68. Cannibal! The Musical

Trey Parker and his crew (including South Park co-creator Matt Stone) made Cannibal while still in film school and eventually sold it to schlock extraordinaire Philip Kaufman, a.k.a. Troma Films.  It received a typical straight-to-video release with little fanfare.  Featuring small amounts of gore (by Troma’s standards anyway) and a satirical take on Rogers and Hammerstein musicals, particularly Oklahoma!, it probably didn’t fare too well with Troma’s hardcore fans.

Today, because of the success of South Park, Cannibal has become a cult success, even spawning an off-Broadway stage version.  However, Roger Ebert concluded his ½-star review of Trey Parker’s follow-up, Orgazmo, by claiming he had never seen Cannibal! The Musical. Based on the negative reaction to Orgazmo, Ebert said he probably never would. I beg him to reconsider.

Songs such as “Shpadoinkle Day,” “Hang the Bastard, Hang ‘Em High” and “When I Was On Top of You” should be relished and championed even by our most esteemed critics. Otherwise, it would be like burying a movie such as Blazing Saddles in obscurity alongside Chu-Chu and the Philly Flash and no one wants that. Cannibal! The Musical  has the makings of a true comedy classic. You get suspiciously Asian looking Native Americans, a cheerful musical number about a snowman that ends tragically and, best of all, a cowbell solo. Come on, Ebert!  I hated Orgazmo, too, but this is one of the funniest films ever made and it goes great with some fudge. (Collin Souter)