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Mockumentary, a portmanteau of mock and documentary, is a film and TV genre, or a single work of the genre. The mockumentary is presented as if it were a documentary recording real life, but is in fact fictional. It is a commonly used medium for parody and satire. They are often used to analyze current events and issues by using a fictional setting.
Mockumentaries are often presented as historical documentaries with b roll and talking heads discussing past events or as cinéma vérité pieces following people as they go through various events. Examples of this type of satire date back at least to the 1950s (a very early example was a short piece on the "Swiss Spaghetti Harvest" that appeared as an April fool's joke on the British television program Panorama in 1957), though the term "mockumentary" is thought to have first appeared in the mid-1980s when This Is Spinal Tap director Rob Reiner used it in interviews to describe that film.
The false documentary form has also been used for some dramatic productions (and precursors to this approach date back to the radio days and Orson Welles' production of H. G. Wells' novel, The War of the Worlds).
Mockumentaries are often partly or wholly improvised, as an unscripted style of acting helps to maintain the pretense of reality. Comedic mockumentaries rarely have laugh tracks, also to sustain the atmosphere, although there are exceptions - for example, Operation Good Guys had a laugh track from its second series onwards.
Contents
1Comedic examples
2Dramatic examples
3Mockumentaries within series
4Filmographies
5See also
6External links
Comedic examples
A Mighty Wind, story of three groups of folk singers who come together at a tribute concert in honor of their recently deceased manager. (US, 2003)
Dog Bites Man is a parody of local news coverage, and follows the misadventures of a struggling news team as they travel around the country producing news segments.
Drop Dead Gorgeous a camera crew follows beauty pageant contestants in a small town.
Eye of the gamer, a online show about the daily lives of high school nerds.
First on the Moon (Первые на Луне or Pervye na Lune), Venice Film Festival winner. A mockumentary about the first Russian spaсe voyage, supposedly accomplished in 1938. Mixes archival footage and fake KGB materials. (Russia, 2005)
FUBAR by Michael Dowse, a mockumentary that has achieved high cult status about head-banger subculture, especially within Canada. (Canada, 2002)
Fudge 44 by Graham Jones, a mockumentary about six puppets in a financially impoverished Tokyo children's puppet theatre who, locals believe, came to life and robbed a nearby bank to avoid being put out of business. (Ireland, 2005)
The Games, an Australian TV comedy that follows the mayhem and bureaucratical snafu faced by the organisers of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. (Australia, 1998 and 2000)
G-SALE by Randy Nargi, scripted mockumentary about garage sale fanatics in the style of Christopher Guest. (US, 2003)
Hard Core Logo, following in the tradition of This Is Spinal Tap, this film traces the final tour of an overaged punk band, and serves as a model for the death of "true" punk rock. The film's associated album, A Tribute to Hard Core Logo, has several notable bands performing cover versions of Hard Core Logo songs, and is packaged as if Hard Core Logo were a real band. (Canada, 1996)
Incident at Loch Ness the tale of all hell breaking loose as famous filmmaker Werner Herzog attempts to make a documentary about the Nessie myth while a documentary about his life is being filmed and a pigheaded producer (Zak Penn) tries his damndest to make Herzog's film a mindless high-grossing blockbuster. (US, 2004)
It's All Gone Pete Tong, a comedy following the tragic life of legendary DJ Frankie Wilde. The story takes us through Frankie's life from one of the best DJ's alive, through subsequent battle with a hearing disorder, culminating in his mysterious disappearance from the scene. (UK, Canada, 2004)
Jackie's Back! Comedy following the comeback of has been soul diva Jackie Washington (Jenifer Lewis). As she prepares for her gala comeback concert, pretentious British documentarian, Edward Whatsett St. John (Tim Curry), is on hand to film the event, and discuss the high and (frequent) low points of Jackie's life and career, with such friends, enemies and well-wishers as Bette Midler, Liza Minnelli, Penny Marshall, Kathy Griffin and Jackie Collins on hand to give an insight into the true Jackie Washington. (USA, 1999)
Jimmy MacDonald's Canada which are lost episodes of a mid-1960s public affairs show hosted by Jimmy MacDonald who was played by Richard Waugh. The show combined new segments with authentic news and human interest archive footage. (Canada, 2005)
Kenny full length movie following the life of a portable toilet installer in Melbourne, Australia. (Australia 2006)
LolliLove, a story about a husband and wife team, played by James Gunn and Jenna Fischer, who form a charity to give each homeless person a lollipop with a cheery slogan on the wrapper, but who are really only serving themselves. (USA, 2004)
Look Around You, parody of decades-old science videos shown in schools. (UK, 2002)
Man Bites Dog, Rémy Belvaux black comedy/satire in which a film crew follows a serial killer documenting his crimes. (Belgium, 1992)
Magnus Opus, black comedy about a messianic performance artist and his rise to stardom. (Canada, 2003)
Man of the Year, a satirical look, directed by former Playgirl magazine Man of the Year Dirk Shafer, at his reign as Man of the Year as a closeted gay man. (USA, 1995)
Medusa: Dare to Be Truthful, a "behind the scenes" exposé of pop singer and sex symbol Medusa, on her "Blonde Leading the Blonde" concert tour. (US, 1992)
Mike Bassett: England Manager, is a satirical comedy in documentary style following the fortunes of a lacklustre England football manager in the World Cup (UK, 2001)
The National Scream, about the investigation of the disappearance of the official beaver, the national symbol of Canada.
