Join The Community
10 Clucking Good Robot Chicken Moments
X-Men to Star Wars, parody kings take on geek culture...
Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Join the club
Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.
While we’re still not sure that Short Circuit needs to be remade, we’re happy that Robot Chicken writer Dan Milano is having a crack at the script.
Robot Chicken – created by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich is a cracking, ADD-influenced blast of pure geek parody.
They cover everything in pop culture and have created some spot on movie parodies over the years. Here are a few of our favourites…
The Movie Being Parodied: The NeverEnding Story (1984)
Why It's Funny: It pokes fun at the essential cheesiness of Wolfgang Petersen’s 1984 fantasy trifle.
We especially love Atreyu vacuuming Falkor at the start.
Plus, Rockbiter throwing gang signs after crushing a cop is never not funny.
Clucking Good Line: “Say my name Bastian… Say my name!” The Empress gets into the swing of things.
Next: Batman Begins
[Page-Break]
The Movie Being Parodied: Batman Begins (200)
Why It's Funny: It captures the tone and look of Chris Nolan’s Bat-universe perfectly: the soaring music, the glimpse of main character Heimlich standing atop a building in his lederhosen.
Bonus points for the crack at Rob Schneider with the “Space Gigolo†poster reference and joke from the off.
Clucking Good Line: “It’s always sausage with you, isn’t it?†A random Hollywood executive cuts Joel Schumacher to the core.
Next: Michael Bay
[Page-Break]
Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox
The Movie Being Parodied: Every Michael Bay film ever made
Why It's Funny: Michael Bay. Explosions. ‘Nuff said.
Oh, and the perfectly overenthusiastic trailer announcer who sounds like he’s having an orgasm while providing voice-over for the various pyrotechnics.
Clucking Good Line: “That sucked!” Cinemagoer speaks the truth.
Next: March Of The Penguins
[Page-Break]
The Movie Being Parodied: March Of The Penguins (2005)
Why It's Funny: Only the Chicken gang would think to spoof the hit doc using The Penguin from out of Batman.
He’s a superbly foul, squalid and hilarious version of the old Batman TV show’s take on the character.
Top marks for the spot-on Morgan Freeman impersonation.
Clucking Good Line: “The penguin’s mating ritual can last for two hours… or two minutes.”
Next: ET
[Page-Break]
The Movie Being Parodied: ET (1982)
Why It's Funny: Haven’t you ever wondered what ET’s race is really like?
We love that it’s actually much more like a typical American High school, with a bunch of bullies pointing out how “special” our pudgy, poo-shaped hero is.
And there’s even time for an extra SF parody right at the end.
Clucking Good Line: “What the hell are you calling yourself ‘ET’ for, spaz? Your name is Cleeborp!”
Next: Star Wars
[Page-Break]
The Movie Being Parodied: Star Wars (1977)
Why It's Funny: Star Wars has been picked at and spoofed so many times over the years, it’s a wonder anyone can find something new to poke fun at.
Extra kudos, then to the Chickens, for smartly making fun of some minor characters.
Poor old Ponda Baba – simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. We particularly like that his encounter at Mos Eisley ruined his job.
Clucking Good Line: “I love your hair! Where did you get it done?” If only he’d had subtitles in real life…
Next: X-Men
[Page-Break]
The Movie Being Parodied: X-Men (2000)
Why It's Funny: Mixing X-Men and Police Academy? Superb!
It doesn’t hurt that the Chicken crew takes delight in abusing the academy idiots – while still knowingly playing to their strengths.
We’d pay to see this in the cinema. If only because they all die…
Clucking Good Line: “Well, that’s… Horrifying.” Hightower’s uniform gives Professor X a nasty surprise.
Next: Godzilla
[Page-Break]
The Movie Being Parodied: Godzilla (1954)
Why It's Funny: A great blend of Godzilla and Training Day (no, really), which sees the big G taking a new recruit out on the dangerous streets. To stomp them…
Denzel couldn’t have done it better…
Clucking Good Line: “You got to unlearn that bulls**t they teach you on Monster Island, ‘cos that s**t will get you killed…”
Next: Clash Of The Titans
[Page-Break]
The Movie Being Parodied: Clash Of The Titans (1981)
Why It's Funny: Years of bank holiday repeats have drummed the movie into our brains.
But this video works so well because it’s another great, thoughtful spin on a simple concept.
And what’s not to love a tiny shout-out to another popular film at the end (which we won’t spoil)? Wonder if Sam Worthington can be half this entertaining in the remake?
Clucking Good Line: “I’m free! Oh, my god… it’s oh so beautiful! I honestly thought I would never get out.”
Next: Star Trek II
[Page-Break]
The Movie Being Parodied: Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan
Why It's Funny: Pure, unadulterated genius.
Boiling the beloved Trek entry down to one and a half minutes of opera stylings loses none of its power but ups the laugh ratio considerably.
They even get the prefix code right. Now that’s commitment…
Clucking Good Line: (Sung) “My ear! I’m not supposed to get eels in it!”
Like This? Then try...
- 6 Of The Best Film Homages In Music Videos
- 7 Action Figures We’d Like To See
- 7 Weird Bits Of Star Trek Merchandise
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter for the latest news, features and reviews delivered straight to your inbox.
James White is a freelance journalist who has been covering film and TV for over two decades. In that time, James has written for a wide variety of publications including Total Film and SFX. He has also worked for BAFTA and on ODEON's in-cinema magazine.
