List of films featuring fictional films

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A body of films feature fictional films as part of their narrative. These are also called films within films.

List of films[]

Film Fictional film Year Description
Adaptation The Orchid Thief 2002 In the comedy-drama film, one of the twin brother protagonists adapts the book The Orchid Thief into a film and draws the jealousy of his brother.[1][2]
The Artist A Russian Affair 2011 In the romantic comedy-drama film, Jean Dujardin is an actor who plays the hero in the film A Russian Affair in which he is rescued from a Russian villain by his dog.[3]
Be My Cat: A Film for Anne Be My Cat 2015 In the found footage horror movie, an aspiring Romanian filmmaker shoots a demo film to send to actress Anne Hathaway to convince her to star in his upcoming film. Moreover, the demo film is about the making of another fictional film.[4][5][6][7][8]
Berberian Sound Studio The Equestrian Vortex 2012 In the horror film, a sound engineer is tasked with working on the Foley effects for the never-seen film.[1][9]
Big Fat Liar Big Fat Liar 2002 Marty Wolf, the main antagonist, produces a film under Wolf Pictures. This film, however, plagiarises Jason Shepherd's English assignment. In the end, the film is released with Jason getting writing credits.[10]
Blow Out Coed Frenzy 1981 Jack Terry, played by John Travolta, works for a film production studio as a sound editor for cheap horror films, including the film.[11]
The Big Lebowski Logjammin' 1998 In the comedy film, the Dude watches a pornographic film with Maude and sees Bunny Lebowski starring in the film.[1][2][9]
Boogie Nights Brock Landers: Angels Live In My Town 1997 In the drama film, Mark Wahlberg plays a rising porn actor. In part of his acting career, the character stars as a cop in a series of pornographic action films, with the partner played by John C. Reilly.[3][12][1][2][9]
Bowfinger Chubby Rain 1999 In the comedy film, film producer Bobby Bowfinger, played by Steve Martin, aims to produce his dream science fiction thriller film Chubby Rain and uses shots of an unsuspecting person, played by Eddie Murphy for the film.[3][2]
Bowfinger Fake Purse Ninjas 1999 In the comedy film, characters played by Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy infiltrate a factory where Chinese ninjas counterfeit goods.[12][9][13]
Brief Encounter Flames of Passion 1945 A film Laura and Alec see at the theater on one of their Thursday rendezvous. [14]
Broken City Kiss of Life 2013 In the crime film, a softcore romance film is featured, which The New Yorker's Richard Brody described, "flowery dialogue and poetic views of nature are followed by the actress’s hot and naked sex scene with the sensitive leading man."[15]
Burn After Reading Coming Up Daisy 2008 The black comedy film features a film based on a chick lit book by Cormac McCarthy.[13]
Clerks Happy Scrappy Hero Pup, numerous pornographic films including The Best of Both Worlds 1994 A mother asks for Happy Scrappy Hero Pup at the video store for her daughter. Randal is on the phone with the distributor and after ordering a large number of pornographic movies, asks the mother the film's name again. Later on in the movie he goes to Big Choice Video and rents a hermaphroditic pornographic film entitled The Best of Both Worlds. [16]
Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles Lethal Agent III 2001 Mick "Crocodile" Dundee investigates the filming of a sequel to a box-office bomb action film franchise, which is actually used as a cover-up for smuggling several paintings looted during the Yugoslavian Civil Wars.
Day for Night Meet Pamela 1973 The film follows the lives of the cast and crew while they shoot the film Meet Pamela.[17]
Dirty Work Men In Black Who Like To Have Sex With Each Other 1998 In the comedy film, two cinema employees (Norm MacDonald and Artie Lange) get revenge on their manager by replacing a print of Men In Black with a pornographic parody when the corporate bosses arrive to inspect the theater.
Entourage Hyde 2015 In the comedy film, Vincent Chase directs a film readaption of Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and stars as its leading character, an EDM DJ.
The Exorcist Crash Course 1973 In the horror film, before the mother's daughter is possessed, the mother stars in a film about student activism.[18]
Evil Ed Loose Limbs 5 1997 In the horror comedy film, a newly hired film editor goes insane while editing the latest in a long running series of slasher films.
