What’s the Best Worst Movie? ‘Troll 2’ or ‘The Room?’
“The Disaster Artist” isn’t a remake, reboot or re-imagining of a classic film.
The comedy showcases the mind behind one of the worst movies ever made. Maybe the worst: the 2003 “drama” called “The Room” from quadruple threat Tommy Wiseau (director, writer, actor and producer).
“The Disaster Artist” gobbled up accolades all the same. It nearly earned star James Franco an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. The irony is rich, given the connection to a cinematic trainwreck.
It still doesn’t change the fact that “The Room” is so unbelievably bad it’s great. Creator Wiseau soaks in the “love” for his directorial debut, but deep down he must realize the joke is on him.
Only “The Room” isn’t the only megaton bomb that people adore.
The 1990 horror film “Troll 2” featured laughable dialogue, wretched performances and special effects so foul your kid sister could do better with a jar of jelly and crayons.
“Troll 2” inspired a delightful documentary, “Best Worst Movie,” helmed by the film’s child star (“Girlfriend’s Day” director Michael Paul Stephenson). It’s a must-see for anyone addicted to “Troll 2”: or curious about the human condition.
Really.
The two terrible films endure for a simple reason. They weren’t created to be disastrous. We’ve endured five “Sharknado” movies (so far). Each Syfy original hoped to make us laugh at the ineptitude on screen. They mirror the awful antics of “The Room” and “Troll 2” but come from a less organic place.
In short, they’re trying to instigate our movie gag reflexes. Not “Troll 2” and “The Room.” Those films set out to dazzle us. It just didn’t turn out that way, to put it mildly.
It still begs the question: which film debacle is the worst, or is it best, movie? Let’s compare some of the films’ favorite quotes:
“Troll 2”
“I’m tightening my belt so I don’t feel hunger pains.”
“Do you see this writing…? Do you know what it means…? Hospitality. And you can’t piss on hospitality! I won’t allow it!”
“There’s no coffee in Nilbog. It’s the devil’s drink.”
“The Room”
“You’re tearing me apart, Lisa!”
“It’s bulls***, I did not hit her. I did nooot. Oh, hi Mark!”
“Everybody betrayed me! I’m fed up with this world.”
Pretty even.
What about the performances? Wiseau’s accent alone, which stumbles over every other line, is a constant delight. His unnatural rhythms and odd behavior, like laughing at a story involving a beaten woman, make no sense.
Yet the hammy turns from George Hardy as the “Troll 2” patriarch and the Nilbog residents are just as unhinged.
Perhaps the best way to compare the two is to consider their respective genres. “The Room” is pure melodrama. Do you feel for Johnny when he realizes his love is cheating on him with his best friend? Or are those moments laugh out loud funny … and little else?
What about the horror elements baked into “Troll 2?” The troll costumes are unbelievably crude, and several characters check out in horrific fashion. There’s still something unsettling about the story, particularly the ending where the mother is reduced to a green stew.
Say what you will about 99 percent of “Troll 2.” Those eerie moments do get under your skin in a way that horror movies are meant to achieve.
Advantage: “Troll 2.”
Where do you stand on the “Troll 2″/”The Room” debate?