South Park: bigger, longer & uncut [DVD]

The boys from the American cult television program South Park launched onto the big screen in 1999 with their first feature length film ‘Bigger Longer and Uncut’, a cleverly written musical film looking at censorship and the influence film and television has on child development. Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park follows the misadventures of friends Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Kenny McCormick and Eric Cartman in a small town called South Park in Colorado. Alien abductions, giant Barbra Streisand monsters and poor Kenny being killed episode after episode are just a few things the foul-mouthed boys have to deal with. When the boys see an R film starring Canadian icons ‘Terrance and Philip’, their parents become distressed at the language the boys are using. Rather than take responsibility for not supervising their children, the parents choose to blame Canada, and arrest Terrance and Philip, causing an USA v Canada war. With Terrance and Philip’s lives at stake, the boys create an underground children’s resistance, aptly named ‘La Resistance’ to free their Canadian idols before they are executed. The films subplot explores relationships, including Stan’s unusual relationship with classmate Wendy Testeburger, and her new found affection for a boy who is ‘political’. South Park character favourites Mr Garrison, Mr Mackey, Chef and Officer Barbrady also make appearance, as does Saddam Hussein, Satan and Winona Ryder. Parker and Stone’s clever soundtrack, spoofing a number of popular musicals including ‘Les Miserables’ and ‘The Sound of Music’ in addition to their own musical creations, earned them an Oscar nomination for Best Song (“Blame Canada’) in 2000. Features the voices of Isaac Hayes, Minnie Driver, Eric Idle and George Clooney. Warning: CONTAINS COARSE LANGUAGE.