Is The Naked Gun a genre-defining spoof?

As I get older, I’ve realized that everything changes—including my sense of humor. The stuff that cracked me up as a kid just doesn't hit the same way anymore. But there is one specific style of comedy that always gets me—that perfect blend of goofy and clever, like
Goal Pistol
. Lately, I've been on a mission to find more movies that hit that exact same note. 🙂

I haven't really found a formal name for this genre, though the closest things I can think of are movies like
Scary Movie
or
Hot Shots!
. However, those are mostly parodies of other films. Since The Naked Gun doesn't really mock other movies directly—it mostly just mocks itself—I’ve started calling them "self-parodies." I don't even need to explain the vibe, because if you've seen even one of these, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Since it feels like these kinds of comedies are pretty rare lately (or maybe I'm just missing them?), I wanted to start a thread where we comedy lovers can chat about this specific type of parody—or better yet, these "self-parody" films that poke fun at their own logic. We can include the obvious spoofs like Scary Movie, the totally absurd ones like Top Secret!, or even the more grounded but still silly ones like The Wrong Guy. To get us moving, I'll kick things off with some of my absolute favorites, including a few I already mentioned:

Of course it does—Goal Pistol has been taking the mickey out of police procedurals and cop flicks for thirty years straight.
You simply can't have a parody without that shared cultural shorthand. If the audience doesn't immediately recognize what you're mocking, then it isn't actually a parody.

Look, if you ask me, most of those parody movies aren't even remotely funny, but the ones by Mel Brooks are absolute gold—especially The Producers. 🙏

To me, Mel Brooks movies feel a lot like Monty Python films—just with an American twist. At least when it comes to the style. They’re definitely parodies too, but compared to what we're looking at in the opening post, the humor hits differently. I feel like those Python flicks tend to poke fun at socio-political stuff, whereas the ones mentioned above are just great, easy-to-watch fun.

Noah Roberts46 said:Look, if you want my honest opinion, most of those parody movies aren't even remotely funny to me—just total misses... but the stuff from Mel Brooks? That’s on a completely different level. Absolute gold. Especially *The Producers*—that one is just top-tier comedy... 🙏

If you ask me, when it comes to Mel Brooks, his absolute best work—his crowning achievement, really—has to be that Western parody, Heat the saddle right here...
And right on cue, we've got another western parody hitting the screen—Cactus Jack, starring Kirk Douglas and Arnold Schwarzenegger...

Frank Chase6 said:As I get older, I’ve realized how much everything changes—even what makes us laugh. Stuff that killed me as a kid just doesn't hit the same way anymore. But there’s one specific style of humor that still gets me every single time: those goofy yet clever flicks like Goal Pistol. I've decided to go on a hunt for more movies in that vein.

I haven't found a specific name for this kind of humor, though the closest things I can think of are parodies like Scary Movie and Hot Shots!.

Absurdist comedy?

I mean, that's the genre where you'll find Mel Brooks and the ZAZ trio.
Lately, it feels like the genre has taken a bit of a hit from the likes of the Wayans crew and the Friedberg/Seltzer duo, but I'm always digging around for the classics...

I’m not sure, but those movies used to kill me, though now they just feel terrible. When I first discovered the genre, it felt like a total breath of fresh air, something genuinely new. But once those big hits landed, the market got flooded with cheap, low-effort parodies—just bad movies riding the coattails of the original jokes. I’ve tried sitting through some of the newer stuff, but I just can't do it; it's honestly painful. The worst part is how they’ve managed to sour the classics for me too, making them hard to revisit. I actually stumbled upon a movie recently that I hadn't seen in ages, and I thought I’d have a good laugh, but I couldn't even get past the ten-minute mark. I think it might have starred Charlie Sheen and his brother, but whatever it was, the spark just isn't there anymore.
It’s a shame because there were some great ones, but every single gag feels like it's been recycled a hundred times by now, which makes it pretty tough to enjoy anything again.

It used to be a top-tier comedy subgenre, but nowadays it’s basically just shorthand for a bad movie.

silvertiger11 said:How can you say that? Goal Pistol has been poking fun at cop shows and movies for thirty years straight.
You can't really have a parody without that pop culture context. If the audience doesn't get what you're mocking, it isn't a parody.

I mean, I get where you're coming from. If I don't know the movie being ripped on, half the jokes are going to fly right over my head.
But look at these newer ones—I knew exactly what they were making fun of, and they still weren't funny. Honestly, most of them just had trash scripts or jokes that fell totally flat.

The absolute worst was that garbage "Your Highness"—it seriously didn't have a single decent joke in it. The Naked Gun will always have hits, even Dark film, and Mel Brooks' stuff is just universally funny.
At the end of the day, a comedy actually has to be funny. That's one of the few real criteria that matters.

I honestly can't remember the last time I watched a comedy that actually landed. It feels like nothing released in the last few years has even come close to being funny, with one single exception: *What We Do in the Shadows* actually made me laugh.

maybe the other guys😁

Hot Shots! 1 & 2, Loaded Weapon.

