Favourite mockumentaries

CaroGirl · Sep 3, 2008

I was watching A Mighty Wind again last night and, while laughing my ass off, thought about some of the other mockumentary-style films that I love. The earnestness with which the actors deliver their ludicrous lines make these films often better than pure fiction and even funnier than real documentary (at times, though it's hard to beat the dripping irony of Roger and Me and Sherman's March).

Which do you like best and why? If you don't like this type of cinema, why?

Bubastes · Sep 3, 2008

A Mighty Wind was great, but my favorite is and will probably always be This is Spinal Tap. What's so funny is that they don't have to exaggerate much!

jennontheisland · Sep 3, 2008

Hard Core Logo

About a Canadian punk band reuniting for one last tour.

Mr Flibble · Sep 3, 2008

I remember The Rutles! I have the album

And I rarely meet anyone who's heard of it.

Not sure if I prefer that or spinal tap though.

cletus · Sep 3, 2008

This is Spinal Tap

Deccydiva · Sep 3, 2008

It's a toss-up between Best in Show and This is Spinal Tap. I enjoyed both, but voted for Best In Show as I am a dog show exhibitor and recognised a few familiar types in there! Hilarious but you would have to be part of the scene to understand some of the subtleties.

benbradley · Sep 3, 2008

MeowGirl said:
A Mighty Wind was great, but my favorite is and will probably always be This is Spinal Tap. What's so funny is that they don't have to exaggerate much!

I've not seen either of these (I'm so culturally ~~depraved~~ deprived), but I heard so much about them just after each one came out I feel like I HAVE seen them. I heard an NPR interview with the people who produced A Mighty Wind and they're the same people who did Spinal Tap so many years earlier.

IdiotsRUs said:
I remember The Rutles! I have the album And I rarely meet anyone who's heard of it.

Not sure if I prefer that or spinal tap though.

The Rutles was shown on TV way back when, and that's how I watched it. It's the only one on the list I HAVE seen. It wasn't too much over-the-top, I really enjoyed it. I think I've got the Rutles LP. If I've seen it for sale in the last 15 years, I've got it. I know I've got one or two LP's by some sound-alike group.

Here we go...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=297zDxqzUJo

Phaeal · Sep 3, 2008

All of Christopher Guest's mocks is my actual answer. Waiting for Guffman isn't on your list, but that one ties with Best in Show for me.

Toothpaste · Sep 3, 2008

Waiting For Guffman, by far. But I also think it is one of their least accessible. There are a lot of inside jokes about theatre in that one.

In my opinion it is his best.

Shadow_Ferret · Sep 3, 2008

Well, the only two I've seen, or even heard of in most cases, are The Rutles and Spinal Tap. I like both. I love the soundtrack to the Rutles. So tie.

Jersey Chick · Sep 3, 2008

It's tie between Spinal Tap and Borat - but I think Spinal Tap is inching ahead because -you know- their amps go to 11.

Birol · Sep 3, 2008

Caro tells me this was intended for Movies, not Novels. I'm moving it at her request.

JLCwrites · Sep 3, 2008

Best In Show! I love that movie! I don't buy dvds that often... but this one was a keeper!

KTC · Sep 3, 2008

I picked Best in Show...but it would be tied with Spinal Tap for me...and maybe even A Mighty Wind. Though MW may be slightly below the other two.

Blondchen · Sep 3, 2008

Waiting for Guffman. It's so right.

CaroGirl · Sep 3, 2008

Something tells me I need to see Waiting for Guffman.

maestrowork · Sep 3, 2008

Waiting for Guffman. And I loved Best in Show as well.

underthecity · Sep 3, 2008

I can't vote in your list because I haven't seen all the movies.

But chalk me up for The Rutles. I discovered it back in 1992 and have enjoyed it ever since. I have the soundtrack and even The Rutles Archaeology which came out in 98 or 99.

Spinal Tap, of course.

Wasn't a big fan of A Mighty Wind. Too many of the "improvised" lines seemed too forced, too many "uhhhs" for my taste.

Man Bites Dog should be on your list. It's a foreign film (forget which country) with English subtitles about a film crew following around an erudite serial killer. Great film.

allen

KTC · Sep 3, 2008

Yes, Caro. See it. It's good stuff too.

Blondchen · Sep 3, 2008

CaroGirl said:
Something tells me I need to see Waiting for Guffman.

Yes. And then get yourself the My Dinner With Andre action figures.

willietheshakes · Sep 3, 2008

An Inconvenient Truth

I kid, I kid. I just couldn't resist.

CaroGirl · Sep 3, 2008

willietheshakes said:
An Inconvenient Truth

I kid, I kid. I just couldn't resist.

Um, I think that's a DOC-umentary, not a MOCK-umentary.

That said, I would like to see it. Heard it's a good one.

ETA: Argh. I didn't see your ps until I quoted it. Ya got me.

dgiharris · Sep 3, 2008

Unfortunately, I didn't see Spinal Tap.

Voted for Borat. That movie almost made me pass-out from laughter.

Another great film was "Thank You For Smoking"

Hilarious.

Mel...

Celia Cyanide · Sep 3, 2008

I like CB4!

Red-Green · Sep 3, 2008

I voted Borat for the "pass out from laughter" aspect Mel cites. Holy shite. I nearly wet my pants in the theater. That said, the cumulative oeuvre of Christopher Guest is the most amazing cinematic body of work in comedy.

Let me just remind you of "Our Stonehenge was in danger of being crushed by dwarves!" OR "We met in a Starbucks. Not the same Starbucks. I was in one Starbucks and she was in a Starbucks across the street. We were both reading J.Crew," OR "I came to this town with nothing but a dance belt and a tube of chapstick!" Just brilliant stuff.

Favourite mockumentaries

Which is your favourite mockumentary?

Best In Show

Borat

A Mighty Wind

The Rutles: All You Need is Cash

This is Spinal Tap

Zelig

Other (specify)

I don't think this crap is funny

Living the dream

bananaed

the world is at my command

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

I'm a king bee

Back from the dead

It's a doggy dog world

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

Court Jester

Up all night to get Loki

Around and About

Stand in the Place Where You Live

Honey Badger don't give a shit.

Living the dream

Fear the Death Ray

Finestkind

Stand in the Place Where You Live

Honey Badger don't give a shit.

Gentleman. Scholar. Bastard.

Living the dream

Disgruntled Scientist

Joker Groupie

KoalaKoalaKoala!