Mockumentary

I wanted to blog about the use of mockumentaries since I’ve focused a little on the documentary genre. A mockumentary is a film presented like a documentary, but it isn’t based on facts. Most mockumentaries are used to portray a satire or comical parody. More recent examples of mockumenataries include: Best in Show, which is a film about the happenings of how carried away pet owners can get while showcasing them in pet contests. Many of those figures, Michael McKean and Christopher Guest, involved in Best in Show were also in This is Spinal Tap, a Rob Reiner film. This is Spinal Tap is a mockumentary that satirizes the lives of musicians in a heavy metal rock band.

I bring the subject of mockumentaries up because there is a current film that is sweeping box offices by storm. It’s called Borat and it’s about Baren Cohen’s satirical character, Borat, who travels around the United States. Borat netted $26.4 million opening weekend in the U.S., which is a record for a film that was released in less than 1000 theatres.