The Most Underrated Parody Films Of All Time
Now that the new Naked Gun has been released, it reminded us of how great parody films can be (check out Bumbray’s review HERE). I felt it was time to look at other films in the parody genre. Because, sure, everyone knows Airplane, Hot Shots, or Scary Movie, but there are plenty of others that are worth your time. From the financially unsuccessful to films that didn’t get a fair shake until decades later, it’s time that we run the gauntlet.
So let’s take a look at some of the most underrated Parody Films ever made.
Stay Tuned (1992)
Ironically, this film was actually just announced to be getting its own TV series and has always been amongst John Ritter’s best. Following a husband and wife as they’re sucked into their television sets, they must survive the twisted versions of the shows that they now find themselves in. Each channel brings more and more chaos as even Wayne’s World (cleverly called Duane’s Underworld) gets a spotlight. A bit ironic considering the Wayne’s World film would be released the same year.
Student Bodies (1981)
I absolutely adore the slasher genre so to see it taken apart in such a brilliant way, while still in the midst of the golden age of slasher (1981) is a sight to behold. It somehow manages to parody a genre that was still in the midst of forming. Whether it’s the classic trope of teens dying during sex, or a killer that breathes loudly into the phone, there are some big laughs for anyone familiar with the genre.
They Came Together (2014)
What works so well about Michael Showalter’s style is that he’s going to do what he thinks is funny, and he’s not going to hold the audience’s hand. And that has never been more evident than in his parody of romantic comedies, They Came Together. It’s not like they’re just spoofing the plot beats, they spoof the look, the music, the quirky supporting characters, and even the over-the-top montages. And leads Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd play it straight…until they don’t. It’s sincere in its lack of sincerity and desire to completely dismantle what has become the blueprint for the average rom-com. Unfortunately, at the time of the release, the joke seemed to pass over most people’s heads, and both Rudd and Poehler consider it amongst the most underrated in their film catalogues.
Top Secret! (1984)
With the passing of Val Kilmer earlier this year, we have thankfully seen a reappraisal of his first feature film, a brilliant parody on the spy genre, Top Secret! Kilmer’s Nick Rivers is charming and hilarious, and is involved in so many hilarious hijinks that it’s surprising he didn’t do more films like it in his career (though his later turn as a villain in MacGruber counts for something).
Mystery Men (1999)
It’s kind of shocking that, with all of the Superhero films that we’ve gotten in the last 20 years, we haven’t gotten another proper film parody of the genre. Sure, Television has had many different iterations (and I’m not even going to give ____ Movie an utterance) but making fun of the Superhero trend has mostly been relegated to the Deadpool films. Mystery Men proved what you could do with the absurdity of Superheroes in the modern day, and play with all the archetypes that we’ve seen grace our screens, or even comic book pages, over the decades. Featuring wonderful performances from its all-star cast that includes Ben Stiller, Hank Azaria, Paul Reubens, William H. Macey, and Greg Kinnear,
Johnny Dangerously (1984)
Parodying classic gangster movies of the 30’s and 40’s like the original Scarface and Public Enemy, Michael Keaton’s straight-faced approach amongst the total absurdity around him makes this one extremely special. While it doesn’t have the direct parallels to other films in the same way as some other films on the list, its over-the-top nature makes nearly every moment worthy of a laugh.
Loaded Weapon 1 (1993)
Putting Lethal Weapon in its sights, Emilio Estevez and Samuel L. Jackson do their best Martin and Riggs impressions, which can have so many jokes per minute that some are sure to pass the average viewer by. And the fact that the plot is based around the two detectives investigating cocaine-laced girl scout cookies? Comedy gold.
Repossessed (1990)
We actually recently covered this on the Awfully Good YouTube Channel (check it out if you haven’t yet), this is one that somehow passed me by for years. Sure, it’s not exactly great, but it’s got Leslie Nielsen and Linda Blair starring in a parody of The Exorcist! I’ll always love actors coming back to make fun of the role that made them famous. There’s slapstick and a tone that is completely unserious, which really contrasts with the usual drab atmosphere of The Exorcist.
Scary Movie 3 (2003)
Yes, everyone knows the first film and its parody of Scream, but the shift to the PG-13 rating had this one dismissed by many at the time of its release. And I get it, the prior two had really relied on their raunchiness, and PG-13 comedy doesn’t normally hit in the same way. But thankfully, with David Zucker and Leslie Nielsen joining the fray, this hits in the same way the Zucker Bros. films from the 70s/80s did. Anna Faris is at the top of her game, and Simon Rex proves that he can hang with the best with his physical comedy (that’s sadly not been taken advantage of since). Charlie Sheen even feels like he’s straight from the set of Hot Shots.
What are some of your favorite underrated/underseen parody films? Did we miss any important ones? Let us know in the comments below!
Related
Box Office Update: Fantastic Four falls hard in week 2
The post The Most Underrated Parody Films Of All Time appeared first on JoBlo.