Parody: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

 

Lack of respect for the source material is the most common danger of parody. Not all parody is [[Satire]]. As satire is usually pursuing [[Moral of the Story|an intellectual point]], we expect it to be critical. On the other hand, most parodies are watched by people who liked the original stories, so pointing out too loudly that something is stupid (or that it broadly seems to defy the premise) can subconsciously insult the viewer. In fact, many successful parodies still use the situation or design that they mock. They simply [[Lampshade Hanging|point out that it doesn't make sense]], but let the appeal be in the eye of the beholder.

The most basic idea is, of course, that a parody is essentially something you've seen before in a different form. Your audience hopes you bring something new to the table, and will not be impressed if all you do is regurgitate tropes.

 

 

See also [[Satire]], [[Pastiche]], [[Farce]], [[Meta Trope Intro]], [[Parodied Trope]] (spoofing a trope).

 

For a list of tropes used ''in'' parodies, see [[Parody Tropes]].

 

== [[Comic Books]] ==

* The ''[[Dork Tower]]'' comic regularly features covers (and sometimes entire issues) that parody some aspect of geek or pop culture, often with some relationship to the story inside. Subjects have included ''[[Understanding Comics]]'', Rice Krispies cereal, ''A Brief History of Time'', [[Harvey Comics]], Pink Floyd...

* The ''[[Scary Movie]]'' series contains countless send-ups of contemporary horror and sci-fi movies, among other films. [[Seltzer and Friedberg|A few of the creators]] have also produced similar genre-spoof movies with self-descriptive titles, like ''Date Movie'', ''Epic Movie'' and ''Disaster Movie''. [[Non-Indicative Name|Despite their names]], they seem to spoof [[Shallow Parody|the trailers of the respective year's hyped films]] instead.

** ''[[Not Another Teen Movie]]'', a parody of teen films in general and ''She's All That'' in particular, was also written by two (different) members of the same team of creators.

* A grand Italian tradition is that of redubbing, which consists in gag dubs of movies ranging from the sketches to full-length movies that may not share the film's plot or premise at all (sometimes with extensive new footage shot). Started with [[Star Trek]] II way way back in the 1980s, making the gag dub [[Older Than They Think]]. Lots of parodies can be found [http://www.stevenworks.com here] (naturally in Italian, and many of which strictly in local dialects.)

** A recurring gag in a [[Gag Dub]] is to use the original dialogue of certain characters. By simply changing the other dialogue around it, what they said makes them look even stupider than if their dialogue had been changed.

* ''[[Beverly Hills Ninja]]'' is a parody of [[Mighty Whitey]] ninja films. It features a tribe of ninjas adopting an orphan Caucasian boy whom they think will be their clan's long-prophesized "Great White Hope." Unfortunately for them, the boy grows up to be a clumsy, uncoordinated adult (played by Chris Farley) and the only way he can save the day is with the secret assistance of the ninja tribe's best Japanese member.

* ''[[Mystery Team]]'' is this for amateur sleuth stories.

* The New Zealand comedy ''[[Tongan Ninja]]'' is a spoof of martial arts films in general, and Bruce Lee's ''[[Way of the Dragon]]'' in particular.

 

== [[Literature]] ==

** It's also taking on R. M. Ballantyne's ''Coral Island'' ([[Lampshaded]] by the end).

* ''Barry Trotter'' parodies... oh, go on, guess.

 

== [[Live Action TV]] ==

** At least in the first season. Then it became too whiny and [[Rom Com]]-ish, attempting satire and/or deconstruction where none were necessary.

* Similarly, ''[[Police Squad!]]!'' was a parody of 1960s- and 1970s-vintage [[Police Procedural]] shows, particularly the output of Quinn Martin Productions, and specifically ''[[M Squad]]''.

* ''[[Brass Eye]]'' parodied the shock-obsessed news media by lifting their style.

* ''The Oceanic Six: A Conspiracy of Lies'' is a [[Faux Documentary|mockumentary]] on the ''[[Lost]]'' season 4 DVD. Presented as an in-universe documentary, the film is an obvious parody of ''[[Loose Change]]'', from the music, voiceovers, interviews with questionably qualified scientists, anonymous interviews, wild accusations, and claims of a government coverup in regards to the crash of Oceanic flight 815 and the subsequent {{spoiler|rescuing of six passengers}}. The irony, of course, is that the documentary is ''right'' that the official story is a lie...but its explanation is hilariously wrong (one word: cannabalism).

* ''[[My Life in Film]]'', a little-known BBC comedy about a slightly delusional scriptwriter that took place in worlds that were parodies of popular films.

 

== [[Music]] ==

* Also [[Bohemian Parody]], which covers parodies of [[Queen|Bohemian Rhapsody]].

 

== [[Radio]] ==

* "The Further Adventures Of Nick Danger, Third Eye" by the [[Firesign Theatre]] is an extended parody of [[Film Noir]].

 

== [[Video Games]] ==

* The name of the game [[Parodius]] says it all, period (parody of [[Gradius]])!

 

== [[Web Comics]] ==

 

== [[Web Original]] ==

* ''[[Sailor Nothing]]'' is a dark parody of ''[[Sailor Moon]]'' and, by extension, a [[Pastiche]] of [[Magical Girl]] shows in general.

* [http://www.springhole.net/humor/awfulteenparanormalromance.htm This madlib] parodies certain [[Paranormal Romance]] stories.

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrdHe__tt3U This video] is a parody of unboxing videos.

 

== [[Western Animation]] ==

* The ''[[Family Guy]]'' ''[[Star Wars]]'' special parodies various moments in the sci-fi film but does not satirise it.

* Pretty much the entire point of ''[[Robot Chicken]]''. They'll do an original sketch at least once an episode, but the rest is typically all parodies. They've even made three [[Star Wars]] parody episodes.

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Parody Tropes]]

[[Category:Older Than Feudalism]]