If you’ve been reading my reviews or know me personally, you’ll know I love South Park and I’m huge fans of Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Cannibal! The Musical is an independent movie that the pair made in college with their friends who were also in film class. Its about the infamous ‘cannibal’ Alferd Packer who is huge in Colorado [they even have Alferd Packer Day.] Packer takes a group of men from Utah to Colorado which eventually ends with all but Packer dead and partially eaten. I know, it’s a typical black comedy musical.
The comedy in this is just amazing, its so witty and clever and something most comedies lately have been lacking. Its so original! Obviously, its similar to South Park but minus fart jokes. No… wait… now thinking about it, there are two fart jokes but they are at the expense of Trey Parker’s ex-fiancé so its funny. Its goofy and smart at the same time. I’ve watched this movie over 10 times and I’m still laughing.
There is some gore in this movie so be prepared for blood and tongues and feet and arms and brains.
I think I found this movie really funny because I know the background stories and I know the cast. I laugh at the judge because he’s played by Randy Parker [Trey’s dad] and therefore I think of Randy from South Park and I’m like “oh my God, he is actually like that!” I’ll share some more behind-the-scenes stuff with you as the review goes on.
Like I said, the movie is made by Parker, Stone and their film student friends. This was before their South Park fame so they had to raise the money for funding themselves, everyone worked for free and if you weren’t in front of the camera acting, then you were doing something behind the camera. For example, Robert Muratore plays Frenchy Cabazon on screen but whenever he wasn’t, he was the cameraman/director of photography. I doubt you’d be able to get any Hollywood actor to do that. I can see why they all chose to be the cast and crew because, lets face it, you can’t trust actors. Anyways, Parker is one of my heroes and I really look up to him because not only does he star in this, he wrote it, directed it, was the sound designer, and wrote all the songs. I just love the teamwork!
Parker decided to make this film after he caught his fiancé Liane with another guy. He then named Packer’s horse after her. Knowing this makes a lot of the dialogue about Liane hilarious because you know they’re stabs at the woman; “everyone’s ridden your horse, Packer…”
Shpadoinkle. Not only a great word but also a great song. Parker wrote such fantastically catchy and hilarious songs for this movie [all but 1 I have on my iPod]. I can assure you that you’ll be humming the tunes for days after watching this. Oh, and Trey Parker has suuuuuuuch a nice voice!
One of the characters is Mormon so there are a few underlining jokes about Mormons. Which are funny. And knowing Mormons, you guys will probably laugh too.
Tehehe, Stone’s hat is the same as Kyle’s in South Park. Tehehe, that makes me smile every time. Then I crack up when he finally takes the hat off and Stone is wearing this huge red afro.
That’s All I’m Asking For is another great song, all about what they want to do with the gold that they dig in Colorado. There is a reprise later in the movie when they’re dieing and its not such a cheery tune anymore but hilarious all the same.
The characters are brilliant. They’re all either a bit slow or just too kind and ignorant which makes them great for comedy. We also have Frank Miller [Jason McHugh who is a co-creater with Stone and Parker] who is kind of the audience and realizes that they’re just weird people. We have Shannon Wilson Bell who wants to be a Mormon priest, James Humphrey [Stone] who is just a bit thick, George Noon who’s horny, Israel Swan who’s the nicest man on Earth and then Alferd Packer who is also nice and a bit slow.
The landscape shots are surprisingly beautiful, Parker really took full advantage of his surroundings. To future filmmakers, film outside with landscape because it makes your film look like a bigger budget than it is.
Naked guys around a fire is still funny. “Just do what I’m doing. Just pretend like you’re laying next to a nice soft woman.” “What?” “I’m just imagining old Mr. Miller here as a nice tall blonde-” “Oh, goddamn it! I want another partner!”
When I Was On Top of You is probably one of the best songs for obvious reasons. I want this to be my wedding song.
“Fudge, Packer?”
Love that the Native Americans are Japanese people. Genius. And, little fact, they were Japanese students that were at Parker’s college and Parker actually dubbed them over with his own voice [he took Japanese as one of his majors]. Also, the translations for their Japanese is incredibly funny and it’s a shame they don’t do subtitles for them.
Trapper Song! Another great song! My favourite part is… I think its called the bridge but I’m not sure but I just love the melody to is, its almost Middle Eastern, very pretty. Also, its not Robert Muratore [which is pretty obvious] but its Parker. Again. That man could of just made the whole thing himself.
The only downside to this movie is Polly’s song which just bores me and I felt it slows the film down but I can see why its in there.
The movie has some pretty gross parts but the worst is the Cyclopes with his eye juice. Ewwwww! Its so gross!!! Funny but gross! I find myself hiding behind my pillow!
MATT’S JEW FRO!
The dream sequence is great because it looks like its totally taking the piss out of what serious film students would do. Also get to see Parker and Muratore in tights.
IKE!
The makeup is incredibly good for a student film! The knife really looks like its in his head, the twig really looks like its in his eye and the pick really looks like its pierced the skin and ripped his heart.
Hang the Bastard! is a great ending number, especially the lyrics ‘it’s the end of the show and we all can go home!’
I know I did loads of quotes for Anchorman but this movie is filled with them so shut up and read!
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212 Films, 7 Months 