Orgazmo

There are certain movies that are so bad, so incredibly lame that they become cult classics. Flicks like Showgirls and Plan Nine from Outer Space are among the top, or is it the bottom of any list of such films. One film that will forever be counted in these ranks is Trey Parker’s Orgazmo. While many films in the cult category are unintentionally funny, Parker set out to make a really funny bad film and he succeeded. Elder Joe Young (Matt Parker) is a missionary in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. As he is trying to spread the word he happens on a house that is the set of an adult film combining action with pornography. The film’s previous star was not able to perform in the martial arts scenes so when Joe, who is not only a missionary but a martial arts expert, beats up seven or so guards the producer, Maxxx Orbison (Michael Dean Jacobs) offers Joe $20,000 for two days work. Joe needs the money in order to marry is sweetheart, Lisa (Robyn Lynne Raab), in the Salt Lake City Temple so reluctantly he agrees. This starts Joe in a new career as Orgazmo, a super hero that uses his Orgazmorator, a ray gun that stuns criminals by giving them an overwhelming, instant orgasm. Once on set Joe becomes friends with Ben Chapelski (Dian Bachar), who has multiple doctorates from MIT and works as the sidekick for Orgazmo. It turns out that Ben has made a real, working version of the movie prop. The pair goes out on the town zapping everyone from young women to a pair of orthodox Jewish rabbis. There are numerous side plots added into the mix, Joe lying to Lisa, saving a Sushi bar owner being shaken down by the mob and trying to get the money out of Orbsion.

I have to say right up front that the humor of Trey Parker is not for everyone and even for those willing to try it is an acquired taste. Remember that this film was made before Parker and his partner Matt Stone honed their comedy with South Park. The jokes are puerile, crass and out right gross. Still, you will laugh, perhaps because not in spite of these aspects. Within each of us still lurks that grade school kid that finds a joke revolving around flatulence and other bodily functions funny. People talk about your inner child, well; Parker’s inner child was the class clown and never bothered to grow up. You can also see the embryonic humor that will become South Park. In one scene Joe has to be with a humongous obese porn actress named T-Rex. Listen closely and you’ll hear the dubbed voice is very much like South Park’s Cartman. Although there is much that is tedious here the truly inspired gags more than make this film worth it. Between the sight gags, pratfalls and one liners there is a truly insightful sarcasm at work. For some reason this film originally received an NC-17 rating even though there is less nudity than the typical R rated teen slasher flick. Perhaps it was the concept of a Mormon missionary in a porn film that was too much for the MPAA to accept.

This is almost a one man project with Trey Parker who wrote, directed and stars. Parker has the right look to pull off the role of a missionary. His wide eyed innocence makes the most out the one note situation. His deer in the headlights look as he watches a adult film scene is priceless. Although Parker is the center of just about ever scene he does give some choice little parts to his friends. Matt Stone has the role of Dave, the Lighting guy, a man that is fast to announce that he’s not gay but he really likes how hot one man or another happens to be. Dian Bachar is an old friend of Parker and Stone from back in their days in Colorado. A frequent member of most of their projects Bachar and the South Park creators work extremely well together. There is a chemistry that only comes from years of hanging out together, poking fun at every aspect of establishment around them. Bachar is the perfect sidekick, small, quick witted and great with the physical comedy.

As a director Parker is completely off the wall. The second grade humor only works because of the energy he provides to this project. There is an excellent sense of what will make us laugh and also make us almost ashamed to realize what we just laughed at. You can try as hard as you can but after the first few minutes of this film you will be back in second or third grade again shooting milk out of your nose. It appears that Parker feels that if one joke doesn’t get a laugh the next one might. With little to worry about in terms of expository or character development, Parker concentrates on the purpose of this flick, to be very silly.

This title has been reclassified as pending, postponed and cancelled, but now it finally is ready for release. For Parker/Stone fans this will be well worth the wait. There are two versions of the film provided on this disc, the theatrical release and an unrated version. The difference is minor, not much more is to be seen if you select the unrated. The advantage to the theatrical release is you get to choose one of the commentary tracks. Included are the cast and crew, the drunken commentary and the nude commentary. The later two have to be played to understand fully. There are also numerous out takes, bloopers and deleted scenes. This film must have burned a lot of film just to get a few seconds of something that made it to the final cut. Add to this some interviews, including one with adult film star Juli Ashton and the now famous making of featurette, the Book of Orgazmo and you have a cult classic done right. Get a keg of beer, order a couple of pizzas and invite some old friends over and forget for awhile that you are actually an adult.

Posted 3/22/05