“Remember what the MPAA says; Horrific, Deplorable violence is okay, as long as people don’t say any naughty words! That’s what this war is all about!”
– Sheila Broflovski, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
It’s been 25 years since South Park (1997 – present) creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker (BASEketball; Cannibal the Musical) released their first feature-length film, subtitled Bigger, Longer & Uncut, blowing audiences away with their trademark disregard for logic and appropriateness. So impressed were critical audiences that the film would go on to be nominated by several awards bodies, including the Academy, for Best Original Song with “Blame Canada!”. Enjoyed by fans of the series and accessible to audiences with no association to it, Bigger, Longer & Uncut continues to be a film that fans quote and appreciate for its biting satire which remains as meaningful as ever. In celebration of its June 1999 release, Paramount Pictures offers physical media fans a first-time 4K UHD with HDR edition accompanied by a Blu-ray with previously available features.
A scene from Trey Parker’s SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER & UNCUT. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
In the quiet mountain town of South Park, Colorado, four young friends, Stan Marsh, Eric Cartman (both voiced by Trey Parker), Kyle Broflovski, and Kenny McCormick (both voiced by Matt Stone), excitedly await the release of the three-hour epic, Asses of Fire, the new Terrance and Phillip movie. Upon leaving the theater, the four friends start emulating the foul-mouthed characters, sparking anger from teachers and parents alike to the point that the death of Kenny (those bastards) leads Kyle’s mom, Sheila (voiced by Mary Kay Bergman), to start up Moms Against Canada (M.A.C.) in a bid to remove all Canadian-produced content from the United States of America. What no one in South Park realize is that the discord created by Sheila will be the ember that may prove the destruction of all life on Earth and the start of Hell’s reign.
A scene from Trey Parker’s SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER & UNCUT. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
There are films that appear in our lives and we don’t understand why they’ll matter to you until years, even decades, later. It’s strange that Bigger, Longer & Uncut is among them for this reviewer, but it’s true for several reasons. When it released in 1999, I was personally at a crossroads: recently graduated from high school, preparing to start college, dealing with heartbreak and parental divorce, and spending my summer living at a friend’s house in my home town in an effort to avoid it all (partially because my car broke down and I was working to pay off the expense so I could drive back to NC). Screening this film at the Salem Valley 8 brought incredible joy at a time when laughter was hard to come by, and I’ll never forget getting jabbed in the side by my late friend Ashley when I laughed at Mr. Garrison’s horribly sexist line about not trusting anything that bleeds for five days and doesn’t die. The memory of it makes me giggle to this day. It’s a bright spot, to be sure, but there are plenty of films we are smitten with that either are terrible or don’t age well. Bigger, Longer & Uncut sidesteps all of this because its satire is timeless and finds itself as relevant as ever in a time where we’re dealing with book-bannings, hoisting of religion into public schools, and movements toward internment.
Through the lens of these ridiculous characters, we remember that those who refuse to take responsibility for themselves first are the most dangerous to everyone else. At any point, Sheila and the rest of the parents could’ve talked to their kids, faced the responsibility of their kids going to see an age-inappropriate film, then perhaps none of the death would’ve happened in the first place (except for Kenny, RIP.) But that’s not how these characters are built, which is why the lyrics to “Blame Canada!” point this out explicitly — why take responsibility for themselves when they can place all of it onto someone else? The escalation, the fear, the violence — all of them are happening right now in multiple places around the globe as a result of misplaced rage and a lack of willingness to communicate, to forgive, to treat their neighbors as themselves. As a society in the U.S., most would rather blame the media (so many dog whistles) rather than take part in exploring what their children consume, opting to call it all trash when it may just be an opportunity for conversation, for growth and change. At almost every turn, the script from Parker, Stone, and Pam Brady (Team America: World Police; Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken) highlights how leading with stupidity, by acquiescing to the lowest common denominator of our society, is only going to lead us to our demise with no hand of the author to wave us back to normalcy. It’s true that Bigger, Longer & Uncut is not at all politically correct and is offensive in so many ways that new audiences are likely to react to it in the same way that some have to Eminem’s new song “Houdini” — except that’s the point. Stone and Parker are trying to incite a reaction, sure, but, more importantly, they are trying to get you to think about why you have that reaction. Why is violence less important than language? Why are we more willing to deflect blame than take responsibility? Why are we so accepting of human loss or selfish gain? These questions are wrapped up in a story that includes Satan (voiced by Parker) having relationship problems with Saddam Hussein (voiced by Stone) (a microcosm of the larger narrative conceit), Stan trying to gain the confidence to talk to Wendy (voiced by Bergman) without throwing up, and a copious number of racist, sexist, and other infuriating presentations of ideas that obfuscate from the ideas at large, all things that could’ve been avoided if people stopped being dicks to each other.
