The Stuff is a wonderful B-movie-esque film. It was directed by Larry Cohen – who wrote and/or directed such films as Q: the Winged Serpent, Maniac Cop and the It’s Alive films – and stars Michael Moriarty (Troll).
It is about a strange white substance that some miners find bubbling from the ground. It tastes delicious and is subsequently marketed as a dessert, like ice cream. But it isn’t. It’s a living thing that takes over the minds of those that eat it, making then addicted to it, until it controls them completely – zombie like.
Do you know what connects the films Troll and Troll 2? (Other than the fact that I bought them packaged onto one DVD). The word ‘troll’ in the title. That’s it. They share no characters, no cast, no locations, not even a single plot element. In fact there isn’t even a troll in Troll 2. There are however, lots of goblins.
Troll – directed by John Carl Buechler (Friday the 13th Part VII) – was released in 1986. It actually featured a relatively accomplished cast: Noah Hathaway (Battlestar Galactica & The NeverEnding Story) and Michael Moriarty (The Stuff) play father and son – ‘Harry Potter Sr.’ and ‘Harry Potter Jr.’
Also living in their building are Sonny Bono, Phil Fondacaro (Willow), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld), Brad Hall (SNL), and June Lockhart (Lost In Space). Not bad for a B movie…
Michael Stephenson is the director of Best Worst Movie, a documentary film about the making of the film Troll 2, which he was also the star of.
In a recent interview with Collider he talked a little about the oft rumored Troll 3 – or ‘Troll 2: 2’ as it should probably be called, seeing as how ‘Troll 2’ has no real connection with Troll, beyond the name.
Claudio Fragasso – the original Troll 2 director – has a script and is working with Italian producers in getting it financed. Plus they want all the original cast. This has apparently put Stephenson in a dilemma, as he says…
If someone writes a check and says, “Make this movie”, it’ll happen. If Claudio was able to get Troll 2 made, I have every reason to believe he can make this happen, too. I can absolutely understand why someone would be like, “Naturally! Let’s make a sequel!” But two, do I think it’s right to make a sequel? No. My feeling right now is, anything in addition to what he made is unnecessary. I just don’t see…I guess my question is, why?
In other Troll news: John Carl Buechler – director of the original 1986 ‘Troll’ film – is set to remake Troll with a planned 2012 release date. It’s rumored it will star Harrison Bliss and Ali Lohan.
Nicolas Winding Refn – the Danish director responsible for the Pusher Trilogy, Bronson, Valhalla Rising and the recent crime thriller Drive – is set to remake the 1976 SF film Logan’s Run. It will star Ryan Gosling – who was also the star of Drive – as the titular Logan.
For those of you who haven’t seen the orignal film: it is set in a future city where everyone lives a life of pleasure, untill they reach the age of 30 when they are terminated. Logan is a member of the enforcers of this law, but ends up rebelling against the system.
The original film won an Oscar for its visual effects – they look quite dated now though. Winding Refn is hoping to use less CGI and rely more on sets and designs.
The film is to be scored by (the ridiculously monikered) Johnny Jewel. He was a collaborator on the Drive soundtrack. He, apparently, didn’t take much persuading, he was already a fan of the orignal – at his 30th birthday party he had a replica blinking gem in his hand, like in the film.
The Doctor is returning to BBC One and BBC America for the second half of the latest series. We told you in April about the start of the 32nd series, and now there is a trailer for the 2nd half to fill you full of glee and excitement! First though, here’s a rundown on what’s ahead…
– The first episode – Episode 8 will be Let’s Kill Hitler by Steven Moffat. According to the BBC website: ‘In the desperate search for Melody Pond, the TARDIS crash lands in 1930s Berlin, bringing the Doctor face to face with the greatest war criminal in the Universe. And Hitler. The Doctor must teach his adversaries that time travel has responsibilities – and in so doing, learns a harsh lesson in the cruellest warfare of all.’
– Episode 9 is entitled ‘Night Terrors’ and writer Mark Gatiss promises some of the scariest moments he has ever dreamed up.
– Episode 10 is written by Tom MacRae and will be ‘The Girl Who Waited’. It will b a Amy-centric story, apparently.
– Episode 11 is ‘The God Complex’ by Toby Whithouse. It will be set in a hotel and features David Walliams as an alien called Gibbis.
– Episode 12‘s title is yet to be announced. It’s written by Gareth Roberts and will see the return of Craig Owens (James Corden) from last years episode ‘The Lodger’.
– Episode 13 is written by Steven Moffat. The big finale will contain the biggest twist so far – or at least so says Karen Gillan.
Here’s the trailer:
No announcement yet as to when the series will re-start on BBC One. But it must be soon as (according to Gamma Squad) it will premier on BBC America on the 27th of August. Come on Auntie! I need my New Who fix!
Grizzly Bomb 
