Parody film

Last updated

A parody film or spoof film is a subgenre of comedy film that lampoons other film genres or films as pastiches, [1] [2] [3] works created by imitation of the style of many different films reassembled together. Although the subgenre is often overlooked by critics, parody films are commonly profitable at the box office. [4] Parody is related to satire, except that "parody is more often a representation of appreciation, while a satire is more often...pointing ...out the major flaws of an object through ridicule." [5] J.M. Maher notes that the "difference is not always clear" and points out that "some films employ both techniques". [6] Parody is found in a range of art and culture, including literature, music, theater, television, animation, and gaming.

Contents

The first film parody was The Little Train Robbery (1905), which makes fun of The Great Train Robbery (1903), in part by using an all-child cast for the Western spoof. Historically, when a genre formula grows tired, as in the case of the moralistic melodramas in the 1910s, it retains value only as a parody, as demonstrated by Buster Keaton shorts that mocked that melodrama genre. [7]

Influential parody actors and creators from the first half of 20th century included the Marx Brothers (active 1905–1949), W. C. Fields (active 1898–1946), Mae West (active 1907–1978), Laurel and Hardy (1927–1955), and Bob Hope (active 1924–1998). [8] The 1970s and 1980s have been called the "golden age" of parody movies, led by Mel Brooks and the "ZAZ trio" (David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker). Brooks' parodies included a Western parody, Blazing Saddles (1974), a horror parody, Young Frankenstein (1974), and a space opera parody, Spaceballs (1987). The ZAZ trio is best known for their film which parodies a number of 1960s and 1970s genres (from exploitation film to kung fu film), The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977) and their air disaster film parody, Airplane! (1980). [6] Woody Allen also contributed several parodies.

In the 2000s, the increasing availability of digital cameras (and then smartphones) that could shoot video and accessible editing software made it possible for amateur and early-stage professional creators to make parodies and post them online. [6]

1900s

1910s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Further reading

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comedy film</span> Genre of film that emphasizes humour

The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the oldest genres in film, and it is derived from classical comedy in theatre. Some of the earliest silent films were slapstick comedies, which often relied on visual depictions, such as sight gags and pratfalls, so they could be enjoyed without requiring sound. To provide drama and excitement to silent movies, live music was played in sync with the action on the screen, on pianos, organs, and other instruments. When sound films became more prevalent during the 1920s, comedy films grew in popularity, as laughter could result from both burlesque situations but also from humorous dialogue.

<i>Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein</i> 1948 American horror comedy film directed by Charles Barton

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is a 1948 American horror comedy film directed by Charles Barton. The film features Count Dracula, who has partnered with Dr. Sandra Mornay in order to find a brain to reactivate Frankenstein's monster, and they find Wilbur Grey, the ideal candidate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Elliott</span> American actor, writer, and comedian (born 1960)

Christopher Nash Elliott is an American actor, comedian and writer known for his surreal sense of humor. He appeared in comedic sketches on Late Night with David Letterman (1982–1988), created and starred in the comedy series Get a Life (1990–1992) on Fox, and wrote and starred in the film Cabin Boy (1994). His writing has won four consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards. His other television appearances include recurring roles on Everybody Loves Raymond (2003–2005) and How I Met Your Mother (2009–2014), and starring roles as Chris Monsanto in Adult Swim's Eagleheart (2011–2014) and Roland Schitt in Schitt's Creek (2015–2020). He also appeared in the films Manhunter (1986), Groundhog Day (1993) Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000), Osmosis Jones (2001), Scary Movie 2 (2001), and The Rewrite (2014).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abbott and Costello</span> American comedy duo

Abbott and Costello were an American comedy duo composed of comedians Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, whose work in radio, film, and television made them the most popular comedy team of the 1940s and 1950s, and the highest-paid entertainers in the world during the Second World War. Their patter routine "Who's on First?" is considered one of the greatest comedy routines of all time, a version of which appears in their 1945 film The Naughty Nineties.