In terms of the release itself, let’s start with the 4K UHD edition since that’s the more important aspect and work from there.
A scene from Trey Parker’s SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER & UNCUT. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
There’s good and bad with the 4K UHD disc. First, credit to Paramount Pictures for continuing to release combo editions as this ensures that the 4K UHD disc has enough space to produce the best possible version of the film on home video. This results in two things to note right off the bat: the disc maintains a high bitrate, usually dipping no lower than 66 Mbps, which, in turn, creates the opportunity to notice something new. Typically, films treated with HDR, especially animated ones, get a strong bump with the visual elements, providing more dazzling in 4K over standard 1080p HD. Bigger, Longer & Uncut doesn’t get such a bump; however, what we do receive is the ability to better appreciate the various textures and details within the “hand-made” animation that defines the South Park series. There’s improved depth of field, distinction in colors, and the ability to see greater details on the various pieces of paper that make up the world of South Park. In particular, I don’t think I’ve ever noticed the indentations or marks of the “paper” before, only their respective colors. Given the satirical and blown-out reality on display, being better able to see the facsimile of life somehow enhances the ridiculous.
A scene from Trey Parker’s SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER & UNCUT. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
Based on research for this home review, the included Blu-ray is the same as the prior 2010 Blu-ray, meaning it includes the same video and sound track and the same bonus features: D.V.D.A. music video for “What Would Brian Boitano Do?,” theatrical trailer, and feature-length commentary from Stone and Parker. The sing-a-long version of the film is only available on the Blu-ray and seems to automatically be included with no way to turn it off. As there are no bonus features on the 4K UHD disc, only what was available in HD before is available now. This is all important to keep in mind before purchasing.
The packaging is, at the very least, different from prior releases. Both the slipcover and the liner feature new art, specifically the central cast sitting in the movie theater depicted in the film. The inside features no art or design, however, just space for two discs and the digital code slip.
A scene from Trey Parker’s SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER & UNCUT. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
As someone who’s had the same DVD of Bigger, Longer & Uncut for, well, close to 25 years, the 4K UHD edition is a worthy upgrade. As mentioned, the quality of the picture isn’t mind-blowing, but you will notice more details in the materials used to create the sequences that give it the show’s classic hand-made look. That we can identify more textures here is about as impressive as making the leap from DVD from VHS with Shrek (2001) and realizing that Shrek’s pants weren’t one-color, but actually had a two-color pattern. Combined with the bonus features, those who haven’t made the HD leap in their collection will be absolutely delighted to screen the 4K UHD edition. That said, if you already have the Blu-ray, there’s no apparent reason to snag this on day one considering there’s no new audio or bonus features to separate itself from the Blu-ray edition. Unless you’re a hardcore fan, it may be best to wait for a sale on this one.
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut Special Features
- Commentary by Matt Stone and Trey Parker
- “What Would Brian Boitano Do?” Music Video
- Theatrical Trailers
- Sing-A-Long Version of the Film
Available on 4K UHD Blu-ray Combo and digital June 25th, 2024.
For more information, head to the official Paramount Pictures South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut webpage.
Share this:
Categories: Films To Watch, Home Release, Recommendation
Leave a Reply