'South Park' vs. Lucas and Spielberg: Too far?

Never mind "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report," the most welcome Comedy Central program this election season just might be "South Park."

The series has been on a roll for the past four/five seasons, and whether turning an alien invasion into an examination of immigration, or leprechauns into targets of terrorism, "South Park" has been presenting relatively reasoned examinations of cultural issues.

Until, perhaps, last night. "South Park" has missed out on skewering this summer's pop-culture events, and last night, the episode was on the attack. As dark and twisted as "The Dark Knight" was, "South Park" was just as aggressively over the top.

Returning with new episodes as part of its 12th season, "South Park" didn't level its aim at presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain (fingers are crossed for such an episode to be forthcoming). Instead, the series had Hollywood heavyweights George Lucas and Steven Spielberg directly in sights.

Oh, there was also a paranoid Cartman convinced that China's Olympic opening ceremony telegraphed an attack on the United States, but Cartman's mockery of Chinese stereotypes was almost an afterthought after Matt Stone and Trey Parker completely dismantled the worldwide hit "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."

"We all saw it happen," says the handicapped Jimmy, discussing "The Crystal Skull" as if it's a personal tragedy. "Do you remember that scene with Indiana in the refrigerator? It didn't make any sense, Stan."

From there, an excited Stan sits down to watch the latest film in a dream sequence/nightmare, but soon has to warn Indiana Jones that Spielberg and Lucas are nearby. And then in a series of film parodies, Indy's pants come off.

The boys of "South Park" spend much of the episode struggling to come to grips with the raping of Indiana Jones. In its rave review of the episode, IGN wrote that "South Park" went "beyond offensive and into some sort of hyper-offensive stratosphere," all of it hilarious.

Indeed, each scene builds upon the other, with Spielberg and Lucas eventually becoming two rednecks in the woods who demand Indy "squeal like a pig" as the pair humiliates and degrades a cinematic icon. A Stormtrooper gets it even worse, prompting the "South Park" police to lock up the directors to prevent such travesties from happening again.

Not that anyone didn't see this coming. Parker and Stone tried to warn Spielberg and Lucas from even making a fourth "Indiana Jones" flick. Back in 2002, the series took the two to task for re-editing their films for the worse, hoping to prevent a ruining of "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

But was continually -- and graphically -- having Spielberg and Lucas violently rape Indiana Jones too far? "He's gonna do it right there!" shouts a cartoon Spielberg in one scene, holding back Indy's hands over a pinball machine. Or was seeing a Stormtrooper completely defiled still easier to swallow than having to watch Shia LaBeouf swing like a monkey, or worse, inserting aliens into the film?

Show Tracker put a call in to Lucasfilm to try to get their thoughts (ha!), but in the meantime, do you side with "South Park," or those behind the "Crystal Skull" on this one? Coming a few days after The Times' Hero Complex wrote that "Indy 5" is still a possibility, it might be time to make your voice known. 

-- Todd Martens

Photos: http://www.southparkstudios.com/

Comments

[big gay al]

I think it's been well established that rape is never funny. That being said, I'd like to say that Stone and Parker are commedians. The reason we like them is that they take ordinary life, put their own spin on it, and turn it into the ridiculous. That's because a lot of life is ridiculous. They just point it out to the rest of us who aren't paying that much attention. I saw Crystal Skull......I left feeling only lukewarm. I was definitely no "Raiders" but I don't have quite as much venom for it as some of the posters here. But I can respect their opinions. Oh, and BTW, the movie never called them "aliens"...they were "inter-dimensional beings."

[Dwayne Brownstein]

TREY PARKER & MATT STONE>>> Have you corrected that typo yet?

[NYCreader]

Women are constantly raped, tortured and murdered in Hollywood films - I'm not interested in sitting through the South Park episode because I don't find it funny, but - it is amazing how upset people get when the victim is a man. - and in this case a CARTOON, even! Hopefully some of the people who were freaked out by the program will think about it the next time they plunk down $11. to watch Hostle or some other torture-porn. If a few less people support this kind of garbage with their money then maybe Hollywood will quit churning it out - as far as Speilberg and Lucas go, they are the ultimate symbols of the Hollywood machine so parody them all u want, SP!

[estevan]

way to skew the questions sooo hard
Yes. Even if you hated “Crystal Skull,” rape is never funny.
No. “Crystal Skull” was a cynical appeal to nostalgia. Spielberg and Lucas deserved the attack.
if i think that spieldberg and lucas deserved the attack, then i also think rape is sooometimes funny.

[tonyloaf]

SP is just hypocritical. Nothing is sacred to Parker and Stone. They make fun, in the most vulgar way, of everyone and everything in order to make a buck, then have the hypocritical gall to denounce Spielberg and Lucas for not holding the memory of Indiana Jones sacred? Give me a break! Parker and Stone have spent their lives making money by "raping" other people's sacred cows, and are now upset that one of their own has been abused? Pathetic whining hypocrites.

