Comedy
Comedy is a genre that aims to amuse the audience and always includes a happy ending. It consists of humorous dialogue, physical humor, and exaggerated situations in order to create laughter. As a matter of fact, Comedy movies actually benefit our health. This is because it causes people to laugh, which releases endorphins in their bodies. Therefore, it is beneficial for people's mental and physical health. This form of entertainment was established by Aristophanes from ancient Greece around the 5th century BC. Aristophanes was a famous playwright of ancient Greece; he was known as the "Father of Comedy."
A sub-genre that I will be discussing will be parody comedy movies. A parody is a movie that imitates other movies and subjects for a comedic effect. Parodies use their humor to mock or criticize their subject.
Content:
In parody movies, they have characters that imitate characters of the original work. These characters are usually shown in a humorous or exaggerated manner, demonstrating specific traits of the original character for comedic effect. An example of this would be Austin Powers, who is supposed to represent James Bond. Parody movies also use a satirical storyline which is a storyline that mocks the plot of the original work. This is done by altering the plot to some extent or exaggerating the plot to create comedic situations and absurd scenarios. Another factor used in parodies is clever dialogues that use famous lines or catchphrases from the original movies. For example, in Spaceballs, the quote "May the Schwartz be with you" is adapted from "May the Force be with you" from the Star Wars series. These lines are usually seen in a humorous context. Another factor in parody films is breaking the fourth wall. Breaking the fourth wall is when a character in the film is talking and engaging with the audience. Therefore, this adds an additional layer of comedy by surprising the audience's expectations. Visual gags are also used in parody films. They are references to iconic scenes or imagery from the original film. Moreover, some parody movies combine details from multiple sources, creating crossover parodies. For example, a film might parody characters from different movies or genres, blending them together in one storyline. Overall, parody films are purely based on exaggeration to demonstrate the characteristics and traits of the primary film. This exaggeration is used to create humor and illustrate the ridiculous plot or characters of the movie they are trying to imitate.
Production Techniques:
Parody films often use specific production techniques to effectively mock and exaggerate certain aspects of the original film they are making fun of. These techniques help enhance the comedic effect and help create an engaging and entertaining experience. A production technique used in parody films is creating a detailed set and costume designs to recreate the look and feel of the original work. Another production technique used in parody films is the use of specific camera work. Parodies may replicate specific camera angles, shot compositions, and visual styles from the original film. By replicating the camera work, it will create a sense of familiarity and add a humorous twist. Moreover, in parodies, editing is very important since montages, jump cuts, and quick pacing of shots are often used for a comedic effect. Editing also helps with the timing of jokes, visual gags, and punchlines, which ultimately enhances the humor. In addition, parody films usually include music and sound effects from the original film. These films may extract the same sound, or they may create a sound effect or music of their own that is similar to the original sound.
Marketing:
When marketing parody films, it is important to have a trailer that shows the film's humor. Production companies do this by including memorable parody scenes, clever dialogue, and visual gags to give the audience a taste of what to expect. Another way to advertise a movie would be to target a specific audience online. Platforms like Google ads offer detailed options to focus on viewers who are likely to watch a parody of one's specific subject. Moreover, parody films can also be marketed by creating merchandise based on the parody, such as posters, action figures, or clothing. Fans of the original film are likely to buy merchandise from the parody due to it being associated with the film that is being mocked. Lastly, another way to market a parody film is to have screenings and premieres of the movie. You could do this by inviting influencers, celebrities, and media representatives to create more excitement for the film. If the film gets positive reviews from these premieres, then it can cause more excitement and attract more viewers.
Samples:
Scary Movie (2000)
"Scary Movie" is a 2000 parody comedy film directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans. It is a parody of popular horror and slasher movies. This parody mainly focuses on the films like "Scream," "I Know What You Did Last Summer," and "The Sixth Sense," etc. The story is about a group of teenagers who find themselves stalked by a masked killer after accidentally killing a man. This film mocks and over-exaggerates phrases and iconic scenes from various horror movies to create a humorous effect. Therefore, it is considered a parody film because these are the main aspects that make up a parody film. This film also has props and costumes that resemble masks, weapons, and other items that resemble the original movies, such as "Scream" and " I Know What You Did Last Summer."
Spaceballs (1987)
Another parody film would be "Spaceballs," a science fiction parody film directed by Mel Brooks. The movie is based on the "Star Wars" series. In a galaxy that is far away, the story is about the adventures of Lone Starr and his sidekick Barf as they are hired to rescue Princess Vespa from the evil Spaceballs, led by the villain, Dark Helmet, who is supposed to be depicted as Darth Vader. In this film, it uses many costumes and props that resemble the original weapons of "Star Wars," such as the lightsaber. In addition, quotes from "Star Wars" are also imitated. For example, the iconic line "I am your father" said by Darth Vader to Luke Skywalker is said as "I am your father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate" in Spaceballs.
Other Parody Comedies:
Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
