ROTTEN TOMATOES: Total Recall: History of the Spoof Movie, Part One Comments

Total Recall: History of the Spoof Movie, Part One

by Tim Ryan and Alex Vo | August 27, 2008

Summary

Three spoof movies in one year! Is America fortunate or what? Following January's Meet the Spartans and March's Superhero Movie, the genre comes roaring back with Disaster Movie, cobbled together from trailers, Internet memes, and films dating as far back as December 2007. But the spoof genre runs a deeper cinematic legacy than current trends suggests, and in this week's Total Recall we salute the filmmakers who paved the genre's path and made it possible for Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer to find jobs. Back to Article

(1-42 of 42 posts) | Reply

indiefilmfan2 writes:
on Aug 27 2008 05:01 PM

Best line in a spoof film:

"He vould have an enormous schwanzstucker."
"That goes without saying."

The Epic Movie / Meet the Spartans type spoof is the absolute lowest of the lowest in cinema. Even worse than an Uwe Boll film. At least with Boll you can be entertained by his blind, unintentionally hilarious passion. I actually liked the first two Scary Movies, in certain parts, but then the edginess was lost when # 3 was downgraded to PG-13. Unfortunately, SM 3 making much more than SM 2 seemed to convince studio executives that PG-13 was the way to go.

I heard that some $3 million of Meet the Spartans' opening weekend was actually from teenagers buying a ticket for that to sneak into Rambo. I imagine the same thing will give a boost to Disaster Movie's sales.

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toasted_ninja writes:
on Aug 27 2008 05:02 PM

what are you dense? since when is it a good thing that three of the same movies are released in the same year?
i mean honestly don't even register these as even "movies" there just bad

STOP FEEDING THE BEAST!

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indiefilmfan2 writes:
on Aug 27 2008 05:13 PM

Maybe its the fact that this film has become a template for the modern "Epic Movie" type spoof but, I always thought Airplane was a bit overrated. It's a funny film but 100% with an average rating of 8.4? Not so much. It's great you guys included the best spoofer, Mel Brooks, but where is Blazing Saddles?

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Stimutaxnation writes:
on Aug 27 2008 05:47 PM

I think Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood should be included under the Wayans Brothers. I realize Keenan Ivory didn't direct, but Shawn and Marlon both wrote it, and personally I think it's a better spoof film than any of the Scary Movie franchise.

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utkipp1 writes:
on Aug 27 2008 06:04 PM

The first two Scary Movie movies were great. The third was okay and the fourth... meh. Epic Movie, Date Movie, Meet the Spartans, and Superhero Movie were utter garbage.

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adkboomer writes:
on Aug 27 2008 06:24 PM

Isn't it just a bit sad that you had to use the past tense "could" instead of can when describing Gene Wilder's comedic talents? What happened to you Gene Wilder!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!
I miss you.

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crossouttheD writes:
on Aug 27 2008 07:18 PM

Where the hell is Wrongfully Accused or Top Secret on this list?! FAIL.

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Dav3 writes:
on Aug 27 2008 08:03 PM

In reply to this comment (#2005268)
ummm...
I'll save the RT staff a post and point out there was an entire clip from Top Secret in the ZAZ entry?

A better question is where the hell is Monty Python?

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Niik000 writes:
on Aug 27 2008 08:26 PM

Well Quest for the holy grail and life of brian were'nt relly spoofing other movies, They were just spoofing history so they dont fall in place with the others.

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Loserman writes:
on Aug 27 2008 10:03 PM

"Hollywood Shuffle", anyone?

And while "The Ruling Class" isn't exactly entirely "comedy", it does sprinkle some spoofing upon several genres like the musical, the screwball comedy, and horror.

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blattman writes:
on Aug 27 2008 10:30 PM

Evil Dead 2 was sort of a over the top spoof of the first one and the genre itself.

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u1sart writes:
on Aug 27 2008 10:55 PM

I think there are only 5 spoof movies that will continue to reign and no other spoof can even dear compare.
1. Airplane
2. Blazing saddles
3. Top Secret
4. Naked Gun
5. History of the world.

and thats that.

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CaptainSiberia writes:
on Aug 27 2008 11:27 PM

"...cobbled together from trailers, Internet memes, and films dating as far back as December 2007." Smooth. Too bad a lot of people won't get it.

