Troll (1986)

MOVIE #1,955 • SCORE 7/10 • 09.10.24
SERIES: TWO FOR TUESDAY

As a big Troll 2, I've always wanted to watch the first film, even though I knew it had zero connection to the famous sequel. But this one has its fans as well and it’s a pretty solid entry in the 80s schlock department. The Troll franchise (if we can even call it that) is one of the funniest and most disjointed in cinematic history, for what it’s worth. In addition to the very famous sequel, there are at least three other Troll-jacent features, all of which were helmed by Italian directors and are totally unconnected narratively to this story. They include: the aforementioned Troll 2, as well as Creepers and Quest for the Mighty Sword which were subsequently rebranded as Troll 3 to cash-in (I guess) on the success of the original (which only made 5.5-million so I don’t know what the hell they were smoking in the late 80s/early 90s).

Also of note here is that the lead character (and his dad, played by Michael Moriarty) is named Harry Potter (Jr.). So this is canon in that universe as well.

There’s also some fun actors in this: a young Julia Louis-Dreyfus is transformed into a woodland nymph who clones herself, and Sonny Bono, who I’m amazed wasn’t utilized more as an actor…

That was a joke. He’s so bad (read: perfect).

Director John Carl Buechler (who made the 7th best Friday the 13th movie) is best known as a special FX makeup guy and this is where Troll shines…


Random thoughts:

• This was an Albert Band (dad of Charles) production and features his son, Richard, doing the music and there are some true bangers.
• I like that they gave Phil Fondacaro, the little person who plays the titular troll, a human role in this as well. He’s very good.
• Could you make that the case that this is an (unintentional) trans allegory? I don’t feel like commenting on this further but think about it.

Solid 7, borderline 8, me thinks. I'm trying to be discerning with the scores (why start now? yes, good question).

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CHRONOLOGICALLY
⫷ MOVIE #1,954 - (YOU ARE HERE) - MOVIE #1,956 ⫸

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Troll is a 1986 American dark fantasy comedy film directed by John Carl Buechler and produced by Charles Band of Empire Pictures, starring Noah Hathaway, Michael Moriarty, Shelley Hack, Jenny Beck, and Sonny Bono. It is the first installment of the Troll film series. It was released on January 17, 1986.