South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut

Before they created “South Park,” college students, Trey Parker & Matt Stone became friends bonding over Monty Python and their sense of dark humor. While studying, they made a very animated short film developed in 1992 titled, “The Spirit of Christmas.” It’s about a group of kids who build a snowman and he’s brought to life like “Frosty the Snowman.” Suddenly, Frosty attacks kills one of the kids named, Kenny. He’s not the one in the orange parka, we all know in love. He’s a fat kid who resembles Cartman. In peril, Jesus saves the kids and defeats Frosty.

In 1993, (the year I was born) the duo made a low-budget musical western comedy, “Cannibal! The Musical.” A sole survivor recalls how he developed a craving for human flesh. One Year Later, the duo sent their animated short to Fox executive producer, Brian Graden. He assigned Trey & Matt to produce a similar short. This time a battle under, “Santa vs. Jesus.” They created the four main characters, Stan, Kyle, Cartman & Kenny. The latter wears his orange parka and Cartman’s the fat one. The two short films became one of very first viral videos on the internet. This encouraged Trey & Matt to create the iconic animated series, South Park.”

The series aired in 1997. It became a hit thanks to memorable characters, excessive swearing, violence, dark humor, fart/poop jokes and taking potshots at celebrities. The late Issac Hayes voices Chef. The Boys’ close friend who gives them advice over a topic. Kenny’s death became a running gag (until it got old for the creators) whenever he gets killed, Stan & Kyle exclaim their catchphrase. “Oh my god! They killed, Kenny!” “You bastards!” Although a huge success, South Park sparked several controversies such as families complaining about its content no suitable for kids, Barbra Streisand griping over the show’s depiction of her as a bully/giant robot in “Mecha-Streisand” and mocking Tom Cruise and his affiliation with Scientology in the episode, “Trapped in the Closet.”

Regardless of controversies, South Park’s still going strong spanning a total of 26 seasons, two video games, “The Stick of Truth” and “The Fractured but Whole,” merchandise, memes etc. Anyway, after Trey & Matt were finished with live-action cult comedies, “Orgazmo” & “BASEketball,” their next big project I consider their best movie, “South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut.”

Released in 1999, (same year Red Hot Chili Peppers’ seventh studio album Californication came out) it became a sleeper hit earning praise and became the highest-grossing R-rated animated film of all time. Only to be over throned by “Sausage Party” in 2016. Five Years Later, “Demon Slayer: Mugen Train” currently holds the record grossing half a billion. “Blame Canada” was nominated for an Oscar for “Best Original Song.” It lost to Phil Collins’ song “You’ll Be in My Heart” from “Tarzan.” Trey & Matt got back at Phil in “Timmy 2000.”

Anyway, South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut is coming to 4k Ultra Blu-Ray for the first time on June 25, 2024. Approximately 25 years after the movie’s release. Besides that, the real reason I wanna share my thoughts on South Park’s movie is in fact “Joker: Foile a Deux.” Why? Because the highly anticipated sequel will be an R-rated musical like South Park pulling no punches. I’m also gonna watch and review several musicals from past to present to keep myself occupied.

It doesn’t matter if SPOILERS are listed. We’re already familiar with the movie and show.

Good & Bad Aspects

Good: Trey Parker & Matt Stone both did an awesome job with the story, voicing various characters and also wrote the script and songs.

Mike Judge voices Kenny. He’s good friends with Trey & Matt.

Humor retains the show’s excessive swearing, violence fart/poop jokes, dark humor and mocking famous people.

The movie’s a satirical take on censorship and parents griping about content not appropriate for their kids. Thus, a war between America & Canada escalates.

Musical Numbers are unforgettable. Most of them are parodies of Disney Renaissance movies. My personal favorite is “Up There” by Satan.

Chemistry between Stan, Kyle, Cartman & Kenny interacting with various characters is the main highlight.

Fun Fact 1: Robin WIlliams performed Blame Canada at the 72nd Academy Awards.

Fun Fact 2: Cartman shoots lightning from his hands shouting, Barbra Streisand as a curse word. She was mocked in Mecha-Streisand and the two-part episode 200″ and “201.”

Fun Fact 3: Several kids bought tickets to see Will Smith’s critical flop, “Wild Wild West” as a ploy to see South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut.”

A random soldier says… “Weesa people gonna die?” An obvious dig at Jar Jar Binks from “The Phantom Menace.” Trey & Matt later take potshots at Jar Jar in the episode, “Jakovasuars.”

Even though Satan’s depicted in the poster as the main antagonist, Saddam Hussein’s the actual bad guy. Prior to his death in 2006, Saddam was an evil man notorious for his resentment towards America and war crimes including genocide. He was mercilessly parodied in “Hot Shot!” and its sequel, “Hot Shots! Part Deux!”

George Clooney voices a doctor during Kenny’s botched surgery.

Brent Spiner (Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation) voices Conan O’Brien. Trey & Matt are also big “Star Trek” fans.

Minnie Driver voices Brooke Shields.

Metallica frontman, James Hetfield performs “Hell Isn’t Good. The scene with Kenny going to hell.

Eric Idle voices a scientist who implants a V-chip inside Cartman. Whenever he swears, it shocks him.

Bad: I couldn’t find nothing wrong. I’m giving Trey & Matt an Extra Point for making a flawless animated musical comedy as possible.

The Final Verdict: A, FOR APEX!

South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut is arguably Trey Parker & Matt Stone’s best work. I’m not a big musical fan, but it’s one of my all-time favorites along with “La La Land,” “Chicago” & “Sweeney Todd.” If Trey & Matt have nothing on their plate, I wanna see them adapt their hit Broadway musical, “The Book of Mormon” into a movie.