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tfortier writes:
on Aug 28 2008 12:44 AM

I cant wait to see the next Wrigh-Pegg-Frost movie... that trio really kick some serious ***! its about the end of the world I think... I hope Wright dont go too much in hollywood stuff, he will loose his inspiration!

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egraLeD writes:
on Aug 28 2008 05:19 AM

In reply to this comment (#2005297)
i wanted to know that too, where the hell are then?

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JBrick2334 writes:
on Aug 28 2008 05:36 AM

Haha me and three of my friends all bought tickets for Meet the spartans and instead snuck into rambo, so you're totally right bro. lol

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willpower writes:
on Aug 28 2008 07:28 AM

I never considered Shaun of the Dead a spoof. It is too good of a movie. Just a great action/horror/comedy. It can stand on its own. It doesn't spoof (make fun of) anything.

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Wayward Sean writes:
on Aug 28 2008 08:41 AM

A good spoof should be able to give such a loving send-up of what it is mocking that it blurs the line and seems like it is what it is mocking. That is why the "blood and ice cream trilogy" by Wright, Frost, and Pegg is so good. It does such a good job mocking zombie movies and action flicks, that it seems like they ARE zombie movies and action flicks. But then again, the British usually seem on the ball when it comes to comedy. Us Americans usually take a genre and put the word "Movie" after it, then call it creativity.

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Scorpio82 writes:
on Aug 28 2008 09:39 AM

So many good times. A lot of these are actually satires instead of spoofs, but the spoof genre is probably one of my favorites regardless. Too bad Friedberg and Seltzer are being real ***holes right now. There really isn't any substance to their humor.

I called it back in June. "The next spoof movie they make will probably have some guy in a horrible panda costume saying skadoosh." And there it was. More terrifying than I could've ever imagined.

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vitajex writes:
on Aug 28 2008 09:43 AM

Forgot "Dracula: Dead and Loving It" for Mel Brooks. I know I promptly did...

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whitey_mcwhite writes:
on Aug 28 2008 10:11 AM

What about Ben Stiller (Zoolander, Dodgeball, Tropic Thunder) and Will Ferrell (Anchorman, Talladega Nights, etc.). Spoof movies don't just have to spoof other movies, they're really about culture, and these are too recent great "Spoofsmen."

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josuepilk writes:
on Aug 28 2008 11:06 AM

You should have put all the scenes that Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery blatantly copied off of Casino Royale and the trailer of the same alongside one another. That movie trilogy wasn%u2019t a spoof it was a poorly written, over-hyped facsimile of works done 30 years before. Mike Myers pales in comparison to anything done by Allen, Sellers or Brooks. To include him in this list is to decry their works.

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rle4lunch writes:
on Aug 28 2008 11:48 AM

Woody Allen = self indulgent suck fest. I hate him and his stupid acting persona.

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Spiderbash writes:
on Aug 28 2008 12:15 PM

In reply to this comment (#2005772)
You're right shaun of the dead and hot fuzz are not really spoofs at all. They have there own plot line and jokes. They are more homages then spoofs. Shaun and Hot Fuzz are like my favorite films and i can't wait for the new one to come out. And by the way wouldn't Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story be a spoof movie? Because the film is making fun of musical bio films so it should be on the list.

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indiefilmfan2 writes:
on Aug 28 2008 03:19 PM

What about Tropic Thunder? Not only does it spoof famous war scenes from Platoon and Apocalypse Now, but it spoofs what goes on behind the scenes. And it does it quite well, especially when comparing it to Meet the Spartans.

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SterlingCinematic writes:
on Aug 28 2008 03:28 PM

mel brooks and gene wilder created a whole genre with their films. their spoofs are whole separate category as is film noir, action serials, epics etc.

but, cmon, disaster movie? meet the spartans? epic movie? they put it to shame.

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Dav3 writes:
on Aug 28 2008 06:26 PM

I agree with indiefilmfan2 and others, Ben Stiller should be on the list.

Tropic Thunder was on par with Shaun/Hot Fuzz imo. It's a great war movie on it's own that's even better when you know what it's referencing. In the same way, isn't Meet the Parents a spoof of romantic comedies?

Also, it occurred to me that Pat Proft should really be added to the Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker crew, since he was a big part of the Naked Gun and Hot Shots series.

