South Park Bigger Longer & Uncut

USA 1999

Reviewed by Leslie Felperin

Synopsis

Our synopses give away the plot in full, including surprise twists.

South Park, Colorado. The present. Third-graders Stan, Cartman, Kyle and Kenny manage to see the 'R'-rated film Asses of Fire, starring their favourite scatological comedians, Terrance and Phillip, who are both Canadian. The next day at school, the boys scandalise their teacher Mr Garrison by quoting filthy lines of dialogue from the film. Their mothers are notified and Kyle's mother Sheila starts a campaign to blame Canada for the corrupting influence of Terrance and Phillip, who are arrested and sentenced to death. War is declared between the US and Canada after the Canadians bomb the Baldwin brothers.

Meanwhile, Kenny is killed by accident and arrives in hell where Satan is having relationship trouble with his new lover, the recently deceased Saddam Hussein. Terrance and Phillip's death will be Satan's cue to take over the world; Kenny's ghost tries to warn the others. Cartman is fitted with a 'V-chip' that electrocutes him every time he swears. Stan forms a resistance movement, partly to foil Terrance and Phillip's execution and partly to win back his classmate Wendy's affection from a rival. At a huge USO show, the resistance foils the execution but war breaks out. Many are killed. Kyle stands up to his mother who nevertheless shoots Terrance and Phillip. Satan and Saddam are about to take over the world, but Kenny persuades Satan to kill the callous Saddam. A grateful Satan grants Kenny's wish to return everything to normal; Kenny bids his friends goodbye and ascends to a heaven.

Review

It's all too tempting for UK film goers to sneer at the excesses of US-based censorship and self-censorship in the film and television industry (and all too dangerous to be complacent when the track record of the BBFC and the broadcasters here is so patchy). But no community is more aware of the absurdities of the current climate and their own responsibilities than those who work in the American industry. The rancid atmosphere of genuine anxiety and hysteria hanging in air after the Colorado shootings in April is ripe for Swiftean satire.

So South Park Bigger Longer & Uncut couldn't have come out at a better time. Skewering the military, politicians, the media, xenophobic Americans and weirdly-accented Canadians, meddlesome Jewish mothers ("horrific depictions of violence [in film] is OK as long as no one says naughty words," says Kyle's mother Sheila), smug school counsellors and misogynist schoolteachers ("never trust anything that bleeds for five days and doesn't die," sums up Mr Garrison's advice on the subject of women), the acting Baldwin and Arquette families, Canadians Bryan Adams and Alanis Morissette, dim starlets Brooke Shields and Winona Ryder, gay relationships, suburban coprophiliacs, black machismo, people with car alarms, Disney movies (Satan's ballad 'Up There' is a spot-on parody of many a lyrical montage of Disney protagonist suffering) and many more, the film seems hell-bent on making good on celluloid the television series' pre-credits warning that the following material is "offensive" and "should not be seen by anybody".

Co-producers and South Park's creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have revealed in interviews that the title's "uncut" may be a bit of a misnomer: early versions of the script certainly offended the delicate sensibilities of the MPAA (the US version of the BBFC). Some of the compromises agreed seemed even more vicious to them, so if their account is true this may be the first case of censorship improving a script. Whatever the cause, Bigger Longer & Uncut is far tauter, more a laser-guided contraption than the often scattershot episodes of the series. The only element that doesn't work here is the character of Christophe, an atheist French kid whose contribution seems negligible. Fans of the show will bemoan more space couldn't be spared for favourite recurring characters such as Chef (but he does get to initiate a wonderful running gag about clitorises).

Even if South Park Bigger Longer & Uncut is unlikely to shame pro-censorship critics into silence, at least the success of the film at the US box office and that of its soundtrack album in the record shops will be seen by history as a victory of sorts: the revenge of drama-club nerds, we might call it. Clearly Parker and Stone spent far more time than is healthy rehearsing productions of Guys and Dolls and On the Town in high school, because to all intents and purposes this film is a musical, and a damn good one at that. Kenny in heaven knows it's certainly an improvement on Cannibal! The Musical, Parker and Stone's first slapdash film. And they can also now be officially forgiven for their second film, Orgazmo.

