Synopsis
Cannibal! The Musical is the true story of the only person convicted of cannibalism in America – Alferd Packer (according to Colorado lore. Read this article). The sole survivor of an ill-fated trip to the Colorado Territory, he tells his side of the harrowing tale to news reporter Polly Pry as he awaits his execution. And his story goes like this: While searching for gold and love in the Colorado Territory, he and his companions lost their way and resorted to unthinkable horrors, including toe-tapping songs!
Taglines
- All Singing! All Dancing! All Flesh Eating!
- In the tradition of Friday the 13th Part II and Oklahoma!, comes the first intelligent film about cannibalism.
- Lost without food, they must turn to the ultimate horror… EATING EACH OTHER… and, of course, SINGING and DANCING!
History
Originally a student of music, director Trey Parker transferred from the prestigious Berklee School of Music to Colorado University at Boulder to study film, and it was there he gave birth to his twisted brainchild “Alferd Packer: The Musical”. Parker not only wrote, produced, directed and played the leading role in the film, he also wrote the songs and collaborated on the score.
The film began as a three minute fake trailer made for an advanced film production class and, as a joke the director said he was going to make the actual film. “People kept asking ‘Where’s the movie?” says Parker “The response was so positive, we decided we’d do it”
Together with fellow students Matt Stone, Jason McHugh and Ian Hardin (average age 23) they formed the Avenging Conscience Inc production company and raised $75,000 from private investors, friends and family by the day they needed to start shooting. They employed fellow students as cast members and took parts in the film themselves each stepping into each others shoes behind the camera when necessary. From conception to being in the can the film took around twelve months.
When Troma picked up the film in 1996, they realized that few people outside of Colorado had ever heard of Alferd Packer, so they re-released it under the name, Cannibal! The Musical.
The Players
- ALFERD PACKER : Trey Parker (as Juan Schwartz)
- SHANNON BELL : Ian Hardin
- JAMES HUMPHREY : Matt Stone
- ISRAEL SWAN : Jon Hegel
- FRANK MILLER : Jason McHugh
- GEORGE NOON : Dian Bachar
- POLLY PRY : Toddy Walters
- FRENCHY CABAZON : Robert Muratore
- PRESTON NUTTER : Andrew Kemler
- O.D. LOUTZENHEISER / THE CYCLOPS : Edward Henwood
- INDIAN CHIEF : Masao Maki
- LIANE : Duster
Before and After
Prologue: The film you are about to see was originally released in 1954. Upstaged by the overwhelming popularity of “Oklahoma!”, it’s short-lived theater run was cancelled, and “Alferd Packer: The Musical” soon fell into obscurity. The original negative, re-discovered just last year, has been painstakingly restored using state-of-the-art color enhancing and computer reconstruction technology. The film’s violent scenes have been edited out for your viewing pleasure.
Epilogue: Due to the graphic nature of this film, it should not have been watched by small children.