Mike Cheslik and Ryland Tews delighted audiences in 2019 with the release of their debut collaboration Lake Michigan Monster, a low-budget masterpiece packed full of laughter and glorious homages to the black-and-white era of creature features. Now, the duo are back with a follow-up that turns the unhinged factor up to 11 – How? With copious semi-aquatic rodents, of course.
Hundreds of Beavers sees Cheslik make his directorial debut, with Tews starring in a wildly creative feature that asks the question – what would happen if Looney Tunes made a historical frontier epic in the silent movie era? The film tells the bizarre yet endearing tale of Jean Kayak (Ryland Tews), an often-inebriated applejack whose love of his cider leads to his own downfall, much to the joy of a malicious colony of beavers nearby. After becoming buried under blankets of snow, Kayak awakes from his hibernation and must find sustenance to survive, which leads to him trading animal pelts for food. It soon becomes clear that Kayak has a purpose far beyond drunken revelry as he seeks to become the greatest fur trapper and defeat the now enormous and cunning beaver population.
Boasting thousands of practical effects, Hundreds of Beavers is a feast for the eyes as it hurtles wildly from animated sequences, meticulous puppetry, and a full-blown stage show epic retelling of the downfall of our beloved hero, to actors running around in theme park mascot-esque animal costumes in hilarious juxtaposition. But this is a film of contrast, with a buffoon wandering around a harsh and unforgiving landscape, and slapstick humour working seamlessly in an often pitch-black, dark narrative. We journey suddenly from comical snowpeople with large breasts, to slapstick violence in a matter of seconds – and it all just works.
Hundreds of Beavers is the work of creators who know how to build a captivating story and balance it perfectly between lunacy and spectacle. Cheslik ensures each gag gets sufficient time to play out without feeling laboured while giving each set piece its time to shine and letting audiences take in every detail. Each joke rolls into the next, constantly setting up for the next big belly laugh with minute details that add to the irreverent Beavers world. On paper, you would not expect the film to remain funny or engaging throughout its runtime. Still, each scene feels fresh and exciting in the surreal narrative through the lovable, farcical characters within.
From the plight of Kayak himself through to the disgruntled Merchant (Doug Mancheski), his flirty daughter The Fur Trapper (Olivia Graves), and the legendary Master Fur Trapper (Wes Tank), it’s hard not to feel fully sucked into their adventures across the tundra and the literal hundreds of beavers they come up against – as well as some rabbits, wolves, racoons, skunks, and even some fish. The silent film style means their reactions are key to the story, and there never feels like a point the plot is lost through their caricatured expressions and use of cartoonish props.
Bringing together everything from German Expressionist visuals to Looney Tunes violence and comedy that wouldn’t feel out of place in a Charlie Chaplin film, Hundreds of Beavers is a triumphant low-budget fever dream. Hundreds of Beavers delivers laughs in abundance while celebrating the DIY, practical effects often forgotten in the modern world of cinema. Sure to be a cult classic in years to come, the sheer scale of Hundreds of Beavers must be seen to be believed – possibly with a cider in hand.
Hundreds of Beavers
Summary
Comedy goes back to basics in the bizarre, slapstick romp that brings the silent film era to a postmodern audience.
Hundreds of Beavers is available in the US now.
