00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at the horror movies that paved the way for
00:09parodies in their honor. Since crucial scenes tend to be the most spoofed, watch out for
00:13some spoilers.
00:14In all fairness, this once mighty series became a parody of its former
00:29self by the hugely panned final installment. Funnily enough, parodies of its universally
00:34acclaimed first entry keep Jaws relevant.
00:46There's a good chance you might have seen a Jaws spoof before the film itself. Back
00:50when it first came out, sketch comedies like Saturday Night Live and The Carol Burnett
00:54Show couldn't resist putting their spin on things, with regular Jaws films releasing
00:59in quick succession, 80s franchises like Back to the Future also took some subtle jabs at
01:04it. Certain other monster movies like Piranha 3D go further, bringing Jaws cast member Richard
01:16Dreyfuss for a metafictional wink at the audience.
01:22Remember when slasher films were all the rage? I Know What You Did Last Summer made
01:33one of the biggest splashes in the genre. The film stands out mainly for a few memorable
01:38scenes, which fans love to play on repeat.
01:44Naturally, parody movies wouldn't let them slide, providing us with some hilarious spoof
01:51renditions. I Know What You Did Last Summer's unintentionally quirky outline makes it an
01:56easy story to replicate. Sitcoms like The Simpsons have poked fun at the film's bizarre
02:12premise. We also have films entirely dedicated to satirising the slasher movie. I Know What
02:17You Did Last Summer goes for a scary tone, but its parodies flip this into a mixture
02:21of deadpan and slapstick comedy.
02:37Few films had a marketing campaign as intense as this one. The found footage framing device
02:41convinced many that the film's horrors were genuine. With moments set in isolated areas
02:46and the characters stalked by an evil entity, The Blair Witch Project really kicks in your
02:51paranoia. However, this also gave spoof enthusiasts a lot of material. After the film's success,
03:03just about every comedic media wanted in on it. Whether it was live shows like the MTV
03:08Awards, or sketch comedies like MADtv, there was a parody version everywhere. It was a
03:25matter of time before parody movies got their crack at it. Scary Movie gave us one of the
03:30funniest renditions you'll ever see.
03:43Parodies of Scream are ironic, considering the film is a deconstruction of its genre.
03:47Wes Craven's contemporary classic became popular because of how self-aware it is. Along
03:52with influencing similar slashers for years to come, Scream laid the foundation for several
03:57comedies. Most popular might be Scary Movie, which spoofs most of Scream's events to
04:09hilarious levels. Although Ghostface is now a horror icon, the antagonist is a favourite
04:15among parody aficionados. Scream's entry into the mainstream prompted several comedic
04:31interpretations, remaining just as funny now as they were then. The joke about creepy calls
04:35from strangers might not be original any more, but it's always reliable for a good laugh.
04:50Even if you're too squeamish for a Saw movie, chances are you've still seen Billy the Puppet.
05:03The Jigsaw doll is one of the most recognisable faces in the horror genre. Films and shows
05:08like to poke fun at him every chance they get. Jigsaw's arbitrary reasons for placing
05:12victims in elaborate traps is Saw's most meme-able aspect, and spoofs max this out to its wackiest
05:19potential. From shows like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia to films like Scary Movie
05:294, you'll find some comedic variation of a Jigsaw trap. You know you've got something
05:33funny when you get Shuck and Dr. Phil to play along. With the series going strong for two
05:38decades, we expect more parodies to keep coming our way.
05:52The Alien series revolutionised the horror genre, masterfully blending sci-fi and action.
05:57This also helped the spoof genre to go bigger, turning the film's scary elements on its head.
06:08Whether geared towards an adult audience or a family-friendly one, Alien parodies are
06:12abundant. Some prefer to mock the dreaded chestburster, while others rip on fully-grown
06:18xenomorphs. Whatever it might be, these deliberately cheesy interpretations still manage to capture
06:23the Alien aesthetic. Certain parodies like Spaceballs have taken on a life of their own,
06:28carving out a separate fanbase of the scene. Kid shows like Animaniacs have also taken
06:44a stab at it, giving young viewers a look into the Alien experience. Without all the
06:49gory trauma, of course.
07:01How many times have you heard the words, it's alive, uttered in your life? Famously heard
07:06in 1931's Frankenstein, the quote has long since been used as meme fodder, best used
07:20to highlight a villainous overreaction or to exaggerate a character's wacky personality.
07:25We've seen such derivative scenes time and time again, and yet the execution always works.
07:36Apart from its most famous scene, the film has spawned several well-received parodies,
07:40from Mel Brooks' much-revered Young Frankenstein to Tim Burton's reimagining of the monster
07:45as a dog in Frankenweenie. The idea of a creature made from body parts is surprisingly funny.
08:00Its evergreen quality has enabled this form of humour to remain relevant on both big and
08:05small screens across centuries.
08:10Parodies of The Exorcist are almost as old as the film itself. The horror classic took
08:14the world by storm, remaining one of the scariest movies ever made. Comedy writers accepted
08:25the challenge of giving it a humorous spin. Five decades later, we're still laughing
08:29at the many parodies released since then.
08:32The exorcism scene has become a staple in both horror and comedy. Reagan's Possession
08:36is horrifying in the original, but spoofs usually turn up its absurdity to epic proportions.
08:42You have to admire the creativity that goes into these, as no two skits are alike. Whether
08:55you're a fan of the Scary Movie 2's slapstick take, SNL's wittier comedy style, or any other,
09:01laughter is guaranteed.
09:15Another movie with its fair share of memorable quotes, The Shining's more iconic moments
09:20have been part of the spoof genre for decades.
09:31Jack Torrance's eventual meltdown has a funny side if you've got a devious sense of humour.
09:36Shows like South Park and The Simpsons have exploited these for some truly bizarre jokes.
09:48Then we have Jack's famous catchphrase that immortalised him into the echelons of pop
09:52culture. That crazy visual proved too good to resist, quickly becoming the most parodied
10:01aspect of the film. Other horror franchises like Child's Play have paid homage to this
10:06scene, adding a bit of personal flavour along the way. It might be a horror movie, but the
10:10comedy genre also owes a lot to The Shining.
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10:36The shower scene in this Hitchcockian horror has the greatest shock value in cinema. Nobody
10:41saw it coming in the film, but everyone knows what's about to happen in spoofs. It's a perfect
10:51set up for some off-kilter humour, usually deviating from the brand of comedy the film
10:56or show is associated with. The joke comes from the complete tonal contrast between Psycho
11:01and the comedic material. We've seen it in live action, animation, and in between. Even
11:06Bugs Bunny got in on the action. Meanwhile, films like Mel Brooks' High Anxiety offer
11:19a deflation of Psycho's airtight intensity. Hitchcock's masterpiece has an enduring legacy,
11:34proving characters are just as likely to be killed in the shower, no matter which genre
11:37they belong to. Did we miss any horror parody that gives you all the funny chills? Let us
11:43know in the comments.
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