For Your Consideration Home for Purim 2006 In the comedy film, the fictional film featured as a tribute to the Jewish holiday Purim. The studio executives in For Your Consideration change the film's title to Home for Thanksgiving to avoid isolating Gentile audiences.[12]
Funny People Re-Do 2009 In the comedy-drama film, Adam Sandler plays a successful film actor who learns that he is dying of leukemia and decides to revisit his stand-up comedy career. One of the actor's featured films was the comedy Re-Do, which starred him as trapped inside a baby's body.[3][12]
Grindhouse Machete, Werewolf Women of the SS, Don't, Thanksgiving, Hobo with a Shotgun 2007 Fake trailers made for the film. Machete and Hobo with a Shotgun were eventually made into real films.[19]
History of the World Part I History of the World Part II 1981 A trailer for a sequel to the title film that was never planned on being made.[20]
The Holiday Deception 2006 In the romantic comedy film, one of the main characters is a movie trailer producer. One of her featured works is the action film Deception starring James Franco and Lindsay Lohan.[3]
Holy Motors Untitled monster movie 2012 In the fantasy film, the protagonist creates a motion-capture performance with a female counterpart, which is later revealed to be two snakelike creatures.[1]
Home Alone Angels with Filthy Souls 1990 In the family comedy film, Kevin McCallister is accidentally left at home during Christmas when his family went to Paris without him. Kevin watches Angels with Filthy Souls (a parody of the 1938 film Angels with Dirty Faces) which his parents and his uncle forbade him to watch. He later uses the film to distract burglars that break into his home.[3][12][1][9][13]
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York Angels with Even Filthier Souls 1992 In the family comedy sequel, Kevin McCallister watches the sequel to Angels with Filthy Souls. Home Alone 2's director studied 1930s and 1940s film noir to make Angels with Even Filthier Souls appear authentic.[21]
I'm Thinking of Ending Things Untitled Robert Zemeckis movie 2020 An unnamed janitor is watching a corny film about a cafe waitress who gets fired after her boyfriend makes a scene while she's working. When the credits roll, Robert Zemeckis is credited as the director. [22]
Inglourious Basterds Stolz der Nation 2009 The war film features a Nazi propaganda film called Nation's Pride (German: Stolz der Nation) that is a key plot element in the film's climax.[3][13]
Invasion Force Untitled action movie 1990 This film's plot starts with the shooting of an unnamed action film. Additionally, as the film itself ends, it is revealed to be a film shooting of its own.[23]
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back Good Will Hunting 2: Hunting Season, Bluntman and Chronic 2001 In the comedy film, the duo Jay and Silent Bob encounter the making of Good Will Hunting 2: Hunting Season, a satirical sequel to Good Will Hunting. The making of the sequel also featured the original film's director Gus Van Sant and its stars, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Bluntman and Chronic is a fictional movie based on Holden McNeil and Banky Edwards’ comic from Chasing Amy, where Mark Hamill plays a villain named Cocknocker, and fights the titular characters. [3][12][2][9]
The Kentucky Fried Movie A Fistful of Yen 1977 In the comedy film, the spoof film combines elements of exploitation film, TV commercials, pornography, and the 1973 martial arts film Enter the Dragon.[2]
Last Action Hero Hamlet / Jack Slater III & IV 1993 In the meta-action comedy film, Arnold Schwarzenegger's character is featured as playing Hamlet as well as Jack Slater, a parody of the actor's own action films[12][1][9]
Matinee Mant! 1993 In the period comedy film, an independent filmmaker produces a creature feature called Mant! that shows the combination of a man and an ant.[3][12][1][9][13]
My Dinner with Andre Violets are Blue! 1981 About murders on a submarine.[24]
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Operazione Dyne-O-Mite, Nebraska Jim, Tanner 2019 In the period comedy film, Rick Dalton, portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio, moves to Italy to star in spaghetti westerns.[25]
Paris When It Sizzles The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower 1964 Richard Benson is writing a film and only has two days to finish it so he hires Gabrielle Simpson to type it for him [26]
Planet Terror Machete 2007 Preceding the zombie film is a trailer for Machete that features Danny Trejo as a former Mexican federale who seeks revenge on those from both sides of the border who betrayed him. It was later made into a full-length feature film, also called Machete. [1][13]
The Player Habeas Corpus 1992 In the comedy film, a depressing film about a woman on death row is pitched, and it eventually becomes produced but changed to have a feel-good ending.[2][9][13]
Reboot Camp Sects Sell 2021 In the mockumentary comedy, the main characters are shooting a fictional documentary.
