Post by klep on Jun 13, 2016 6:39:40 GMT -6
MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 6/13: South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut
SECOND WEEK OF MUSICALS MONTH
One of the things that made South Park an instant smash success was the way creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker proved so adept at mixing different tones together. They examined serious topics and fucked up individuals, but did so in a cutely paper-cutout animated idyllic-looking town through the eyes of four young children. There's an innocence to Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny that can't help but provide a humorous contrast to the very adult issues the show and this film would explore.
Another great strength of Trey and Matt is the way that they always take their craft seriously, if not their subject matter. While South Park episodes are notoriously created with extremely fast turnaround times - sometimes within just a couple days - they rarely feel half-assed in terms of technique. At least, not beyond what the paper-cutout aesthetic requires.
So when it came time to adapt their show as a musical for the big screen, it should have come as no big surprise that the songs were both good and generally either filthy or silly. South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut is no half-assed musical. It's full of songs like Blame Canada and La Resistance setting up milieus, themes, and character. Groups' signature songs are frequently reprised when appropriate, including a fantastic medley leading up to the film's climax. And there's also room for wonderful incidental numbers like Kyle's Mom's a Bitch or It's Easy, Mmmkay adding more color and fun to the film's world. They're catchy numbers, and made for frequent earworms around the time of the film's release.
The film is foul-mouthed and unapologetically explicit, but in a purposeful way. It revolves around a film - Terrence & Philip's Asses of Fire which is itself foul-mouthed and unapologetically explicit. When the kids' parents find out their children have been sneaking in to the theater to see it, they decide that their kids new potty mouths are the fault of Terrence & Philip specifically and Canadians generally. The kids don't understand the obsession, and set out on a mission to stop their parents' insanity, and with it stop Satan and Saddam Hussein from taking over the world.
The film becomes an allegory for the importance of parental responsibility in taking charge of what their kids watch, with side commentary on racism (Operation Get Behind the Darkies), abusive relationships, and the weird obsession our culture has with the corrupting influence of sex and bad language over violence.
It is, in short, a remarkably well-thought-out and put together picture with a cogent point of view, clever self-commentary, and wonderfully enjoyable songs. Movies adapted from TV shows don't generally have a great reputation, but this is one that breaks the mold.
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 6/20: Enchanted
THIRD WEEK OF MUSICALS MONTH!
I didn't expect we'd be covering an obscure Czech drama from the 40's, but here we... just kidding. Our third musical of Musicals Month is Disney's Enchanted, responsible for the stardom of Dissolve favorite Amy Adams. Enchanted is available for rent on Amazon Instant Video, though it is not free for Prime members.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 6/13: This Is Spinal Tap
This week the Next Picture Show podcast will address the music mockumentary by examining this classic satire and the newly released Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. This Is Spinal Tap is available for rent on Amazon Instant Video, though it is not free for Prime members.
SECOND WEEK OF MUSICALS MONTH
One of the things that made South Park an instant smash success was the way creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker proved so adept at mixing different tones together. They examined serious topics and fucked up individuals, but did so in a cutely paper-cutout animated idyllic-looking town through the eyes of four young children. There's an innocence to Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny that can't help but provide a humorous contrast to the very adult issues the show and this film would explore.
Another great strength of Trey and Matt is the way that they always take their craft seriously, if not their subject matter. While South Park episodes are notoriously created with extremely fast turnaround times - sometimes within just a couple days - they rarely feel half-assed in terms of technique. At least, not beyond what the paper-cutout aesthetic requires.
So when it came time to adapt their show as a musical for the big screen, it should have come as no big surprise that the songs were both good and generally either filthy or silly. South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut is no half-assed musical. It's full of songs like Blame Canada and La Resistance setting up milieus, themes, and character. Groups' signature songs are frequently reprised when appropriate, including a fantastic medley leading up to the film's climax. And there's also room for wonderful incidental numbers like Kyle's Mom's a Bitch or It's Easy, Mmmkay adding more color and fun to the film's world. They're catchy numbers, and made for frequent earworms around the time of the film's release.
The film is foul-mouthed and unapologetically explicit, but in a purposeful way. It revolves around a film - Terrence & Philip's Asses of Fire which is itself foul-mouthed and unapologetically explicit. When the kids' parents find out their children have been sneaking in to the theater to see it, they decide that their kids new potty mouths are the fault of Terrence & Philip specifically and Canadians generally. The kids don't understand the obsession, and set out on a mission to stop their parents' insanity, and with it stop Satan and Saddam Hussein from taking over the world.
The film becomes an allegory for the importance of parental responsibility in taking charge of what their kids watch, with side commentary on racism (Operation Get Behind the Darkies), abusive relationships, and the weird obsession our culture has with the corrupting influence of sex and bad language over violence.
It is, in short, a remarkably well-thought-out and put together picture with a cogent point of view, clever self-commentary, and wonderfully enjoyable songs. Movies adapted from TV shows don't generally have a great reputation, but this is one that breaks the mold.
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 6/20: Enchanted
THIRD WEEK OF MUSICALS MONTH!
I didn't expect we'd be covering an obscure Czech drama from the 40's, but here we... just kidding. Our third musical of Musicals Month is Disney's Enchanted, responsible for the stardom of Dissolve favorite Amy Adams. Enchanted is available for rent on Amazon Instant Video, though it is not free for Prime members.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 6/13: This Is Spinal Tap
This week the Next Picture Show podcast will address the music mockumentary by examining this classic satire and the newly released Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. This Is Spinal Tap is available for rent on Amazon Instant Video, though it is not free for Prime members.