Hundreds of Beavers

If you think you've seen it all when it comes to comedy, think again. Hundreds of Beavers is the film that rewrites the rulebook on slapstick, absurdism, and the downright surreal. It’s the sort of movie that comes along once in a generation—if we’re lucky. And it’s certainly the most fun you’ll have watching a movie with friends this year, possibly in the last ten years. The premise, if you can call it that, is deceptively simple: A man falls in love, but in order to win his romantic interest, he must navigate a bizarre wilderness filled with communicative beavers, gay rabbits, poker-playing dogs, and all manner of other animal obstacles. It's a Looney Tunes fever dream spliced with live-action absurdities. Think I Think You Should Leave meets Wet Hot American Summer with a splash of Buster Keaton's most daring pratfalls, and you'll get a sense of what Hundreds of Beavers has in store.

But it’s not just the premise that’s a triumph, it’s the execution. The film’s humor is impossible to categorize. It mixes highbrow wit with the sort of delightful, non-sequitur gags that make you wonder if the writers had a brief dalliance with madness before returning to penning their genius. A snowman repeatedly drops a fishing pole in a sight gag that stretches across several minutes, turning what could have been a throwaway bit into a running joke that somehow becomes funnier with every iteration. It’s not just a snowman, it’s a buff snowman, and yes, he keeps dropping the pole, and yes, it is as hilarious as it sounds. But that’s just one piece of the absurdist puzzle. A flashback to the iconic Dogs Playing Poker painting takes a turn into a murderous farce where the canine cast members are dispatched one by one, leaving only a solitary dog to play... solitaire. There’s a subtle brilliance in how these seemingly random moments are stitched together into a narrative that makes total sense in the context of the film; its randomness is its method.

The comedy is electric, but what truly sets Hundreds of Beavers apart is the unexpected level of cinematic sophistication behind the chaos. The film gleams with the nostalgic glow of old-school black-and-white cinematography, recalling the golden era of cinema where the picture itself was as much a part of the comedy as the punchline. It's not just that the jokes are funny (they are) it's that they’re framed and shot with an exquisite understanding of visual storytelling. Director Andrew Flanagan and his team wield the camera with a reverence for classic cinema that elevates the slapstick into something almost... beautiful. The compositions, the lighting, the pacing, all of it serves to heighten the absurdity. It's like watching a Looney Tunes short in 4K, only with more beavers, rabbits, and dead dogs. The film's rapid-fire jokes, many of which would’ve felt right at home in a Saturday Night Live sketch or a Tim and Eric episode; come in such abundance that it feels almost like an embarrassment of riches. You’ll find yourself pausing to catch your breath, only to be knocked over by another flawlessly executed gag or visual joke. The script is sharp, quick, and relentlessly inventive, with the kind of wit you’d expect from a show like I Think You Should Leave, though it's delivered in a wholly unique style that's unafraid to dip its toes into slapstick and surrealism.

It's hard to imagine another film in recent memory that mixes the old-school, the highbrow, and the completely nonsensical in quite the same way. Hundreds of Beavers is not just a tribute to slapstick's golden age, but a subversive reinvention of it. It’s as if the ghosts of Buster Keaton, Chuck Jones, and Monty Python were invited to an all-night improv session, and the result was this strange, glorious, and hilariously chaotic masterpiece. Is it the funniest film in years? Maybe ever? It's difficult to say for sure, but what’s clear is that Hundreds of Beavers is a comedy of rare and almost precious quality. In a world filled with safe reboots and predictable jokes, this film feels like an eruption of creativity—a reminder that cinema can still surprise us, make us laugh until we cry, and even leave us in awe of its sheer audacity. A gem, in every sense of the word. F#@%, this is hilarious. If you haven't seen it yet, do yourself a favor: grab the movie, get comfortable, and prepare to laugh harder than you thought possible.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
Hundreds of Beavers builds its way to Blu-ray via Catruna and OCN Distribution. The two discs are housed inside a hard, clear plastic case. There is a 26-page booklet inside that showcases parody posters that will cause everyone to laugh out loud. The double-sided artwork features a couple of cool images. One is of the original movie poster with hundreds of beavers chasing that poor man. The reverse side is an image of the map of the film.

