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Long before Louis Malle got the idea of building a film around two cordial figures having dinner, the Columbia cartoon studio came up with this little culinary gem.

Columbia cartoons of the forties were known for experimenting with bizarre ideas, and this story centers on a parrot protagonist (named Polly, but male - why ask questions) who is sick - I mean SICK of crackers. He is invited to dinner by an erudite goat with the most discriminating taste in backyard garbage. Polly soon finds himself eating everything from nuts and bolts to an entire combination radio and phonograph - and loving it! Did it all digest well? I'm thinking our parrot hero probably experienced less intestinal discomfort than the hero of "Supersize me".

Screen Gems cartoons are hard to come by, but they occasionally pop up on youtube. If you ever run across it, check it out.

There is every good reason to be cynical about a TV show being expanded into a big screen feature, but this one hits the ball out of the (south)park. There are some in-jokes scattered about for the fan base, but for the most part, outsiders can visit this computer-enhanced paper-cutout land and follow along nicely. The vulgarity is funny and infectious, and you can tell Parker and Stone have a genuine affection for musicals. And let's face it, any movie that can pull off the act of turning an infantile schoolyard chant ("Kyle's Mom is a Bitch") into an extravagant musical showstopper, courtesy of Mr. Eric Cartman, is a winner all the way.

The main foursome - Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman - work with some of their all-time best material, and this exercise still stands up to some of the best episodes of the TV series, which is still going strong.

I just saw this recently on DVD. I hadn't seen it since it was first released and couldn't remember it that well. Well, I've reacquainted myself with it and, although I'm genuinely not the one to exploit yiddishisms, my first thought was "Oy!" Somebody tell Gene Wilder to stop screaming! He did some funny shrieks in his previous films, including the Mel Brooks romps, but he kept it at the proper minimum. Here he screams in every scene like he's having his leg amputated with a steak knife and anesthetic was unavailable. Other times he mugs like a bad burlesque comic. The film itself is just as subtle, filled with loud music, heavy handed gags, and cartoon sound effects. The "Modern Times" parody is a major embarrassment. This film isn't even good bad. It's just sad bad. Even Wilder, in his DVD commentary said "They don't make movies like this today, and maybe that's a good thing." And then there's Carol Kane, who is absolutely adorable. In time, she too would become self conscious about her comic abilities (especially after "Taxi"), but here she gives a tender, endearing performance with occasional touches of genuine comedic spark which would be even better if only the material would give her more. The Sex-By-The-Numbers segment is the one truly funny bit in the movie.

Those two look like they were made for each other. I'm really surprised they didn't become an item after the movie. Maybe she just couldn't handle the screaming.