We’re in the middle of what seems to be a regular office. The camera pointing at the blinds of a closed room lets us see two men facing each other with a desk in the middle. Suddenly, we’re invited to witness the meeting where the boss questions the employer about a library project. As soon as he confesses that it hasn’t been done, the boss says, “So you’ve come to the master for guidance? Is this what you’re saying, grasshopper?” This is done in an accent, mocking the famous line from the seventies TV show Kung Fu. The employee, of whom we only see his back, replies by saying that he’s the one who called him there. Looking a bit uncomfortable at the camera, the boss laughs and takes the phone to solve the issue, still on the idea of imparting some wisdom. He presents himself to the person on the other end of the phone as Michael Scott, Regional Manager at Dunder Mifflin Paper Products. After what seems to be an awkward yet successful phone call, he closes by saying, “Thank you very much, sir. You’re a gentleman and a scholar.” He then looks a bit embarrassed. It turns out it was a woman with a very low voice.
This is the opening scene of one of the most successful TV mockumentaries, The Office (naturally, I’m talking about the American version that lasted for nine seasons with Steve Carell on the lead character). This mockumentary made us part of the Dunder Mifflin Scranton Family for nine years where we were able to see the internal functioning of a regular office in America, with a not so regular boss. While the genre had already been explored in many films and TV shows, the success of this story paved the way for the production of several other mockumentaries.
It would seem like mockumentaries have conquered television. There are many series using the format to develop their stories, and it is because they have proven to be very successful. But what makes them a unique form of comedy, and more importantly, that well accepted and relatable? According to director Tom Kingsley, we shape our lives in relation to social media. Think about how often we document what’s surrounding us. The importance we give to Instagram stories, Periscope, Snapchat, YouTube, and other media kind of resembles the essence of the documentary format. In that way, we feel a connection with the subjects being portrayed. They’re talking directly to us through the camera, and in that way, we feel part of the story.
The essence of mockumentaries lies in the satirizing of documentaries that sell themselves as real and serious accounts of determined topics. Using basically the same techniques, they present absurd situations that, at the end of the day, can become way more authentic than the form they mock. If you want to become a mockumentary expert, here are some you can start with.
This is Spinal Tap (1984) Dir. Rob Reiner
Rob Reiner, director and actor of the film, invites us to go on a tour with the impressive and “not fake at all” heavy metal band, Spinal Tap. The movie makes fun of the stereotypical pretentious and wild attitudes of rock and metal bands with surprisingly good music. The movie was such a success that they even toured for a while and released some albums.
Fear of a Black Hat (1993) Dir. Rusty Cundieff
Following the idea of the music mockumentary, Cundiff film presents a gangsta rap band called NWH. Their band name is based on the idea is that slaves didn’t have the chance to wear hats while working under the sun. Then, hats become a resistant symbol for this band. Their lyrics, which use graphic and demeaning language, are actually social race analysis, for the band at least. This movie satirizes stereotypes of this particular type of music and the perceptions of race that society continues to have.
Borat (2006) Dir. Larry Charles
Including a long subtitle resembling eighteenth-century pamphlets –Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan– this film shows the journey of Borat Sagdiyev, a Kazakh journalist touring the US. With really absurd and irreverent situations, Sacha Baron Cohen presents an extreme country with ridiculous beliefs only to make fun of how many American people perceive these countries. This has very explicit and acid sense of humor, so be ready to either feel insulted or laugh excessively.
The Rutles: All You Need is Cash (1978) Dir. Eric Idle and Gary Weis
This is one of the best parodies about musicians ever made. With the characteristic genius of Idle and Weis, The Rutles: All You Need is Cash shows the difficult and troubling side of being the most important pop band of all times. Obviously, making a parody of the Beatles, they not only disguise as our Fab Four, but they even use the music of the band and add some witty and extremely comical lyrics. The idea was so innovative that even George Harrison has a cameo in the film.
Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day (2009) Dir. Mike Clattenburg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei4ik1IRiN0
Following the lives of three ex-cons who return to their homes in the Sunnyvale Trailer Park, the film focuses on what it’s like to go back to your normal life after being imprisoned, including situations like one of them finding out that his cat was sent to a shelter. Moreover, it shows that sometimes it’s not as easy to reform some people. We see them resorting to crime so they can have money to move on with their lives.
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Although it would seem that developing stories in this format is quite easy, as Kingsley explains (himself directing one) it’s actually harder than running a regular show. The actors, creators, and crew must be very good so the product looks natural and authentic, just as it would be like filming someone in the street. That dedication, together with the wits and creativity of their creators, turns mockumentaries into authentic comical representations of our lives.
If you love comedy, you must take a look at these:
5 Absurd Comedies Only The Politically Incorrect Will Understand
The Woman Who Teaches Us That Jokes Can Lead To Social Commentary