The new century kicked off with one of the best parodies I have ever seen. Almost 25 years later, it still remains just as funny as it was back then. Scary Movie is a hilarious parody of not just slasher movies but all the eighties and nineties classics. Even if you’ve never seen them all, you’ll still have a great time. The first time I saw this movie, I was in disbelief that someone could make such a hilarious parody. The jokes simply don’t stop and they’re quite raunchy causing Scary Movie to receive an R rating. You might think that you’re safe but then they whack you over the head with full-frontal male nudity.
Heads are going to fly as well because, after all, this is a slasher movie parody. On top of that, they captured the essence of the late nineties/early 2000s. The music, the fashion and everything else just screams nostalgia. Scary Movie’s main target is the highly successful Scream franchise. However, at this point in time, you could argue there’s also a Scary Movie franchise. After all, there are no less than four sequels of declining quality out there. I would argue that Scary Movie 2 is just as good as the original and I dare you to prove me wrong.
The rest of them are entirely watchable, never reaching the levels the first two parts set. All of them are Wayans Brothers babies. Keenen Ivory Wayans is the director while Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans wrote the script along with Buddy Johnson. I’ve always loved their style of comedy and Don’t Be A Menace is still one of my favorite movies. In the following years, they would go on to make another hilarious comedy, White Chicks. A movie featuring a plot that might not have gone so well in today’s politically correct world. Scary Movie features one hell of a cast. Everybody here understood their assignment and played their role perfectly.
Anna Faris and Regina Hall stand out representing the stereotypical slasher female protagonists. If you’re a fan of horror movies you’re truly going to enjoy this one making fun of every possible gimmick they employ. From girls running away clumsily from killers while slowly losing their clothes to the arguments between the group after a murder. And don’t get me started on the characters. Doofy was definitely my favorite although Shorty, played by Marlon Wayans came in at close second. I still laugh uncontrollably when that scene with Doofy and the vacuum cleaner comes up.
I’m sorry, Special Officer Doofy. Yes, these are the early 2000s and nothing is off-limits. There are so many memorable scenes in this movie that I could go on and on but I don’t want to bore you. It’s better that you just see them for yourself. Sure, some of them are too silly and a bit outdated now but some of them are still as good as gold. Especially today, a time when parodies are almost non-existent. I mean, what’s the most recent parody you’ve seen? A Million Ways to Die in the West and Tropic Thunder all came out more than ten years ago.
Featuring a budget of almost $20 million, Scary Movie is actually also a big movie. All the technical specs are excellent, something that’s really important when it comes to parodies. Sadly, I don’t think the situation is going to change any time soon. So, we might as well enjoy those parodies we still have. Finally, in case you’re wondering why this movie isn’t a perfect ten but just a nine, it’s because it’s missing a shitting scene. However, Scary Movie 2 features an excellent one featuring James Woods. Ahhh, the enchiladas…
Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans
Writers: Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Buddy Johnson
Cast: Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Marlon Wayans, Shannon Elizabeth, Carmen Electra, Jon Abrahams
Fun Facts: The working title for the movie Scream, which this movie heavily parodies, was Scary Movie.
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IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0175142/
