what if South Park has just ended?

this is a blog post related to the mid-season finale of season 15 of South Park. it's not our usual sort of post I know but I had a few thoughts and wasn't sure where else to put them. this comes with a SEVERE SPOILER WARNING. do not read on, do not even be tempted to read on, if you enjoy the show and have yet to see Season 15, Episode 7, entitled You're Getting Old.

OK.

This past week there has been a flurry of internet rumour and speculation surrounding the mid-season finale of the most recent season of South Park, fuelled not least by reports of creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone's very public dismay at the continuation of the show, expressions of exhaustion and outspoken questioning of how both audience and network expect the show to continue. It has been mooted that, far from a mid-season break, this finale is the surprise ending to the series as a whole and that Parker and Stone will not complete their network commitments and choose instead to end South Park as of this episode. Whatever validity or lack of may exist in these rumours, on which we won't speculate, it raises an interesting question of where the show would stand if this was to be the ultimate end.

The episode centred around Stan's 10th birthday. From the point of his turning 10, the music that he used to listen to, the opinions he used to hold, the things he used to do with his friends all began to seem like purposeless, meaningless shit. He was diagnosed with 'being a cynical asshole' syndrome. He became weary of his friends, his surroundings and his life as it stood. The episode ended with a completely unexpected emotional montage in which Randy and his mother - usually one of the more comic, puerile relationships in the show - had a serious heart to heart and decided to divorce, related in a closing montage of Stan being ripped from his home and moving to a new place with a single parent, with a suitably sombre emotional soundtrack, equatable to the 'Goodbye To You' sequence in Buffy The Vampire Slayer perhaps.

That this would be an ending point for the series as a whole does make a certain amount of sense - we're not in "KING OF LIMBS 2 IS COMING IF ONLY YOU FIGURE OUT THE NUMBER SEQUENCE' territory here. It would represent the ultimate South Park controversy, a huge peak, to pack up and go out on an emotional high and deny an audience anything else at a time when its creators are resentful of the show and feel that most such peaks are behind them. It'd cost them money for breaking contract, but that's money that they could afford to pull off a move that would cement the show's infamy in TV history (a place already assured, yes, but all the more so in these circumstances). When the show started, and to some extent throughout its run, shock value has been prized above all else, and what better shock than to unexpectedly pull the plug, and on such a note?

It would fit South Park's internal logic to end on this note, a stunt not a million miles away from dropping a huge cliffhanger and then returning after 8 months with a 20 minute Terrence and Phillip adventure and no answers. It fits thematically too - this has always been a show with a heart, and that heart is rooted in childhood. The fact that it's everyman character (or one of two, the other being Kyle, but note that Matt Stone has had few writing credits this season) began to slip and then was wrenched out of childhood by catastrophic events in his life means the show cannot go back to that 'innocent' childhood state. Permanent story arcs that have arisen before for various reasons, such as the death of Kenny, and the boys auditioning replacements (a move that led to the fleshing out of much of the supporting cast - Butters, Token etc. - that reinvigorated the show in a lot of ways) that were ultimately reversed do not apply here. The fact that this is happening to Stan's family, a keystone of the show, has a certain weight that hasn't applied before. It could well be that this is a reinvigoration and that new storylines will stem from this point but that's not the track I'm going down here.

When you consider where those storylines could go, how they could develop the show beyond the point it's already reached, there isn't much room for development where there has been in earlier arcs. Recent disappointing episodes, such as the episode with the comedy robot who boils down all modern humour to a terrible event followed by 'awkward' suddenly make much more sense in light of the disillusionment of the show's creators. Going out on a sour note would not be to everyone's tastes, but might just be the right ending to go for.

South Park has always aspired to prove itself as something greater than a vulgar children's cartoon. It is well beyond the point of needing to prove that, it succeeded long ago, but there has always been an inherent urge to take things further. Parker and Stone wanted their huge moment when unveiling their representation of the prophet Mohammed. They were denied that moment, one with far greater reaching implications than anything they'd have done before, by the machinations of the network to which they are contracted. Presuming then that that desire to go through with something so huge has not dissipated, then why not do something that is within their grasp, curtailing a hugely popular show on a massively pessimistic (but somewhat realistic) note, with no prior notice or expectation. Parker & Stone have always been showmen, and this would be a very showmanly move to make.

Of course, anyone taking the whole thing as seriously as this may simply provide motivation to continue. As a fan I do hope this to be the case, and of course don't pretend to have any huge insight into the creative process of Parker or Stone. It felt though like the scenario above, should it not pan out in reality, was a potential path worth pausing to think on.

ROLL CALL

we'll meet again...

so it's been two and a half years and the real world was always gonna catch up some time. yes, sadly, outside commitments mean that as of this month there'll be no more regular Pictures Film Club at Bardens.

we're not dead, just sleeping, and it doesn't mean we can't go out with a bang.

Wednesday 11th we'll be screening one of our favourite things, let alone films, from the last few years, Adam Curtis' psych history collage
...IT FELT LIKE A KISS

plus we'll be closing with a double bill of Lynch's
ON THE AIR

and we've got a celebratory line-up of DIY No Future Shorts, music videos and murmurings from the first and finest contributors these past few years including
TOM MOORE
BECKY LAWN-DARTE
HESTIA PEPPE
SHAPE WORSHIP
CHARLES CHINTZER LAI
WAY THROUGH
& yet more TBC

plus
GAMES
PRIZES
and one last round of FREE POPCORN

Bardens Cafe
Stoke Newington Road, N16 7XJ
Wednesday May 11th at 7.30pm
FREE!

