Like television, novels, comic books, or video games, the film industry is characterized by its various genres, be it something more mainstream like comedy or horror or something a bit more niche, like a slasher or a buddy cop film. While certain cinematic genres ebb and flow in popularity, it’s a safe bet that movies will always fall into a clear-cut classification regarding their content, tone, or distinct narrative characteristics.
So long as genres are around, audiences can always expect to see comedy movies parodying those same cinematic genres in grand fashion. From satirical disaster movies to hilarious musical mockumentaries, these parody movies continue to delight and entertain fans across multiple generations.
The parody movie to end all parody movies, there’s a reason people continue to quote Airplane! over 40 years since its original release. The magnum opus of the Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker comedic team, Airplane! comes packed to the brim with laugh-out-loud lines and zany bits of humor. From Leslie Nielsen’s deadpan delivery to the movie’s utilization of slapstick and absurdist comedy, it’s literally impossible to keep a straight face throughout Airplane!’s quick-moving 87-minute runtime.
The crown jewel of Mel Brooks’ eclectic filmography, Young Frankenstein might just be the most iconic parody movie ever created. A tongue-in-cheek spoof of Universal’s ‘30s monster movies, Brooks and his legendary collaborator Gene Wilder found a satisfying balance in their parodic tone on Young Frankenstein, appealing to audiences of all ages through their one-of-a-kind humor and the movie’s austere comedic performance.
At the risk of this simply becoming a list of the best Mel Brooks movies, we can’t discuss parody movies without bringing up Blazing Saddles. The film that helped Brooks and company make the jump to mainstream comedy, Blazing Saddles also showed off Brooks talent for presenting age-old genre tropes in a new and entertaining light. Mocking the most stereotypical aspects of a Western film, Brooks managed to introduce a wackier absurdist style than most audiences were used to seeing, paving the way for Brooks’ later work in Young Frankenstein, Spaceballs, and Robin Hood: Men in Tights.
The Naked Gun is one of those rare cinematic trilogies where every single entry remains worth seeing. As great as the series’ final two installments are, there’s something positive to be said about the initial entry in The Naked Gun series. A direct extension of the unjustly canceled Police Squad! TV series, Files from the Police Squad! acted as a fitting continuation of its television counterpart, expertly satirizing the hard-boiled conventions of the police procedural genre.
Wrapping up his six-year tenure on Saturday Night Live in the mid 1990s, Mike Myers ensured his successful transition into the film industry with his 1997 cult favorite, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. The first of a trilogy, Myers conjured up an effective love letter to the overly stylized James Bond series with his International Man of Mystery. Lampooning some of the foremost elements associated with the Bond universe, Myers poked fun at all the kitschier plot points of a 007 adventure, from the cartoonishly evil villain to the movies’ innuendo-laden dialogue.
Following the conclusion of Monty Python’s Flying Circus in 1974, the Python troupe reunited for a full-fledged feature film satirizing Arthurian legend. The results gave way to one of the most iconic British comedies in the entirety of pop culture, allowing the Pythons to make the momentous leap from TV to film. As with their original series and later films, Monty Python and the Holy Grail drew on the Pythons’ extensive reliance on surreal and absurdist gags, taking King Arthur and his knights on an epic journey filled with revolutionary peasants, salacious maidens, and ferocious, man-eating rabbits.
A landmark film in the mockumentary genre, This Is Spinal Tap has certainly earned its status as an universally beloved cult film in the decade since its release. Laying the groundwork for later TV series like The Office, Parks and Recreation, and Modern Family, This Is Spinal Tap demonstrated the eminent potential for a documentary-style comedy narrative, something that became all too apparent years later. A direct parody of pretentious ‘70s and ‘80s rock documentaries, This Is Spinal Tap cranks the dial up to 11 in terms of its rapid-fire jokes and highly original comedy sequences, from the inclusion of an 18-inch Stonehenge to drummers mysteriously prone to combustion.
