Free Hat
Template:Infobox South Park episode "Free Hat" is episode 609 of South Park. It originally aired on July 10, 2002.
Plot synopsis
Template:Spoiler In the episode, the main four (with Tweek rather than Kenny), go to see a re-release of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Before the movie, a trailer of the (real) re-release of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is shown, which points out the various edits made to the movie (E.g. the guns have been replaced with walkie talkies -- see 20th Anniversary Edition for more information). A trailer of Saving Private Ryan is then shown where similar edits have been made. (Again, guns replaced with walkie talkies.) The four complain about how directors edit their movies to make them more family-friendly or politically correct. Steven Spielberg justifies his changing of the movies as "improving history." Finally, the movie they came to see appears, however it has also been edited, instead of blaster the Rebels use walkie-talkies (just like in E.T.) and the entire cast are replaced with Ewoks. Also an announcer says the term "Wookiee is replaced with "hair-challenged animal".
They leave the theater and decide to form an organization to campaign against changes to classic movies. Cartman then writes "Free Hat" on the advert to persuade more people to come. Many more people than were expected show up, not for the boys' cause, or for a free hat, but to organize a movement to free Hat McCullough, a convicted serial killer of twenty-three babies & toddlers, (his supporters say he killed them in self defense) from prison. Cartman, Stan, and Kyle are later captured while trying to take the film reel of a proposed remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark from George Lucas's house. Lucas confronts them and they attempt to convince him to turn away from his evil master (Spielberg), but they fail, and Tweek escapes. Later, he comes back with a Hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher threatening to blow up the reel. He is convinced not to do so and is also captured.
Later at the premiere, Stan tells the guys to look away from the screen. They do, and everyone left watching melts or explodes, parodying the climax of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Back in South Park, the boys think that they are going to be congratulated for stopping Spielberg and Lucas. However, the boys (in particular Tweek) are congratulated for getting Hat released from prison. Despite the fact that Hat is crazy and asks for a baby, the crowd cheers for him and presents him with one. The boys say that what they did might not matter now, but will matter later. When Tweek asks what if someone else tries to change the movie, Stan says that it's in one place where nobody is going to find it. The original prints are hidden in a warehouse for 9/11 relief funds.
Trivia
- Before the second commercial break, a fake commercial featuring South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone announces the digitally remastered re-release of the show's pilot, "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe." They explain that the episode needed an upgrade from the crude construction paper cutouts to new computer-generated space ships and explosions. To specifically mock Star Wars, Parker and Stone explain that "We always meant to have Imperial walkers and giant dewback lizards in the background," but could not due to technical and budget limitations. [1].
- Steven Spielberg wrote a letter to Trey and Matt concerning the episode, as discussed on the DVD commentary. The tone of the letter is ambiguous, containing many backhanded comments, and the creators claimed that it was "the nicest meanest letter" they ever got.
- The shirts that Stan, Kyle and Cartman wear when they start singing the 'cool' song, are similar in design to the shirts that Matt Stone and Trey Parker wear in Baseketball during the scene where they make out.
References to Pop culture
- Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Francis Ford Coppola parody the three main villains in Raiders of the Lost Ark in their manner of deaths. Coppola's head shrivels up like Colonel Dietrich. Lucas' head melts down to a bloody skull like Agent Toht. Finally Spielberg's head explodes like Rene Belloq.
- A scene from the remastered Raiders of the Lost Ark resembles gameplay from the classic video game Pitfall!
- Most of the last six or so minutes of the episode parodies Raiders of the Lost Ark, with many lines being taken almost directly from the movie (a few choice words are replaced).
- When George Lucas refuses to give the boys the negative, he says "It is too late for me." This is a parody of Darth Vader's words to Luke in Return of the Jedi, and the inside of Lucas' Skywalker ranch ressembles the Endor Imperial landing pad where that scene happens.
- The movement to free Hat McCullough is a reference to a similar movement dedicated to freeing Mumia Abu-Jamal.