Slapstick films are comedy films using slapstick humor, a physical comedy that includes pratfalls, tripping, falling, practical jokes, and mistakes are highlighted over dialogue, plot and character development. The physical comedy in these films contains a cartoonish style of violence that is predominantly harmless and goofy in tone.

<i>Scary Movie</i> 2000 film by Keenen Ivory Wayans

Scary Movie is a 2000 American slasher parody film directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans and written by Marlon and Shawn Wayans, alongside Buddy Johnson, Phil Beauman, Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. Starring Jon Abrahams, Carmen Electra, Shannon Elizabeth, Anna Faris, Kurt Fuller, Regina Hall, Lochlyn Munro, Cheri Oteri, and Dave Sheridan, it follows a group of teenagers who accidentally hit a man with their car, dump his body in a lake, and swear to secrecy. A year later, someone wearing a Ghostface mask and robe begins hunting them one by one.

<i>Scary Movie 2</i> 2001 film by Keenen Ivory Wayans

Scary Movie 2 is a 2001 American supernatural parody film directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans. It is the sequel to Scary Movie and the second film in the Scary Movie film series. The film stars Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans, as well as Tim Curry, Tori Spelling, Chris Elliott, Chris Masterson, Kathleen Robertson, David Cross and James Woods. The film was the last in the series to feature the involvement of stars Marlon and Shawn Wayans, and director Keenan until the upcoming sixth installment. Marlon would eventually go on to produce a similar horror-themed parody, A Haunted House, and its sequel, both starring himself. In the latter film, Wayans pokes fun at the Scary Movie series' decline in quality after his family's departure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Zucker</span> American film director

David Samuel Zucker is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. Associated mostly with parody comedies, Zucker is recognized for collaborating with Jim Abrahams and his brother Jerry as part of Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker, with whom he wrote and directed the 1980 film Airplane! and created The Naked Gun franchise. As a solo filmmaker, Zucker has also directed Scary Movie 3 (2003) and Scary Movie 4 (2006).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stoner film</span> Subgenre of comedy films

Stoner film is a subgenre of comedy film based on marijuana themes, where recreational use often drives the plot, sometimes representing cannabis culture more broadly or intended for that audience.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buddy film</span> Film genre in which two people of the same sex are non-romantically paired

The buddy film is a subgenre of romantic comedy, a combination of the romance, adventure and comedy film in which two people, bonded through some kind of affection or love for each other, go on an adventure, mission, or road trip. The two typically are males with contrasting personalities. The contrast is sometimes accentuated by an ethnic difference between the two. The buddy film is commonplace in Western cinema; unlike some other film genres, it endured through the 20th century with different pairings and different themes.

Comedy horror is a literary, television, and film genre that combines elements of comedy and horror fiction. Comedy horror has been described as having three types: "black comedy, parody and spoof." Comedy horror can also parody or subtly spoof horror clichés as its main source of humour or use those elements to take a story in a different direction. Examples of comedy horror films include Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), An American Werewolf in London (1981), the Evil Dead franchise (1981–present), Gremlins (1984), Shaun of the Dead (2004), and The Cabin in the Woods (2011).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer</span> American and Canadian screenwriter and filmmaker duo

Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer are American and Canadian filmmakers. They have primarily worked on parody films, which they began writing and directing during the mid-2000s. Friedberg and Seltzer's first five films between 2006 and 2010 received wide theatrical releases to mostly commercial success, but universally negative reviews; their films Epic Movie (2007), Meet the Spartans and Disaster Movie are considered among the worst ever made. Following Vampires Suck (2010), their subsequent releases in the 2010s garnered less attention, largely due to their limited theatrical distribution.

<i>Scary Movie</i> (film series) American horror parody film series

Scary Movie is a series of American parody films, mainly focusing on spoofing horror films. The films have a combined gross of almost $900 million at the worldwide box office. The two recurring actresses are Anna Faris and Regina Hall as Cindy Campbell and Brenda Meeks, respectively, appearing in all installments except the fifth film.

