There are plenty of meta movies out there, AKA those that reference their own IP or the tropes of their genre. But then there are others that outright make references to other films, some classics and some not so much. Typically, the references are to landmark installments of the genre of the film doing the referencing, but occasionally the viewer is treated to a memorably pop-culture savvy protagonist (or, rarer still, antagonist).
From young, criminal hopefuls who have watched films likeScarface14 times too many to debates over Stormtrooper rights, plenty of movies have incorporated discussion of other works successfully. These just happen to be some of the ones that are the most chock-full of winking outward cinematic citations.
10True Romance (1993)
True Romance
IfTrue Romanceisn’t the best film Tony Scott ever directed, it still certainly ranks high.The Quentin Tarantino-written filmintroduces viewers to call-girl Alabama Whitman (Patricia Arquette) and laid-back Elvis fanatic Clarence Worley (Christian Slater). The former is paid to spend the night with the latter, but ends up falling for him for real. When Worley tries to buy off her pimp and secure her safety, things get violent, and now Clarence and Alabama are on the run to the bloody end.
What Does It Reference?
Clarence is essentially a stand-in for Tarantino himself, so, naturally, the character makes a ton of references to pop culture favorites. For instance,Rio Bravo, which Clarence expresses his love for while going on an excited nerd rant in front of Alabama. There are also some clips early on, when Alabama and Clarence are bonding at the movie theater. Specifically, some of the best martial arts films from Sonny Chiba.
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9Clerks (1994)
Clerks' razor-thin narrativefollows Dante Hicks, a convenience store worker who “Isn’t even supposed to be here today” and Randall, his best friend who just so happens to work at the video store next door. At least, when he wants to.
Most, if not all,Kevin Smith filmshave a proclivity for pop culture references, and his debut is no exception. Most notable is Dante and Randal’s humorous yet thought-provoking debate about the Death Star inThe Empire Strikes Back.
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8Scream (1996)
Wes Craven’sScreamis a whodunnit featuring someone in a ghost costume stalking their fellow teens in an otherwise lovely town. And this elusive killer is apparently quite movie savvy, because they have a tendency to quiz their victims on trivia…before killing them regardless of how they answer.
As soon as the film’s big reveal happens, Billy Loomis quotes and directly credits Anthony Perkins inPsychobefore then going on to link his fake blood to the corn syrup used inCarrie. But thosetwo aren’t the only references, and while they are iconic, they’re not themosticonic. That would be the trivia game Ghostface “plays” with Casey Becker at the film’s opening.
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7The Faculty (1998)
The Facultyplants viewers in Harrington High, which is populated by every type of teen under the sun, from jocks to bullies. But, now, jocks and bullies alike are turning into stone-faced…well…pod people.
The entire plot of the film is a take on Jack Finney’s 1954 novelThe Body Snatchers, which has been adapted in a more straightforward manner at other points in time. But that’s not all, as the film references other sci-fi horror classics such asScannersandAlien.
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6High Fidelity (2000)
High Fidelityfollows Rob Gordon (John Cusack), the heartbroken owner of a slowly dying Chicago record store. His girlfriend has dumped him, and now he’s looking back at all of his other failed romances, trying to figure out what exactly went wrong.
The film mostly revolves around the music world, but there are quite a few movies mentioned as well. For instance,Highlander,Pretty in Pink, andEvil Dead II(which Gordon uses as a test for potential girlfriends).
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5Hot Fuzz (2007)
Edgar Wright’sHot Fuzztakes place in the beautiful, tranquil village known as Somerset, which has recently been beset by a series of mysterious and gruesome accidents. But then there’s ambitious officer Nicholas Angel, who is also a recent addition to Somerset after his department stations him there just to get him out of their hair. Angel smells a killer, and while most of the village’s residents and paltry police force are of little use, he does find a friend and partner in loyal goofball Danny Butterman.
Angel and Butterman discuss quite a few movies throughoutHot Fuzz’s runtime, and the narrative in and of itself goes to lengthsto tip its hat to action classics. The most prominent example of the central duo’s bonding even has them watching and replicatingPoint BreakandBad Boys II.
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4Tropic Thunder (2008)
Tropic Thunder
Ben Stiller’sTropic Thunderfollows a group of inept actors stranded in the middle of the jungle after their director is convinced to take them out there to make the film as realistic as possible. Then, just as quickly as they land on the terrain, the director steps on a land mine. Now, the actors have to essentially become the characters they were set to play.
As a Hollywood satire,Tropic Thundermentions quite a few fan favorites, with one character even claiming to have gotten their first credit onDriving Miss Daisy. Then there’s another character’s defense ofCliffhangeror an argument about the differences betweenI Am SamandForrest GumporRain Man.
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3I Love You, Man (2009)
I Love You, Man
I Love You, Manfollows Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd), who is engaged to the love of his life. But he’s never done well in the friend department, and now he’s looking for a best man. Good thing he meets the bizarre Sydney Fife, who gets Klaven to expand his horizons and be a more spontaneous, fun husband to Zooey (Rashida Jones).
When Klaven and Fife aren’t rocking out to Rush tunes, they’re known to drop a movie reference or two. For instance, Klaven poses as 007 and mentions a fewThunderballscenes while Fife just so happens to call his man-cave “theTemple of Doom.”
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2Easy A (2010)
Easy A, Emma Stone’s big debut as a lead performer, features the belovedLa La Landstar as high school student Olive. For the most part, Olive hasn’t attracted the attention of her peers, male or female. But now that a rumor has been spreading about her supposed looseness, she’s become something of a sensation, and it’s all a lie.
WhileStone is, of course, the film’s highlight,Easy Aalso benefits from hilarious supporting performances from Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson, all of whom are perfectly on the film’s sweet, quirky, and endearing wavelength. The film makes for a perfect pairing with the very works it references by name, e.g.Sixteen Candles,The Breakfast Club,Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, andSay Anything.
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1Paul (2011)
In between the second and third installments of Edgard Wright’s Simon Pegg and Nick Frost frontedThree Flavours Cornettotrilogy camePaul, which teamed the two leads withSuperbaddirector Greg Mottola…and Seth Rogen as a little pot smoking alien.
The joke-a-minute (many of which are effective) film follows sci-fi fanatics Graeme (Pegg) and Clive (Frost), whose paths cross with a little gray visitor who just broke out of a military compound. Naturally, agents are now on the tail of all three (four, including Kristen Wiig’s overly-sheltered Ruth Buggs).
Mottola’s rapid fire brand of humor merged well with Pegg and Frost’s respective performing styles, but it’s also in the supporting performances wherePaulshines, particularly Bill Hader, Joe Lo Truglio, Jane Lynch, John Carroll Lynch, Sigourney Weaver, and Jason Bateman as the hysterically named Special Agent Lorenzo Zoil (Just one of the film’s many not-so-subtle film references).
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