Credits

Producers
Trey Parker
Matt Stone
Animation:
Frank C. Agnone III
Screenplay
Trey Parker
Matt Stone
Pam Brady
Editor
John Venzon
Art Director
J.C. Wegman
Music/Lyrics
Trey Parker
©Paramount Pictures Corporation and Warner Bros.
Production Companies
Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros present a Scott Rudin and Trey Parker/Matt Stone production in association with Comedy Central
Executive Producers
Scott Rudin
Adam Schroeder
Co-producers
Anne Garefino
Deborah Liebling
Line Producer
Gina Shay
Associate Producer
Mark Roybal
Supervising Systems Administrator
Sean Laverty
Lead Systems Administrator
Tim Avery
Systems Administrators
Amir Bemanian
Robert Borthwick
J.J. Franzen
Ken Harris
Cheri Soriano
Supervising Production Co-ordinator
David Yanover
Supervising Co-ordinator
Tok Braun
Production Studio Co-ordinator
Toddy E. Walters
Retake Co-ordinator
Adam Lagattuta
Additional Co-ordinators
Andrew Kemler
Stan Sawicki
Unit Production Manager
Ramsey Ann Naito
Post-production Supervisor
David Dresher
Production Consultant
Monica Schmidt Mitchell
Research Co-ordinator
Michael D. Queenland
Script Co-ordinators
Robin Kay
Margaret Falzon
Casting
ADR Voice:
Barbara Harris
Heaven and Hell sequence
Blur Studio (Venice, CA)
Visual Effects Supervisor:
David Stinnet
Production Supervisor:
Stephanie Taylor
Visual Effects Co-ordinator:
Al Shier
Animators:
Steve Blackmon
Tom Dillon
Sam Gebhardt
Keith Jenson
Kirby Miller
Effects Programmer:
Scott Kirvan
Systems Administrator:
Duane Powell
Lux Laser Film Recording
Digital FilmWorks Inc
Director of Animation
Eric Stough
Supervising Animators
Martin Cendreda
Toni Nugnes
Animators
Fred Baxter
John Fountain
Neil Ishimine
Charles Keagle
Jason A. Lopez
Scott Oberholtzer
Eric Oliver
Jim Ovelmen
Lorelei Pepi
Ryan Quincy
Jack Shih
Michael Trull
August Wartenberg
Holly Wenger
Heather R. Wilbur
Amy Winfrey
Dustin Woehrmann
Additional:
Jennifer M. Allen
Alfonso Alpuerto
Andrew Arett
Chris 'Crispy' Brion
Matt Brown
Michelle Burry
Lisa Libuha
Sabrina Mar
Peter M. Merryman
Aglaia Mortcheva
Nate Pacheco
Suzanne Smith
Animation Co-ordinator
David Weiner
Animation Systems
Silicon Graphics, Inc.
Compositing Supervisor
Christopher Fria
3-D Design Team
Donna Bates
Rick Thomas
Joe Tseng
Character/Background Designers
Doug Lee
Albert Lozano
Adam T. Talbott
Keo Thongkham
Editorial Consultant
Giancarlo Ganziano
Additional Modelling
Annie Combs
Drake Goosby
Leticia Lacy
Maureen Whelan
Storyboard/Design Supervisor
Adrien Beard
Storyboard Artists
Albert Lozano
Keo Thongkham
Additional:
Gregg Detrich
Charles Keagle
Roxanne Patruznick
Anthony Postma
Greg Postma
Elaina Scott
Phil Weinstein
Eric Yahnker
Storyboard Co-ordinator
Joshua C. Hersko
Titles/Opticals
Pacific Title/Mirage
Film Colour Management
Harold Buchman
Score/Additional Music/Lyrics
Marc Shaiman
Orchestra Conductor
Pete Anthony
Orchestrations
Jeff Atmajian
Pete Anthony
Frank Bennett
Larry Blank
Harvey Cohen
Jon Kull
Music Editor
Dan DiPrima
Music Programmer
Nick Vidar
Music Recordists/Mixers
Tim Boyle
Dennis Sands
Soundtrack
