Team America

[Bamber Hopcraft]

Like the look of this-

http://film.guardian.co.uk/salon/0,,1325616,00.html

www.teamamerica.com

[rjd2]

did you hear that Sean Penn wrote a letter to Parker and Stone and said they were being disrespectful about the war, I suspect that he is angry due to the fact that he gets eaten by a panyher in the film. They also said everyone else who had the piss taken out of them had been cool, except Penn who Parker called a twat with no sense of humour.

[chand]

There was a big bit about this on the ITV news last night. They said a 'controversy was brewing' but showed precisely no people explaining what their problem was with the film. They did show a clip of one of the Parker/Stone guys talking about the film but he wasn't defending it because he hadn't been asked to, the whole item was more like a trailer for it than a serious news item.

Oh well, it was ITV news, I don't know what I expected.

[rjd2]

Sean Penn has a message for the creators of South Park: Voting is cool, and you are not.

The Oscar-winning actor penned a scathing letter Wednesday to the 'toon's brain trust, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the contents of which were revealed Friday on the Drudge Report.


While the accuracy of the missive have not been verified by the Penn camp, the words sound like vintage Penn, who is apparently steamed over comments Stone made in Rolling Stone about voting. Stone said, "If you don't know what you're talking about, there's no shame in not voting."


"I remember not being bothered as you traded on my name among others to appear witty, above it all, and likeable to your crowd," Penn's purported letter says, referring to Parker and Stone including a puppet version of the actor in their upcoming Team America.


"I never mind being of service, in satire and silliness. I do mind when anybody who doesn't have a child, doesn't have a child at war, or isn't or won't be in harm's way themselves, is encouraging that there's 'no shame in not voting.'


"You guys are talented young guys but alas, primarily young guys," the letter continues. "It's all well to joke about me or whomever you choose. Not so well, to encourage irresponsibility that will ultimately lead to the disembowelment, mutilation, exploitation, and death of innocent people throughout the world."


Parker and Stone's latest film, the puppet-powered Team America, takes on heavy political issues like terrorism with their trademark irreverence in full effect. While both Parker and Stone are far from conservative, both have taken some heat for their perceived oversimplified caricatures of Saddam Hussein in their 1999 film South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut and Kim Jong Il in the soon-to-be released Team America.


Team America also reportedly features a sequence in which Penn pal Susan Sarandon is dropped from a skyscraper and her equally political partner Tim Robbins is set on fire--no doubt a sure-fire Penn pleaser. Penn's puppet doppleganger puts in an appearance as part of a group of liberal actors who go to Korea for a ill-conceived attempt at striking a peace accord.


Penn, who is on record as opposing the war in Iraq and the Bush administration's policy of preemption, invoked the ire of many Republican pundits by visiting Iraq as a civilian in the build-up to the current war.


The 45-year-old Mystic River star, who recently wrapped up his scenes for the political thriller The Interpreter, also slams talk-show host Dennis Miller in the letter, saying that they all should join Penn on a trip to the Middle East and Iraq: "We'll fly to Amman, Jordan and I'll ride with you...through the Sunni Triangle into Fallujah and Baghdad and I'll show you around...when we return, make all the fun you want," Penn chided.


Stone was blindsided by Penn's angry missive. He told the Los Angeles Times Saturday that he was "surprised" by the letter. "Basically, it's some sort of alien logic," said Stone. "He said he's not mad at all at us starring him or using his name."


Despite the war of words between the two, Stone feels no ill will towards Penn. "Even as a puppet, he's a great actor," Stone said in the Times.


But Stone and Parker may not be able to resist having some more fun with Penn via a future episode of South Park.


On this week's 60 Minutes Wednesday, which features an interview with the Team America masterminds, Stone lets loose on Penn. "It's funny to take...activist actors and...elevate them to the level to what they think they are in their minds," Stone tells 60 Minutes correspondent Vicki Mabrey. "When Sean Penn is on TV before the Iraq War talking about the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty...that is pure comic gold. I don't care what side of the aisle you're on."


Both Stone and Parker seem to have it in for the Oscar winner. Parker told Variety last year when he announced plans to make Team America, "We hate those actors who take themselves so seriously and think they are a productive and important part of society. The subtle joke here is that all actors are puppets. This will probably piss off everyone in town--and might well be our swan song."


If Team America is indeed the duo's swan song, it won't go quietly; the film was nearly given an NC-17 rating by the MPAA due to some raunchy "puppet sex." Last week the film avoided that fate and received a R rating after accommodating edits were made.

[Robot Devil]

"Not so well, to encourage irresponsibility that will ultimately lead to the disembowelment, mutilation, exploitation, and death of innocent people throughout the world."

Guh? What is it with this kind of thing, first Cameron Diaz says that if you don't vote, you want rape legalised (???), and now this.

