Table of Contents
Photo: Mockumentary
The Fake Documentary
Everybody has heard of the term cult classic, but there is a whole genre that could be considered a cult classic. The mockumentary genre captures the greatest mix of documentary filmmaking and narrative storytelling. Most simply explained as a fake documentary, the mockumentary has made incredible stories but never has gotten the recognition it deserves. When thinking of a mockumentary, most people think of comedies, but that isn’t always the case. There is a large amount of drama and horror mockumentaries that serve the genre well. What could be considered the first one actually isn’t a film, but a radio script. An adapted version of H. G. Well’s War of the Worlds was read by Orson Welles in 1938. Though there was a disclaimer before the beginning of the reading, it didn’t help the listeners that tuned in late and genuinely believed aliens were invading Earth. This not only put the mockumentary on the map but also kick-started Welles to stardom.
Related article: EXCLUSIVE: ‘Dune’ Full Commentary, Reactions, Making Of – Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac
Related article: ‘No Time to Die’ Royal Premiere & Reactions – Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux & More
Related article: ‘Halloween Kills’ Full Commentary & Reactions, Behind the Scenes – Jamie Lee Curtis & More
Related article: The Hollywood Insider’s CEO Pritan Ambroase: “The Importance of Venice Film Festival as the Protector of Cinema”
Now over seventy years later, the mockumentary has transformed into hilarious classics and used as social commentary. Though there are classic Tv shows that use the form of mockumentary throughout like ‘The Office’ and ‘Parks and Recreation’, this list of bests will focus on feature films.
Mockumentary – The Best Comedies
First take a look at the more familiar niche in mockumentaries, the comedy. Before getting into the films, an honorable mention goes out to a tv show. ‘Documentary Now’ is a brilliant take that takes real documentaries and makes short parody remakes. Starring great comedians like Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, Tim Robinson, and more! Now, these are the top five comedy mockumentaries.
‘This is Spinal Tap’ (1984)
The top pick for any documentary is Rob Reiner’s ‘This is Spinal Tap’. Filled with iconic characters and unforgettable dialogue, this film captures what a mockumentary should be. Christopher Guest and Michael McKean star as rock stars in a British metal band trying to make a comeback with his band Spinal Tap. The documentary crew follows the band as they go on tour, album release parties, and capture the ups and downs of trying to get back on the charts.
Related article: MUST WATCH – The Hollywood Insider’s CEO Pritan Ambroase’s Love Letter to Black Lives Matter – VIDEO
Subscribe to The Hollywood Insider’s YouTube Channel, by clicking here.
‘Best in Show’ (2000)
This next comedy pick is ‘Best in Show’ directed by Christopher Guest. Dog owners make their way to the greatest event of their lives, The Mayflower Dog Show. Poking fun at the insanity of dog shows, each character brings a different kooky side of what it’s like to participate in this perfectionist show. As they make their way across the country, unforeseeable ridiculous events that make the competition even more intense.
‘Drop Dead Gorgeous’ (1999)
This comedy pick is much lesser-known, but definitely one of my favorites of all time. ‘Drop Dead Gorgeous’ is directed by Michael Patrick Jann and follows a documentary crew that goes to a small town in Minnesota where the annual beauty pageant is taken place. It might be the midwestern accents or the star-studded cast including a young Kirsten Dunst and Amy Adams, but this film is wild from start to finish.
‘What We Do in the Shadows’ (2014)
Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement not only starred but also directed ‘What We Do in the Shadows’. This more out-of-the-box mockumentary dives into the supernatural world of vampires and their day-to-day life. Three vampires give a small documentary crew full access to their lives and homes to watch as they try to adapt and keep up with modern life. This film also inspired the spin-off FX show in 2016 ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ with a similar plotline.
Limited Time Offer – FREE Subscription to The Hollywood Insider
‘Waiting for Guffman’ (1996)
This final pick goes to another Christopher Guest classic, ‘Waiting for Guffman’. With a similar cast to ‘Best in Show’, but this time these characters are in a small town and putting on a musical production, but go overboard when word comes out someone from Broadway may come to see the show. This film is one of Guest’s fan favorites, but if folk music is more of a viewer’s taste then ‘A Mighty Wind’ will definitely be more fitting.
The Best Dramas
Comedies have dominated the mockumentary genre, but there are a handful of dramas that do the genre justice as well with their own twist. These are the best uses of drama in a mockumentary.
‘The Blair Witch Project’ (1999)
The found-footage trope is ultimately a mockumentary; though it’s never quite advertised that way. ‘The Blair Witch Project’ does the best job in the horror category of a mockumentary. Three film students enter the woods to do a documentary about the legend of Blair witch. No one gets out alive and the only thing that is left is their camera. Other horror films try to do the same thing, like the ‘Paranormal Activity’ franchise, but never quite are as cinematically successful as the ‘The Blair Witch Project’ directed by Daniel Myrick.
