Rising to a more prevalent level of stature in the filmmaking world over the last decade or two, the mockumentary has established itself as a legitimate genre. Usually used to create pieces rich in comedic value, this faux-documentary style of filmmaking has also been used in the production of horror and thriller movies.
10. Punishment Park (1971)
Filmmaker Peter Watkins created quite a name for himself upon the release of this film back in Vietnam era America. The film follows a group of supposed conscientious objectors travelling a desert wasteland environment partaking in a brutal endurance challenge as a result of their unwillingness to partake in the Asian conflict. As well as being extremely topical and making some rather bold statements on the war, the footage itself is taken remarkably well. Fusing the documentarian style with scenes of truly gripping drama and action alike- this is a hidden gem which you would do well to check out at some point.
9. A Mighty Wind (2003)
Following on from the near-perfection he achieved with his previous works in the same genre, satire legend Christopher Guest returned in 2003 with this piece centred on the reunion of three separate folk acts. Much in the same vein as his iconic ‘This is Spinal Tap’, ‘A Mighty Wind’ sees the director working once again with many of the same actors to create yet another side splitting insight into the obscure world of popular music. This is pretty much ‘Spinal Tap’ for the folk community, not exactly the most original or ground-breaking work- however still hilarious.
8. Mike Bassett: England Manager (2001)
For those who are fans of soccer, or even just British comedy- this is a must-see. Though not exactly the most eloquently written film, this is a piece true to the mockumentary genre. The narrative follows a small time club manager who, having achieved some success with his team- is offered the job of managing the English national side through their imminent World Cup campaign. Of course he accepts the job, leading the team on a turbulent journey through the qualifying stages and eventually onto the tournament finals in Brazil. You’ll either love it or you’ll hate it, decide for yourself- the whole movies up on YouTube!
7. Borat: Cultural Learning’s of American for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
Following on from his successful series of TV shows in the late 1990’s/early 2000’s, British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen went on to immortalise each of his main characters in film over the course of the next decade. Borat Sagdiyev, a Kazakhstani journalist, made his big screen debut in this movie which is widely considered Cohen’s best to date. The film follows the journalist on his trip to the US, the mission of which is to learn the way of life and to generally promote a more healthy international relationship between the two nations. In a series of bizarre interview situations, Borat repeatedly freaks out everyone he comes across- making for some pure comedy gold.
6. Man Bites Dog (1992)
Jet black indie satire all the way from Belgium, Man Bites Dog is set around an investigative film crew and their interest in the exploits of a particularly charming, yet undoubtedly sociopathic serial killer. Shot in black and white and entirely in French, the piece oozes realism and comes across as gritty and intense as it does sophisticated and humorous. The inward psychology possessed by the piece is also worth noting, with the main protagonist posing more relevant questions than the documentarians tracking him.
5. I’m Still Here (2010)
It seems ridiculous now, but when Hollywood a-lister Joaquin Phoenix announced to the world a few years ago that he was to leave acting behind instead pursuing a career in hip-hop, many people (including for a miniscule amount of time myself) bought it. As it transpired however, it was all just a ploy from the actor and pal/director Casey Affleck, with the eventual mockumentary based on aforementioned career transition being released in 2010 to mixed reviews. I enjoyed it; I found it to be creative and amusing in equal measure, the amount of time the two managed to keep up the act during the run-up to the movies release is also worth credit.
4. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
An outcast amongst the other films on this list, The Blair Witch Project is the supposed remains of a documentary made by film students in mid-90’s Maryland. An early pioneer of the ‘found-footage’ film variety, the movie documents the students’ attempts to shed some light on the legend of the ‘Blair Witch’- hiking through dense woodland and filming as they go. The trio soon become lost however- leading to an emotional and psychological journey which gradually gets more sinister. Extremely scary for what it is and at less than 80 minutes in length- you need to see this film.
3. Lake Mungo (2008)
Based around a story which consists of the drowning of a teenage girl in rural Australia, Lake Mungo follows the distraught family in the aftermath of the tragedy. Soon experiencing strange things in their home, they decide to bring in an expert to take a guess at what might be going on. As you can imagine, the situation escalates rather rapidly and there’s some pretty terrifying stuff going down throughout. I realise I may as well of just described any horror film since (and including) ‘Paranormal Activity’ however what sets Lake Mungo apart is the slick combination of not-in-anyway-over-the-top acting and an undeniable edge of unpredictable plot structure.
2. Exit Through the Giftshop (2010)
I would in no way say that I was a disciple of Banksy, of course I’ve enjoyed some of his work from time to time – but who hasn’t? He is known for creating artistic pieces which cause people to deliberate upon a particular subject or situation- and this film is no different. Documenting the rise of wannabe LA based street artist Thierry Guetta or ‘Mr Brainwash’ and his rise to prominence in the scene. People are still arguing over whether or not the film is for real or not, however I for one believe it to be a mockumentary. Watch it and decide for yourself, it’s far more interesting than I just made it sound.
1. This is Spinal Tap (1984)
Probably the most legendary film ever produced in this genre, Christopher Guest and Rob Reiner’s’ early piece is of undeniable cult status. Following an English rock band and their slow but sure journey into obscurity, ‘This is Spinal Tap’ combines outrageous humor with moments of gripping drama and touching emotion to create a movie that is just 100 per cent watchable in every way possible. Not necessarily for lovers of rock music alone, there is something for everyone here- most obviously the many, many quotes just asking to be imitated. This movie was so successful at the time of its release that it enabled the fictional band featured to actually tour and release music.