Before Trey Parker and Matt Stone hit the stratosphere of their success with television’s South Park, the duo’s interest resided in the world of movies. The two formed a partnership whilst attending the University of Colorado Boulder, collaborating on short films before creating their first feature film, Cannibal! The Musical. Years later, in 1998, before South Park had been given the full go-ahead by Comedy Central, Stone and Parker signed contracts to star in the David Zucker (of Airplane and Naked Gun fame) comedy BASEketball. Zucker wanted two unknowns at the time. In between these two projects, the duo managed to raise funds for a comedic look at the porn industry – a film centred on a devoutly religious young man who steps into the role of a lacklustre porn superhero named Orgazmo, turning him into a legendary icon. From that synopsis alone you would assume the film was cheap, ridiculous, stupid and indecent – you wouldn’t be wrong. But you should still watch the film. It’s hilarious.
It’s written and directed by Parker with him also starring in the lead role as Mormon missionary, Joe Young. Joe spends his time traveling door-to-door in Hollywood, attempting to spread the word of the Mormon faith with no success until he knocks on the innocent-looking door of a porn set, inside they are shooting the superhero sex adventure, Orgazmo. Joe, with the help of his martial arts skills, attracts the eye of antagonistic director Maxxx Orbison (convincingly played by Michael Dean Jacobs) who wants him for the role of the lead character, offering a healthy fee for his services and without taking no for an answer. Reluctant Joe accepts the job as he needs the money to pay for a temple wedding in Utah with his beloved fiancée Lisa (Robyn Lynne) under the condition a ‘stunt cock’ is used (so he doesn’t have to engage in penetration). Joe teams up with his sidekick co-star, known as Ben or ‘Choda-Boy!’, who has PHD’s in physics and engineering and the two soon transition their on-screen characters into the real world – with the aid of Ben’s technical innovation – when their friend G-Fresh comes into conflict with violent mobsters. Stone produces the film and co-stars as the hilariously manic Dave the Lighting Guy.
The performances may on the surface appear amateurish and simplistic but this is clearly a deliberate intention that is consistent with the film’s comedic tone. The B movie style of acting is reflective of the porn industry that the characters operate within. The theme of porn and the notion of the classic Hollywood underdog story are parodied and the over-the-top typical character traits that are common in both are served superbly by the performances. Firstly, Trey Parker is fantastic at giving off an innocent and wholesome vibe throughout, simultaneously appearing tortured with religious guilt. The vast confliction of Parker’s complete innocence and heartfelt devotion to Jesus stumbling into this bizarrely sexual world is an obvious comic concept on paper, as well as an absurd one. It’s a premise that allows for huge comic potential as long as it’s not solely focused on the gratuitous sexual exploits. The film succeeds in employing the correct type of parody and humour in this regard – when the audience expects to see the erotic sight of a woman’s exposed breasts appear on-screen (a common occurrence in raunchy Hollywood films and porno), the view is always blocked by a set of hairy male buttocks. Parker is playing with the audience by presenting a story set in an erotic backdrop but making it very un-erotic.
Michael Dean Jacobs fits perfectly into the role of sleazy and aggressive porn baron, Maxxx Orbison, proving the character to be the obvious opposite of Joe in terms of morality. The character invokes typical superhero villains from 60s cartoons as well as bullying Hollywood producer types. Dian Bachar succinctly plays Ben/Choda-Boy! – basically a porn version of Robin. Memorable characters also come in the form of Matt Stone as Dave the Lighting Guy and David Dunn as A-Cup, one of Orgazmo’s more formidable adversaries – his stinging weapon being the power of farts. Stone’s plays an extremely enthusiastic, sex-crazed, sexually ambiguous photographer who takes a liking to Joe. ‘’I don’t wanna sound like a queer or nothin’’ always being the precursor to his utterances to Joe. Parker and Stone have little screen time together but when they do it is clear to see they are a natural comic pairing. A final mention has to go to Masao Maki playing sushi restaurant owner, G-Fresh – a Japanese guy who thinks he’s black. Maki is clearly not trained as an actor and I would imagine had very little acting experience before appearing in this (and no films since, unfortunately). But this slapdash performance may be the funniest of the bunch. Parker is poking fun at the Hollywood trope of minority-race sub characters. It’s truly amusing to see an inapt Japanese man say lines like ‘’but homie don’t play that!’’ and ‘’ You gonna get popped! if you keep ridin’ me…’’
”G-Fresh in da motherfucking house”- G-Fresh
One coherent aspect of the collective performances that obliges the bizarreness of the comedy is that everyone plays it straight, never once forcing a wink to camera or a nod to the audience. Although the acting at the majority of times is heightened, it is as if the characters believe they are part of a dramatic uplifting tale of good overcoming evil, showcasing the triumph of the human spirit. The reality of the situation is what makes it so funny for the audience.
Verdict
Orgazmo incorporates the genres of superhero, martial arts, romance and sci-fi to parody the spheres of both porn and mainstream Hollywood cinema in typical Parker/Stone fashion. It may not provide as many hard laughs as Team America or South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut but if you submit to its self-aware stupidity then it may come close.
Insight Into Film 