Casey Cox2 said:the other guys maybe😁

Look, it’s a decent comedy and they definitely poke fun at certain genres, but let's be real—as far as genre goes, that flick isn't actually a parody.

Someone mentioned earlier that these newer movies are mostly made by that one duo, and honestly, every single one of their films I've sat through feels more like a disaster than an actual comedy. It’s just—I don't know—racist, sexist, and generally just obnoxious in every way possible, clearly pandering to this whole millennial idiocy. They aren't even in the same league as the classics.

I actually rewatched The Wrong Guy the other day, and my girlfriend and I were absolutely losing it at certain parts—like that bit where he checks into the motel and makes up such a ridiculous name that the receptionist practically has to help him pronounce it, or that scene with the kidnapper demanding a helicopter. Or even those bits in Top Secret! where they stumble upon boots in the grass, or that phone call between the doctor and the colonel where the colonel tells him to report any changes in the patient's condition (even though the patient is dead). I haven't seen anything remotely like that kind of humor in any modern movie released after 2000. I found something somewhat similar in Futurama, but that show has its own specific vibe that might not even click with people who love Goal Pistol.

Noah Roberts46 said:To be perfectly honest, I cannot recall the last time I sat through a comedy released in recent years that actually managed to elicit a genuine laugh; the only notable exception to this era of cinematic drought has been What We Do in the Shadows.

I suspect that *Idiocracy* might actually qualify for that particular genre. Although, if I pause to give it a more rigorous examination, one could argue it isn't strictly a parody after all...

It is a rather peculiar phenomenon to reflect upon; when I was younger, nearly all of the films mentioned above were absolutely riotous, providing endless entertainment, yet looking back at them today, they strike me as utterly vacuous and nonsensical—nothing more than idiotic, overblown slapstick. Honestly, if one is searching for something with actual substance, a Mel Brooks film might still hold enough charm to justify a viewing.

Frank Chase6 said:I encountered a somewhat similar vein of humor in Futurama, though that show possesses its own distinct comedic DNA that might not necessarily resonate with those who find themselves drawn to the absurdity of Goal Pistol.

Futurama stands as a remarkably clever piece of sci-fi parody, one that finds very few equals in the genre outside of perhaps Red Dwarf. When you attempt to draw any comparison between the wit found in Futurama and the sheer absurdity of Goal Pistol, you quickly realize there is absolutely no common ground. Goal Pistol is nothing more than crude, forced, and obnoxious slapstick—a relentless assault of exaggerated gags designed solely to violate the very essence of comedy.

You're totally overhyping Goal Pistol.
The humor is definitely lowbrow, but honestly, the movie was funny. Those Friedberg/Seltzer parodies haven't ever even come close to being that good.

Frank Chase6 said:Someone mentioned earlier that recent stuff is mostly made by that duo—and honestly, any of their movies I’ve sat through were a disaster long before they even qualified as comedies. Just pure racism, sexism, and general nonsense tailored for this millennial idiocy. They aren't even in the same league as the classics.

I recently rewatched The Wrong Guy—my girlfriend and I couldn't stop laughing at bits like the guy checking into a motel and making up such a bizarre name that the clerk actually had to help him pronounce it—or that scene where the kidnapper is demanding a helicopter. Then there's Top Secret!, like when they stumble upon boots in the grass, or that phone call where a colonel tells a doctor to report on a patient's status (even though the patient is dead). I haven't seen humor like that in anything released after 2000. I found something similar in Futurama, though that show has its own specific vibe that might not sit well with fans of Goal Pistol.

Reading your take is killing me—🤣 that's just how those movies work...

The biggest issue with these classics—and many others—is that they play constantly. When a movie has aired a thousand times on TV, of course you're going to change the channel.

I'd also throw in things like Robin Hood, guys in tights, or Mafia.

The last newer film that actually showed potential was Tropic Thunder, but unfortunately, it doesn't come close to those old hits. I really liked Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead—especially the first one.

Maybe it's just me, but I can't stand modern comedies. I don't get why producers and directors keep pushing actors like Jonah Hill or Seth Rogen. They aren't even comparable to Gene Wilder, Bill Murray, Leslie Nielsen, Martin, or Eugene Moranis... Out of the Wayans crew, only Matt Damon works for me (Mayor Payne).
The only old-school actor I can't stand is Rodney Dangerfield.

Honestly, I have no idea how I managed to overlook Edgar Wright. Between Spaced and the Cornetto trilogy, he’s easily delivered the best comedies of the last fifteen years. 🙂

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Black Dynamite

Honestly, these modern parodies and comedies? They’re basically the gold standard for the genre.

People claim we’ve officially entered the era of the death of comedy, all thanks to this rigid, established political correctness. Apparently, you can't poke fun at anyone anymore without someone taking offense.

Just imagine if they tried to market movies today the way Mel Brooks used to: Hitler rap