Sausage Party: Foodtopia Parodies the Most Unexpected Movie

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Summary

  • Season 2 of Sausage Party: Foodtopia is in development, following the success of the first season on Prime Video in July 2024.
  • The series parodies the acclaimed romantic drama Call Me By Your Name in an unexpected and irreverent manner in episode 4.
  • Despite mixed reviews, the show features new characters and running gags, including a spoof of Armie Hammer’s off-screen transgressions.

As a film enthusiast who grew up in the 80s and fell in love with romantic stories, I was deeply moved by “Call Me By Your Name.” The way Timothee Chalamet portrayed Elio’s first sexual awakening and the heart-wrenching ending left me in tears. It was a beautiful tale of young love and innocence lost.

After the hit debut of “Sausage Party: Foodtopia” Season 1 on Amazon Prime Video last July 2024, it was announced that a second season is underway. This animated series, based on the 2016 movie of the same name, sees Frank Frankfurter (played by Seth Rogen) and his food companions working together to save their paradise, Foodtopia, from a devastating flood. In order to secure the future of their community, they must team up with the humans they once defeated in the original film.

Despite some critics labeling the TV show’s eight-episode run as a repetitive retelling of the 2016 film, “Foodtopia” surprises with a humorous and unforeseen spoof of the beloved romance “Call Me By Your Name,” in episode 4, titled “Fourth Course.” This parody not only mocks the movie’s iconic cinematography and soundtrack but also jokingly targets its former lead actor, Armie Hammer.

What Is Sausage Party: Foodtopia About?

In a follow-up to the 2016 movie produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the animated series “Sausage Party: Foodtopia,” which premiered on Prime Video on July 17, 2024, brings back familiar faces like Frank (Rogen), Brenda Bunson (Wiig), Sammy Bagel Jr. (Norton), Barry (Michael Cera), and Kareem Abdul Lavash (Krumholtz). When their idyllic food-filled paradise is under the imminent threat of being washed away, Frank and his companions join forces with humans to protect their home.

New characters introduced in the story are Jack, portrayed by Will Forte (a human hostage with an unusual connection to food), Orange Julius, played by Sam Richardson (a tyrannical leader), Jeri Rice acted by Stephanie Beard, and others. One of the show’s most amusing recurring jokes revolves around Jack’s alliance with sustenance causing him to resort to cannibalism. In Episode 4, titled “Fourth Course,” Frank and Brenda provide Jack with a human foot for consumption, resulting in an unforeseen comedic twist on the emotional climax of Luca Guadagnino’s poignant romance, “Call Me By Your Name.”

What Is Call Me By Your Name About?

In 2017, the movie “Call Me By Your Name” was brought to life. This captivating romance follows 17-year-old Elio, played by Timothee Chalamet, as he discovers love for the first time in Italy during the 1980s summer. Age difference aside, Elio encounters an alluring older man named Oliver (Armie Hammer). Their connection deepens in the Italian countryside, leading them to share a profound romance. The intensity of their emotions grows so powerful that they whisper, “Call me by your name, and I’ll answer with mine.”

As a film critic with a deep appreciation for poignant and thought-provoking narratives, I was deeply moved by “Call Me By Your Name.” The film’s exploration of love, loss, and self-discovery resonated with me on a personal level, as I too have experienced the pain of unrequited love and the agonizing wait for closure.

How Sausage Party: Foodtopia Parodies Call Me By Your Name

After using Jack as an unwitting tool for their own race’s safety, Frank and Brenda decide to eliminate him. Jack is brought to Burning Man for a sacrificial ritual but manages to survive by providing valuable guidance to his captors. However, instead of letting Jack go, Frank and Brenda stage his death and force him into hiding. As a desperate measure, they make Jack consume a human foot. With Jack’s whereabouts discovered by Barry, he is compelled to eat the human foot provided to him as a means of survival.

In the closing scene of “Fourth Course,” Jack sheds tears by the fireplace while forcefully taking a bite of what he now realizes is a human foot. He sighs heavily and confesses to himself, “I’m a cannibal now.” In the meantime, Sufjan Stevens’ melancholic chorus from “Visions of Gideon” plays softly in the background. Similar to “Call Me By Your Name,” the fireplace casts flickering light over Jack’s tear-streaked face.

I was quite surprised when I watched the new season of “Sausage Party” and they made light of “Call Me By Your Name.” It wasn’t something I had expected as a fan of the original animation. The cannibal reference in the show is actually a witty jab at Armie Hammer, Chalamet’s costar from the film, whose off-screen behavior has been a topic of controversy. Given the sensitivity surrounding this issue, it must have taken a great deal of effort for Seth Rogen and the team to secure approval for such an intricate joke.

While promoting the show via Cinema Blend, Rogen admitted:

“Clearing that scene for the song was quite a challenge. We needed approval from Luca Guadagnino and Sufjan Stevens personally. I’m a huge fan of both artists, but getting them to sign off on the content wasn’t simple. We had to explain that it was a humorous reference to their work – specifically, a scene with food consumption and tears, similar to ‘Call Me By Your Name,’ while the credits were rolling. Obtaining their approval wasn’t easy, but they have a greater sense of humor than one might expect.”

It remains to be seen if the second season of “Sausage Party: Foodtopia” will continue to surprise with unconventional movie references. For now, you can watch the first season on Amazon Prime Video.

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2024-07-25 21:01