This Movie Made Me Fall in Love with Cinema Again — Hundreds of Beavers
There are times when you watch a film that is so genuinely good, so genuinely creative, and so genuinely hilarious that it makes you think to yourself: I am just absolutely glad to be alive to see it, and I cannot thank the people who have brought this film to life enough.
Hundreds of Beavers is that exact film, and while I know it will be nowhere near the top of anyone’s viewing watchlist, I just cannot, in good consciousness, leave this film alone and not talk about it as a must-watch recommendation for anyone who loves cinema. So, while yes, other critics and YouTubers will talk about popular mainstream films released this year, some of which I’ve covered already, please allow me to introduce to you and explain why this film is so special and do not worry, I’ll refrain as much as I can from spoilers.
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What is Hundreds of Beavers?
Hundreds of Beavers is a 2022 American slapstick comedy film directed by Mike Cheslik and written by Cheslik and Ryland Brickson Cole Tews. It was inspired by the slapstick comedy of 1920s and 1930s artists. The film stars Tews as an applejack maker in a conflict with beavers, trying to win the hand of a merchant's daughter.
Cheslik and Tews, who previously collaborated on multiple projects, developed the idea for Hundreds of Beavers in October 2018. The film was shot in rural Wisconsin and Michigan across twelve weeks in the winter of 2019 and 2020. Editing and post-production were completed by 2022.
Hundreds of Beavers premiered at Fantastic Fest on September 29, 2022, and has been met with critical praise. The film was self-distributed and received a video on demand release on April 15, 2024.
Mike Cheslik and Ryland Tews met at Whitefish Bay High School and came to collaborate on film projects. The duo made Lake Michigan Monster, a black-and-white film that cost $7,000, in 2018. The idea for Hundreds of Beavers was created by Cheslik and Tews while at a bar in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in October 2018. Cheslik directed, wrote, edited, and created the visual effects for the film while Tews played the lead role.
Enough money was raised to film the first act, which was shot over the course of three to four weeks. The footage was then shown to other investors which allowed the rest of the film to be shot. The black-and-white film had a budget of $150,000. It was shot over the course of twelve weeks by a six-person crew using a Panasonic GH5, which filmed it in 1080p, in winter in 2019 and 2020. The crew stayed at a cabin in Manitowish Waters. Nine weeks of filming was done in Stephenson, Michigan, and the northern Wisconsin towns of Manitowish Waters, Pembine, and Superior.
The beaver suits were purchased online from a Chinese mascot website, with the teeth being modified by the filmmakers. Eric West, Daniel Long, Jay Brown, and Mike Wesolowski wore the beaver costumes. Over 1,500 visual effects were made using Adobe After Effects. Editing and post-production took two years to complete. Tews' father Wayne composed and performed songs for the film.
Inspiration was drawn from the Mario video games, America's Funniest Home Videos, and the slapstick comedy of Abbott and Costello, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, and The Three Stooges. Ernst Lubitsch's The Wildcat also inspired the film. Tews based his movements in the film on Jackie Chan. A scene in Seven Chances, in which Keaton is chased by a horde of angry women, is referenced in the film. The second act of the film was designed to be like watching a let's play. Hundreds of Beavers's poster is similar to the poster for It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
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