Yesterday saw the DVD release of one of my favorite films from the last couple of years: Best Worst Movie. This hilarious documentary traces the bizarre production of the tremendously terrible 1990 horror film Troll 2—an unofficial sequel made by Italians in Utah without the benefit of either a decent budget or a decent interpreter—and the worldwide cult that has grown up around it. The phrase “so-bad-it’s-good” gets bandied around a lot, but Troll 2 really is a tremendous piece of cinematic crud that continues to bring the ill-conceived crazy right until the closing credits. Personally, I think it more than deserves the title of Best Worst Movie, although I’m aware that competition for that title is surprisingly fierce. Were I to throw a rock at an EW editorial meeting, for example, there is a fair chance it would hit a fan of Showgirls. Meanwhile, the folks over at It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia seem to have a deserved soft spot for Tommy Wiseau’s infamous The Room, which they lampooned in a (sexually explicit) fashion only last week.
What about you? Which reviled Hollywood atrocity has wormed its way into your heart? Gigli? Battlefield Earth? Manos: The Hands of Fate? Plan 9 from Outer Space? Caligula? Howard the Duck? Catwoman? Glitter? From Justin to Kelly? Freddy Got Fingered?
Let us know!
You can check out the trailers for both Best Worst Movie and Troll 2 after the jump.
More about Best Worst Movie:
The ‘Troll’ trilogy: Is this the ‘Best Worst’ movie franchise of all time?
‘Troll 2′: Talking with the Alabama dentist who helped make the ‘Best Worst Movie’ of all time
Howard the Duck! Best worst movie ever……. complete with musical numbers.
I completely agree! I watch this one Hulu at least once a week!
I looooooooove Howard the Duck! Bet worst movie ever.
I agree that “Howard the Duck” is THE worst movie ever made, but I have no desire to ever see it again, not even to make fun of it. “The Room” is my pick for favorite bad movie experience. The first time I saw it at a packed midnight screening I was laughing my you know what off within the first five or ten minutes.
For me, it’s “Dude? Where’s My Car?” So bad it’s great!
1. Xanadu
2. Flash Gordon
3. Grease 2
4. Blue Lagoon
5. Mommie Dearest
I think you might be my soulmate.
My list exactly.
I don’t consider Flash Gordon a “bad” movie. It’s totally cheesy but I’d watch it before I’d watch any Michael Bay movie.
Wait a minute…Xanadu is bad??!!?
hehe
The Fantastic Four – the little-seen 1994 Roger Corman version.
Jackie Chan Presents Gen-Y Cops – Paul Rudd stars as a bleached blonde detective in the most half-baked hong kong action film ever (“The green wire…… should not be cut!”)
The Room, obviously
Old Dogs – The worst moment in everyone involved’s career. Also hilariously half-baked (In Bernie Mac’s final screen role, he plays a Las Vegas showman puppeteer who also has the technology to turn a human into a puppet by shoving an electrode up your asshole. Yes, thats a plot point)
Congo – Trust me, it’s waaaaaaay worse than you remember (“The bad apes have the crystal lazers!” an example of the riveting dialoge)
Gymkata! It’s awf-some! Sort of zombie villagers! Random gymnastics! Just thinking about it makes me smile.
For me, it’s “Starship Troopers” every time.
Amen to Starship Troopers!
Glee. Just because EW never mentions it, I thought I would bring it up.
I’ve missed it so much that I have turned to imagining that they mention it in all of their articles.
Showgirls, definitely. I actually watched it several months ago, and wondered why people thought that it was so bad?
I also liked Flash Gordon and Howard the Duck… hmmmm.
Showgirls is the only bad movie that I can watch again. Not because of the boobs either, but becuase of the bad acting of Elizabeth Berkley. Seriously, all acting schools and drama classes need to screen that film to teach what not to do in a performance. Plus it has to be the Spike TV version where they actually made the film even stupider with the bad CGI tops.
Teen Witch for sure
You’ll come for Robin Lively and her transformation into “The Most Popular Girl”, but you’ll stay for her nerdy best white girlfriend rapping. “Top That!”
Oh my goodness, “Top That” is so wonderfully bad!
OMG! BEST. MOVIE. MOMENT. EVER. “Top that, stop that”!
