By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com
PRESS RELEASE – A New "Home" Distributor Grabs "Worst" Fest Title
AREA23A TO RELEASE THE “BEST WORST MOVIE”
New York, NY (February 23, 2010) – New York-based specialized film
distribution company Area23a, formed in January by distribution veteran
Richard Abramowitz and Kirt Eftekhar, founder of Ocule Films, announced
today that it will release the award-winning “Best Worst Movie” which
has been an official selection in over twenty film festivals. The
documentary had its world premiere at South by Southwest and has
received several awards including the Top Ten Audience Favorite at Hot
Docs 2009. Area23a will open the film in Austin, Los Angeles, and New
York and other top markets in late Spring.
In “Best Worst Movie” Michael Paul Stephenson makes his directorial
debut by exploring one of the worst and most critically panned movie
ever made, Troll 2, in which he starred as a child in1989. Italian
director Claudio Gragrasso cast small-town dentist Dr George Hardy and a
group of unwitting Utah actors in the ultra-low budget horror film.
Soon after Troll 2’s disastrous release, Dr Hardy retired from his
short-lived acting career and returned to dentistry in his hometown of
Alabama, unaware of the legions of fans that would one day recognize him
as a cult movie luminary. Twenty years later Stephenson reveals the
improbably heartfelt story of this Alabama dentist-turned-cult movie
icon and an Italian filmmaker as they both come to terms with this
internationally revered cinematic failure. Stephen alongside Lindsay
Rowles Stephenson and Brad Klopman serve as the producers.
Of the acquisition, Stephenson says “Our movie – that we have devoted
the last four years to – can not be in better hands than with Abramowitz
and Eftekhar. They have demonstrated their ability to skillfully handle
specialized films in a crowded market place. The recent success of
“Anvil!” only further demonstrates Richard’s expertise in theatrical
film distribution.”
Abramowitz adds “At Area23a we are very excited to bring ‘Best Worst
Movie’ to theaters across the country. The movie has been generating
both incredible word-of-mouth and critical acclaim through the festival
circuit. Audiences are appreciating the film’s humor and are also moved
by its homage to bad movies and the people that make them.”
Area23a most recently distributed the acclaimed “Soundtrack for a
Revolution,” “The Mighty Uke,” “American Harmony,” and “They Came to
Play.” This spring it will release “Sweet Crude,” the story of
Nigeria’s Niger Delta, set against a stunning backdrop of Niger Delta
footage, the film gives voice to the region’s complex mix of
stakeholders and invites the audience to learn the deeper story.
I went to screening of Troll 2 (on 35 mm!) in Toronto about a year and a half ago, and they were filming some filler for this movie. It was fun.
It’s somehow strangely appropriate that Claudio Fragasso’s (aka Drake Floyd) name is misspelled in this press release. Glad to see this finally getting a theatrical release. Like a_loco, I went to a screening on the “Troll 2” tour, and you certainly can’t piss on the hospitality of the people behind this documentary.