Troll (1986)

Troll (R) - Review

"Short people got, no reason to live"

A family moves into a slipshod San Francisco apartment, unaware that it is haunted by a supernatural Troll hellbent on taking over the complex (sure why not).  The equally neurotic and eclectic tenants all soon fall under its spell as it zaps them with a green magic ring and vines start growing from the walls after it has taken over the family's young daughter, Wendy.  Only her kid brother Harry Potter Jr. attributes her bizarre evil behavior with the stunted freak roaming the halls, and with the help of the good witch upstairs attempts to fight the corruption and get his sister back.

This film mixes creepy with surreal quite well, and looks better than it sounds.  The titular troll has good makeup and effects, the sets are minimal yet adequate, the acting ranges from fun campy to over the top campy (watch for Law & Order's Micheal Moriarty as dear old clueless beer loving dad).  Downright freakshow plot is elevated by its voracious need to entertain in the face of it's shortcomings and has achieved a well-deserved cult status as a fun little midnight movie.

6 Short People with beards out of 10 (GOOD)