The South Park movie and Team America: World Police both celebrate milestones this year, 25 and 20 years respectively. The occasion motivated Paramount to upgrade both to 4K UHD and both boast detail that may surprise fans.
Less surprising is that Team America: World Police features lovingly crafted puppet world. Since they shot it on 35mm film, it looks like the ‘90s action movies they were satirizing.
It’s funny how the unrated cut is now confined to the 2005 DVD release. It was just a decoy for the MPAA so perhaps for the best the grosses stuff is not in 4K.
Considering it was satirizing bombastic action movies, the surround sound for Team America is rather subtle. Only some flyovers and explosion rumbles stand out.
South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut trailers mocked the crudeness of the animation. However, in 4K UHD the patterns in the construction paper are vivid, which I remember being noticeable on the Blu-ray too. Also produced in 35mm prints, it is distinctly different from the current digital HD broadcasts.
Aside from the crude construction paper animation, Kenny’s voyage to hell boasts striking photorealistic flame.
There’s also not much surround here, but the orchestration of the music is full and lush.