Customer Reviews

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut

5 star:		(460)
4 star:		(82)
3 star:		(28)
2 star:		(20)
1 star:		(42)

 

 

This movie is one of the most revealing of the century. It's ruthless, conniving, sly, smart, irreverent, stupid, and funny as hell. It'll slam your beliefs, way of life, and everything else you hold dear to your heart. That's exactly why you have to love it. You have to respect a movie that can do all of that in an hour and a half. If you want to get one of the best comedic movies of the summer, don't look for American pies or spies who shag people. Look for the movie about 4 demented children and their even more impudent townspeople. It'll be one of the best movies you'll ever see, and I guarantee it WILL PISS YOU OFF. I'm a die-hard South Park fan, and even I was offended by some of the dialouge. But that's exactly what these boys are designed to do, and I love 'em for it. Many people will try to make you believe that South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut just relies on how much shock it can garner from it's audience. Don't fall into that way of thinking: it actually has very touching messages hidden in the sea of profanity and lewdness. And isn't it always more rewarding when you have to find the messages for yourself instead of getting it served to you on a silver platter? Parents, tuck your children in early if you want to watch it. Kids, see it at your friend's house. In my personal opinion, I would nominate this movie for several Oscars: Best Picture of the year, Best musical score in a movie, and Best Director (Trey Parker). Everyone I have ever talked to about this movie say that it's appalling in retrospect. However, they always have to admit: those little guys are funny.

Simply amazing. You can say that it is nothing but fart jokes and toilet humor, but it is so obviously much more than that. What Trey Parker and Matt Stone have done is created one of the most thought provoking and clever comedies of all time and the greatest musical of the decade. Not only is it truly hilarious, it is also one of the most controversial movies of all time. It is mocking the hypocrisies of the MPAA and the average American parenting, as well as many other countless subjects. Not that it isn't a bad thing :) I would have rated it the day I saw it, but I decided to look it over more carefully to see all the undertones that it contains. It is also a great musical. With the help of Marc Shaiman, Trey has created greats like "Mountain Town", the infamous "Uncle F**ker", the Oscar-nominated "Blame Canada", the Les Miserables parody "La Resistance Lives On", and the Disney-based "Up There". However, it is definitely not for children and actually holds the world record for the most profanity in an animated movie, with 399 swear words, 221 acts of violence, and 128 offensive gestures. This wanton swearing is objectionable, but that aside, this is one of the greatest movies of all time, and not even the angry parents can deny it.

For some reason, I can't sit through a half-hour of the South Park TV show. I enjoy it well enough, but it never really holds my attention. The humour always seems stunted on the small screen, very ribald but always in an inconsequential way. Well, free from the restrictions of television, Stone (no relation) and Parker have made a tremendously funny companion movie that manages to weave social satire using thread made up of curse words. And surprisingly, it became one of my favourite movies in recent memory.

And not to be forgotten, but it's a damn fine musical as well.

From the opening refrain of 'Mountain Town', it quickly becomes apparent that the satire will be witty and tight, parodying Broadway musical standards for their own twisted purposes. But the whole thing takes a wicked left turn with the infamous song 'Uncle F**ka' (I truly despise having to put the asterisks in, but then I guess that's the kind of thing this movie is railing against). It's a nonsensical, roll-on-the-floor-laughing, swearing-for-swearing's-sake song from the movie-within-a-movie starring Terrance and Philip. And it throws down the gauntlet for all that is to come.

The remaining songs are all perfectly placed parodies, which serve to advance the narrative, provide character development, and serve up more opportunities for poopy jokes. All noble causes, I'd say. Favourites include 'Kyle's Mom is a B**ch' (which if you listen close enough, is actually quite poetic), and 'What Would Brian Boitano Do' (or WWBBD, in which the 1988 Olympic Champion is held up as an all-knowing superhero). And of course, the closing credits contain a soulful, sincere performance by Doobie Brother Michael McDonald of 'Eyes of a Child' ("Sure, life is kind of gay/But it doesn't seem that way/Through the eyes of a child") that spoofs the drek David Foster and Diane Warren regularly churn out.

Special mention should be made for 'Blame Canada'. Any true Canadian knows who the target of that one is, no?

The brilliance of this movie, it appears to me, is that Stone and Parker figured that the only way to top their TV show would be to up the ante with the movie. Thus we get Saddam Hussein as a butchy homosexual lover of Satan, the execution of Bill Gates, and of course 'Operation Human Shield' in which all the black residents of South Park are not only expected to shield their white army mates from Canadian attack, but are strapped to the tanks as well.