[Dark Sky]

We can get rape legalised by doing nothing?  That's well cool.

Can't wait for Team America.  It may very well me the film I was born to watch.

Though so typing that, it'll probably turn out to be pants.  (Like Slartibartfast's spaceship.)

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Perhaps I just don't pay enough attention to what they are saying and thus don't really see through to the subtext of it, but looking at that interview I found stuff like them telling people not to vote really quite shocking. I've always seen them as the natural successors to Bill Hicks, what with their general contempt for the people who make the world shitter than it needs to be, but the interview made them seem like the kind of apathetic hollywood types that Hicks would have hated.
It's actually made me feel a twinge of trepidation about Team America, like it might actually turn out to genuinely gung ho pro Bush bollocks. Christ I sound just like the kind of hand wringing bleeding heart that Stone and Parker seem to hate so much.
Ah well, I'm sure when the film comes out I'll forget about my confusion and hurt myself for ever having doubted them.

[Alberon]

I dunno, those two have never struck me as being gung-ho stupid like a lot of right-wing actors in the US.

They generally have something fairly intelligent to say about the world in general, just that they choose to say it in a deliberatly stupid way. I read in another interview for this film that they want to attack those on the extreme left and right who they consider to be virtually one and the same. I think they've got a consistant enough track record not to be too worried about this film.

[Alberon]

Their website has a short message now from the puppet Sean Penn going on about how Iraq was so peaceful and magical before the Team America film.

[Goldentony]

this is gonna rule but it wont top BASEketball.

[Jemble Fred]

this is gonna rule but it wont top BASEketball.

I fucking hated that movie, not least because it wasn't written or directed by Parker & Stone. Not that they're bad actors, but they really should stick to the creative side.

[DerryPortice]

I really love BASEketball, Matt and Trey are just very likable on camera, it's by no means the funniest film ever made, but it does have some classic bits in it.

Like the news story when the old geezer dies and the reporter says;

'Well, looks like time finally run out,..for the old cock-sucker...'

Always makes me laugh, in other news, is it me, or is 'Dodgeball' just a blatant rip off of BASEketball...?

Team America does look ace.

[Jemble Fred]

Okay, 'hate' is going too far (but as I despise all sports, sports films aren't high on my list of loves, comedic or not), but what I do hate is people lumping it in with the rest of Matt & Trey's work – they're just actors in it, you wouldn't count 'Destiny Turns on the Radio' as a Tarantino movie, would you?

[DerryPortice]

Well, even though they're not credited as writers on it, there are so many bits which feels like their work.

How about the bit when Trey turns on the radio and he hears 'that' song, song  almost like 'Alabama Man'...you know what I mean,..

I despise sports meself, but this aint a sports movie, it's just a device to do lots of crazy shit, like the 'themed' teams, and the, whatsitcalled,...ermm, the way you're allowed to 'put off the other player'..

Also, it has some of the finest babes ever put on film, how about the babes wearing the kinky shit with the whips,...think I might have to buy this now..

Oh yeah, the montage where they use 'Scatman' is fucking hysterical.

:O)

EDIT: I prefer BASEketball to Orgazmo,...yeah, I know...

[Dark Sky]

Okay, 'hate' is going too far (but as I despise all sports, sports films aren't high on my list of loves, comedic or not), but what I do hate is people lumping it in with the rest of Matt & Trey's work – they're just actors in it, you wouldn't count 'Destiny Turns on the Radio' as a Tarantino movie, would you?

Well, I dunno?  A lot of people do describe a film as being the latest film belonging to a particular actor...  Like when people described "I, Robot" as being a "a Will Smith film", as opposed to the latest Alex Proyas film...  But generally, I suppose, it goes for people who are only known as doing one particular thing.

Whereas Tarantino is relatively well versed in being an actor almost as much as he is a writer and a director...  I would call "From Dusk 'Till Dawn" a "Tarantino film", even though he didn't direct it.  Writing it and having starred in it is pretty much enough for me.

I think I saw a bit of BASEketball once years ago on the telly.  Worth checking out?

[DerryPortice]

Definitely worth a look, it aint sophisticated, but it has it's moments.

Depends what you like, I can't talk, I like kooky crazy shit, one of my favourite movies of all time is 'The Three Amigos'.

Also, check out 'Zoolander', it's an unseen gem.

[Jemble Fred]

Worth checking out?

Well, obviously it depends on who you ask. I'm glad I saw it, but I just don't rate it. Orgazmo's great silliness, though, with three or four outstanding gags, for my money. Course, it's always possible that TP & MS will never be able to top Bigger, Longer & Uncut...

[Jemble Fred]

one of my favourite movies of all time is 'The Three Amigos'.

Well, it is one of the best American comedy movies ever made. I'd forgotten this indisputable fact until it was repeated recently.

