In many ways, movies keep real life in check. In commenting on what is happening in the world, movies can act as a filter of the outside world, blending analysis with entertainment. Mirroring real life in an exaggerated way for comic effect, the movies that attempt to exploit the outside world are known as satires.
Reflecting the absurdity of the era, satirical movies were very popular during the 20th century. Sometimes touching on taboo topics such as sex, politics, or religion, these films cleverly toed the line to make fun of otherwise disregarded topics.
IMDb Score: 6.8/10
One ofSteve Martin’smost underrated pictures,Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaidis a detective satire movie that holds the films it mimics in such high regard it incorporates them into the movie. The film, a parody of ’40s film noir, is in part a collage film, interspersing clips from 19 classic films as characters and elements of the plot.
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The gimmick is more impressive than effective, but Martin provides enough laughs with his physical comedy and running gags to make up for it. For all the exterior segments it leaves in, the movie funnily cuts the scene, which explains its quizzical title. Putting the past (or paste) in pastiche,Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaidis a jocular ode to the original private eyes.
11’Hollywood Shuffle' (1987)
IMDb Score: 6.9/10
One of the forgotten great independent films of the late 1980s boom,Hollywood Shuffleis a mammoth feat for its co-writer, co-producer, director, and star,Robert Townsend. A commentary on the roles given to and racial stereotypes surrounding Black actors,Hollywood Shuffleis essentially a series of skits that makes a singular, important argument.
At times overly episodic, the film is a light comedy with a bunch of genuine laughs. Townsend and co-writerKeenan Ivory Wayanskeenly present scenarios that feel relatable to audiences. Townsend is incredibly likable as the protagonist Bobby Taylor, a struggling actor, and brings a charisma that flows through the whole movie.
10’Wag the Dog' (1997)
IMDb Score: 7.1/10
An eerily prescient depiction of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal and the bombing of Iraq,Wag the Dogwas released a year before the mayhem it predicted occurred. Alongside movies such asThe American President,Bullworth, andPrimary Colors,Wag the Doghighlighted successful political comedies released during the Clinton administration.
Nominated for 2 Academy Awards,Wag the Dogis a clever mixture of political observation and Hollywood inside baseball, with two stars,Dustin HoffmanandRobert De Niro, in peak form. WithBarry Levinsonat the helm, who was the perfect person for the project,Wag the Dogsucceeds due to its smart writing and uncanny plausibility.
9’Heathers' (1988)
IMDb Score: 7.2/10
Few films are as influential asHeathers. Inspiring both a musical and television adaptation, the black comedy’s impact has far outreached its limited$1 million box officeoutput. Frequently placed among the best coming-of-age films of all time, the movie was a bitter response to the John Hughes-style high school movies that grew in popularity in the 1980s.
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The movie explores indecorous but prevalent issues such as peer pressure and teenage suicide without kid gloves, often for the better. While it can be a bit extreme at times, particularly with its over-the-top ending,Heatherspulls far enough to create satire but not too far to be unrealistic. A game-changer for teen comedies to follow,Heathersisthe definition of a cult classic.
8’The Long Goodbye' (1973)
IMDb Score: 7.5/10
Robert Altmanknew that his zany, modernized take on Philip Marlowe would draw its detractors, commenting that classic Chandler fans would “hate my guys” but stating that he didn’t “give a damn,” according toThe Chicago Tribune.The Long Goodbyewas a story of people out of place and out of time. Besides its lead detective, Altman and starElliot Gouldwere out of favor in Hollywood at the time of production.
Working as an unbelievably good neo-noir comedy and crime mystery,The Long Goodbyeis perfectly paced with glorious cinematography fromVilmos Zsigmondand a sharp, lean script fromLeigh Brackett. Contemporary critics failed to catch on to the movie’s brilliance, often denouncing it as flimsy and mocking. In contrast, retrospective reviews have been effusive in their praise for the wildly inventive cinematic gallivant.
7’The Player' (1992)
Another Altman film,The Player,works as a sneering look into Hollywood due to its conceivability.As cynical as almost any film ever made about the entertainment industry,The Playermanages to insult the system while offering no one in particular as its sacrificial lamb. The quick-witted script, one of the 90s best, was written byMichael Tolkinfrom his book of the same name.
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Altman, who was in a slump as a director at the time, used his history of studio battling to poke fun at their ridiculousness. Featuring 65 celebrity cameos,The Playergives a vivid insight into Hollywood and Los Angeles. By juxtaposing the violence of some of the film with the glamour of the “city of angels,“The Playerpaints a funny but contemptuous picture of the movie business.
6’Love and Death' (1975)
IMDb Score: 7.7/10
An innocent satire, almost all the writers ofLove and Deathmocks had been dead for over 50 years when the film came out. A comic take on 19th-century Russian philosophical novels, notably the works of Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy,Love and Deathis like a Marx Brothers film with"the starkness of a Bergman movie.”
Able to be enjoyed by literary experts and novices alike, the movie includes amusing in-jokes and more universal slapstick humor. Often evocative, the movie contrasts the gloom of the setting with a bouncy soundtrack, with Prokofiev adding another Russian flavor. Many filmmakers have shared their admiration for the film, including Bill Hader, who has said the film is"insane, yet it completely works.”
5’The King of Comedy' (1982)
IMDb Score: 7.8/10
Coming offRaging Bull, which received eight Oscar nominations and is widely regarded as one ofMartin Scorsese’smasterpieces, his follow-up,The King of Comedy, was an off-speed pitch few saw coming. Although the film was a flop, its reputation has sprouted in the years since its release and is now one of Scorsese’s most admired works.
Robert De Nirois flawless as the delusional Rupert Pumpkin, a clear extension of his characters in Scorsese’s previous Raging Bull and Taxi Driver. Further,Jerry LewisandSandra Bernhardare unforgettable.The King of Comedyis a delusional movie about delusion and is as relevant in the current age, more than 40 years later, as it ever was.
4’This is Spinal Tap' (1984)
IMDb Score: 7.9/10
A groundbreaking mockumentary,This is Spinal Tapis as beloved by those it makes fun of as anyone. Many musicians, includingLars UlrichandDave Grohl, have publicly stated their affection for the film, with Grohl calling it"the only rock movie worth watching."
Largely improvised, the idea for the fictional band was incepted by the foursome ofChristopher Guest,Michael McKean,Harry Shearer, andRob Reinerwhile working on the sketch showThe TV Show. A cult favorite,This is Spinal Tapis raucously funny, largely thanks to the comedic brilliance of its exceptional creators.
3’Being There' (1979)
IMDb Score: 8/10
A satire of rare delicacy,Being Therelynches on all its tiny little touches coming together effortlessly. Particularly praiseworthy is the direction ofHal Ashbyand the leading performance ofPeter Sellers. Together with potent imagery and subtle intelligence, they create a film that reflects on very adult topics with a childlike wonder.
The acting is terrific, and Sellers brings a great deal of pathos to his Academy Award-nominated role.Melvyn Douglas, who won the Oscar himself, is also very good as the dying business mogul. Widely accepted as one of the best the genre has to offer, the film was ranked 26th on AFI’s “100 Years…100 Laughs” list.
