Scriptnotes Podcast 694 - Reviving the Spoof Movie
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Jul 8, 2025 Join Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, talented writers behind classics like 'The Naked Gun' and 'Chip n' Dale: Rescue Rangers.' They dive into the revival of the spoof genre, exploring what led to its decline and how to make it relatable for today's audiences. The duo also reflects on nostalgic genres that have fallen out of favor and tackles the challenges of modern storytelling. With a fun twist, they discuss the cultural differences in humor across generations and share comedic insights from their writing journeys.
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How to Revive the Spoof Genre with Deadpan Absurdity
Revive the spoof genre by committing to a style where the absurdity is real within the world, while the characters and stakes are played straight and serious.
Key elements include:
- Spoofs deeply understand and exaggerate the tropes of the source genre.
- The comedy comes from straight-faced characters navigating ridiculous scenarios without acknowledging the absurdity.
- Actors known for drama can amplify humor by fully committing seriously to comedic lines.
- The world continues to function logically despite the protagonist's idiocy, creating a balance between silliness and reality.
The new Naked Gun embraces this, using real action stakes and straight-faced humor, unlike shows like The Office that often break the fourth wall with character reactions.
"It’s real. It’s all really happening. The stakes are real. It’s not silly unto itself."
This approach educates new audiences unfamiliar with spoof films and aims to restore the genre’s unique comedic language and community theatrical laughter experience.
Spoof Movies' Deadpan Reality
- A spoof movie mocks a familiar genre by exaggerating its tropes while playing the world mostly straight.
- This deadpan style lets absurd characters exist in an otherwise functional reality, crucial to the genre's success.
Spoof Genre Burnout
- The spoof genre burnt out after overexposure and loss of respect for its roots.
- Younger audiences may now find the genre unfamiliar or "stupid," causing a generational disconnect.
