South Park (1997-present) is arguably the second longest running adult animated TV show after The simpsons(1989 – present). Although both series are not necessarily considered suitable for children, South Park often features adult themes that only cynical adults can appreciate. It should come as no surprise that the creators of South Park managed to create a comedy-drama that was slapped with an NC-17 rating.
South Park fans expect offensive material
South Park frequently portrays taboo subjects, portrays various religions for comedic effect, disregards conservative sensibilities, and sarcastically portrays liberal causes. Additionally, although Comedy Channel is intended for mature audiences, it provides young viewers with easy access to South Park episodes. Some parents felt that the content of the show is too insensitive and causes their children to rebel and ignore their direction.
Many episodes have caused controversy and sparked debates about how far is too far. For example, in episode 90, titled Child abduction is not funnythe parents of South Park become overly concerned for the safety of their children.
The root of parental concern is the constant media coverage of child abductions, terrorist threats and school shootings. As a result, the city council hires City Wok owner Mr. Lu Kim to erect a “Great Wall of China” around South Park.
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However, South Park aired much more controversial episodes which include China’s problem, Crack Baby Athletic Associationand crippled battle, among others. No list of controversial South Park episodes is complete without mentioning Trapped in the closet, one of his best-known episodes. In it, the creators poke fun at Tom Cruise and his favorite religion, Scientology.
The title Orgazmo should be clue enough for its NC-17 rating
The film Orgazmo (1997) by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park, is a kind of movie within a movie. The main character, Joe Young (Trey Parker), is a mild-mannered Mormon missionary who spreads the good word in Los Angeles. Needing money to marry his fiancée Lisa (Robyn Lynne), he finds himself on a film set. However, Young doesn’t realize he stumbled across the set of an X-rated movie.
Maxxx Orbison (Michael Dean Jacobs), a bad-tempered porn director, introduces the gullible Young as a superhero nicknamed “Orgazmo”. Like Batman, Orgazmo has a sidekick named Ben (Dian Bachar).
Unlike Batman, Orgazmo’s crime-fighting weapon is a device called the “Orgazmorator” that climaxes criminals until they are incapacitated. The X-rated film Orgazmo is surprisingly becoming an overnight sensation, including in the mainstream film industry.
However, despite all the success and the promise of fame, Young discovers that Maxxx Orbison is a criminal mastermind. Young and his sidekick decide to become real superheroes to thwart the porn director’s sinister plans. Given the film’s premise and its author, the Motion Picture Association of America’s (MPAA) NC-17 rating isn’t shocking. The MPAA is the organization responsible for rating movies and TV shows in the United States.
According to IMDb, the MPAA rated Orgazmo NC-17 for its sexually explicit content and dialogue. A moderator wrote: “Many vagina-shaped objects are shown throughout the film and a character wears a dildo on her head in several scenes.”
Another wrote: “A man shoots a dog with the orgazmo gun, and the dog (a German Shepherd) runs towards him and starts punching him. The man tries to crawl away, but the dog keeps running. ‘to advance.” Nonetheless, a moderator called the film “sweet,” commenting, “Comic fights and explosions. Nothing graphic or disturbing.
Orgazmo’s ratings and reviews
On rotten tomatoes, Orgazmo received 47% from critics, while its Audience Score is 66%. With critic ratings below 50%, it’s no surprise to find critics who liked the film and others who hated it. As for IMDb reviews, they fare slightly better with a 6.1/10 star rating at the time of writing.
Dennis Schwartz, editor of World of Ozus movie reviews wrote that Orgazmo was “An ineffective comic science fiction farce about Mormons and the porn movie industry.” Freelance critic Rich Cline for the BBC wrote: “Stupid but also very funny.”
Among viewers, the sentiment was much the same, with more cold to lukewarm reviews than hot. “Has there ever been a broad target that Matt Stone and Trey Parker DIDN’T pursue,” wrote a two-star reviewer. A one-star review came with “The script is as bad as [sic] first season of South Park.
Among the five-star reviews, people wrote, “LOL, best hour and a half ever!!!!!!!!!!!! Adults only 18 and over!!!!!!!!!” Another added: “It’s the best movie of all time, it’s so stupid it’s funny!”
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