When Stan Marsh and his friends go see an R-rated movie, they start cursing, and their parents think that Canada is to blame.
“Remember what the MPAA says: Horrific, Deplorable violence is okay, as long as people don’t say any naughty words.”
I would gamble away every last cent to my name on betting that nobody reading this is unfamiliar with “South Park.” Whether you’re a casual fan, a committed one, or somebody who looks away in disgust at the offense the irreverent comedy has caused for countless people, we’ve all grown to know of the small fictional town located within the real-life South Park basin in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado that plays host to Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, Kenny McCormick, and an endless list of other colorful characters. Whether you’re along for the ride or not, there’s no doubt that “South Park” is a household name.
Premiering in 1997, “South Park” has always been the topic of extreme controversy with its crass but brilliant satirization of the modern world (key focus on “modern,” as the show always remains topical to maintain its relevance). From its creators showing up to the Oscars on LSD sporting dresses that mocked the actresses that had previously worn them to creating their own hashtag that begged the world to #cancelsouthpark, the show has managed to soar far and beyond similar series, holding onto that above-mentioned relevance and remaining a topic of conversation for nearly three decades, so much in fact that it’s difficult to imagine a time where its future was in question after only two seasons.
Enter “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.”
Opening in theatres in 1999 at number three in the box office behind “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” and “Tarzan,” exiting the cinema with a haul of $83,137,864, a wildly impressive feat for an R-rated animated film. Trey Parker and Matt Stone took full advantage of the freedoms they were granted by taking their television series to the big screen, delivering in spades what the title promised. Bigger. Longer. UNCUT! The images were gratuitous, the language more offensive, boasting 399 variations of different swear words, 199 “offensive gestures,” and 221 acts of violence, according to Guinness World Records.
I admit that I have a special place in my heart for artists who specialize in crass humor in an intelligent manner. Dan Harmon, Mel Brooks, Eric Kripke, Glenn Howerton, and Rob McElhenney are all names that come immediately to mind when reflecting on works that could quite easily be considered low-brow if not for the geniuses that imbue them with biting wit and churn out incredible satire. With a series that has run successfully for 27 years, it’s safe to say that Trey Parker and Matt Stone are two names beyond worthy of inclusion in that list.
The question now is a simple one. For something that has survived by being topical, how does this twenty-five-year-old movie hold up in 2024? The answer?
Maybe even better than it did in 1999.
“Bigger, Longer & Uncut” holds no punches, aiming at society’s need to point fingers amid controversy and tragedy. When Terrence and Phillip, a famous yet vulgar Canadian comedy duo, release their first movie, it offends adults worldwide. It sees an epidemic of young children smitten by the movie, working to emulate the behavior on screen. Their lexicons extend to include choice words, and neither their schools nor their parents seem to have any hope of reaching them. When Kenny, one member of the famous South Park gang famous for dying episode after episode, dies after trying a stunt seen in the much-maligned comedy, parents around the world rally to blame Canada in its entirety for the epidemic. Censorship doesn’t seem to be enough, though, and they decide that Terrence and Phillip should be executed.
In typical “South Park” fashion, nobody is off limits here as Parker and Stone take aim at Hollywood, Bill Clinton (yes, it’s THAT old), hypocritical parents, American propaganda, and the MPAA that champions violence in cinema but takes offense to questionable language. Parker and Stone, having been the source of controversy from the moment they stepped into the spotlight, are overly familiar with the latter topic, and they put their frustration, or dare I say their amusement, on full display.
1999 was a year that saw the media attacking artists such as Marilyn Manson, Trent Reznor, and Marshall Mathers in the wake of the Columbine tragedy, placing blame on everything that they could to avoid accountability, so it’s no wonder why “Bigger, Longer & Uncut” feels so at home in the time that it was created. But in a world where “cancel culture” is a relevant topic, episodes of television are deemed offensive and removed from streaming services without the consent of the consumer who pays for them, and classic shows and movies are being scrutinized by a newer generation, it’s incredible to watch the film and realize that in 2024 it might just be more relevant than it ever was. The celebrities and politicians targeted indeed date it, but replace them here and there, and “Bigger, Longer & Uncut” could have just as easily been made today.
And that, I suppose, is where the genius of Trey Parker and Matt Stone lies because even if they rely on being topical, so many of the issues that they satirize don’t truly go away. They just take on a different form. They’re both intelligent enough to realize that, so the thing they created will always seem relevant and fresh despite an evolving world.
“South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut” is grotesque. It’s offensive. And at times, it’s even a little uncomfortable, just as a good satire should be.
Available on 4K Ultra HD™ June 25th
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