Yes! I remember one afternoon catching this gem-now I have the DVD
OMG-Teen Witch! I thought of that movie not too long ago and I thought I need to make sure I own that DVD. The rap part cracks me up
lol…omg, so many memories of that movie, that was my sisters and i favorite movie when we were kids and knew every single word to that movie…i saw it at walmart for $5 and had to buy it.
Oh my God…I love that flick so much.
Love the self-censoring in the “Top That” rap! Definitely the best part of Teen Witch!
“Big Trouble in Little China” – I watch it every time it is on. Dumbest movie ever, but incredibly fun.
Chinese girls do not come with green eyes!
“Big Trouble…” is one of my all-time favorite “so bad it’s good” movies! I have the movie on BluRay, lol.
OMG! Does ‘Big Trouble’ really get defined as a ‘bad movie’? Wow. I love this movie – I guess because it is so bad…ok, that’s my winner for Best Worst Movie. Love it and have to watch it every time its on.
Oh, Glen or Glenda for sure. Who doesn’t like that?
For me it’s Xanadu. It may have been a stinker in its time, but appreciate the timeless genius that is the ELO, the last on screen performance of Gene Kelly, as well as Olivia-Newton John in a role that fits her better than Sandy. All in all, it’s a film that really works, and more than works, it shines!
First movie I thought of when I read this article was Xanadu, as well as another ONJ movie, Two of a Kind. I own both on dvd and will occasionally have an ONJ marathon (along with Grease). Such wonderful bad stuff!
Cool As Ice.
I loved Cool As Ice. I still find myself saying, “Why don’t you drop that zero and get with a hero.”
Skinned Deep. Truly awful, but it has to be seen to truly understand just how awful it is. It has Warwick Davis as a maniac called “Plates”, who literally kills people by throwing plates at them… wow.
Gotta throw my support behind “The Room.” Even the description on the DVD case and in the inside booklet is high comedy. The movie will infiltrate your life to the point that you won’t even realize you’re quoting it on a regular basis and you’ll be startled by how much its themes reflect your own life. (Ok, maybe there’s a chance that’s just me.)
Also, “Catwoman” doesn’t deserve to be called the “Best” anything (even “Best Worst Movie”)…that flick is a straight-up turd!
If you don’t agree that The Room is the best worst movie ever, then you can just leave your stupid comments in your pocket!
It seems to me like you’re the EXPERT, Jeff!
You’re tearing me apart, Mr. Holloway!
You’re just a CHICKEN! CHEEP CHEEP CHEEP CHEEP!
I disagree, I like Catwoman alot! It is ridiculous, yet I can’t push stop! Also, The Bodyguard! I would find myself watching it everytime it was on, I finally bought it and have to fight NOT to watch it at least once a month.
You like “Catwoman”…I expected you, of all people, to be reasonable.
I just love the tag line on the trailer: “With all the passion of Tennessee Williams!”
And yes, I can quote it all day. In fact, I challenge you to a quote off, Mr. Holloway! Or Chris-R will not be happy!
How about the quote on the front of the DVD that says, “Experience this quirky new black comedy. It’s a riot”…which is attributed to…NO ONE!!
By the way, you challenge me to a quote off if you want, but I’ll beat you faster than it takes Johnny to buy a dozen red roses.
I’ll beat you so bad, you’re gonna end up in a hospital on Guerrero Street.
Whatever, Mr. Holloway. I’m fed up with this world!!!!
(It’s probably bad that I imagined you tossing a TV out the window and humping a red dress while you said that, right?)
No, because I imagined myself throwing a TV out the window while wearing said red dress. Cue Denny: “It’s Lisa. She’s so beautiful. She looks great in her red dress.”
“I just like to watch you guys.” (Ick.)
You know Mr Holloway, two’s great but three’s a crowd.
How dare you talk to Mr. Holloway like that!
I really, really need to see that movie.
Without a doubt, Jaws 3D…
And Jaws the Revenge
Don’t forget Orca.
I have a “Jaws 3D” story… I know this thread is ancient, but I’ll post it any way. When I was 16, I worked at a movie theatre and “Jaws 3D” was coming… so, my manager had me and a friend who also worked there spread sand on the sidewalk in front of the theatre, and lay out on beach towels in bikinis all day long. There was this big cardboard shark with its mouth open that you could stick your head through and we would take Polaroids of people who stopped by with their heads in the shark’s mouth. Really lame but lots of fun memories!