And of course there's the swearing. I read somewhere that this is the movie with the greatest proliferation of cuss words. Well, bravo I say. Bring your grandma and your kids, cause in the end all that swearing actually makes a very powerful point. And Cartman's final coup de grace -- in which his cussing actually saves the day -- is as good a condemnation of the censorship of speech as anything this side of Newspeak from George Orwell's '1984'.

Ok, ok, this is one of those guilty pleasures. I have to admit that I hate listening to people swear, think the animation in South Park is unbelievably lame, don't care what happens to Kenny and I like Canada (well, sort of.) So what makes this film so funny?

Probably the over-the-top raunchiness that characterizes all South Park. The first time someone played a tape of the cartoon for me, I was gasping with laughter and had to rewind the tape to catch the stuff I was missing while I was convulsing on the sofa. (It was the 70-foot satellite dish issuing forth from Cartman's posterior that caused me to nearly lose consciousnes.)

A little bit of vulgarity is annoying. Somehow, a ton of it, big heaping gobs, is hysterical. When you get to Terrence & Phillip's song number in their "film within a film" you will know what I mean.

There's not only a lot of Terrence & Phillip (Canada's hottest action stars) but also a catchy, Academy-award nominated theme song (Blame Canada) and a very funny Satan who finds Saddam Hussein just a bit insensitive and uncaring.

I laughed hysterically through the entire film. If you like South Park, the full-length movie will not disappoint you in any way.

This movie takes all of society's politically correct garbage and puts it in its rightful place - the trash. This brilliant musical with the South Park characters tells it like it really is. Poking fun at censorship, racism, religion, Les Mis, and Saddam Hussein along with other topics too numerous to mention, this movie will have you crying from laughter. If you have any type of education (and sense of humor) you can't help but appreciate the movie not only for it's over the top antics but it's well thought out message(s) and underlying themes.

However, if you are easily offended by cursing or can't handle reality stay as far away as possible and go back to the mindless safety of Disney.

This movie goes beyond toilet-bowl humor to being a satire of our life in America today -- especially overprotective parenting. This is a gutsy movie that, because of the animation as opposed to live action, can get away with satirizing just about anything. This is by far the best satire I've ever seen -- and one of the best movies I've seen all year.

I missed this when it was on the pictures over here in the U.K., so I thought that I'd try the DVD. What a laugh. I've been watching the series from episode one. To be honest, I thought that it was starting to get a bit boring.

This film re-instated my enthusiasm for the whole South Park thing. If you like or have ever have liked the series, then I guarantee that you will love this film.

If you can find humour in foul language, sex, death, pornography and politically incorrect satire, then this fella's for you.

If you don't like South Park or you're easily offended by... Foul language, sex, death, pornography and politically incorrect satire then you would be wise to give it a wide berth.

It's easy. If you like South Park or that kind of humour then you'll absolutely love this film.

If you don't like this kind of stuff, then don't bother, because it will offend you, with ease.

Probably not for kids, nor for the pathologically self-righteous, I highly recommend "South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut." Although laudable for its "message" against censorship, and for criticizing parents who expect other institutions (the "film industry," the schools, etc.) to act in loco parentis, I doubt that very many went to this movie for that reason. I know I went simply to see the "scamps" in action on the large screen.

Because I did not expect it, the film's musical format surprised me initially. However, I got used to it, and ended up enjoying most of the songs. (As a side note, some of the songs inexplicably disappeared for the soundtrack CD, making way for ho-hum reinterpretations by other contemporary musical artists.) As a fan of classical and opera, I appreciated the nods to Copland in "Uncle F**ka," the bacchanale from Saint-Saens' "Samson et Delilah" in Saddam Hussein's love song to Satan, and the allusions to Wagner's old warhorse "Ride of the Valkyries" during the Canadian Air Force attack on the Baldwin brothers.

As another shock, we actually get to hear the "scamps" say what we knew they were saying on the TV show, but obfuscated by bleeps. Like what happened with the big censorship deal involving this movie, life imitates art here. It was strange to finally hear the boys actually speak the forbidden words and phrases, treating them like sacred incantations upon hearing them in the Terrance and Phillip movie. But like the musical format, I also got used to the lack of censorious bleeps.