Schlock See You Next Wednesday 1973 John Landis' first film includes two references and a poster for this fictional movie, which then turned into a running gag for most of his career and has been referenced in many other movies and TV shows.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World You Just Don't Exist 2010 In the comedy film, Scott Pilgrim confronts one of his girlfriend's ex-boyfriends, who is a skateboarder and actor producing the action film You Just Don't Exist.[3]
Scream 2 Stab 1997 The slasher film Scream 2 features Stab, a film produced based on the events that took place in the first film Scream (1996).[3][2]
Sherlock Jr. Heart and Pearls 1924 In the silent comedy film, the protagonist dreams that he appears in a melodrama and solves the mystery as Sherlock Jr.[13]
The Simpsons Movie An "Itchy & Scratchy" movie 2007 There was an Itchy and Scratchy movie on The Simpsons television show, and at the beginning of The Simpsons Movie, the Simpsons are watching this or a possible sequel.[27]
Singin' in the Rain The Dueling Cavalier 1952 The musical film's couple star in the musical film that ends in a modern-day Broadway ballet.[13]
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut Terrance and Phillip: Asses of Fire 1999 The musical comedy based on an obscene cartoon within the musical comedy based on an obscene cartoon serves as a self-reflexive cautionary tale regarding censorship.[13]
Strange Brew The Mutants of 2051 AD 1983 In the comedy film, the fictional film is a post-apocalyptic thriller that copies Mad Max 2.[13]
The Stunt Man Barbed Wire Frontier 1980 The film features a World War I film in which a British prisoner of war escapes a German camp.[13]
Sullivan's Travels O Brother, Where Art Thou? 1942 In the comedy film, the fictional film is a serious commentary on the working class that the protagonist intends to make after having made numerous light-weight comedies.[28]
This Is the End Pineapple Express 2: Blood Red 2013 In this apocalyptic comedy film, Seth Rogen and James Franco discussed a possible sequel to Pineapple Express, where Red wants Dale and Saul to assassinate Woody Harrelson because he's going to give a speech making weed legal ruining Red. The footage from the April Fools trailer was used in the film and was mentioned again when Franco plans to sacrifice himself. [29][30]
Three Amigos The Three Amigos, Dueling Cavelier, Shootin' For Love, Little Neddy Grab your Gun, Those Darn Amigos!, Little Neddy Goes to War, Amigos! Amigos! Amigos! 1986 In the comedy film, the three protagonists feature in a silent film called The Three Amigos that defies the conventions of films of its genre.[2] A rival actress Miss Rene (her character was deleted from the movie), is shown on a billboard in the film. The others are all movies some or all of the amigos starred in.[31]
Top Five Uprize! 2014 The film centers around the main character, an actor, trying to make the transition from silly comedy films to serious films that comment on society. The actor is frustrated that more people are not excited by or interested in the historical value of a film about the Haitian Revolution.[32]
Tropic Thunder Tropic Thunder 2008 The action comedy film features the production of a film based on a Vietnam War veteran's memoir. The actors that are involved in the production are also shown to be in other fictional films, such as Ben Stiller in Simple Jack and Jack Black in The Fatties: Fart 2.[3][12][13] Another fictional film featured is Satan's Alley with two gay priests at a medieval church.[9]
UHF Gandhi II 1989 The comedy film features a sequel to Gandhi with Gandhi portrayed as tough and streetsmart.[13]
Variety Girl Romeow & Julicat 1947 A George Pal Puppetoon is a cartoon being sound and voice recorded in this movie.[33]
Who Framed Roger Rabbit Somethin's Cookin', Pistol Packin' Possum, Babes in Arms, Herman's Shermans, The Wet Nurse, The Little Injun That Could, Roger's Baby Buggy Blunder 1988 Somethin's Cookin' is a Live Action/Animation Hybrid features the filming of a theatrical short starring Baby Herman and Roger Rabbit. It parodies golden age cartoons such as Looney Tunes. The others were all seen on movie posters in R.K. Maroon's office.[34] [35]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wakefield, Dan (December 18, 2012). "10 Greatest Films Within Films". WhatCulture. What Culture Ltd. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Staff (August 11, 2008). "Top 10 Movies Within Movies". IGN. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Jones, Emma (April 11, 2013). "Fictional films that should be made". MSN Entertainment. MSN. Archived from the original on May 11, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  4. ^ "Discover the stomach-turning horrors of this Anne Hathaway baiting thriller". Little White Lies. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
  5. ^ Whittaker, Richard; 4:45PM; Dec. 7, Wed; 2016. "Other Worlds Austin Review: Be My Cat: A Film for Anne". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved 2019-11-18.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Millican, Josh (2015-08-07). "Be My Cat: A Film for Anne (2015)". Dread Central. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
  7. ^ "BE MY CAT: A FILM FOR ANNE". BE MY CAT: A FILM FOR ANNE. 2014-09-01. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
  8. ^ Be My Cat: A Film for Anne, retrieved 2019-11-18
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Preston, Dominic (November 3, 2016). "10 movies-within-movies that they should have made in full, from Good Will Hunting 2 to Schwarzenegger's Hamlet". Digital Spy. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  10. ^ "Big Fat Liar". rottentomatoes.com. February 8, 2002. Retrieved 2020-03-11.