Related article: The Hollywood Insider’s CEO Pritan Ambroase: “The Importance of Venice Film Festival as the Protector of Cinema”
Related article: The Masters of Cinema Archives: The Hollywood Insider Pays Tribute to ‘La Vie En Rose’, Exclusive Interview with Director Olivier Dahan
Related article: – Want GUARANTEED SUCCESS? Remove these ten words from your vocabulary| Transform your life INSTANTLY
‘Man Bites Dog’ (1992)
This French film is considered one of the best uses of the dramatic mockumentary style. ‘Man Bites Dog’ is directed by Remy Belvaux, a documentary crew that follows a thief and murderer as they go about their daily routine. As time goes on the crew slowly starts losing their objective of the film and starts to give the serial killer a hand. This film has a bit more involvement with the crew being more of a character but nonetheless is a thrilling film.
‘District 9’ (2009)
Straying away from the more realistic mockumentaries, ‘District 9’ takes a science-fiction approach. When aliens invaded the Earth it wasn’t quite the expectations that movies showed. In this film, the aliens are forced to live in refugee camps and controlled by the government. Still shot in a documentary fashion, this film succeeds with social commentary about how humans should treat other humans.
‘Cloverfield’ (2008)
Sticking with the science fiction category, ‘Cloverfield’ is another found-footage story of a group of friends during the invasion of monster-like creatures in New York City. This action-packed film is filled with explosions and tense moments that make you forget that it isn’t real. More films in the same universe were created including ‘10 Cloverfield Lane’ and ‘The Cloverfield Paradox’.
‘Punishment Park’ (1971)
This film is completely underground now and almost impossible to found, but still deserves to be on the list. Directed and written by Peter Watkins, ‘Punishment Park’ is taken place during the time of Nixon and he declares a state of emergency when the prisons are overflowing. A film crew joins soldiers as they bring prisoners to a desert to be hunted for sport for three days or have to spend their time in prison. With very strong anti-war commentary, this film is hard to find.
By Jack Colin
Click here to read The Hollywood Insider’s CEO Pritan Ambroase’s love letter to Black Lives Matter, in which he tackles more than just police reform, press freedom and more – click here.
An excerpt from the love letter: The Hollywood Insider’s CEO/editor-in-chief Pritan Ambroase affirms, “The Hollywood Insider fully supports the much-needed Black Lives Matter movement. We are actively, physically and digitally a part of this global movement. We will continue reporting on this major issue of police brutality and legal murders of Black people to hold the system accountable. We will continue reporting on this major issue with kindness and respect to all Black people, as each and every one of them are seen and heard.
Just a reminder, that the Black Lives Matter movement is about more than just police brutality and extends into banking, housing, education, medical, infrastructure, etc. We have the space and time for all your stories. We believe in peaceful/non-violent protests and I would like to request the rest of media to focus on 95% of the protests that are peaceful and working effectively with positive changes happening daily. Media has a responsibility to better the world and The Hollywood Insider will continue to do so.”
Ways to support Black Lives Matter Movement to end systemic racism
More Interesting Stories From The Hollywood Insider
– Want GUARANTEED SUCCESS? Remove these ten words from your vocabulary| Transform your life INSTANTLY
– Compilation: All James Bond 007 Opening Sequences From 1962 Sean Connery to Daniel Craig
– Do you know the hidden messages in ‘Call Me By Your Name’? Find out behind the scenes facts in the full commentary and In-depth analysis of the cinematic masterpiece
– A Tribute To The Academy Awards: All Best Actor/Actress Speeches From The Beginning Of Oscars 1929-2019 | From Rami Malek, Leonardo DiCaprio To Denzel Washington, Halle Berry & Beyond | From Olivia Colman, Meryl Streep To Bette Davis & Beyond
– In the 32nd Year Of His Career, Keanu Reeves’ Face Continues To Reign After Launching Movies Earning Over $4.3 Billion In Total – “John Wick”, “Toy Story 4”, “Matrix”, And Many More
Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary, Mockumentary
Jack Colin is a playwright and screenwriter with an immense love for film & television which drives him to learn from and share his passion with anyone willing to listen. Living life as a trans man, Jack wants his writing to create a safe space for LGBTQ+ members and share the positive stories that are so often ignored through his work at The Hollywood Insider, he is eager to give readers a confident outlook on life. The storytellers of the world are the ones who decide what happiness can be. Jack takes pride in The Hollywood Insider’s mission statement to stray away from gossip and to lift up voices in entertainment with supportive and meaningful stories that will promote strength and unity.
You might also like…
Jack Colin is a playwright and screenwriter with an immense love for film & television which drives him to learn from and share his passion with anyone willing to listen. Living life as a trans man, Jack wants his writing to create a safe space for LGBTQ+ members and share the positive stories that are so often ignored through his work at The Hollywood Insider, he is eager to give readers a confident outlook on life. The storytellers of the world are the ones who decide what happiness can be. Jack takes pride in The Hollywood Insider’s mission statement to stray away from gossip and to lift up voices in entertainment with supportive and meaningful stories that will promote strength and unity.
