The South Park movie shocks at the same time as it entertains. But it is more than just that. Underneath it all, a consistent storyform exists that presents an audience with a complete argument. Dramatica refers to this as a Grand Argument Story and, as will be shown, gives meaning to the madness.
**MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!**
Oh, and Strong Adult Language as well!
Unlike previous analysis, this one will vacillate between a singular Main Character (Stan) and multiple Main Characters (the other Boys, Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman). If you are interested in learning the reason behind this, please check out the article concerning multiple main characters within one story. I hope it doesn’t become too confusing.
The important part to remember is that, even though the characters assigned to different throughlines might change, the perspective on each remains the same. The storyform stays consistent regardless of who is fulfilling which role.
And bare with me, because a lot happens here!
Storyform Analysis
South Park opens with Stan singing a beautiful song about the idyllic mountain town in which he lives - South Park. This concept of the perfect peaceful American small town will become the cornerstone by which everyone will base their actions (OS Benchmark: Conceptualizing).
Stan wants to see the new film from Canadian comedy stars Terrence and Phillip, and so, begins rounding up his friends Kyle, Cartman and Kenny. Kenny’s mom scolds her son for thinking it’s OK to skip out on church to see a movie (after all, it is a Sunday). He ignores her prediction that if he dies, he’ll go to hell.
The kids march off hand in hand, elated at the opportunity to see their favorite characters on the big screen.
Their celebration dies quickly when they find that the movie, Asses of Fire (hereafter referred to as AOF), is rated R. They deceive the teenager at the ticket counter by convincing a homeless man to buy them tickets (OS Domain: Manipulations). They settle in and the movie begins.
One by one the audience leaves in disgust - the movie is a barrage of fart jokes and curse words. The boys love it and can’t wait to tell all their friends about it.
Trouble begins for South Park when the boys head over to the local skating pond and start imitating the strong language themselves (OS Driver: Action). The other children rush off to see the movie for themselves.
Wendy approaches Stan and says “Hi” to him. Stand responds by vomiting on her (MC Issue: Repulsion), unable to control the nervousness he feels around her. She introduces Stan to the roguish Gregory of Yardale who she seems quite enamored with. Stan, now feeling his status with Wendy threatened (OC Domain: Situation), wonders how he can get her to like him (MC Growth: Start). Pessimistically he thinks, “Why would she want to be with Stan when the easiest path to her emotional fulfillment can come from this new guy?” (IC Critical Flaw: Expediency).
Stan figures that if Gregory is political, then he needs to be political as well. (MC Problem Solving Style: Linear) He sets out to find out what he should do. Chef tells him he has to find where the clitoris is (SS Concern: Learning), thus beginning Stan’s quest.1
At school the next day, the boys are called into their counselor’s office for acting out more and more vulgar material from AOF (OS Signpost 1: Being). Their parents, horrified at their children’s behavior, work quickly to save their precious little ones (OS Problem: Protection). Fearing their children will descend into debauchery (giving certain sexual favors to “crack whores”), they blame this one film as the source of all their problems (OS Symptom: Reduction).”2 The parents chastize AOF for giving their children the idea to curse in the first place (OS Concern: Conceiving).
The parents place their children in a rehabilitation program designed to get them to stop swearing (OS Signpost 2: Becoming). The song “It’s Easy M’Kay!” states that “with a little plan you can change your life today (OS Benchmark: Conceptualizing).” It works…until the boys go see the movie again.
Influenced by the movie, Kenny tries to light his fart on fire. He bursts into flames and is sent to the hospital where, unfortunately, his heart is replaced with a baked potato by George Clooney. Kenny dies (OS Driver: Action) and is sent to hell.
In response to Kenny’s death the parents, led by Kyle’s mom Mrs. Broflovski, form “Mothers Against Canada” and arrest Terrence and Phillip. Afraid that every minute they waste places their children in greater and greater danger, they continue their course of placing blame on others - first the movie, now the Canadians - anyone but themselves (OS Issue: Expediency). It even becomes easier to go to war than to actually talk with their children - “We must blame them and cause a fuss before someone blames us.”
The Canadians, angered by this treatment and the mockery made of them at the United Nations, bomb the home of the Baldwin brothers (OS Driver:Action). Consequently, the US president makes the decision to go to war and orders the execution of war criminals Terrence and Phillip. Pissed, Cartman sings a disparaging and vulgar song (MC Issue: Repulsion) about Kyle’s mom. Her response is to call for a V-Chip to be placed in Cartman’s head. This chip’s primary purpose is to send an electric shock surging through his body whenever he curses.
In hell, Satan tortures Kenny (SS Domain: Activity). Eventually, Kenny comes to know Satan and of the evil one’s abusive relationship at the hands of Saddam Hussein (SS Symptom: Reduction). Saddam wants to rule the world. Eager to please, Satan lets Saddam know that they can return to Earth once “the blood of the innocent” is spilled on the ground. Kenny tries to get Satan to leave Saddam.
Stan and the rest of the boys try to figure out “What Would Brian Boitano Do?” (MC Approach: Do-er).3 The kids feel they have to stage an elaborate production to counter their parents insanity (OS Response: Production). While some don’t seem to care, it is Stan who says several times that they have to try something (MC Unique Ability: Attempt).
