Key Takeaways:
– Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the 13th is a spoof movie that parodies well-known horror films to create a hilarious plot.
– This article provides a walkthrough of the movie, its main characters, and its funniest moments.
– The film was overshadowed by Scary Movie, but it offers a unique comedic take on the genre.
– Despite its release being strategic, the film remains an underrated gem in the spoof movies arena.
The spoof movie, more than just an entertaining spectacle, is all about turning mundane seriousness into a torrent of laughable ridiculousness. You might remember such classics as Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles, or laugh-out-loud movies like Airplane!, from the Zucker Brothers. The genre saw a resurgence around the late ’90s and early 2000s with the release of the uproariously successful Scary Movie in 2000. Amidst all this, another spoof film, Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the 13th, though overshadowed by its popular counterpart, offered a unique comedic take on horror film clichés.
Centered in the small town of Bulimia Falls, this hilarious movie merges elements from iconic horror films into one funny storyline. The plot revolves around stereotypical high school students who find themselves being stalked by a mysterious masked figure. The characters in this spoof mirror familiar tropes in horror films, including a socially awkward nerd, a tough yet clueless girl, a dim-witted jock, a sex-obsessed geek, and a snarky goth girl.
As the body count increases, the friends find themselves in a series of hilarious scenes that lampoon familiar horror clichés. The film involves dealing with meddling law enforcement and strange misunderstandings while trying to unmask the mysterious killer.
The film’s humor is derived from its absurd and surreal style rather than explicit jokes. Its director, John Blanchard, demonstrates his know-how of absurd comedy, given his background in shows like The Kids in the Hall and MadTV. Shriek can be likened to a prolonged MadTV sketch, keeping you hooked with surprising appearances from stars like David Herman and Artie Lange.
Despite parallels with Scary Movie, Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the 13th maintains its originality. It doesn’t try to reinvent the genre; it only offers a humorously unique spin on it. You might think of it as a carbon copy of Scary Movie, but it was coincidentally in production around the same time the latter film was released.
Standout performances include Simon Rex’s portrayal of the stereotypically dim-witted jock, Slab O Beef, and Tiffani-Amber Thiessen’s absurd portrayal of Hagitha Utslay, the EmpTV News reporter. The main characters, with their comedic moments and well-timed dialogues, bring unique humor to the film.
Overall, Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the 13th, despite being overshadowed by its more famous counterpart, holds its ground in the spoof genre. It serves as a testament to the creative and comedic potential of spoof films and is certainly a must-watch for lovers of this genre. A slight word of caution though – brace yourselves for plenty of laugh-out-loud moments!