When Hundreds of Beavers first hit theaters, it felt like a Looney dream of absurdity—an exhilarating fusion of slapstick, surrealism, and cinematic nostalgia that left audiences gasping for air from laughter. Now, thanks to its Blu-ray debut, we can finally experience this deliriously inventive comedy in the highest possible definition. And let me be clear: Hundreds of Beavers has never looked—or sounded—better in its glorious old-school filmic way. The film’s presentation on Blu-ray is nothing short of stunning. The 1080p transfer showcases every bit of filmic detail that has that haze of grain to it that is meticulously crafted with sharp precision, delivering a picture that looks like the film was always meant to be viewed in HD. From the silent-era textures of clothing and DIY animal costumes to the vibrant yet whimsical black-and-white production design, this 1080p HD transfer allows every bit of nuance and film grain to shine through, amplifying the film’s cartoonish aesthetic with unparalleled clarity.

This release particularly serves the black-and-white cinematography, which is central to the film’s unique style. The transfer preserves the graceful gradients of the monochrome palette that is nothing too dark or nothing too bright; allowing the film’s visual texture to remain rich and evocative. In other words, the black-and-white images feel as dynamic as they do delicate. The film’s mid-tones hold firm, and there’s an admirable absence of black crush or blooming highlights, which can sometimes plague lesser transfers of films in this style. Perhaps most notably, there are no distractions in the form of compression artifacts or banding. There's just a ton of various film grain that swarms around the visual effects in a hilarious manner that only adds to the comedy.

Every shot, whether it’s a wide angle of a forest teeming with low-budget beavers or a tight close-up of a snowman struggling with his fishing pole, is presented with impressive nuance. Hundreds of Beavers on Blu-ray is the ultimate version of this comedic masterpiece. Whether you're revisiting it after a theater screening or experiencing it for the first time, this release delivers on every level, making it a must-have for collectors and cinephiles alike. Cartuna’s attention to detail and commitment to quality has once again set a high bar for physical media in general.

Hundreds of Beavers is already a triumph in the visual department. But what may surprise some viewers is just how much of the film's immersive experience owes itself to its exceptional sound design. On Blu-ray, the film comes equipped with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that matches its visual splendor, bringing the world of beavers, dogs, and surreal obstacles to life in a way that is as equally textured and sophisticated as the picture itself. Though Hundreds of Beavers is not exactly a dialogue-heavy affair, the sound mix ensures that every element in the film has its moment to shine. Dialogue, when it does appear, is minimal, and often conveyed through whistles or a one-liner; yet the audio track makes sure that what little speech there is resonates cleanly and with purpose. What stands out, however, is the film’s attention to sound effects and music, which are deployed with precision and inventiveness, further underscoring the film's whimsical, cartoony aesthetic.

The music in Hundreds of Beavers, much like the visuals, adds personality and texture to the narrative. The melodies, often laced with playful, almost comical undertones, fill the space without overwhelming the senses. The DTS-HD track allows these soundscapes to breathe, never becoming too dense or jarring. Instead, the film’s score seeps into the environment like an extension of its visual gags—whether it's a playful tune accompanying a pratfall or a swelling melody that heightens the absurdity of a beaver-related showdown. The music’s dynamic range is wonderfully expansive, and it captures both the lightheartedness and the wackier beats that punctuate the film's oddball journey. However, it’s the adjusted sound effects that truly elevate the experience.

