween party that included Troll 2 as the main event. At the time, I thought they might be somewhat unique in their undying love for this movie, and I wasn’t completely aware of its reputation or rabid fanbase. I knew only that it was a strange, mostly forgotten b-movie that fell under the category of “so bad it’s good”. Needless to say, after one watch it became very clear why people are so obsessed with this film, and now, thanks to actor Michael Paul Stephenson’s wonderful documentary Best Worst Movie, Troll 2 and the story behind its production have since become the stuff of legend.

With Best Worst Movie due to hit DVD next month, and Halloween just around the corner, Fox has decided to seize the opportunity and re-release this demented cult classic on Blu-ray. The good news is that fans can finally experience their favourite bad movie in 1080p high-definition, which is a minor miracle in and of itself. Unfortunately, if you’re hoping to get even more insight behind the madness that is Troll 2, you’ll be sorely disappointed as this release is completely devoid of extras.

For the uninitiated, the first thing you should know is that the Troll 2 has absolutely nothing to do with trolls. This title was slapped on after the fact so that they could market it as a sequel to a pre-existing, somewhat successful horror flick. Originally called “Goblins”, the story is actually about a family who take a road trip to a small town called Nilbog. What they don’t know is that the town is run by a band of vegetarian goblins who feed poisoned food to humans to turn them into plants… and then eat them! The youngest member of the family, Joshua, sees visions of their dead Grandpa Seth who warns him to keep the family away from Nilbog, but alas, no one believes him until it’s too late.

This is a movie that everyone needs to see at least once in their lives, although I have to say that with every subsequent rewatch it does actually get better. There’s more to Troll 2 than just bad acting, nonsensical storytelling and incompetent direction. It is such an odd concoction that you could never reproduce it today even if you tried. From the stilted script to the cheesy low budget costumes and special effects, there is a surreal tone that is largely the result of its Italian director, Claudio Fragasso, and his wife, Rossella Drudi (who have also worked on numerous low budget Italian horror movies including Zombi 3). The movie is packed with memorable dialogue exchanges that would never happen in real life (“You can’t piss on hospitality! I won’t allow it!”) and trippy moments that no sane person could ever dream up (a druid woman seducing her prey with corn on the cob and popcorn). Troll 2 is not particularly scary, but there is still something unsettling about the bizarre imagery it presents.

The cast is almost entirely comprised of actors with little to no experience, which becomes painfully obvious within the first few minutes. Still, there is something enjoyable about watching them attempt to act anyway. The performances by dentist George Hardy as Farmer Waits and Michael Stephenson as young Joshua are so earnest that you can’t help but root for them. Connie Young takes the crown for overacting as the snotty teenage daughter Holly who is mad at her boyfriend, while their mother, played by Margo Prey, just seems out of it most of the time. Then there is Deborah Reed, who plays an evil druid lady named Creedence… no one can accuse her of holding anything back, that’s for sure.

Now, it’s one thing to re-release an old film on Blu-ray as a simple catalog title, but it’s another thing when you call it the “20th Anniversary Nilbog Edition” and do absolutely nothing to enhance it. This is more than a little misleading since Troll 2 comes with no bonus material whatsoever. The package includes two discs: one for the DVD and the other for the Blu-ray version of the movie. The Blu-ray is definitely the best the movie has ever looked, and the transfer is decent (although not mind-blowing), while the 5.1 surround sound is pretty lacklustre. Other than that, you get a theatrical trailer and nothing more. Heck, even the previous DVD release of Troll 2 came as a two-pack with the original Troll.

This is borderline unacceptable for a movie that has been only brought back out of the vault due to overwhelming fan support and a successful making-of documentary. It’s too bad they couldn’t release both Troll 2 and Best Worst Movie in one package, especially since they make such a great double bill, but the rights for Best Worst Movie were picked up by Docurama. Still, at the very least an audio commentary track should have been a no-brainer, or some special features that acknowledge the phenomenon that the movie has become. Without a doubt, the lack of extras is a disappointment, but obviously if you like Troll 2, this is now the best way to see it. The decision is yours, but you can’t piss on HD. I won’t allow it. — Sean

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