Ultimately, they come up with “La Resistance” (OS Signpost 3: Conceiving) - a rag tag group of South Park kids whose mission is to save Terrence and Phillip. Bolstered by the sort of “activist” things Stan feels he has to do in order to impress Wendy (SS Catalyst: Preconditions), Stan runs their first meeting. However, having not fully analyzed the situation and what to do about it (MC Critical Flaw: Analysis), Stan quickly finds himself at a loss for words. Gregory takes over and comes up with a brilliant plan.
The plan almost works. Kyle tries to convince his mom that if she goes through with the execution, Satan and Saddam will rise up to rule the world (OS Goal: Conceiving). The parents laugh and the switch is thrown.
War breaks out as the Canadians try to save their superstars (OS Driver: Action). An explosion throws Stan flying into a lake where he finally “finds” the clitoris. A giant version of that piece of the female anatomy lets Stan know that “chicks love confidence.”4 Stan comes to and finds Gregory and Wendy standing before him. Wendy is elated to find Stan unhurt, but Gregory is disappointed. He “should never have sent a boy to do a man’s job.” Wendy grimaces, giving a look that says she may not be fully on board with Gregory (IC Unique Ability: Doubt).
Cartman turns the power off to the electric chairs, but only after receiving a violent jolt that causes his V-Chip to malfunction. Terrence and Phillip are freed but are soon cornered by the army and Mrs. Broflovski. Kyle, unlike Satan, finally draws up the courage to stand up to his mother (MC Resolve: Steadfast).5 and proclaims that he wants a mom, not an activist (OS Solution: Inaction). Unfortunately it’s not enough for her, and she grabs a gun and blows both Terrence and Phillip away, spilling the “blood of the innocent” (OS Driver: Action).
Chaos ensues as Satan and Saddam rise up, with Kenny tagging along. Saddam quickly steals the show from Satan, “You’re better seen and not heard.” Forcing everyone to bow down before him, Saddam starts imagining what his new kingdom will be like, complete with statues of himself (OS Signpost 4: Conceptualizing).
Kenny appeals to Satan one last time. Satan is the last one that needs to be convinced to change their ways (OS Limit: Optionlock). 6 Satan says he can’t.
Cartman, now energized with electrical force energy, attacks Saddam. Saddam begs for help from Satan, but not before insulting him one last night. Satan has had enough, and finally draws up his own courage to stand up for himself (IC Resolve: Change). He grabs Saddam and tosses him into the depths of hell.
A thankful Satan grants Kenny one wish. Kenny wishes for everything to return back to the way it was, before the war (OS Signpost 4: Conceptualizing). The concept of the “idyllic mountain town” returns, allowing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief (OS Benchmark: Conceptualizing).
Kyle tells his mom, “See, it was Cartman’s filthy fucking mouth that saved us all.” For the first time, she doesn’t react in disgust (OS Solution: Inaction). Instead, she kisses him on the head, “‘I’m sorry I didn’t pay enough attention to you.” (IC Resolve: Change)
Wendy kisses Stan, causing him to instantly throw up (MC Resolve: Steadfast). When asked about Gregory she states that she never really liked him. Emboldened by her acceptance of political incorrectness, she proclaims “Fuck Gregory. Fuck him in the ear!” (IC Resolve: Change). Kyle trumpets “Yeah!” as he reclaims his love. “Thank you clitoris, ” he says (MC Judgment: Good).
My thanks to the wiki page of this film for helping me keep the storyline straight!
Link to the Storyform for South Park on Dramatica.com
Listen to the podcast of this analysis here: Download:
Footnotes for this article
- Finding where the clitoris is does not, at first glance, seem to define the relationship between Stan and Wendy. After all, Wendy doesn’t really know that Stan is looking for it and they don’t really have an emotional argument. But if you take a step back and think what this quest represents symbolically, you can see that what Chef really means is for Stan to find out what it is that will make Wendy most happy. And in this film, the answer is courage…which Stan eventually finds.↩
- In a previous post I had stated that the process of Induction described the thought process that would lead their parents to think this way. For the purposes of this storyform, Reduction makes more sense because the parents are reducing the blame for all their problems to a particular cause. Induction instead appears as the Subjective Story Problem. This fits nicely into the relationship between Kyle and his mom. It is more of a personal look into the source of a problematic relationship between mother and son. They can’t connect because his mother constantly fears the worse.↩
- Interestingly enough, in an earlier draft of the screenplay, the song was entitled “Something Must Be Done” - further proof that the original author’s intent was to show a Main Character who prefers to solve problems externally.↩
- This works as a great call to the Main Character to Remain Steadfast↩
- This is an interesting example of a positive and negative encoding of an appreciation. Satan is unable to stand up for himself, Kyle can stand up against his mother. Both relationships describe problematic activities - the former is negative, while the latter takes a positive direction. Just wanted to note that, even though the appreciation says “Activity,” you can have a whole range of what those activities are.↩
- There are a set number of people that need to be convinced to change before the story can come to an end: Kyle’s mom, the military, Satan. Their conversion clears the way for the OS Solution.↩
1 response so far ↓
1 uman // Jun 13, 2007 at 7:13 am
Multiple main characters is a tried and true technique in musicals, which is SP:BBU’s genre…
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