Ned Danny's "The Cleaners", about a documentary filmmaker's attempt at making a film about murderers after murder has been legalized.
The Office, an American remake of the British show. (USA, 2005)
The Old Negro Space Program, mockumentary about the fictional "NASSA" or "Negro American Space Society of Astronauts," lampooning far-reaching racial segregation in the United States; subtitled "the shocking but false story of America's blackstronauts".
People Like Us, a British radio and TV comedy, featuring an inept interviewer (played by Chris Langham), who interviews people in various jobs. (UK, radio from 1995 to 1997, and television series 1999 to 2000.)
R2-D2: Beneath the Dome, talking about the career of supposed real-life actor R2-D2, who was played in real world by little person Kenny Baker and puppetteer Don Bies, co-director of this mockumentary.
This Is Spinal Tap, follows a (fake) British rock band on tour long past their salad days. Also coined the term rockumentary. (US, 1984)
Trailer Park Boys, follows Julian, Ricky, and Bubbles, as they commit crimes, and hatch crack-pot schemes to make money, most of which are illegal and often involved growing marijuana.
Unflinching Triumph, a feature documentary about Philip Rockhammer and his quest for the 2005 NASP Championship, by J.R McCord.
We Can Be Heroes, an Australian TV mockumentary about five fictitious candidates nominated for the prestigious Australian of the Year Award. All five protagonists are played by the actor and show's creator, Chris Lilley. (Australia, 2005)
Zelig, a mockumentary by Woody Allen about a man who changes his physical appearance in order to fit in.
Dramatic examples
Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County (1998), a horror-mockumentary that presents an "unedited" camcorder recording of a rural American family's encounter with aliens.
Cannibal Holocaust (1980), perhaps the first horror mockumentary and an undeniable predecessor of the Blair Witch Project series. It tells the story of film students who take a trip to the Colombian jungle and end up eaten by revenge-thirsty cannibals.
Countdown To Looking Glass (1984), a cable-TV docu-drama presented as a series of news reports concerning an escalation in the Middle East between the US and the USSR, that eventually lead to nuclear war. (This film, however, isn't completely a documentary as it included dramatic interludes).
Culloden (1964), a BBC "documentary" of the battle from 1746, presented as if cameras had been there to film it.
David Holzman's Diary (1968), one of the earliest examples of false documentaries. In it a young man creates a film "diary" of his life falling apart.
The Day Britain Stopped, detailing a series of events leading from a nationwide train strike in the midst of winter, forcing all Britain's motorways to become gridlocked. The lack of employees able to make it to work in turn leads to two aircraft colliding over London.
Death of a President, a fictional documentary presented as being produced in 2010 detailing the assassination of United States president George W. Bush three years prior.
Fandom: A True Film (2004), a blend of documentary and mockumentary footage. Tells the story of an obsessed fan who travels to meet Natalie Portman and loses his mind along the way.
Ghostwatch (1992), a BBC television special in which a fictitious "live" paranormal investigation goes awry.
The Last Broadcast, a horror film -- the first film to be shot, edited, and distributed digitally -- in the form of documentary about the mysterious disappearance of a pair of cable television producers. Released in 1998, it is considered by many to have suspicious similarities with the Blair Witch Project.
The Magician (2005), an Australian mockumentary following the works of a hitman in Melbourne.
AFR (2007), a Danish mockumentary about the fictional killing of the Danisk statsminister by his secret gay lover.
Nothing So Strange, a fictional documentary about Citizens for Truth, an organization seeking further investigation into the 1999 assassination of Bill Gates.
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