Description
Hundreds of Beavers is an inventive black-and-white slapstick comedy that combines silent-film physical humor, live-action performance and cartoon logic into an increasingly elaborate frontier adventure. In the 19th century, drunken applejack salesman Jean Kayak (Ryland Brickson Cole Tews) loses his orchard and livelihood to a destructive colony of beavers. Stranded in the frozen wilderness with virtually no survival skills, Jean begins teaching himself to hunt and trap, hoping to trade enough furs to rebuild his life and prove himself as a frontiersman.
Written by Tews and director Mike Cheslik, Hundreds of Beavers transforms Jean's simple survival problem into a constantly escalating series of visual gags, ingenious traps and battles with woodland creatures portrayed by performers in oversized animal costumes. Drawing on the precision of Buster Keaton, the anarchic momentum of classic animation and the elaborate cause-and-effect machinery of a live-action cartoon, the film continually expands its homemade visual language as Jean progresses from incompetent novice to increasingly resourceful trapper.
The film became a breakout independent success following its festival run and unconventional theatrical rollout, earning acclaim for its elaborate low-budget filmmaking and sustained visual comedy. Matt Zoller Seitz of RogerEbert.com called it "One for the ages," while the Los Angeles Times' Robert Abele described its mixture of influences as "Gonzo cinema moonshine." The cast also includes Olivia Graves, Wes Tank, Doug Mancheski and Luis Rico.
This two-disc Standard Special Edition Blu-ray presents the feature in 1080p widescreen with DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0 audio. Supplements include a version of the movie with a VFX breakdown; a Trapline chapter menu; three audio commentaries--Sober, Drunk and moderated Trashed; deleted scenes; the "Jean Kayak & His Acme Applejack" lyric video; Bobb Barito sound-design breakdowns; "One Hundred Photos for One Hundreds of Beavers"; Cheslik's high-school short Blink; interviews with Cheslik and Tews from Movies That Made Me, WMSC 90.3 and Movie Mindset; a Great Lakes Road Show recap; commercials and promos; and the theatrical trailer.
Media
Bonus Materials
- Master: HD Blu-ray 1080p Widescreen (1.78:1) Feature Presentation
- Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1, English DTS-HD MA 2.0
- Subtitles: English SDH, Czech
- Play Movie with VFX Breakdown
- Trapline Chapter Menu
- 3 Audio Commentaries: Sober Commentary, Drunk Commentary, Trashed Commentary (Moderated)
- Deleted Scenes
- Jean Kayak & His Acme Applejack — Lyric Video
- Bobb Barito Sound Design Breakdowns
- One Hundred Photos for One Hundreds of Beavers
- 'Blink' — High School Short Film by Mike Cheslik
- Movies that Made Me w/ Joe Dante & Josh Olson: Interview w/ Mike & Ryland (May 7, 2024)
- WMSC 90.3 Montclair State University Radio: Interview w/ Ryland Tews (June 1, 2024)
- Movie Mindset: Interview w/ Mike Cheslik (May 27, 2024)
- Great Lakes Road Show Recap
- Commercials & Promos
- Trailer
Cast & Crew
Actors:
- Olivia Grave as The Furrier
- Ryland Brickson Cole Tews as Jean Kayak
- Wes Tank as The Master Fur Trapper
- Doug Mancheski as The Merchant
- Luis Rico as The Indian Fur Trapper
- Ryland Tews
Director: Mike Cheslik
Producer: Kurt Ravenwood
Producer: Matt Sabljak
Additional Details
Label: Cartuna
Genre: Comedy
Language: English
Run Time: 108 mins
Region: 0
Release Date: 09/22/26
UPC: 760137216230