Who doesn't love a good spoof? There are some great flicks out there
that poke fun -- gently and not so gently -- at genres or particular
shows/movies that we have grown to love. I'm sure that once I complete
this list of favorites, I'll think of something that I should have
included, but nonetheless I'm going to go ahead and give the list a
shot.
Here goes!
The Princess Bride: Positively
hilarious, this is a riotous ride through fantasy lands complete with
romance, adventure, fencing, pirates, Rodents of Unusual Size, a rhyming
giant, a torture chamber, a six-fingered man, a batty miracle man, a
priest who sounds like Elmer Fudd... Well, you get the picture. This is
one bedtime story you'll never forget!
Young Frankenstein:
I don't care if it's in black and white. This Mel Brooks monster movie
doesn't need color to tickle the funnybone. When the famed scientist's
nephew inherits his castle, he isn't too interested in following in his
uncle's footsteps. But his creative instinct soon takes hold, and his
attempt to form his own perfect being goes awry when Igor brings him an
abnormal brain...
Airplane: It doesn't get much funnier
than this. This movie is so stupid it's hilarious. It's got more
one-liners and sight gags than you can shake a stick at. "Surely you
can't be serious!" "I am serious, and don't call me Shirley." A plane's
passengers and pilot go down with food poisoning, and it's up to a
conflicted fighter pilot to save the day. Can he do it? You may be too
busy laughing to notice!
Airplane 2: Not quite as good
as the first, but pretty darn close. It's got all the same types of
gags, and once again the fate of hundreds of passengers depends on our
hero Striker. This time, however, it's a space ship, and it's got a bomb
on it. Extra bonus: William Shatner.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail:
This naughty spoof of the Arthurian epic is both witty and absurd. A
troop of Brits tramping across the countryside in search of the Holy
Grail, riding invisible horses whose hoof-steps are simulated by
coconuts. Kinda falls apart at the end, but there are plenty of laughs
beforehand to make up for it.
Galaxy Quest: A must for Trekkies. This movie places the crew of a syndicated sci-fi hit which bears a suspicious resemblance to Star Trek
on an actual space vessel to help a batch of adoring alien fans beat an
evil enemy. Tim Allen plays the Captain Kirk-like figure, and he is the
most clueless of all when it comes to actually filling his character's
shoes. Most fully appreciated by Trekkies, the movie reaches its climax
with a band of nerdy groupies who must come to the crew's rescue.
Space Balls: Space is a popular setting for spoofs, and this film, whose storyline focuses mainly on Star Wars,
considers most sci-fi fair game. Mixed in with the tale of the valiant
hero who must use the Schwartz to defeat the ridiculous villain Lord
Helmet and rescue his princess are references to such shows and movies
as Star Trek, Aliens and Planet of the Apes.
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery:
All right, I'll include it. This James Bond spoof features a British
special agent from the sixties with bad teeth, an extra supply of mojo,
and clothes that would make Elton John cringe. He's got his moments, but
the star of this spoof, in my opinion, is Dr. Evil, the much maligned
villain who Austin was thawed out to defeat. It's hard to feel too
intimidated by this guy, but it sure is easy to laugh at him.
And finally, here's two especially for the kiddies.
Muppet Treasure Island:
The remake of the Stevenson classic by Henson's famous crew of muppets.
A crew consisting of the scurviest bunch of scallawags ever to be
crafted, an island populated by a tribe of savage hogs (including a
certain female pig with whom we are all familiar), and of course some
rousing Muppet songs...It's a hilarious high-seas adventure your kids
will love.
Veggie Tales: Are You My Neighbor?: Just had
to include this. It's got not one but two spoofs on it. The first is a
rendition of the Good Samaritan told in the style of Dr. Seuss and set
against a Seussian background. Second is an adventure which takes Junior
Asparagus, Bob and Larry onto the U.S.S. Applepies to help Scooter
avoid having the ship hit by a giant popcornball meteor. Yes, these are
very gentle spoofs, but they're great nonetheless. You may well even
catch yourself giggling.
Well, I won't say this is a definitive list of the ten best spoofs, but they're all pretty good and certainly funny.
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