Orgazmo (1997)

*I hope everyone had a nice day yesterday, regardless of traditions or culture or day off or whatever. I only got like 3 movies, but lots of Best Buy gift cards so I'll be adding significantly to my DVD collection soon. Did you get anything good?*

Maintaining my Trey Parker mood from Cannibal! The Musical a few days prior, I watched his other early film, Orgazmo, which I hadn't seen in quite a while. And, for the first time, I checked out the drunken commentary! Trey Parker plays Joe Young, an unassuming and devout Mormon, recently engaged to the plucky Lisa (Robyn Lynne). He's in LA doing missionary work when he stumbles onto the set for the superhero porn "Orgazmo". When the director, Maxxx Orbison (Michael Dean Jacobs), discovers Joe's karate skills and drama degree in one short meeting, he decides to cast him as the lead, promising tons of money and no actual sex (they'll use a stunt cock).

Joe hesitantly agrees, desperate for enough money to pay for a wedding and new house, and assuming few people will really see it. But the film becomes a surprise cross-over hit, and Joe has to fight to hide it from Lisa as he's coerced into making a sequel. Meanwhile, he befriends costar and inventor Ben (Dian Bachar), who's constructed a real "orgazmorator", the orgasm-inducing weapon used in the movie, and is inspired to fight the assholes trying to take over the local sushi restaurant run by his friend G-Fresh (Masao Maki).

I always forget how funny this movie is, which is kind of fortuitous because the jokes are fresh every time I watch it. The premise is very silly but incredibly fun to watch- you've got porn, vigilantism, and a gangsta sushi chef. It's a pretty great combination. A lot of the humor comes out of the dialogue, egged on by the amplified personalities of the characters. Parker pokes fun at porn stars, Mormons, and martial artists, but never in a nasty way. Joe keeps his Mormon perspective and values throughout the film, and Parker mentions on the commentary how he really wanted it to be believable that the character would agree to act in an adult film.

The cast is swell, of course, with Parker doing some funny voices and Dian Bachar talking science whilst wearing a dildo on his head (allegedly the only reason Trey made the movie was to see the Dian Bachar Dildo Helmet come to pass). Toddy Walters and the infamous Leanne from Cannibal! make appearances, along with several real-life porn stars that I didn't recognize (except for Ron Jeremy). And Matt Stone, whose role is fairly small, cracks me up as a closeted photographer who likes Depeche Mode.

Orgazmo is not at all as risque or pornographic as it's made out to be. The NC-17 rating was totally unwarranted (according to the commentary, it was based on the appearance of an obese actress in a bikini dry humping Orgazmo, because I guess the MPAA is offended by fat people?). Part of the joke is that you never see any real nudity- whenever anyone starts to show their boobs there's something obscuring it, usually a guy's butt. It's first and foremost a comedy, and not nearly as controversial or subversive as some South Park episodes, so I'm not sure why some people took it so seriously. It's got some kooky characters, varied humor, kung-fu, and a hilarious theme song. There is little else I could ask for.

4.5/5