[Indy Fan]

Now George and Steven know how we felt watching the movie

[timothycat]

Best comment on the movie so far. Actually had an incredibly painful gall-stone attsack fduring movie. It was a huge disapointment. Actin scenes were incredibly badlt choreographer. Compare this to Aliens and you'll understand what was wrong with the movie.

Best,
Timothycat

[Troy]

What next Barrack and his Muslim cronies rapping John McCain.Funny.Vote McCain Palin.

[K]

I didn't see the episode. And I usually like SP.

But why would anyone would think SP has limits on being offensive? They simply don't. There are few words they skip to avoid the FCC. And they don't actually advocate breaking laws but they sure show it. That is about all they haven't done.

I think one of their producers said they ease off Muslems since those guys actually might kill them. Anyone else is fair game.

Spielberg and Lucas got skewered? Tough!

[Sarah Evans]

Spielberg and Lucas have every right to make the movie THEY want, not the movie Parker and Stone want. This episode was nothing more than a childish hissy fit.

[Mark]

If you can't wait 'till they "do" Palin, better be ready for an Obama-nation of a 'toon, too....
that's what I love about Southpark, EVERYBODY is fair game & gets their just desserts!

[helenwiells]

Well, I guess one question is: If you illustrate a metaphor...is it still a metaphor? Of course (duh) rape in real life is not funny. This? Funny. C'mon, a chubby, hairy Lucas and a google-eyed Spielburg humping the Indiana Jones character (and, yes, I've never been able to entirely forget that particular scene from "Deliverance" either). What is it about aging film directors? Don't they have anybody to say "NO" to them? Oh, wait...they don't do they? I guess one exception is Woody Allen who is self-critical enough already! Open note to Mr. Lucas and Mr. Spielberg: Gentlemen, thank you so much for the thrilling films you have both made. Now will you please settle back, enjoy your money, give some to charity and make us some very cheap and very delicious wine? Thank you.

[Cranky Media Guy]

By all means, let's not satirize our show biz billionaires!
I mean, they give us SO much and ask so little in return.

OK, sarcasm off. South Park is a satirical show which talks about all kinds of social issues. Since we (allegedly) still have a First Amendment, the producers can say whatever the hell they want ABOUT whatever the hell they want.

If you don't like the show, DON'T WATCH IT. If you actually want to make laws forbidding them to say what they want to say, I suggest you move to an already totalitarian country. It'll keep you from having to wait for potential president John McCain to turn America into one.

[David Smeaton]

i saw this episode and thought it was funny ...

while it's easy for you to criticise south park, you have shown your very own ignorance of pop culture. in your critique of their use of continuous rape scenes, you only say that rape is never funny.

however, parker and stone were hitting two marks at the same time. their first point was the raping of indiana jones, their second point was the use of graphic rape scenes in film.

the rape scene on the pinball machine is straight from the jodie foster film 'The Accused' from 1988. that rape scene was in a bar and was quite graphic. you see, it's permissible for real action movies to show graphic rape. it's even lauded for being 'cutting edge'. parker and stone were playing on that.

the south park team were drawing numerous parallels. their work is cynical, scarcastic and bordering on psychotic brilliance. their understanding of culture is clearly far better than yours. that's why they're famous millionaire animators.

david
www.davismeaton.com

[Shannon]

Yeah, the poll question is definitely a false dichotomy.

[twinstick]

Oh come on folks. That movie deserved this from these guys. When I saw that movie, I wanted to know where I could get my 2 1/2 hours of my life back. If they do make an "Indy 5", I hope that they go back to what worked in the first 3 movies.

[doughboy]

I, for one, am shocked. Shocked to learn that there is an author that watches SP and is too stupid to understand what they write yet too stupid not to write their own column explaining exactly what they don't understand which blames South Park. I blame society.

[Kretin]

Ok, I won't watch this again, but I certainly didn't find it any more offensive than lots of other episodes. Well, maybe I'll watch again. PF Changs was pretty funny.

What really makes me laugh is the thought of Matt and Trey pissed off all summer at Indy4!! That movie must have really killed them so I hope they feel better.

[TheSocialMit]

The issue here is not indy getting raped.. or rape at all. Don't take it literally, jesus christ... I'm sure when it comes down to it, trey or matt don't support rape.

But, this is perfectly symbolic of Spileberg and Lucas over the past few years (more Lucas than anything). They completely ruined the Indy persona in this film. They used way too much CGI BullShyte, incorporated damn aliens in to the plot and that Shai Lebeuof fight scene in the vines was the most retarded thing I have ever seen. S&L did rape someone by making this film... the American people's wallet... and Lucas is a repeat offender. remember those horrendous new star wars movies?\

Dude needs to retire... pass the Indy legcay off to someone like Guillermo Del Toro or someone of that caliber..

That was a bit off topic.. but needless to say I totally agree with matt & trey... S&L did rape the american people of thier money and of thier childhood memories.

Oh, rape is bad.. mmmkay?

[Robert]

What adult would even care what an inane "potty" cartoon would have to say about anything?