Orgazmo

Orgazmo appeared and disappeared faster in 1997 than Showgirls. Part of the blame is the nefarious NC-17 rating which both did not deserve. However, Orgazmo is the better of both films simply because it tries much harder than Showgirls did to deliver a product based purely on shock value.

Orgazmo is the story of a young Mormon languishing in the cesspool that is Los Angeles try to convert the jaded populace into members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He fails at that, but succeeds at being the luckless star of low-budget adult film, Orgazmo, featuring a super-hero who wears a weapon that induces instantaneous orgasms in his foes and a stalwart sidekick, Choda-Boy, who wears a serendipitous dildo atop his head.

The performances were rather good, especially director/writer Trey Parker as our heroic protagonist, and Dian Bachar, as the scientist turned porn star. While the film was made on a shoestring budget, and boy, does it show, it is earnest, funny, and well-paced. Parker took a mere $600,000 and really crafted a terrific movie that no one will likely ever see.

Recommended.

I've seen Orgazmo many times and I always have to chuckle over it. The beginning of the film is fantastic: filled with zingers, and the furious fists of a Mormon martial artist. The concept is fresh: a young Mormon acolyte on a mission tries to make money for a special wedding ceremony by appearing in pornographic films. Director/Writer/Star Trey Parker is great as the innocent Joe, and his South Park partner-in-crime Matt Stone as photographer Dave steals every scene that he's in. The film stalls a bit just before the climactic final scenes but overall, it is very funny and really not as offensive as detractors of Parker and Stone would have you believe. Well worth it for fans of their series, and for people who like their comedy irreverent.

Joe Young is a Mormon, spreading the word of Jesus Christ in Los Angeles. He stumbles upon a house where they are shooting a pornographic movie, and despite his beliefs, finds the lure of compensation too good to turn down a role.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone had only just begun "South Park" when this film was released. The acting is cheesy, the lines are over-acted, but there's something just really funny about the movie. Like their even more amateur production, "Cannibal", they don't require a big budget to make things funny.

You might have to find Mormons or porn funny to really appreciate this film. I don't know. Of course, if you are opposed to porn or are Mormon, you probably should stay away from it, because you're likely to get offended. While tamer than you might expect, it is by no means a clean film.

Obviously this film isn't for everyone. It certainly isn't for all of those individuals who take themselves way too seriously, and over-analyze everything. And sure, it doesn't take a whole lot of brains to appreciate this movie; although it doesn't hurt to have intelligence as long as you have a sense of humor. Read the other reviews. Those who didn't enjoy this flick are either so religious that they shouldn't have watched it in the first place, or are overly self-important and humorless people. That being said, I really enjoyed Orgazmo. Parker doesn't just make fun of Mormons, adult entertainment, and super-heroes: as always, he makes fun of himself and his own movie. How could he possibly do such a thing? Well, it's easy when you have a sense of humor. The great Don Rickles once said, "Laugh. Laugh at other people and laugh at yourself. Believe me, you'll like yourself a lot more when you can do that." As for Orgazmo, see it yourself, if you have a sense of humor. And if you don't, then stay away from it. Or get really high and watch it. The choice is yours.

'South Park.' What more needs to be said? If you aren't aware of the animated cartoon aimed at adults then you really should check it out. And, if you do (and you like it of course!), then you should then definitely check out 'Orgazmo.' It's written and starring South Park's two creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone and the film could almost be described as a 'live action version of the cartoon.' Basically, it's the same mixture of irreverent humour mixed with slapstick, f*rt jokes and a healthy dose of satire mixed with just enough heart to elevate it over your average 'gross out' comedy flick.

So, just like South Park, the film opens mixing two of their favourite topics: adult circumstances and Mormons. We meet 'Joe' – just your average Mormon (played by Trey Parker) who's going from door to door in Los Angeles trying to spread the 'good word.' Now, he's well used to getting one door slammed in his face after the next. This is all just part of the life of a Mormon and he takes it with good grace, already affirming him as a decent – if only slightly annoying – character. However, he gets more than he bargains for when he knocks on the door of a house where an *ahem* 'adult' movie is being filmed inside. And, through a complete coincidence, they're on the lookout for 'new talent.' What follows is basically the story of a devote Mormon masquerading as a p*rn star. Now, that may be crazy enough, only they go one step further and transfer him into a crime fighting superhero who wields a ray-gun which, if hit by its beam, makes you… er… well, the clue is in the film's title.

Now, 'Orgazmo' may not be the funniest film and it may not be the most well-written. However, what it lacks when the jokes and/or plot fall a little flat is heart. You just can't help but love the characters themselves. The good is truly good and the bad guys are just crying out to be thwarted. You will need to be quite broad-minded when it comes to what sort of humour you find funny. I've already mentioned the word 'adult' when talking about this film – and for good reason. Basically, if you're a fan of South Park then you should love this film as much as I do. It'll never rise to the heights as it's animated cousin, but it's definitely a cult classic that deserves an hour and a half of your time.

The only drawback for me is that it's all Trey Parker and not enough of his co-creator Matt Stone. Stone is in it, but not enough for my liking (but what he does when he's there is typically awesome – and did I mention 'adult' in nature?).