Top 20 Most Parodied Movie Scenes
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Top 20 Most Parodied Movie Scenes
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We’ve seen these scenes somewhere before! Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 20 Most Parodied Movie Scenes. For this list, we’ll be looking at the scenes and lines from film that have been most frequently parodied or referenced in pop culture.
#20: That Opening Walk
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“Saturday Night Fever” (1977) The opening scene of “Saturday Night Fever” sees the protagonist Tony Manero strutting down the streets of Brooklyn while carrying a can of paint on an errand for his jday ob. While the camera angles are interesting and the focus on his feet is often replicated, it’s Tony and – by extension – actor John Travolta’s swagger in the scene that has made it so iconic, and has made it the subject of frequent parody; with the stand-ins who reference the moment often failing to live up to the high marks set by the original in a comedic way.
#19: “One of Us”
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“Freaks” (1932) Unless you’re a fan of 1930s cinema, you’ve probably never heard of this movie, but you’ve most certainly seen this scene referenced somewhere. The movie follows a trapeze artist who marries her circus’ short man in an attempt to get his money by murdering him. Nevertheless, at their reception the various carnival freaks chant their acceptance of her, repeating, “one of us, one of us!” The phrase has frequently been used throughout pop culture, often as an ironic, faux sinister way to induct someone into a group. The “gooba gobble” part of the chant has been slightly less popular though...
#18: Badges? ...
“The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” (1948) A famed adventure Western film, “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” also contains one of most widely quoted, or at least paraphrased, lines in cinema. The scene in question sees the protagonists accosted by a group of bandits who claim to be Federales. When asked to present badges to prove it, their leader replies with that now legendary quote... This is usually paraphrased down to “Badges? We don’t need no stinkin’ badges!” whenever it’s quoted in TV or film, though the actual subject of the request can vary depending on the scene in question. Regardless, it’s become a great catchall response of rejection.
#17: The Chestburster
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“Alien” (1979) It's one of the most famous scenes in science fiction – or horror for that matter. We see the crew of the Nostromo celebrating after apparently escaping an encounter with an alien creature, only for a man previously attacked to have an infant alien violently burst free from his torso, killing him in the process for good measure. The scene has become the gold standard for anything involving body horror and has, naturally, been frequently parodied by having aliens or other creatures pop out from people’s chest or stomach. Actor John Hurt even went back for another go ‘round in “Spaceballs!”
#16: The Upside Down Kiss
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“Spider-Man” (2002) The Sam Raimi “Spider-Man” movies delivered plenty of memorable scenes, but arguably their most iconic is the upside down kiss. After saving his crush Mary-Jane Watson in the rain, Peter Parker – in his wallcrawler alter-ego – hangs upside down and they kiss. The imagery is striking and novel, as well as romantic, and the moment has been called back to many times in other media. While only a few of the parodies approach the atmosphere of the original, the effort is still appreciated, as there are so few romantic moments that are widely parodied.
#15: “Run Forrest, Run!”
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“Forrest Gump” (1994) This famous dramedy features a box of chocolates full of quotable and memorable scenes, but perhaps its most mocked scene occurs when the title character is a young boy and he and his friend Jenny are being chased by bullies on bikes. Jenny gives Forrest the famed advice, which he takes, while escaping his own leg braces. The line is a highly recurring one in pop culture, as it’s very easy to adapt, whether it’s a direct parody of the specific scene, or just some jerk yelling it at someone who happens to be running or being chased.
#14: “KHAN!”
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“Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” (1982) “The Wrath of Khan” is arguably the best “Star Trek” film, and has plenty of scenes that have been beamed into our collective consciousness, but this one takes the freshly replicated cake! After the vengeful Khan Noonien Singh strands Admiral Kirk and company on a seemingly lifeless rock – much as Kirk had done to Khan years prior – the good Admiral lets out a famous scream of rival's name so loud you can hear it in the vacuum of space! While the loud screaming of someone’s name is relatively common in film, “Wrath of Khan” did it so memorably that people have been parodying it for decades since.
#13: “You Talkin’ to Me?”
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“Taxi Driver” (1976) “Taxi Driver” follows unhinged wannabe tough guy Travis Bickle, who grows tired of his time in his titular profession and decides to become a vigilante. While practicing for his new career path in front of the mirror with gun in hand, Travis acts out a famous mock encounter with someone in which he aggressively asks if they’re talking to him. The scene is often parodied by characters who look into a mirror or else as an all-purpose line for those who want to appear tough to others. Few of them can approach the level of the original scene though – even when Robert DeNiro references himself!
#12: The Head Turning
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“The Exorcist” (1973) A seminal horror film, “The Exorcist” features a teenage girl possessed by the Devil. One infamous scene in particular sees young Regan throwing things around her room and assaulting her mother. To cap it all off, her head rotates 180 degrees to face behind her. This unsettling, impossible maneuver has become a stock way in media to indicate that a character is possessed or otherwise show that they’re creepy or evil. The parodies also may or may not include them climbing up the wall like a spider or vomiting, other hallmarks of Regan’s possession, but the head turn is usually the biggest clue.
#11: Bullet Time
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“The Matrix” (1999) “The Matrix” drew plenty of parodies after it lit the zeitgeist on fire with its phenomenal fight scenes... and cool leathers. But easily its most parodied and famous scene happens when Neo and Trinity face off against an agent on a rooftop, who fires bullets at Neo; who manages to not only dodge them but – for bonus points – does so in slo-mo. This moment especially receives frequent parody, due to how popular it is and how well it illustrated and popularized the “bullet time” concept of showing things in slow motion. There’s no dodging how pervasive these parodies are though.
