I’ll always remember the place I used to be June 30, 1999. That was the evening I made the unlucky choice to see Will Smith’s Wild Wild West on its opening evening— whereas on a display screen subsequent door, one of my soon-to-be favorite movies had additionally simply been launched. Smith’s film was horrible, however the subsequent evening, I righted that mistaken and noticed South Park: Larger, Longer & Uncut, and all the things has been higher from that second on.
By 1999 South Park was already an extremely standard present however, for one motive or one other, I didn’t actually watch it. I’d seen some episodes and loved it however I by no means bought into it. (I was into Independence Day and Men in Black although, therefore the opening evening choice.) Nonetheless, I used to be curious to see what a movie model seemed like, particularly with any and all limitations of censorship damaged down.
Sitting down within the theater, I’m undecided I knew this movie was a musical. Perhaps I did and I put it out of my thoughts, however I keep in mind immediately being delighted and stunned. At this level in my life, I used to be already an enormous musical fan. The unique West Facet Story was considered one of my favorites and I might often sing together with motion pictures like Aladdin, Little Mermaid, and Lion King. And nonetheless, I used to be not prepared for the movie to be not solely a musical however an all-timer of a musical, that includes banger after banger. All of which I nonetheless actually know each single phrase of, even all these years later.
That first evening although, “Mountain City” might have set the tone, however “Uncle Fucka” introduced down the home. If I shut my eyes, I can nonetheless hear and really feel the theater reverberate with shock and awe through the music. Nobody was prepared and that’s definitely how Trey Parker and Matt Stone deliberate it. It’s a music so vile, so disgusting, and so hilarious it’s like a punch within the face and abdomen concurrently. Immediately you notice this film is working on a stage you weren’t prepared for. You then notice the the music and diegetic film it’s in—an R-rated musical model of a TV present, thoughts you—goes to be the catalyst for the remainder of the story, and issues rise to a different stage fully.
All the pieces will get wilder and funnier from there and regardless of having seen the film dozens of occasions, watching it this week for its twenty fifth anniversary, I nonetheless discovered myself overwhelmed with pleasure all through and laughing constantly. Which, I’ve to confess, left me extra conflicted than I used to be anticipating.
In 1999, Larger, Longer & Uncut was already extremely offensive. That’s the entire level. However in 2024, the actual fact it may be much more offensive appears sadly prophetic. Parker and Stone noticed what censorship and worry of language may do to us. And whereas america by no means declared struggle on Canada over the difficulty prefer it does within the film, at occasions it definitely seems like we’re now at struggle with ourselves for that motive.
That bought me pondering a bit of deeper. Does my private tolerance for offensive comedy and a perceived capability to tell apart between language used for hate or humor come from being so intimately conversant in this film? I feel it could play an element. And in that means, I’m grateful for it. I wish to be an individual who understands there’s a line and crossing it’s unhealthy. But in addition that tiptoeing on it, if performed proper, could be hilarious. Like Devil says, “With out evil there could be no good so it have to be good to be evil typically.”
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After seeing South Park: Larger, Longer & Uncut in 1999, I went on and continued to find extra of Parker and Stone’s musicals. Cannibal The Musical, for one. Later, I used to be first in line for Team America in addition to The Guide of Mormon. The second two work equally to South Park, pushing boundaries to make actually necessary factors, and I like all of them for it. The South Park movie additionally broadened my understanding of what musicals could be. It’s not a style that may inform just one kind of story. It may inform any kind of story and, when it’s as good and exquisite as South Park, it may be magic.
And so, 25 years after its launch, I nonetheless love South Park: Larger, Longer & Uncut. This time although, one factor had modified throughout my re-watch. After singing the songs, laughing and smiling all through, when the ultimate reprise started, I began to cry. It hit me simply how a lot the film means to me, how lengthy it’s been part of my life, and simply how unbelievable it’s from high to backside. I’m fairly nostalgic to start with however to really feel that for this film is the opposite factor I didn’t anticipate. What can I say, although? “That film has warped my fragile little thoughts.”
South Park: Larger, Longer & Uncut turns 25 on June 30. Paramount offered io9 with a replica of its model new 4K launch for assessment, and you may grab a copy here.
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