Parody movies are naturally hit-and-miss, with the best often being hilarious (and sometimes even becoming more popular than what they aimed to parody; seeAirplane) and the worst feeling lazy and one-note.It’s an entire sub-genre of comedy that wouldn’t exist if there weren’t already widely-known movies that could be made fun of. Sometimes, the parody is done to critique something that wasn’t very good, and sometimes, the style of parody is more affectionate.
When it comes to the idea of parody/spoofs/satires, the following movies tend to get referenced in an affectionate or even celebratory way, rather than mocked in any kind of savage fashion. They’re all well-regarded movies that have become classics within their respective genres, and have naturally attracted more parodies as a result. The following can’t claim to be exhaustive, but all these titles can count themselves among the most frequently parodied in cinema history.
10’Star Wars' (1977)
Director: George Lucas
The word “iconic” is going to come up a lot whenever there’s a discussion to be had around movies that often find themselves the target of parodies. And, to be perfectly blunt, there are few movies in history that are as iconic asStar Wars, withGeorge Lucas’soriginal 1977 moviekicking off a gargantuan franchise that’s stretched beyond the world of film, encompassing (but not limited to) TV shows, video games, and even an entire theme park.
The first movie isa quintessential and decade-defining space opera, with iconography, music, characters, and even dialogue that’s ripe for parody/homage. Significantly, the other movies in theStar Warsseries havecontinued the trend started by the first when it comes to parody, and perhaps the single most quoted scene in the series (the “I am your father” exchange) comes fromThe Empire Strikes Back.
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
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9’Dr. No' (1962)
Director: Terence Young
Just asStar Warsbirthed one of the most popular and frequently parodied sci-fi franchises of all time, so too didDr. Nofor the espionage genre,immortalizing the character ofJames Bondon screen for the first time. Bond had been the subject of various novels written byIan Flemingprior to 1962, but it wasDr. No– and its film sequels – that took the character to stratospheric levels pop culture-wise.
As such, it’s hard to point to a singleJames Bondmovie being the most parodied, soDr. Nocan stand in for the whole series, as the first movie. The influence of these movies is widespread enough that people are likely familiar with tropes, characters, and the actors in the series (especiallySean Connery, the first 007 actor) before they’ve even seen any of the movies. Indeed, there’s a whole trilogy of iconic parody movies –Austin Powers– mostly dedicated to spoofing oldJames Bondmovies.
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8’Alien' (1979)
Director: Ridley Scott
An influential work of sci-fi/horror that helpedestablishRidley Scottas a directorandSigourney Weaveras a star,Alienis arguably the definitive “trapped in space” movie. It mines endless tension and unease throughout with its atmosphere, punctuating these feelings with momentary bursts of memorable body horror/violence, with these sequences tending to be the most often parodied.
Alienisn’t too gory by horror movie standards, but it’s the fact it uses those grisly moments so effectively that makes them memorable, and if you try and keep track of how many movies reference/parody the chestburster scene, for example, you’ll probably soon lose count. The best demonstration of this is probably inSpaceballs, as though thatMel Brooksmovie mostly parodiesStar Wars, it also contains aJohn Hurtcameo where he dies the same death hisAliencharacter did (letting out an “Oh, no. Not again.”)
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7’The Wizard of Oz' (1939)
Director: Victor Fleming
It might not even be a stretch to say thatThe Wizard of Ozis themost popular/enduring movie of the 1930s, and one of those rare movies that’s more than 80 years old, yet has likely been seen by most. It may not necessarily be the best of that long-ago decade (one could make an argument supporting that, though), but it has the kind of universal appeal that’s made it loved by many generations.
Given it’s a go-to example of how best toexecute the fantasy genre in live action,The Wizard of Ozhas been referenced time and again, even in something as dark andunsettling asDavid Lynch’sWild at Heart. But as for parodies, it’s got beyond iconic music, well-recognized characters, and plenty of memorable lines. Given its popularity and enduring quality,chances are that just about any viewer will understand a joke about/reference to this 1939 classic.
The Wizard of Oz
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6’The Exorcist' (1973)
Director: William Friedkin
And now for something completely different toThe Wizard of Oz: 1973’sThe Exorcist. The former is one of the best family-friendly movies in history, and the latter is perhaps one of the most unsettling and confronting horror films to ever get a wide release (and get big at the box office). Despite being different, it’s still ripe for parody, and perhaps the jokes made at its expense are a way of coping with the more disturbing elements.