<i>Transylvania Twist</i> 1989 American film

Transylvania Twist is a 1989 comedy film that parodies horror films. Originally released by Concord Production Inc., this film is distributed on home video by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In the film Angus Scrimm reprises his role of the "Tall Man" from the Phantasm films, as a parody. The humor of the film is most often said to be in the style of Airplane!, and Mel Brooks comedies. It occasionally breaks the fourth wall rule with characters looking at the camera, and one even saying "I'm in the wrong movie". The film's main theme has been released on a variety of albums, and the entire soundtrack was released on CD and as a direct download in the year 2010, twenty-one years after the movies initial release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mummy (undead)</span> Undead monster

Mummies are commonly featured in horror genres as undead creatures wrapped in bandages. Similar undead include skeletons and zombies.

References

  1. ↑ "Postmodern Parody and Pastiche".
  2. ↑ Johnson, Andrew (30 August 2009). "Spoofs? Don't make us laugh" . The Independent . London. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  3. ↑ Gilbey, Ryan (6 August 2009). "Spoofs: the films that ate Hollywood". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  4. ↑ Welkos, Robert W. (25 July 1998). "What Keeps Spoofs From Being Box-Office Jokes?". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  5. ↑ Mazzillo, Amanda (1 May 2017). "The Beginner's Guide: Parody". www.filminquiry.com. Film Inquiry. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 Maher, JM (20 October 2022). "Why Were Parody Movies So Popular in the 2000s?". movieweb.com. Movieweb. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  7. ↑ Balducci, Anthony (28 November 2011). The Funny Parts: A History of Film Comedy Routines and Gags. McFarland. ISBN   9780786488933 . Retrieved 3 October 2018– via Google Books.
  8. ↑ Gehring, Wes D. Parody as Film Genre: Never Give a Saga an Even Break. Praeger, 1999.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 The Top 100 Parody/Spoofs of All Time-Flickchart
  10. 1 2 Oddball Films:What the F(ilm)?! 16: You Can't Handle the Spoof! - Fri. April 8th - 8PM
  11. ↑ Booker, Keith M (2010). Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction Cinema. Scarecrow Press. p. xxiv.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 The Best Parody/Spoofs of All Time-Flickchart
  13. ↑ "Blood Suckers from Outer Space (1984) - Glen Coburn | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie".
  14. ↑ "Monster in the Closet (1987) - Bob Dahlin | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie".
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Top 10 Worst Parody Movies-WatchMojo on YouTube
  16. ↑ The Top 100 Parody/Spoof>of All Time-Flickchart
  17. ↑ "Wizards of the Demon Sword (1991) - Fred Olen Ray | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie".
  18. ↑ Cable comedy troupe tries the big screen Review: "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie" is long on name, and pretty long on laughs, too, if you get past its slow set-up. : Baltimore Sun
  19. ↑ Why Galaxy Quest Was The Perfect Star Trek Parody|ScreenRant
  20. ↑ "Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter (2001) - Lee Demarbre | Synopsis, Movie Info, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie".
  21. ↑ "The Hebrew Hammer (2004) - Jonathan Kesselman | Synopsis, Movie Info, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie".
  22. 1 2 3 4 20 Best Parody Movies, According To Rotten Tomatoes|ScreenRant
  23. 1 2 3 Lee, Aaron (27 January 2008). "Surely you can't be serious". The Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 25 December 2010. Spoof films are routinely snubbed by Oscar and are even looked down upon by other comedies. But the genre's producers often just laugh all the way to the bank.
  24. ↑ Scary Movie 5
  25. ↑ Archived 25 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine THE WALKING DECEASED
  26. ↑ Gingold, Michael (2 July 2020). ""Notzilla," Spoof of the Monsters is Coming This Summer; Info and Poster". Rue Morgue . Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  27. ↑ Millican, Josh (3 July 2020). "Poster & First Look at Award-Winning Kaiju Comedy Notzilla Releasing August 18th". Dread Central . Retrieved 5 July 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.