Genre Mixing in the Film South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut :: essays research papers

Movies are often categorized by genres, which simply means kind or type. But most movies don’t fit into one single genre alone. Nowadays, it is common to see movies that are considered ‘horror’ and ‘science fiction’ like Signs or ‘romantic comedy’ and ‘fantasy’ like Groundhog Day (Film Art: An Introduction 109). The same is true for the movie South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (South Park). South Park is a mixture of three different film genres. First of all, it is an animated film, filmed entirely of 2-dimensional cartoons. Second, it is a musical, incorporating song and dance into the story. And third, it is a comedy full of politically incorrect jokes and crude humor. These genres come together and mix flawlessly. Although animation is typically associated with kids’ movies, that is not the case with South Park. The 2-dimensional drawn animation in this movie is not to entertain kids, but more so to portray the opinions and thoughts of the writers (e.g.: the beady eyes and flopping heads of the Canadians). It also provides a convenient way of showing things that aren’t usually visible, like Hell, for example (Film Art: An Introduction 163). South Park, like other Hollywood musicals, celebrates typical American ideals like rewarding ambition and the romance in the film ending happily (Film Art: An Introduction 124). The musical component of the movie also increases the humor by making it even more out of control. With songs like â€Å"Blame Canada†, â€Å"Kyle’s Mom’s a Bitch† and â€Å"What Would Brian Boitano Do?†, each having its own dance number, the film removes all seriousness and makes the film a hoot. The comedy is non-stop in this movie. From politically incorrect jokes like making Satan and Saddam Hussein a gay couple to gross-out humor like a giant clitoris that talks to Stan, the movie is full of laughs from start to finish. There is no limit to where this film will go. It touched on abortion, war, racism, technology, faulty parenting and other social issues, but it did so in a crude way, leaving the audience feeling a sense of amusement.