What’s the Difference Between Parody Comedy and Satire?

In learning about filmmaking and film genres it’s important to understand that there are several types of comedy and sub-genres of comedy that exist. As an aspiring videographer, you should know that comedic films and comedic writings have a variety of potential ways or directions in which they could go. For instance, satire vs a parody is one such example, but what’s the difference between parody comedy and satire?

Is a satire and a parody the same thing? Are they similar? Are they distinctly different? And if so, how?

What’s a Satire?

A Satire is a film that utilized humor throughout the expose behavioral flaws in the characters. Satires ridicule the character or the vices or idiocy of the character involved. Satire is commonly used to poke fun at societal and political injustices or commentary.

We also see satire used to poke at human frailty and indecency. Inadequacies are targeted and juxtaposed alongside a variety of other elements to create powerfully definitive judgements that challenge attitudes.

Satire is frequently used as a means of guiding or shaping public personal opinions around particular events or occurrences.

What is Parody?

As we look to answer the question, “What’s the difference between parody comedy and satire?” It’s important to break down exactly what a parody is. Parody refers to the type of comedy that references other works of a familiar type or style.

Parodies often poke humor at a particular artist, genre, or work that others will recognize closely and connect the exaggeration with the original.

The purpose of the parody is to amuse by building that recognition but there could also be a deeper motive for producing a parody, for instance the focus could be on a more satirist level.

What’s the Difference Between Parody Comedy and Satire?

Parody comedy and satire comedy films are not exactly the same, although sometimes we see some elements of satire come out in a parody. Essentially, the satire is typically built with deeper issues and is chosen for more than just a style!

It’s often thought of to evoke an incredibly deep understanding of a particular judgement that the artist wishes the audience to make. 

A parody simply imitates the style of another work of art to produce a comedic effect that the audience will relate with and connect with. We’ve seen both parodies and satires used in a variety of ways in filmmaking  over many years. 

Some of the most known and semi-recent satirical films include Borat, The Hunt, and Greed as well as Vice. Some of the more recent parodies that have been released include Holmes and Watson, ZombieLand, and Little Monsters as well as The Dead Don’t Die.

As we look to answer, “What’s the difference between parody comedy and satire,” It really all comes down to how the comedy is created and the connections that are evoked among the audience.