[DerryPortice]

'You want the leg or the wing?'

Also;

'Excuse me, are you the singing bush?'

And my all time fave, the 'Plethora' bit.

Berry, berry goode.

[Jemble Fred]

It's never, ever going to date as well – I was knocked out on the recent viewing, it's not only funny to an almost Pythonesque degree, it's also beautifully shot with a completely timeless quality.

So, yes, anyway – Team America. I'm not yet convinced, but as recent South Parks have filled me with awe, hope springs et cetera.

[Dark Sky]

Whilst there's a Trey Parker thread going on here...this is from the IMDb (that wonderful fountain of absolutely accurate information...)

'South Park' Guys Lampoon Michael Moore
South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are taking pains to describe their Team America: World Police, due to be released on Friday, as an equal opportunity offender. The movie not only satirically attacks the Bush administration's handling of the war on terror but also many of the celebrities who rail against it, including Martin Sheen, Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon, Janeane Garofalo, Samuel L. Jackson, Matt Damon, Helen Hunt, and, most especially, Michael Moore. Stone told today's (Thursday) Toronto Globe & Mail that he included Moore in his film (as a hot-dog munching suicide bomber) because he was outraged over a segment of Moore's last documentary. "I did an interview for Bowling for Columbine because I'm from Littleton [where Columbine High School is located]. He asked me to do it. ... People think we did that [South Park-type] animation that comes after us in the movie, but we didn't. It's so anti-American and mean, and I was just bummed out because people thought I did that."

Anyone seen Bowling for Columbine?  I'm interested in seeing what Parker describes as being "mean" satire and therefore wishes to distance himself from...  (Not that I think that anything he's done himself is "mean"...  Taking the piss, yeah...insulting, too right...  But "mean"...that's interesting.)

[mayer]

Anyone seen Bowling for Columbine?  I'm interested in seeing what Parker describes as being "mean" satire and therefore wishes to distance himself from...  (Not that I think that anything he's done himself is "mean"...  Taking the piss, yeah...insulting, too right...  But "mean"...that's interesting.)

i wouldn't say the cartoon was "mean"... a touch misleading perhaps, and more importantly, terribly unfunny.

it was certainly one of the weakest bits of the movie.

[jannetty]

Can't wait for Team America. It may very well be the film I was born to watch.

Me too. It's about time someone put Michael Moore and all his following in their place. I always hoped it would be Morris, after reading about his distaste for the fat hypocrite in an interview with the Guardian.

I think you can download Team America at suprnova.org, but the quality is described as 'internal camera', which doesn't sound very good at all. I think I'll just wait till it comes out in the cinema and watch it in all its glory.

[MojoJojo]

Everyone realises that the animation in "Bowling for Columbine" wasn't actually anything to do with Matt Parker and Trey Stone, don't they?

Except for Michael Moore trying to make it look like it was. You can read him blaming everyone else for making the mistake here.

Probably why they don't like Michael Moore very much.

A lot is being made of Team America being all political, but Parker & Stone deny it lots in interviews. Lots of people seem to attach political meaning to South Park, and I really don't think there is supposed to be any there. And it could just be a marketing ploy in election year.

Looking forward to finding out.
Lets build a snowman

[Jemble Fred]

South Park is arguably the most politically motivated show to come out of the US this decade (that we get to see over here, I mean), no matter what MS&TP might claim in interviews. They bullshit far more when interviewed than anyone else they attack. And they know they do. And they love it.

[Village Branson]

Wow, I never made the connection between Matt Stone and the animation bit in the film.

There are loads better reasons to put down Michael Moore than that!

I wonder if the way they portray will have gone too far, so that it loses all any meaning. They did an episode of SP called The Passion of the Jew, about the kids going of to see The Passion of The Christ, and Mel Gibson ended up in South Park. The way they did Gibson was to have him as a gibbering half naked mad man, and I was just left wondering what point they were trying to make.

Will have to wait til January to find out.

[wheatgod]

the "point" of the show is to be funny. i love it.
i dont think that any particular political opinion is expressed in SP, they just poke fun wherever they will be able to get a laugh, and it succeeds.

[Jemble Fred]

You're kidding, it's nothing short of didactic these days – there's barely an episode without a very clearly defined target and viewpoint. Not that there's anything wrong with that, in fact it's admirable.

[wheatgod]

yes there are points to shows, what i mean is there is no consistent political standpoint i dont think. they choose whichever is most amusing (which, granted, is usually criticising bush).

[Village Branson]

I just mentioned it because I think they could have done a lot more with Gibson, just by taking more from his real life.

Still, I'm like that with SP sometimes-I'm the only person I know who didn't find the cripple fight funny, and not because of the lack of PC of it.

Still, the other 99% of SP is a gem.