Top 10 Funniest Documentaries
#10: “Anvil! The Story of Anvil” (2008)
Have you ever had a day where everything went wrong? Now imagine if a whole tour went the same way. Anvil is a band from the 1980s that struggled to reach the same success as their contemporaries. Their doc recorded their attempts at re-entering the mainstream via a series of shows in Europe. Things always seemed to go wrong at the last second– from missing their transfers to not being paid after shows. Despite the misfortune, the members maintain a positive attitude about their careers. Their self-deprecating jokes about their lack of recognition added a layer of humorous self-awareness. It offered a realistic view of making it in the music industry while still managing to be funny– which is definitely a hard line to walk.
#9: “Exit Through the Gift Shop” (2010)
Street art has been on the rise in recent years, with many people utilizing the form. The most well-known of the early 21st century is arguably Banksy– an anonymous creator with a penchant for pranking his audience. “Exit Through the Gift Shop” had the same effect– people couldn’t tell if it was real or not. While Banksy was supposed to be the original topic, that changed early on when he noticed how peculiar filmmaker Thierry Guetta was, and how most of his original footage was unusable. This led the artist to flip the script and take over the project– which was now about the former director becoming a successful artist himself. Guetta’s earnest eccentricity combined with the expert's commentary morphed it from a standard documentary to a laugh riot.
#8: “Swimming to Cambodia” (1987)
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If a performer is worth their salt, then they should be able to entertain– no matter the circumstances. Spalding Gray proved just how talented he was when he filmed “Swimming to Cambodia”. It’s centered around a simple concept: his experiences working in another continent. The twist? It was all one long monologue. While there was a risk of losing people’s attention, he kept them entranced. Each story is layered with chaos that ramps up with each sentence, until the viewer is at the edge of their seat waiting for the final punchline. From hallucinating sharks to his feelings on patriotism, everything he said was dripping in hilarity. It was a new use of the form that solidified Gray’s status as a legendary performer.
#7: “Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation!” (2008)
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Exploitation films were a niche subgenre that took off throughout the 1960s to the 80s, with many taking place in Australia. Many critics and viewers found them to be overly gratuitous when it came to sex and violence, and many have been excluded from the continent’s cultural history. This documentary set out to give those Ozploitation projects their flowers. The director crafted a love letter to the genre, highlighting movies that he felt were given a disservice. The result was an informative yet highly entertaining piece showing some of Australia’s raunchiest films. The scenes they showed were hilariously campy, and the interviews from acclaimed directors like Quentin Tarantino only added to the entertainment value. It was the perfect way to learn more about a nearly forgotten genre.
#6: “Slasher” (2004)
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When seeing the title, you may think it’s about a serial killer– but this man was more fond of slashing prices than people. Michael Bennett was a used car salesman with a love for the game. He often employed a tactic where he would advertise cars at an extremely low price for a limited time. His energy on screen is matched only by his excitement for sales. His increasingly bananas sales ideas combined with his never ending passion results in a hilarious watch. Him sprinting around to slash prices on the spot as customers incessantly honk is so chaotic that it seems scripted– and yet, it’s all real. It showed an inside look not only at the industry, but those who participated in it.
#5: “Shut Up, Little Man!” (2011)
Sometimes the best documentary subjects are the ones who don’t realize they’re being recorded. After two friends moved into an apartment together, they soon realized that their neighbors had two favorite activities– imbibing and arguing loudly. They recorded these moments and released them as audio clips, before eventually adapting them into film format. The footage included compilations of the incidents– which were sometimes exacerbated by the ones recording. Their biting insults and explosive arguments made for fantastic entertainment. They seemed to come up with the most creative ways of demeaning each other, with plenty of swearing peppered in. However, despite their tumultuous fights, they reportedly had a deep friendship. It showcased how layered people are and how they can maintain relationships despite being seemingly antagonistic.
#4: “Tabloid” (2010)
There’s always two sides to every story. In this intense historical documentary, director Errol Morris set out to explain one of the most outrageous cases in U.K history– centered around a troubled young woman and her obsession with her Mormon lover. There are plenty of bizarre twists, from kidnapping to supposed cult activity. Her and her ex have always had conflicting accounts on what truly happened, which fueled the tabloid-heavy culture at the time - and is obviously not a joking matter. The movie sets out to paint the events in an unbiased light, while highlighting how the media response caused people to not see her alleged crimes as serious. However, the events and people involved can seem so out there at times that it may be difficult not to laugh as you try to piece together what truly occurred.
#3: “Winnebago Man” (2009)
This doc asks one important question: what happens to those who become Internet famous? In “Winnebago Man”, that question is answered tenfold. The viral source in question is Jack Rebney– a former journalist and spokesman for RVs, who became known after a series of expletive-ridden commercial outtakes were released on VHS and YouTube. The documentary was focused around the director desperately trying to find Rebney and get his side of the story. The clips of his freak-out combined with the real-life cantankerous personality of Jack added a funny yet endearing quality to the film. Beyond the comedy, “Winnebago Man” also made important points about how highlighting someone’s worst day can often have long term consequences– something that we’re still learning to this day.
#2: “The Aristocrats” (2005)
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Throughout history, jokes have been repeated and passed down to new generations. One has survived due to its explicit nature. The basic setup is that a family is trying to get picked for a show, and when asked for their talent, they either perform or describe a series of vulgar and usually illegal activities as part of their act. Then, when asked for their act’s name, they simply say they’re “The Aristocrats”. This long-running bit was the theme of a doc featuring comedians, from Phyllis Diller to Bob Saget. Each comic told their variation of the bit, explaining its contribution to the artform as a whole, while also showcasing their own unique comedic styles. The result is a side-splitting yet genuinely enlightening piece about one of the most long-standing quips in history.
#1: “American Movie” (1999)
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Moviemaking isn’t an easy process– but the hard work is usually hidden behind the shiny final product. Making films independently can be even harder, as revealed in 1999’s “American Movie”. The footage follows director Mark Borschadt as he attempts to make a movie while navigating constant issues, such as a lovable yet inept crew and a lack of funds. The true heart and humor comes from this crew as they try to help him– from his senile yet loaded uncle to his loyal best friend. Despite the setbacks, they were able to finish the short film – even if it was just minutes before the premiere. It showed a raw yet hilarious representation of how much work, skill, and dedication it takes to fully commit to the creative process.
