The era of cinema is dying due to greed in the field. With chain theatres in this age, decisions for which films get screen time are solely influenced by their profit potential— their respective qualities are not relevant in this decision making process. While this is a typical business model, it’s killing the art of cinema. For this reason, local theatres are ever more valuable. Cinemapolis is a local first-run theatre in Ithaca that specialises in independent, foreign, and locally-produced films. They provide a space to run these smaller films that would otherwise not have the opportunity to be displayed on the big screen. That being said, not all of these films can be hits. Sometimes there are actual reasons that these films don’t have the same success as mainstream movies. In the case of “Hundreds of Beavers”, there are no actual reasons. While we went to this film expecting the absolute worst, instead we received a truly magical 1 hour and 48 minutes; this was simply a stellar film through-and-through. There was no better way to have spent my spring break than to view this phenomenal film at a phenomenal theatre with some of my phenomenal friends.

This freshly released work stands out against its competitors. As a black-and-white silent film, there is no doubt that it defies mainstream conventions, and a break in the monotony of movie viewing was much needed. With actors dressed as beavers and other miscellaneous forest animals there is nothing “typical” about this movie. Even if one failed to enjoy their time spent watching “Hundreds of Beavers”, they would not be able to deny that it takes the audience by surprise. Varsity themselves, a respected review tabloid based in the United Kingdom, referred to it as “truly a unicorn of a film. You have to see it to believe it.” I think this is a compliment, but there really is no way to be sure. This slapstick comedy follows an ex-applejack salesman, who previously had a substantial alcohol dependence, on his journey of survival in a snow covered terrain. How he ended up by himself in this desolate landscape is unanswered, but the peculiarity serves to add to the bafflement of the audience. This is not your typical zero to hero story. Jean Kayak, a protagonist of sorts, uses his wits, also of sorts, to create increasingly complex traps to capture various wildlife. At first, his primary motivator was one of survival. Purely driven by hunger, he hunted to avoid starvation. As he developed his tactics and found success with these revisions, these motives transformed from surviving to thriving. In order to win the hand of the local tradesman’s promiscuous daughter, he captures hundreds of beavers, a condition established by the tradesman himself. On a separate tangent, who doesn’t love an allusion to the title of the movie within the movie? Going from a drunk to North America’s greatest fur trapper is no simple feat, and Kayak deserves great recognition for doing just that. I believe “Hundreds of Beavers” is one of the greatest fictional success stories of my time— an opinion that Rotten Tomatoes might agree with based on their 95% approval rating.

My initial reaction to this “unicorn of a film” was one of high admiration, but I was unsure if I should be ashamed of this response to such an absurd film. Was this genuinely a good movie? Or do I just have bad taste? While the odds of the latter are low, I decided that perhaps I should conduct a very biased poll to confirm my own beliefs. My journey to Cinemapolis to view this film was not one that was traversed unaccompanied. Three friends, with three differing opinions, were by my side during this viewing. To give credit where credit is due, I will name drop these friends: Natalia, Morgen, and Laura. Now, if it is decided that I should be ashamed of my opinion, they too must be ashamed.

Natalia specifically loved the sound effects. It takes very little to entertain her, so the juvenile noises were enough to induce a giggle or two from her. This demonstrates this film’s suitability for a wide range of audience ages. That statement may have been a blatant fib as there was a surprisingly large quantity of vulgar scenes, but Natalia liked it, and her opinion goes a long way. Another point of admiration from her was the wit of Jean Kayak, which was displayed through the creativity of his traps. While the actual nature of the plot was silly, the intelligence required to create the absurdities in the film was somewhat brilliant. To add on to this praise, Morgen, a fellow member of the audience, pointed out the unpredictable nature of the plot. There was seemingly very little reasoning to the sequence of events. You could try your best to guess what happens next, but it was just too random for your guess to be anywhere close to the correct answer. This chaos added layers of excitement to the film, keeping the viewers alert and intrigued. Both of these viewpoints were great examples of audience perception, especially from an amateur movie-goer standpoint. Our next interviewee is an avid film enthusiast and the ringleader of our small movie-going community. She rallies troops for frequent ventures out to Cinemapolis, and seeing “Hundreds of Beavers” was indeed her idea. Laura’s favourite thing about this film was “the visceral butcher scenes. Even though it was just a plush beaver, it was uncomfortable and violent.” Unfortunately, this is a direct quote. If the ringleader enjoyed this film, then you know it must be good. These positive reactions come as no surprise. With this film’s unconventional nature, there are many different elements that can be admired from amateur movie watchers and cinephiles alike.

Although this slapstick comedy airs on the side of ridiculousness, there are surprisingly deep themes integrated into this absurd little plot. The simple setup invites the audience to delve into much deeper and elegant underlying meanings. If you’re not carefully paying attention, you may come to the conclusion that this film is painfully juvenile and immature. At its most basic form, this movie appears to just be people wearing animal costumes and playing in the snow. But in slightly more advanced forms, it explores advanced themes of persistence and complex character development.

At first, Kayak struggles with painfully simple tasks. He cannot start a fire, he gets his ass kicked by bunny rabbits, and he cannot impress a woman. Every attempt at survival ends with a fumbled result— either in his own injury or, even worse, humiliation. But the long, and emphasis on long, series of attempts and their subsequent failures never act as a deterrent. Instead of accepting defeat, he analyzes his failures for what they are. Assessing the flaws in his actions highlights what he can do to improve in his next attempt. To Kayak, no time is time spent poorly— he either finds success in his actions, or he highlights what he can improve upon to be more successful in the future. This repetition serves both as comedic purposes and a means of personal growth. The preparation, execution, and revision cycle acts to develop an important theme of persistence. While this slapstick comedy is never meant to be taken seriously, this undertone of determination plays a large role in the success of this film.

Another takeaway from this theme of persistence could be the transformation of the purpose of his actions. There is a critical shifting point from survival to thriving. In the beginning of the film, he is hunting out of hunger. Well at least trying to hunt. Initially, the rabbits would always outsmart him, which highlighted the flaws in his traps and methods. However, each hole in his plans was revised through this trial-and-error learning curve. Persisting through his failures allowed him to find success, and a warm meal. Eventually, after his techniques advanced enough to fill his belly, his purpose was no longer to provide for himself and survive. His main motivator transitioned from feeding himself into impressing the tradesman’s daughter, who he had become quite infatuated with. The tradesman’s condition was he could ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage if he brought him one hundred beavers. Although this was a large ask, he was going to stop at nothing to make this a reality. It is easy to doubt Kayak at the beginning of the film. His plans he devises are initially very foolish and, quite frankly, stupid. His low intellect is not one to be admired. However, he does not remain this simple-minded version of himself. Throughout the film, he grows and develops as an individual, and this determination is one thing that anyone can respect.

The truth is, perhaps I would not have been able to watch and enjoy this movie to the same extent if I hadn’t seen it in this specific theatre and with these specific people. One’s enjoyment of content is truly impacted by the circumstance under which they are consuming it. If I was watching it alone and in the comfort of my own home, perhaps I would not have been amazed to the same extent. However, I’d like to believe this was an excellent film no matter the viewing environment. To any and all that disagree with the notion that “Hundreds of Beavers” is anything less than an excellent film, they likely only enjoy their cookie cutter movies with simple dialogue and unoriginal plots. If I didn’t like excitement or change, maybe I would feel the same way. Instead, I am grateful for my unique viewing experiences, and “Hundreds of Beavers” truly transcended all expectations.