Featuring the voices of: Trey Parker and Matt Stone
Director: Trey Parker
Producers: Trey Parker and Matt Stone
Screenplay: Trey Parker & Matt Stone and Pam Brady
Music: Marc Shaiman
U.S. Distributor: Paramount Pictures
The late 1990s have seen a surge in an unpromising trend: animated TV series making the jump from the small screen to the big one. (Didn't it used to be the other way around?) First, there was Beavis and Butthead Do America. Then there was The Rugrats Movie, followed by Doug's 1st Movie. Now there's South Park. How much longer before we see Dilbert: The Motion Picture? These films all share a few common traits: cheesy animation that no one would confuse with that of a Disney effort (although, perhaps ironically, Disney distributed Doug's 1st Movie), a lack of impressive production values, and a built-in audience of die-hards generated by the popularity of the TV show. For Paramount Pictures, which released three of the four movies in this sub-genre, it's an opportunity to enter the animated arena without having to compete directly with Michael Eisner's Magic Kingdom.
Whereas Beavis and Butthead, the Rugrats, and Doug didn't act much differently in theaters than they do in homes, South Park at least makes a legitimate case for being given the big screen treatment. Short of appearing on a pay station, there's no way even an edited version of this film could be shown on TV. It is consistently rude, crude, and profane, with more than 200 obscenities being uttered in less than 90 minutes. The "R" rating is well deserved. Parents concerned about their children being exposed to four-letter words would do well to keep them out of theaters screening this movie. Actually, the subtitle of "Bigger, Longer, and Uncut" offers a clear view of one level of comedy embraced by South Park.
But this production isn't all toilet humor, obscenities, and flatulence jokes. As is true of the TV series, there's a lot of subversive material to be found herein - satirical thrusts struck against a diverse array of opponents. Those include (but are not limited to) the MPAA and its ratings system, small town America, middle class "family values," traditional Judeo-Christian religious icons, Canada, wars, the Baldwin brothers, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, and USO shows. In fact, it's hard to find a target that South Park doesn't savage in one way or another. And, while there aren't more than a handful of gut-busting, laugh-aloud moments, there is enough sly, slick humor to keep the average viewer chuckling throughout.
There is a plot, although the specifics of it don't much matter. Things get started when the four intrepid South Park heroes - Stan (Trey Parker), Cartman (Parker), Kyle (Matt Stone), and Kenny (Stone) - sneak into an R-rated movie to see a couple of Canadian stars singing profane songs and telling dirty jokes. The film makes such an impression on the youths that they can't stop swearing. Soon, everyone in school has seen the movie, and the classrooms have turned into hot beds of creative cursing. Canada gets the blame for this (after all, the movie was produced north of the border) and conservative organizations press President Clinton to declare war. Meanwhile, Kenny, who died after lighting fire to himself, is spending some time in Hell getting to know Satan and his gay companion, Saddam Hussein. When Kenny learns that the war between the U.S. and Canada could trigger the apocalypse, he decides to make a ghostly appearance to warn his former friends.
The overall structure of South Park will be familiar to anyone who has seen a Disney movie in the past 10 years - it's an animated musical. The whole point of using this format is to parody the Magic Kingdom's approach, and it is effective. The song lyrics are frequently blisteringly funny, often because there's an obvious disdain for the concept of political correctness. We get Stan singing about the joys of living in a "redneck, white trash" town, Satan dreaming about having a life like everyone else, and the two Canadian stars crooning words that cannot be printed here. There are a total of more than a half-dozen numbers (some of which are bombastically presented), and all have a distinct edge.
Unfortunately, not everything offered by South Park works. Balancing the big successes are some equally noteworthy failures. One obvious flaw is the whole Satan/Saddam subplot. In addition to being homophobic, it's tedious and unfunny. Every time the scene shifts to Hell, the movie grinds to an abrupt and unpleasant halt. South Park is also too long (a problem that has plagued all four TV-to-movie animated efforts). The first hour is breezy and enjoyable, but the final twenty minutes are interminable. I glanced at my watch once during the first 60 minutes, and eight times the rest of the way.
It will come as no surprise to fans of the show that South Park co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are at the reins. (Parker directs and they share the screenwriting, production, and voice credits.) Their trademark attacks on pop culture (also on display in the NC-17 Orgazmo and the idiotic Baseketball) are much in evidence. They have also managed to snag a few recognizable voices for cameos (including Eric Idle, Brent Spiner, Minnie Driver, and George Clooney). South Park aficionados will doubtlessly be enthralled by the final product. Those who are new to the cartoon are advised to keep an open mind, and, since this is raw, ribald material, anyone who is easily offended should stay away. In the final analysis, South Park is an agreeable, albeit uneven, experience. Parker should take note, however, that, in some things, size doesn't matter and bigger doesn't mean better. In the case of South Park, a little judicious snipping would have resulted in a firmer foundation for motion picture mirth.
© 1999 James Berardinelli