Get down early for the best seats!

(and keep your eyes peeled and keep in touch - Pictures zines, one off events and special screenings all coming your way)

a million different things to keep you up at night #16-20

Poignant Defenestration Fatalities

Publication Download Fest!

We're all sold out of all back issues of our Pictures zine, but hope is not lost.

Issue 4, the Documentary Issue featuring Frederick Wiseman, Ondi Timoner, Rita Ribas and loads more is now online in succinct PDF form here:
Issue 4 (11MB - right click, save as)

You can already get Issue #0 (6MB) and Issue #1 (10MB) too, for all your ancient history needs.

we still think twitter sucks

twitter.com/picturesfilm

Bruce LaBruce: The Advocate for Fagdom

Angelique (Llik Your Idols) Bosio's excellent new documentary Bruce LaBruce: The Advocate for Fagdom will follow a triumphant appearance at the Berlinale with a trio of screenings at the BFI as part of the 2011 Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.

We're beyond psyched for these screenings, this is not to be missed - the film is a captivating collage of interviews, archive and LaBruce's films and art, woven together into a an insightful and entertaining biographical portrait of the man, his work and his dreams, and featuring the likes of John Waters, Gus Van Sant, Harmony Korine, Vaginal Davis, Jack Sargeant, Richard Kern and more. Bosio's previous film Llik Your Idols was the centrepiece of our first official Pictures night, and it's great to see her work progress and delve into new and emotional places.

"an illuminating portrait of one of queer cinema's most vital transgressors." - Michael Blyth, BFI

The screenings are as follows, and keep reading for the trailer and a quick Q&A with Angelique Bosio.

Friday 1st April - 18.40 in the BFI Studio
Saturday 2nd - 12.20 in the BFI Studio
Monday 4th - 18.10 in NFT1

Priority tickets are available now, and general tickets on sale March 18th via the BFI.

Angelique Bosio Q&A

TP: What drew you to making a film about Bruce LaBruce?

AB: The distributors of my previous documentary, "Llik Your Idols", offered me to direct a DVD bonus for the French edition of "Otto; or, Up With Dead People". I was a bit hesitant at first. Indeed, I didn't want to appear as a one trick pony since Bruce LaBruce was in my first documentary and since the subjects seemed at first quite similar. Nevertheless, I felt frustrated that I had had to cut the whole part specifically about him in the final cut of "Llik...". I guess that's what ended up convincing me to make this film. As the French edition of "Otto..." was canceled, I kept on working on this project but made it a full documentary.
I have to admit that I didn't know much about Bruce. I got more and more interested and passionate about the film and him as I was filming and discovering that he embodied a few issues that were so dear and important to me. And the person himself was so nice and generous that the 2 year adventure turned out to be quite a pleasure. I know it sounds cheesy but...


(photo by Richard Kern)

TP: What can people expect when they watch it?

AB: I hope they won't expect anything !
I mean I tried to make a film that could interest people that are not necessarily cinephiles, gay, queer, or into Bruce's work in the first place. To me, it raises questions that are linked to Bruce but that are not exclusive of what and who is not Bruce. It's not an experimental documentary when it comes to the form but the rather academic form helps me attract more people I think, trying to change their mind more softly or to make them wonder about subjects that are generally subjected to prejudices that we are hardly aware of.
Even when one has a very liberal speech on an every day basis, I believe they (even I) have deep rooted prejudices about some specific issues (relationships, religion, races, sexuality etc...). Here I tried to use elements that, put together at the right moment, would make us aware of the limits of our liberal minds.
So I guess people can expect to ask themselves at least one question. At least I hope so.
But what they shouldn't expect is a fiendish biography of Bruce.

TP: What was the best and worst thing (or things) about making the film?

AB: It's quite hard to reduce more than two years of my life/work with two opposite moments or feelings...
I guess doing something after "Llik Your Idols" was quite liberating. I felt I was growing up ! To be able to work with the people I had met along the years and to be able to count on them, to realize I had a crew actually, was fantastic. To travel and meet new people along the way that (for some) are going to stay in your life, it's great too. And the best moment for me was the evening I spent in Portland at the Union Jack watching pole dancers.
When it comes to the worst things... Well... I guess me and my producers weren't on the same page and it was sometimes really difficult to make things happen in a peaceful, easygoing and emulating atmosphere. Also I have a real job that I keep doing even when I am filming my documentaries. I am a production secretary / assistant, so the whole making of this film (and my third one at the same time) really drained me out of energy and physical life ! I have spent more than two years trying to keep my head out of the water so I think that's the worst part of it ! Now I'm fine and happy to show the film. It's a reward.

TP: How does it feel now it's out and being screened around the world?

AB: Like I said, the screenings are like the candies and lollipops you get after going to the dentists. It is an incredible opportunity for me to defend the issues raised in the film and discuss it with the people I meet at festivals, and to travel, simply.
I just hope I will get strong reactions from the audience and be able to really discuss things.



An older Angelique Bosio interview from The Pictures zine
Official Site