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smartmoviekid writes:
on Aug 28 2008 08:57 PM

i'll always enjoy the spoof-ing goodness of austin powers. the mel brooks and ZAZ films r also well done and hilarious, especally "Blazing Saddles" and "AirPlane!"

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Thelastholdout writes:
on Aug 29 2008 06:26 AM

Good movies, most of them.

On the modern "genre movie" spoofs:

I saw the trailer for "Epic Movie" in theaters with my brothers. As soon as the wardrobe opened and all the crap came out and buried the girl, I knew it was a spoof. I smiled at that one because it was unexpected. However, throughout the rest of the trailer I didn't even crack a smile, because I knew what each joke was going to be as soon as they started setting it up. I ended up seeing the film on DVD, and I can say quite honestly that I didn't even laugh once.

As for "Disaster Movie"... I have yet to see a trailer for it that even makes me SMILE once. In fact, the strongest reaction I've experienced was a desire to puke when they pull the "water breaking" joke in the latest trailer. It's not funny, it's not original, the whole movie that they've shown so far has been ripoffs not only from the serious movies, but also other comedies (Zohan) and THEIR OWN PREDECESSORS. (Cat fight sequences, etc.)

These guys really, really need to stop making these movies.

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samjacksonisdaman421 writes:
on Aug 29 2008 08:12 AM

I'M 16 and i saw Rambo and didnt buy a ticket to Meet The Spartans because i dont want to support the Friedbreg/Seltzer machine.

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BobboFrats writes:
on Aug 29 2008 10:12 AM

TROMA

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Spiderbash writes:
on Aug 29 2008 05:11 PM

In reply to this comment (#2007016)
Yeah i'm 14 and I got a friend's dad to pay for our tickets to see rambo. I refuse to let those guys have my money.

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RE4P3R writes:
on Aug 29 2008 05:49 PM

Edgar Wright is my favorite spoof director. His films always put a smile on my face and never let it fade away until the end. I'm looking forward to his next film, and the last of the Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.

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TheWhoACDC writes:
on Aug 29 2008 09:46 PM

My friend saw Disaster Movie today... Next time I see him he's getting a firm kick in the groin.

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mooveefreek writes:
on Aug 30 2008 02:23 AM

Umm......does anyone recall a film by Ken Shapiro called "The Groove Tube" by any chance? It preceded "Kentucky Fried Movie" by about three years. Back it the 80's it was was revived on a double bill with the latter.

"Kentucky fried Movie and The Groove Tube. Shown together but not at the same time."

Har de har har.

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bijibadness writes:
on Aug 30 2008 08:46 AM

thank ****ing christ: http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/disaster_movie_a_disaster_and_tropic_thunder_aims_for_third_1

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Olivergrayhound writes:
on Aug 30 2008 03:20 PM

could someone please edit this page, just the sight of seeing "Shawn of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz" next to crap makes "Hot Fuzz" look bad. I know its chronicling the history of Spoof, but, please don't put the great "Shawn of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz" next to Friedberg and Seltzer PLEASE!!!!!!!!!

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sliknik27 writes:
on Aug 31 2008 08:00 PM

I cannot wait for Wright's next movie. A sci-fi satire would be absolutely epic.

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bowlerstang84 writes:
on Aug 31 2008 08:04 PM

As far as spoof movies go, Mel Brooks is the master. Yeah the spoof movies, if you want to call them that, from the past few years are crap. "Silent Movie" is probably one of my favorite Mel Brooks' spoofs. It makes fun of the movie business and general. The genious of the movie is that it is in fact made as a silent movie. The ironic part is that the only spoken word in the movie is spoken by a mime! Go and watch it!!

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bowlerstang84 writes:
on Aug 31 2008 08:05 PM

As far as spoof movies go, Mel Brooks is the master. Yeah the spoof movies, if you want to call them that, from the past few years are crap. "Silent Movie" is probably one of my favorite Mel Brooks' spoofs. It makes fun of the movie business in general. The genious of the movie is that it is in fact made as a silent movie. The ironic part is that the only spoken word in the movie is spoken by a mime! Go and watch it!!

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Clark Nova writes:
on Sep 01 2008 07:50 PM

Where's Fatal Instinct in this list?

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aldendalia writes:
on Sep 02 2008 07:03 AM

Why is Woody Allen listed as having something to do with Casino Royale? I checked IMDB, and he has nothing to do with it. Am I reading something wrong?

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