South Park - Imaginationland
by Trey Parker
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Adrien Beard, Isaac Hayes, Kathryn Howell, Matt Stone, Trey ParkerDirector: Trey Parker
Brand: PARAMOUNT PICTURES
Writer: Trey Parker
Writer: Matt Stone
Producer: Adrien Beard
Writer: Jonathan Kimmel
Writer: Kristen Schaal
Writer: Pam Brady
Writer: Vernon Chatman
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Animated, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 67 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-03-11
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Comedy Central
Movie Reviews of South Park - Imaginationland
Movie Review: Matt and Trey at their best
Summary: 5 Stars
I am greatly gratified to see "Imaginationland" on DVD as a stand-alone feature. This originally aired as a three-part episode of South Park, and I felt at the time that it could easily have been the second threatrical release movie based on the series. The three episodes comprised my favorite television program of all 2007, and along with "Team America," stands as Matt and Trey's best work.
"Imaginationland" shares its basic premise with Clifford D. Simak's 1970 science fiction novel "Out of Their Minds." It's based on the concept that imaginary characters and beings from myth, legend, folklore, and fiction all exist in literal reality, co-existing together in some alternate dimension, owing to the power of the mental energy focused on them by the collective human imagination. South Park started out as simple shock-jock type humor and matured into genuinely brilliant social satire. With "Imaginationland," it offers some genuinely touching and moving moments and at times achieves an epic sweep and grandeur, all without sacrificing its characteristic laugh-out-loud raunchy humor. "Imaginationland" may not by South Park's funniest episode, but it is arguably its finest.
[SPOILER ALERT: I found "Imaginationland" thought-provoking enough to critique at some length, but this does entail a brief synopsis of the main plot points.]
The story begins as Eric Cartman, the world's most malevolent 8-year-old, has enlisted the other boys to capture a leprechaun he has seen. Cartman has made a bet with Kyle that Kyle will such Cartman's balls if Cartman can prove leprechauns exist. The leprechaun does appear, to the amazement of all, and gives a warning about terrorists before vanishing. Cartman spends the rest of the story attempting to coerce Kyle into fulfilling the terms of the bet.
Later, Stan, Kyle, Kenny, Jimmy, and Butters meet the Mayor of Imaginationland who is seeking the leprechaun. He takes the boys on a trip to Imaginationland. [Check out the Wikipedia entries for Imaginationland for a complete tally of the imaginary beings who appear in the saga.] Soon after they arrive, terrorists invade to sow death and destruction. The boys escape, but Butters is left behind. The terrorists wreck the wall that keeps out all the most evil beings ever imagined by humans, and these now threaten to overrun the good part of Imaginationland. Back in the real world, the US military has learned that "terrorists have seized control of our imagination" and contemplate attacking Imaginationland through a Stargate.
They are forestalled by Kyle, who makes a moving speech about how imaginary characters are "real" in the sense that they touch all our lives. Yet the real hero of the story is Butters. My favorite South Park character, Butters is the antithesis of Cartman; he is a sweet, good-natured little kid who is, sadly, not appreciated by his idiot parents. As a real human being in Imaginationland, Butters is a "creator," able to alter things in that world by using his imagination. Butters is able to raise Santa Claus from the dead and is soon bolstering the forces of good imaginary beings in their battle against the evil forces.
Which brings me to an important point: "Imaginationland" illustrates one of the key advantages Good enjoys over Evil. Cartman enters Imaginationland only at the end of the story. He is instantly able to use his imagination to create doppelgangers of himself and Kyle, so as to see Kyle fulfill the terms of the bet. Butters, on the other hand, had to slowly learn to use his power. Also, Cartman was the first of the boys to see an imaginary being (the leprechaun). The satanic Woodland Critters from Cartman's Christmas story in a previous episode are among the most formidable beings in the evil part of Imaginationland. Yet the Critters were created by Cartman, and known only to himself and his fourth grade class--whereas the other evil beings --Frankenstein, Alien, et al-- are part of the imaginary lives of millions. ALL THIS INDICATES THAT CARTMAN IS MORE POWERFUL THAN BUTTERS! Possessed of an extemely forceful personality, Cartman has swayed entire mobs of adults in past episodes. HAD THE EVIL FORCES OF IMAGINATIONLAND BEEN ABLE TO RECRUIT CARTMAN, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN TRIUMPHANT. However, Cartman remains totally fixated on his silly bet with Kyle and is unable to see beyond it, taking no notice of the momentous events that whirl about him. One of the weaknesses of evil is pettiness, and it is pettiness that nullifies Cartman's power full evil.
I posit that it is Butters, not Kyle, who is Cartman's true nemesis. Cartman is moved to attempt to humiliate Butters in many episodes because he subconsciously feels threatened by Butters' goodness. Butters is so nice that he can only express anger by creating a seperate persona, Professor Chaos. But that's another topic. Interestingly, Butters sometimes appears almost in the capacity of Cartman's sidekick. He is the only one of the boys to call Cartman "Eric." Perhaps Butters can, Christlike, steer Cartman onto a better path. Cartman has been shown to be effective when using his powers for good, as when he pulls Kyle back from the brink of death following an attack by ManBearPig.
Gripping, moving, and thoughtprovoking as it is funny, "Imaginationland" is epic in its scope. It's great to see it on DVD, packaged as a stand alone feature, and I honestly feel that it rated a theatrical release.
Summary of South Park - Imaginationland
In this never-before-seen Director?s Cut, the doors of the world?s imagination are thrown wide open and the boys of South Park are transported to a magical realm in their greatest odyssey ever. Stan, Kyle, and Butters find themselves in Imaginationland just as terrorists launch an attack that unleashes all of mankind?s most evil characters imaginable. With the world?s imaginations spinning out of control, the government prepares to nuke Imaginationland to put an end to the chaos. Racing against time to prevent nuclear annihilation, the citizens of Imaginationland realize their only hope of salvation lies in the mind of the unlikeliest hero: Butters. Ignoring the impending apocalypse, Cartman goes all the way to the Supreme Court to get justice for his case of dry balls.Similar DVD Movies
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