13 Movie Satire that Mimic Their Own Subjects

      These 12 film parodies manage to do the very thing they mock.

      They poke fun at a genre while effectively portraying the subtleties of that genre.

      Thus, they operate on both a superficial level and serve as a subversive critique.

      Here’s a list of 12 movie satires that excel in both respects.

      Kentucky Fried Movie

      United Film Distribution Company

      Kentucky Fried Movie is the creation that launched Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and David Zucker, the minds behind Airplane and The Naked Gun series. It features a collection of precise film parodies, humorously critiquing every popular genre of the 1970s.

      The most outrageous is a parody of sexploitation films that, at the impressionable age we were when we first saw it, was probably the most scandalous thing we’d ever encountered. It showcases an array of shocking perversions and is quite explicit. It’s amusing, certainly, but also rather risqué.

      We still find it perplexing.

      Robocop (1987)

      Orion Pictures – Credit: C/O

      Paul Verhoeven is a master of film satires that successfully accomplish both aims. The Dutch director made his mark in the U.S. during the ’80s, quickly aiming to surpass the blatant sex and violence he observed in American cinema.

      Robocop stands as a masterful satire — it caters to audiences' desires for tough-on-crime narratives while highlighting that corporate, mechanized law enforcement could pose a greater threat than crime itself.

      It presciently predicted the vulnerabilities of AI-driven policing — would anyone genuinely want a drone to pull them over? — and arguably foresaw the ascent of for-profit prisons.

      Simultaneously, it’s an entertainingly absurd tale of a half-human, half-robot attempting to rid the streets of New Detroit of its filth. It remains one of our all-time favorites.

      Scream (1996)

      Drew Barrymore in Scream. Dimension Films – Credit: C/O

      Penned by Kevin Williamson and directed by horror legend Wes Craven, Scream deconstructs slasher films while delivering expertly crafted thrills and bloodshed.

      It significantly transformed the horror genre for the better: after Scream, creating an unironic slasher became nearly impossible, as it made it essential to include at least one character in every slasher group who highlights the tropes that they must avoid.

      Even films that play it completely straight enter into a sort of agreement with the audience: we all recognize these tropes. Now, here's how this movie will subvert them.

      Slumber Party Massacre (1982)

      New World Pictures – Credit: C/O New World Pictures

      While Scream may have perfected the dual-satire approach in slasher films, Slumber Party Massacre paved the way. The first of four films in the series (including two sequels and a reboot) was penned by lesbian feminist author Rita Mae Brown, who aimed to satirize rather than celebrate slasher films.

      Under the insightful direction of Amy Holden Jones, Slumber Party Massacre emerged as one of the greatest slasher pictures ever made, also serving as a knowing satire of other popular films of that era, like Friday the 13th.

      It vividly captures the early ’80s Southern California setting — the backdrop of our childhood viewings of forbidden films — with remarkable precision.

      The following installment, Slumber Party II, escalates the satire even further with a villain (Atanas Ilitch) who dances in a manner reminiscent of a blend between Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson, all while wielding a drill-shaped red electric guitar.

      American Psycho (2000)

      Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. Lionsgate – Credit: Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, Lionsgate

      One of our favorite films, American Psycho offers a keen satire of ’80s yuppiedom, simultaneously making that lifestyle appear… rather glamorous, to be honest. Except for all the chainsaw murders, of course.

      Christian Bale portrays Wall Street serial killer Patrick Bateman in a decidedly un-cool manner — “We viewed him as an outsider who comes to the unabashedly capitalist New York of the ’80s, observing, ‘How do I act like a successful man in this world?’” Bale once shared with MovieMaker.

      While his actions are despicable, he has impressive abs and an impeccable taste in business cards. We don’t find ourselves rooting for him, but he remains captivating to watch.

      Tropic Thunder (2008)

      Ben Stiller in Tropic Thunder. Dreamworks – Credit: Paramount

      Tropic Thunder serves not so much as a satire of war films but rather critiques actors who take on extravagant, ridiculous roles for acclaim. One of the movie’s highlights is its ability to showcase a multitude of over-the-top performances while portraying actors taking on those very roles.

      The most extreme instance is Robert Downey Jr. as Kirk Lazarus