The exaggerated, sometimes exaggeratedly loud, noises—the crack of a tree branch snapping, the splashing of chewing tobacco, and the comically loud thwack of a beaver being killed are integral to the film’s slapstick humor, and the Blu-ray’s DTS-HD audio track handles these effects with such clarity and nuance that every gag lands with a satisfying punch. The film relies on auditory cues as much as visual ones, and the sound mix gives these details the proper amplification they deserve. Every moment, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, is given a distinct voice in the sonic landscape of the film. This DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track of Hundreds of Beavers stands as a triumph in its own right. It's a rare example of how sound can be just as vital to a film’s atmosphere and storytelling as the visuals.

There are about 202 minutes of extras here, including three different audio commentary tracks where the cast and crew get drunker and drunker with each commentary track. Bravo. Bonus features include audio interviews and podcasts, some behind-the-scenes elements, deleted scenes, and more. 

Disc One

• Audio Commentary #1 - A SOBER commentary track from the director, writers, and cast including, Mike Cheslik, Ryland Brickson Cole Tews, Jay Brown, Erick West, and Daniel Long. The five gentlemen discuss the making of the film with a ton of behind-the-scenes info and a treasure trove of jokes. You will hear the cans of beer starting to pop open here and I wish I was there to enjoy. 
• Audio Commentary #2 - A DRUNK commentary track from the director, writers, and cast including, Mike Cheslik, Ryland Brickson Cole Tews, Jay Brown, Erick West, and Daniel Long. This is a separate commentary track where the five guys are a bit drunker and continue to talk about the film as they drink more. I too continue to drink more with them. 
• Audio Commentary #3 - A TRASHED commentary track from the director, writers, and cast including, Mike Cheslik, Ryland Brickson Cole Tews, Jay Brown, Erick West, and Daniel Long. Another separate commentary track with the manly men who are seeing dragons and beavers this time around as they drunkenly talk more about the film and tell jokes.
• Trailer (HD, 2 Mins.) - Trailer for the film.
• Trapline - The film has a whopping 94 chapters that are located here on an interactive map of the events of the film that you can click on and jump to that sight gag.

Disc Two

• VFX Breakdown - The film is presented here in its entirety in an unfinished form with storyboards and some visual effects added.
• Deleted Scenes (HD, 3 Mins.) - A few quick sequences are here that were left out of the film.
• Great Lakes Road Show Recap (HD, 8 Mins.) - A hilarious look at what the cast and crew did when the studios initially didn't want to distribute the film. The cast and crew took the film across the USA in their Beaver costumes and showed the film to thousands of slap-happy audiences. 
• Lyric Video (HD, 3 Mins.) - The Jean Kayak and His Acme Applejack Video.
• Sound Design Breakdown (HD, 5 Mins.) - Bobb Barito gives a glimpse at the program that helped him make the sounds for the film.
• Podcasts and Interviews (HD, 153 Mins.) - There are three audio interviews with the writers and the directors of the film on various podcasts and college radio.
• Blink Short Film (HD, 17 Mins.) - Cheslik's short film is about a guy who takes a pill that gives him odd superpowers.
• One Hundred Photos (HD, 11 Mins.) - Here are one hundred photos from the film's production that outline just how much work went into making the movie with a party mix of the movie's song playing in the background. A wonderful treat towards the end is some bloopers and rehearsal footage that made it to this extra.
• 26-Page Booklet - This booklet is comprised of hilarious parody posters of other iconic movies with the Hundreds of Beavers stamp.

Hundreds of Beavers is a rare gem in an era when so much cinema feels interchangeable. More than just a quirky diversion, the film is a gleeful mash-up of old-school filmmaking sensibilities with a bold, modern twist. It takes the slapstick of yesteryear and infuses it with a fresh, fearless creativity that never loses sight of its roots. Cartuna’s Blu-ray release elevates the experience even further, offering a stellar A/V presentation and a Beaver Dam full of bonus features that enhance the film’s already impressive charm. Hundreds of Beavers is a comedy that will leave you in stitches and, in the best way, make you wonder why we don’t see more films like it. MUST-OWN!