#10: “This Is Sparta!”
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“300” (2006) “300” made itself an easy target for parody with its incredibly memorable trailer lines and numerous memorable lines that spawned catchphrases. The most famous scene though occurs when a Persian messenger offends King Leonidas of Sparta, prompting him to hold the man at swordpoint in front of a nearby pit. When the messenger calls it madness to threaten a messenger, Leonidas replies … before kicking the man into the pit. While TV and movies have parodied the scene plenty, the true glut of parodies and references have been the result of internet memes spawned from the scene, most notably several remixes.
#9: Mrs. Robinson’s Leg
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“The Graduate” (1967) An iconic coming of age film, “The Graduate” has several memorable and much parodied scenes, but this is easily the most famous. The scene follows Benjiamin as he becomes increasingly aware that a married friend of his parents – Mrs. Robinson – is, indeed, trying to seduce him; a fact he states, with a little uncertainty, while framed by her upraised leg. The line about her trying to seduce him, or a misquoted version of it, has been a much referenced one in pop culture and has been a stock phrase used whenever someone is curious as to whether another character is coming on to them. In addition, Mrs. Robinson’s pose has become an iconic image synonymous with seduction.
#8: “Do I Feel Lucky?”
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“Dirty Harry” (1971) The original rogue cop, “Dirty Harry” and Clint Eastwood’s status as the ultimate tough guy was helped in large part by scenes like these. The first “Dirty Harry” film sees the detective confront perps in two separate scenes with his trusty .44 Magnum and deliver the same speech in which he claims to have lost track of how many shots he fired. This is, of course, capped with that oh-so famous question... The scenes have frequently been imitated when characters need to intimidate an opponent with a gun, although the actual wording of the line usually gets shortened to “Do you feel lucky punk?”
#7: The Shower Scene
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“Psycho” (1960) A seminal film in the slasher and horror genres, “Psycho” begins by following Marion Crane, a secretary who, after stealing a large sum of money, stays at the Bates Motel – a beaten down establishment under the management of Norman, an odd-ball caretaker to say the least. It's there, while taking a shower, that she is famously stabbed to death by an unseen killer, with her blood going down the drain. The scene has become a frequent subject of parody, due to its distinctive use of a shadowed assailant, as well as the film score’s signature sharp string stings that play in time with the stabs.
#6: The Rolling Boulder
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“Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) The “Indiana Jones” films have a ton of memorable scenes that have been imitated over the years, but few of them have been parodied quite as often as the opening scene with Indy retrieving a golden idol. Dr. Jones’ attempts to remove the artifact are hindered by numerous traps, including a large rolling boulder. Everything about the scene, from the idol swap, to the dart traps, to the boulder, has become emblematic of adventure and danger, and the scene has been lampooned many times, particularly by those who grew up watching the film.
#5: “Here’s Johnny!”
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“The Shining” (1980) Another landmark horror film, “The Shining” has plenty of moments and imagery that has been embedded in our collective consciousness in part because of parody. Those creepy twin girls who ask Danny to play with them, for example. However, easily the most iconic part of the film is when Jack tries to get at his wife by chasing her with an ax; breaking a hole in the door she hides behind and sticking his head through to say, “Here’s Johnny!” While the quote itself is actually the catchphrase of Ed McMahon from the Carson-era “The Tonight Show”, it has become arguably more recognizable from this scene, due to the numerous parodies of it.
#4: “I’ll Be Back”
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“The Terminator” (1984) “The Terminator” films have produced numerous catchphrases and parodied scenes, such as “Hasta la vista, baby” from the second film. However, there’s only one scene that could make our list. The original film sees the titular cyborg assassin go to a police station and pretend to be a friend of Sarah Conner’s in order to kill her. When he’s told to wait, the Terminator examines the window and tells the officer he’ll be back; returning shortly afterward by crashing a car through it. The simplicity of the quote has led to frequent parodies, usually accompanied by an impression of Arnold Schwarzenegger. The quote has become something of a catchphrase for the actor himself too.
#3: The Training Montage
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“Rocky” (1976) The “Rocky” movies didn’t start training montages, but they certainly popularized them. The perpetually plucky boxer’s training to become stronger accompanied by a catchy tune has been a staple of each movie, but the first movie’s is arguably the most frequent subject of tribute and mockery, with Rocky’s training and running through the streets of Philadelphia often being replicated to show a character improving themselves in preparation for a challenge or competition, and usually accompanied by the famous song “Gonna Fly Now.” Steps may or may not be climbed too.
#2: “I Am Your Father”
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“Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) When it comes to parody, the bigger the franchise, the bigger the target, and it doesn’t get much bigger than “Star Wars.” Although practically every moment in at least the original three films has been parodied extensively, one scene stands above the others. Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber duel against Darth Vader in Cloud City leaves the young Jedi soundly defeated, but the kicker is the revelation that the villain – the very baddie he's set to kill – is actually his father. While nobody gets the quote right, tons of people have attempted or at least paraphrased the line throughout pop culture.
#1: Any & Every Scene
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“The Godfather” (1972) “The Godfather” is one of the most acclaimed films ever made, and with attention has come frequent mockery and tributes from other media. Offers that can’t be refused, requests made on the days of daughter’s weddings, body parts found in beds, wives asking about their husband’s business… we could go on. The point is, nearly every scene in this iconic mafia movie has been recreated or parodied by others, to the point where you could probably remake it several times over using parodies alone! If imitation is the greatest form of flattery, then the creators of “The Godfather” should be very flattered indeed!
