[South Park BLU: 25th Anniversary]

[classicswim]

 

 

I don’t even know where to begin. I truly don’t.

 

To the millionth degree, this is my favorite comedy movie ever. And it will stand to be that very title for the remainder that I’m alive.


I’ve ALWAYS wanted this back in theaters. Like, forever. Stupid easy money in my eyes. The fact my theater auditorium was packed just in this afternoon today, for that ol thing, speaks to this being something everyone wanted again for a long, lonnnnggggg time... and we got it back.


Back in ‘99, I got, and would get my ass handed to me for South Park on TV at its most inappropriate times.

Now? I saw parents around my age (although these were real flaming millennials, so to speak) ...... bringing in their presumed toddlers/young elementary school kids; dressed as the four boys of South Park. The little shits went through the entire movie screening without shitting or crying incessantly, and I applaud them for that. Still baffled, but it was a great time.

 

Leonard Maltin hosted! He was still nothing but jolly about how easy he got off on that Mecha Streisand episode after all these years. 

He was an old crone even back then, so for him to tell his own personalized story about him, his wife & his daughter loving the film and absolutely adoring the songs really touched my heart.

He gave a very nice shoutout to Isaac Hayes. A real standing ovation, actually. Even when Chef sadly didn’t have a large abundance of scenes in BLU compared to what he was usually getting during Mania days.

 

Technically, I attended the Sing-a-long screening, except the room was kind of too embarrassed to be singing. We just settled with laughing like idiots at the same goddamn jokes we’ve all seen a million times at our homes.

I had a flask of tequila with me and wasn’t about to make myself look like too much of a jackass.




This entire month for me has been hell. Just nonstop anxiety, and I’m usually not one to associate myself with such a term.

I’ve had a string of issues in addition to being racially targeted by the same fuckwit cop in my area. It hasn’t been a too joyous heatwave, which is why I was delighted to see this at the right place and right time.

The movie in theaters? It goes by as fast as the in-universe Asses of Fire.

You’re just having so much fun no matter how often or how long it’s been, and then it’s just over.


As corny as this is to say, this was my fucking Lion King. Nostalgia will do that in.
 

Maltin said on the host segment that BLU’s as timeless and reverent as the show to this day, and I’ll debate that to an extent.

This film is a threshold to when we as people still had a chance. Whether that was the honest goal or not.




The thesis of Bigger, Longer & Uncut was South Park excelling above and beyond to defend its own existence.

There’s a major conversation to be had about the censorship, threat of the Christian mob, meaningless war +  genocide, all things relevant; and then you have the other side of it where all Trey and Matt felt like they were doing at the time was mere fart jokes.

They could never be as modest nor humble as they were here ever again. They’re too engulfed in their ego, which is part of why the product stopped being good. 



But yes. This will be the one movie I’ll cherish to the grave.

As far as the supposed 4K... I couldn’t tell that much of a difference. Screening as originally intended was majestic enough.

Comments

[matt_zimmer]

There is an argument to be made South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut is the best movie ever made based upon a TV show. Wrath of Khan fans might disagree, as might purists of The Muppet Movie, but I think BLU is probably the best. It's certainly the best film that was an extension of a currently running series.

My antipathy for South Park is real (and due to how Isaac Hayes was mistreated unlikely to abate) but this movie was a high point for the franchise. It never did anything this good before or since.

[classicswim]

I realized years back the one other South Park thing to really continuously deliver that universal laugh for me besides BLU was Jesus vs Santa.

Couple of the best readings from BLU would be them providing a direct homage to Spirit of Xmas, and I always found that wonderful in its own weird way. Not many can make it to theaters with the funniest thing and also nod the stuff that got spread around on VHS like crazy.

[matt_zimmer]

Also should note that "The Eyes Of A Child" is one of the best end credit themes ever made. Its sound (and sap) is completely consistent with all other movies, but only if you listen to the actual lyrics do you understand it's an extremely biting satire of every other end credit theme. And it actually took a few viewings for me to notice it.

How strong is the film? Its end credit anthem by Michael McDonald is worthy of praise.

[classicswim]

While that is true...... what about the man who ate a rather large quantity of chicken wings?

[matt_zimmer]

It's nothing compared to "I can get my friend Steve to detail your car for like 20 bucks" as crooned by Michael McDonald.