  11. ^ Canby, Vincent (1981-07-24). "TRAVOLTA STARS IN DEPALMA'S 'BLOW OUT' (Published 1981)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i Staff. "Best films within films". ShortList. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Top 14 Fake Movies from Real Movies". amc.com. AMC Networks. November 2009. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  14. ^ Yagoda, Ben (2019-04-25). "'Flames of Passion' in 'Brief Encounter'". Movies in Other Movies. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
  15. ^ Brody, Richard (January 18, 2013). "'Broken City' and films within films". The New Yorker. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  16. ^ "Clerks (1994)". IMDB. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  17. ^ Ebert, Roger (December 26, 1997). "Day for Night". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  18. ^ Lyttle, John (April 11, 1994). "The horror that dare not come of age". The Independent. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  19. ^ "Every Fake Movie Trailer In Grindhouse". SCREENRANT. September 7, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  20. ^ Brooks, Mel (June 7, 1981). "The World According to Mel Brooks". The New York Times. pp. D1, D15.
  21. ^ "Story Notes for Home Alone 2: Lost in New York". amc.com. AMC Networks. December 2013. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  22. ^ Kohn, Eric (4 September 2020). "Charlie Kaufman's Guide to 'I'm Thinking of Ending Things': The Director Explains Its Mysteries". IndieWire. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  23. ^ "Invasion Force (1990)". International Syndicate of Cult Film Critics. June 11, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  24. ^ Ebert, Roger (1999-06-13). "My Dinner with Andre movie review (1981)". Roger Ebert. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  25. ^ Gonzalez, John (2020-03-25). "Ranking All of Rick Dalton's Movie Roles From 'Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood'". The Ringer. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  26. ^ "'Paris Sizzles' - The New York Times". Nytimes.com. 1964-04-09. Retrieved 2019-09-07.
  27. ^ Borrelli, Christopher (2007-07-27). "Movie review: The Simpsons Movie". Toledo Blade. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  28. ^ Orr, Christopher (September 17, 2014). "30 Years of Coens: O Brother, Where Art Thou?". theatlantic.com. The Atlantic. Retrieved June 28, 2020. The title is borrowed from the movie-within-a-movie that the protagonist of Sturges’s masterwork, Sullivan’s Travels, intends to make about the 'common man'—only to discover that the common man would much rather have him continue making lightweight comedies.
  29. ^ "PINEAPPLE EXPRESS 2 - Official Trailer - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  30. ^ "'This is the End' Reveals Faux 'Pineapple Express 2' Red Band Trailer | FirstShowing.net". www.firstshowing.net. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  31. ^ "Internet Movie Database". IMDB. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  32. ^ Sepinwall, Alyssa Goldstein (March 2018). "Black Lives Matter in History Too: Slavery, Memory, and the Haitian Revolution in Chris Rock's Top Five". The Journal of American Culture. 41 (1): 5–16. doi:10.1111/jacc.12836.
  33. ^ "Internet Movie Database". IMDB. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  34. ^ Cummins, Layla (2020-06-25). "Who really Framed Roger Rabbit: The story behind an animated classic". All The Right Movies. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  35. ^ Korkis, Jim (2018-01-17). "The Roger Rabbit Shorts and Sequels - Part 1". Mouse Planet. Retrieved 2021-01-19.

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