Not so surprising in this movie was the acerbic and absurdist humor endemic to "South Park." It's done on a much grander scale, with more license than television would dare allow, with the end result being quite effective. I laughed so hard I nearly dry-heaved during some parts, including Terrance and Phillip's "Uncle F**ka"; Cartman's ode to Kyle's mother; the sex-obsessed Saddam Hussein's relentless pursuit of a sensitive Satan; and the WWII-like anti-Canada propaganda film (sponsored by Snacky Smores!). But there are too many to mention!

To those who have qualms about "South Park," whether based on heresay or the superficial belief that it's an excuse for "toilet humor," try to set them aside and judge this movie based upon other merits. Fans of "South Park" don't obsess on toilet humor (which would get real dull real fast), so why should its detractors?

Although the animation appears crude, the animators have worked their little tushies off to make the Colorado town of South Park and its inhabitants some of the best drawn animations in history! If you like the show South Park then you must see this movie. It comes on DVD and that's the version I'm reviewing here.

The four boys whose lives are depicted in South Park are Kyle, Eric, Stan and Kenny: and man, do things go wrong when they see a Canadian film with way too much dirty language for kids! (By the way, this South Park movie is a movie for adults, however fun it is. There are too many swear words and sexual situations that are not for four and five year olds.) Of course, the boys start mimicking the new found swear words and their parents and schoolteachers are outraged. The school tries to get the boys (and by now the rest of the children in South Park) to stay away from naughty words but to no avail--the kids go back to see the flick again! Their parents eventually become so enraged that they declare war on Canada through a rather mindless caricature of then President Clinton.

The plot moves quickly and so do the jokes: the movie is extremely funny and never ceases to hold your attention. I don't want to spoil the plot too much but suffice it to say it does actually have a happy ending! There are also some interesting subplots involving the devil and Saddam Hussein--in a romantic relationship, Kenny and his experiences after his untimely passing, and Stan's crush on a girl in South Park named Wendy. For even more fun and humor, the movie pokes fun at many other plays and movies, in particular Les Miserables! The movie is also peppered with songs that are catchy and well written. In fact, the song "Blame Canada" was nominated for the Oscar in the "Best Music, Original Song" category at the year 2000 Oscar awards. (The soundtrack is available on CD, in case you're interested.)

One gripe, however: the DVD comes with woefully few extras. Actually, all you get besides scene selections and little more is a set of three theatrical trailers. Woe is me! I would have loved deleted scenes or technical goofs to be added in here. The movie itself is only 81 minutes long so there should be more than enough room on the DVD for at least a few extras.

Yet, after all, this movie WILL leave you wanting MORE and so far the best we can get is the TV show. Maybe, please, can we have another South Park feature film? There's never been a better time for one! GRIN

I admit, I was not one of those folks who ran out to see South Park as soon as it hit the theaters. In fact, I didn't even run out to rent South Park when it was released on VHS and DVD. But I finally did rent it in a moment of weakness, and am so glad I did. A few minutes into the film I had to scrape my jaw off the floor, but then I laughed my head off for 90 minutes and promptly watched the film again. After I returned the rental, I bought the DVD, and still watch it whenever I need a laugh.

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut is, in a word, brilliant. From the Disney-esque musical numbers (skewered by the biting wit of the lyrics) to the I-can't-believe-they-just-said-that vulgar hilarity of Terrance and Phillip to the "Saddam is from Mars, Satan is from Venus" moments sprinkled throughout, South Park is the best piece of satire written in years, and is guaranteed to keep you in stitches.

The movie is set in, of course, South Park, home of our heroes Cartman, Kenny, Stan, and Kyle. The boys manage to worm their way in to a theater to see Canadian duo Phillip and Terrence's new R-rated movie, which is brimming with jaw-dropping language. It proves "educational" to the boys, and they're swearing with flair and gusto quicker than you can say... well... you'll have to imagine. From there, it's a short leap to horrified teachers, mortified parents, and then Mothers Against Canadians. And it would be criminal to give away any more of the plot.

Yes, the language is positively filthy.... Yes, the film ridicules networks willing to do anything for ratings, Hollywood families of fame, overbearing and misguided parents, and everyone in between.... Yes, there are many moments of plain grossness.... So if you're easily offended, generally uptight, or a member of any morally outraged group, this film is not for you. This film is ABOUT you. Find something else to watch.

But for everyone else: buy this movie. You'll laugh; you'll cry (well, maybe not cry...); it will become a part of you.

Last note: The only reason I rated this DVD 4 stars instead of 5 is the complete lack of extra features. The movie is certainly worthy of a 5 star rating, but the complete lack of extras for the DVD format, especially given this material that's just screaming for extras, is inexcusable. But I highly recommend purchasing the movie, anyway.