Troll / Troll 2



Synopsis

In Troll (**), a family headed up by Michael Moriarty and Shelley Hack move intotheir new apartment. Unfortunately the young daughter is kidnapped and impersonated by a troll,who goes about turning the other residents into greenery or fairy creatures. Among thosesuffering this fate are Sonny Bono and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, who can’t have been too happy tohave this hunk of cheese lurking on their CVs. Mediocre as Troll is, it does at least havefairly high ambiti…ns with regards to its fantasy FX, rough as they are. Troll 2 (1/2*), onthe other hand, defies belief with its cataclysmic awfulness. It has nothing to do with the firstfilm (and should more correctly have been called Goblin, given that that is what themenace is). Here another young family hits a small town where the residents are goblins indisguise. The FX are lamentable, the make-up is immobile, the acting is shrill, and the dialogueis the worst of all. If ever a film needed the Mystery Science Theater 3000 treatment tomake it watchable, Troll 2 is that film. It richly deserves its cult reputation as prime so-bad-it’s-good material.

Audio

The first feature is in 2.0 stereo, while the second is in mono. The music in the former casecomes off best in the mix, though there is an odd moment where it cuts out of the rear speakers,then comes back in again. There isn’t a full environment created, but there are some surroundsound effects. The mono on Troll 2 is variable, with the reproduction quality of thedialogue varying from clear to muzzy.

Video

Both movies have 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen aspect ratios.Troll’s prinit is clean,but the picture is a bit soft. The edges are not very clean, and there is too much green in thecolours. Troll 2 is sharper, but not by much, and suffers from grain and some edgeenhancement as well.

Special Features

The menus are basic, and the only extra is the theatrical trailer for each film.

Closing Thoughts

The films themselves are either mediocre or unspeakable (though in a mesmerizing way).Still, a tip of the hat to MGM for giving even the worst bottom-scraper a widescreentransfer.

Special Features List

• Theatrical Trailer