It should also be mentionedthatThe Exorcistserieshas basically become a parody of itself, what with 2023’sThe Exorcist: Believerbeing genuinely quite dreadful. But this ongoing cinematic series started with a bang back in 1973, and consideringThe Exorcistis just aboutas good as supernatural thriller/horror movies get, it’s understandable whypeople like to homage/parody its dialogue and more alarming scenes (neck-twisting, pea soup vomit, unusual usages of a crucifix, etc…).
The Exorcist
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5’Jaws' (1975)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Even ifJawswas nothing but a blank screen withJohn Williams’iconic theme (you know,duunnn duun… duunnn duun… duuunnnnnnnn dun dun dun dun dun) playing in the background, it still might get parodied and referenced from time to time.It’s easily one of the most recognizable themes in the history of horror, and even just hearing a second or two will conjure up the sorts of images found inJaws.
Beyond the theme, the rest of the movie is also legendary, with a youngSteven Spielbergcreating an arguably perfect thrillerfrom front to back. Even thestrikingly simple yet effective posteris easily able to be parodied, and a Google image search for “Jawsposter parody” will turn up near endless results. It is certainly an example of a movie earning its notoriety/fame, becauseJawsreally does live up to the hype in just about every conceivable way.
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4’The Matrix' (1999)
Directors: Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Released at the end of the1990s but basically defining it nonetheless,The Matrixmight well be the newest movie that can be considered one of the most parodied of all time.It took an inventive sci-fi story and blended it withamazingly well-choreographed action sequences, instantly becoming iconic for its complex world-building, memorable shootouts, and exceptionally stylish characters.
Kicking off a series that continues to generate interest, it’s still the original film from 1999 that’s easily the most well-regarded and open to parody. Any time one sees bullet time get used, there’s a good chance that it’s being done to homage or gently make fun of its use inThe Matrix. The distinctive look, feel, and characters of the world created by the movie also make it an easy target for parody.
The Matrix
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3’Psycho' (1960)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Giving theJawstheme a run for its money when it comes to picking the most memorable horror theme of all time,Bernard Herrmann’sPsychoscore is instantly recognizablefrom hearing even just the shortest of snippets. The screeching sound of the violins instantly conjures images from the film itself, and really, it’s music that could well sum up the horror/thriller genres straight away; it just sounds like musical anxiety.
Alfred Hitchcockmade plenty of great movies, butPsychomight well be the one that had the strongest entrance into pop culture at last, never really leaving that sphere in the 60+ years since its release. Like the aforementionedThe Empire Strikes Back, its twists are so well-known through parodies that it’sthe kind of film where people are likely familiar with it, to some extent, before they’ve even got the chance to watch the film(pop-cultural osmosis in action).
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2’The Godfather' (1972)
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
A perfect movie with an arguably perfect sequel,The Godfatherhas the distinction of being perhaps the most famous movie associated with just about everyone who had a hand in making it, both in front of and behind the camera. It was popular with audiences and critics alike, and even managed towin Best Picture at the Oscars; something that fewer crime movies have done than you might expect.
As far as quotable films go, few have quite as manymemorable lines of dialogue asThe Godfather, and of course,Part IIwas no slouch in this department either. The music from these two movies is iconic, certain characters (likeMarlon Brando’sVito Corleone) are easy to mimic, and even the look of the film is distinctive, meaning a certain kind of lighting/use of color can be aped in order to parody it. It’sone of the best-known American movies of all time, so it follows that it would also be one of the most widely parodied.
The Godfather
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1'2001: A Space Odyssey' (1968)
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Just asThe Godfatheris arguably the definitive gangster movie,2001: A Space Odysseyis perhapsthe quintessential science fiction movie. Itdefined the decade it came out in, easily feeling like one of the best movies not just of the 1960s, but even of all time. And it’s a movie that feels as though it’s kind of about everything, showing the past, near-future, and distant future of humanity over countless years of evolution.
You get out of2001: A Space Odysseywhat you put into it, and there’s a great deal within it to be parodied, from the use of music to the striking special effects to the (admittedly) somewhat slow/patient pacing in parts. It’s a movie that also has the distinction of having another film directly parody it…granted, it’s not exactly a good parody, but still.2001: A Space Odysseyisthe sort of iconic movie that everyone knows at least a little about, even if they’ve never seen it(and perhaps don’t have any intention to).