"Mountain Town" by Trey Parker, Marc Shaiman, performed by Stan Marsh, Kenny McCormick, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, Sharon Marsh & Sheila Broflovski; "Uncle Fucka" by Trey Parker - "Asses of Fire" version performed by Terrance and Phillip; "Wendy's Song" by Trey Parker, Marc Shaiman, performed by Stan Marsh; "It's Easy, Mmmkay" by Trey Parker, Marc Shaiman, performed by Mr Mackey, Stan Marsh, Eric Cartman, Kyle Broflovski, Wendy Testaburger & Gregory; "Hell Isn't Good" by Trey Parker, performed by D.V.D.A.; "Blame Canada", performed by Sheila Broflovski, Sharon Marsh, Liane Cartman & Mrs McCormick, "Kyle's Mom's a Bitch" by Trey Parker, performed by Eric Cartman & Marc Shaiman; "What Would Brian Boitano Do?" by Trey Parker, Marc Shaiman, performed by Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski & Eric Cartman, "Up There" by Trey Parker, performed by Satan, The Dark Prince; "La resistance (medley)" by Trey Parker, Marc Shaiman, performed by Howard McGillin & The People of South Park; "I Can Change" by Trey Parker, performed by Saddam Hussein; "I'm Super" by Trey Parker & Marc Shaiman, performed by Big Gay Al; "The Mole's Reprise" by Trey Parker, Marc Shaiman, performed by The Mole & Kyle Broflovski; "Mountain Town (reprise)" by Trey Parker, Marc Shaiman, performed by The People of South Park; "What Would Brian Boitano Do? Pt.II" by Trey Parker, Marc Shaiman, performed by D.V.D.A.; "Eyes of a Child" by Trey Parker, performed by Michael McDonald
Sound Co-ordinator
Chris Welch
Re-recording Mixers
Scott Millan
David Fluhr
Bob Beemer
Adam Jenkins
Tom Perry
Supervising Sound Editors
Bruce Howell
Deb Adair
Sound Editors
Michael Jonascu
Cameron Frankley
Randall Guth
Dan Yale
Brian Risner
Additional Sound Editing
Lydia Quidilla
Dialogue Editors
Joe Schiff
Julie Feiner
Evan Chen
Voice Talent Co-ordinator
Jennifer Howell
ADR
Loop Group:
Steve Alterman
Doug Burch
David Coburn
Judi Durand
Greg Finley
Jeff Fischer
Barbara Iley
Daamen Krall
David Allen Kramer
David McCharen
Richard McGregor
Mary Linda Phillips
Paige Pollack
J. Lamont Pope
David Randolph
Noren Reardon
Vernon Scott
Ruth Zalduondo
Editor:
Avram D. Gold
Foley
Artists:
Robin Harlan
Sarah Monat
Mixer:
Randall K. Singer
Supervising Editor:
Chris Flick
Editors:
John Wilde
Nancy MacLeod
Supervising Technical Director
Ana Wolovick
Lead Technical Director
Christopher Fria
Key Technical Directors
Michael Chokran
Melanie Stimmell
Technical Directors
Allan Arinduque
Amir Bahadori
Ken Bailey
Donna Bates
Javier Bello
Harold Buchman
Greg Connell
Roger Dickes
Nishira Fitzgerald
Karl Fornander
Roger Huynh
Michael Leung
Kimberley Liptrap
Shannon McGee
Gil Nevo
Mark Perry
Jesse Rory Quinn
Valentin Sinlao
Rick Thomas
Joe Tseng
Rick Ziegler
Additional:
Joseph Gerges
Lori Gilmour
Wonhee Jung
Elaine Meejung Kim
Leticia Lacy
Aglaia Mortcheva
Victor Robert
Jenny Shin
Jennifer Sieck
Jon Singer
Omar Smith
Suzanne Smith
Margie Stubbs
Frank Sudol
Jimbo Valladao
Technical Direction Co-ordinator
Fiona Foster
Voice Cast
Trey Parker
Stan Marsh/Eric Cartman/Mr Garrison/
Mr Hat/Officer Barbrady
Matt Stone
Kyle Broflovski/Kenny McCormick/Pip/Jesus/
Jimbo
Mary Kay Bergman
Mrs Cartman/Sheila Broflovski/Sharon Manson/Mrs McCormick/Wendy Testaburger/Principal Victoria
Isaac Hayes
Chef
Jesse Howell
Anthony Cross-Thomas
Francesca Clifford
Ike
Bruce Howell
man in theatre
Deb Adair
woman in theatre
Jennifer Howell
Bebe
George Clooney
Doctor Gouache
Brent Spiner
Conan O'Brien
Minnie Driver
Brooke Shields
Dave Foley
The Baldwin Brothers
Eric Idle
Doctor Vosknocker
Nick Rhodes
Canadian fighter pilot
Toddy E. Walters
Winona Ryder
Stewart Copeland
American soldier 1
Stanley G. Sawicki
American soldier 2
Mike Judge
Kenny's goodbye
Certificate
15
Distributor
Warner Bros Distributors (UK)
7.303 feet
81 minutes 9 seconds
Dolby/Digital DTS sound
Colour by
DeLuxe
Last Updated: 20 Dec 2011