Comedians have spoofed and parodied both fiction and real-life in an attempt to lend a little humor to what might otherwise be considered a very serious affair. In the movie world, no franchise is safe from sarcastic and satirical filmmakers out to poke fun at our most beloved celluloid treasures.
Through the years, a number of memorable spoof franchises have emerged to stomp other properties into the ground, while doing a clown dance on their backs. Here's 10 of the absolute funniest, ranked by IMDb from hilarious, to side-splitting!
Hot Shots (1991) - 6.8
Following the success of movies like Airplane!, Jim Abrahams would fly solo and create the Hot Shots! franchise, designed to parody the runaway success of Top Gun. It cast a young Charlie Sheen in the role of Topper Harley, a Tom Cruise ripoff with a suitcase full of laughs in tow.
Sheen would reprise the role for an equally hilarious sequel, also directed by Abrahams. A pity a third was never released, but then again, it's hard to top a Rambo knockoff firing a chicken from a recurve bow! IMDb gave the original a hearty 6.8.
Spaceballs (1987) - 7.1
Brooks would next take on sci-fi to capitalize on the runaway success of George Lucas' Star Wars trilogy. In typical fashion, Brooks made Spaceballs a vehicle to parody everything from the Death Star to the Millennium Falcon, and back again. The sheer number of Star Wars gags in Spaceballs makes it impossible to list them all here, but it's no surprise that Lucas himself loved the movie.
Spaceballs also didn't shy away from poking fun at corporate merchandising, which was a hot commodity in the 1980s. Star Wars would kick the trend off, but Spaceballs was the first to drag it into the spotlight and embarrass it for the sake of a few laughs. IMDb gave it a 7.1.
The Naked Gun (1988) - 7.6
At first glance, The Naked Gun is nearly identical to the short-lived TV series it was based on - Police Squad. Same characters, same lead actor, and same comedic style. However, that's where the comparisons stop. The Naked Gun mixed physical gags and goofy humor with more adult-rated comedy in order to craft the perfect parody film.
Leslie Nielsen was perfectly cast as the bumbling Lieutenant Frank Drebin, a guy who can barely park his car without it causing an international incident. Combined with the ing cast (including pre-controversial O.J. Simpson), The Naked Gun was a one-way trip to the hospital from all the laughter! IMDb gave the first Naked Gun film a 7.6.
Airplane! (1980) - 7.7
Hollywood hooligans Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker kicked off a decade loaded with side-splitting spoof movies beginning with 1980's Airplane! The film poked fun at the disaster movie genre while hitting on pop culture references from films like Saturday Night Fever.
One enjoys Airplane! best after suspending all maturity in favor of a grade schooler's taste in comedy, and that's entirely the point. It's one of the most immature parody films ever made, yet sprinkled with witty bits that only adults can truly understand. IMDb ranks this one with a score of 7.7.
Blazing Saddles (1974) - 7.7
Leave it to a sarcastic Jewish comedy director to lampoon race relations against the backdrop of the Old Wild West! That's exactly what Mel Brooks did with the seminal classic Blazing Saddles, a film about a black sheriff policing an all-white town.
This kind of in-your-face racially charged comedy would later serve as an inspiration for comics like Dave Chappelle, who were quite happy to poke fun at all races, simultaneously for the purpose of bringing them together. The satire is edgy, and it cuts close to the wire, but it's never truly offensive. Instead, it's a fun vehicle for everyone to poke fun at the goofiness and pointlessness of racism, as a whole. IMDb also gave this one a 7.7.
Shaun Of The Dead (2004) - 7.9
The resurgence of the zombie movie happened around the same time the Resident Evil franchise hit the PlayStation. Almost overnight, George Romero's "Dead" films began to take a new form, with films, comics, and other content showcasing the living dead.
Naturally, someone would make a parody of it, and Shaun Of The Dead was such a film. An obvious titular quip on Romero's Dawn Of The Dead, it told the story of a zombie outbreak from a comedic perspective, long before Zombieland would continue the trend. It would also give actor Simon Pegg his breakout role into superstardom. IMDb praised this one with a 7.9.
This Is Spinal Tap (1984) - 7.9
Rob Reiner would exit his All In The Family Days as Mike Stivic to pursue a lucrative career as a film director, and one of the first films to achieve widespread notoriety was undoubtedly This Is Spinal Tap. The film adapts a mockumentary style of filmmaking which follows the fictional heavy metal band Spinal Tap from the dressing room to the stage, and everywhere in between.
Reiner's directorial style and timing helped create some of the most hilarious scenes of all time, by showcasing a ridiculous band too often similar to their real-world, eccentric early 1980s counterparts. As such, the line between fact and fiction is blurred, which is entirely the point! The film stands tall on IMDb with a solid 7.9.
Young Frankenstein (1974) - 8.0
Mel Brooks is no stranger to the parody scene, and it could be argued that he's the original godfather of the genre. Young Frankenstein was one of several films that brought his name to the forefront of the comedy genre, showcasing his ingenious comedic wit, and a clever black and white visual style.
Gene Wilder's portrayal of Dr. Frankenstein is right on par with a parody character, and the film's use of props which directly reference the 1931 Universal classic was a stroke of genius that lent an atmosphere to the film. IMDb gave it an even 8.0.
Monty Python's Life Of Brian (1979) - 8.1
If anyone was going to blaspheme the Biblical story of Jesus, it would be the Monty Python crew. Life of Brian is often overlooked in comparison to The Holy Grail, which is unfortunate given that it's an equally hilarious film.
It centers around the character of Brian Cohen, a Jew born next door to Jesus Christ who ends up being mistaken for him. It pokes edgy fun at everything from bronze-age stonings, to the Sermon on the Mount, and even the crucifixion! IMDb appreciated the blasphemy by giving it an 8.1
Monty Python & The Holy Grail (1975) - 8.2
It could be argued that babies emerge from the womb fully capable of quoting Monty Python & The Holy Grail, and for good reason! It's the ultimate spoof film - a madcap adventure centering around a boat-load of escaped mental patients playing King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table while tarnishing them beyond repair.
In typical Monty Python form, the humor is crass, juvenile and ridiculous, yet delivered with all the charm that only the British could possibly get away with! From shrubbery-chasing Knights of Ni, to a killer bunny and a blessed medieval hand grenade, this film has everything except a laugh track. And no, it doesn't need one! Perhaps that's why it stands tall with an 8.2 on IMDb.
