y2cl#821/FTR#55: Potter’s Python Predicament (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, 2001)
on November 21, 2009 at 12:00 pmWhen it comes to these parodies, Jon and I set a number of rules early on: 1. They have to be funny. 2. One joke per movie, so as to parody as many different films as possible. 3. One movie per joke, because if we combine movies, then each one doesn’t get its due share, and part of the reason we do this comic is to pay homage to some great films. This joke is the exception to that rule.
I had watched “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” for the first time when researching joke ideas for it, and was just drawing a blank. I knew I didn’t like the film (never read the books, don’t plan to, Dr. Strange can kick Harry Potter’s ass), so all I knew was that the punchline was going to be Harry Potter dying. ’Cause that was funny to me. But how he would die was another matter, because I wanted to adhere to rule number 1. Then I watched “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” and got my perfect setup. But it was taboo because it would violate rule number 3. After much discussion with Jon, we figured we could get away with it this time because we were probably never going to spoof Monty Python. Making something unfunny into funny is easier than making the already funny, funnier. Which is why you don’t see us spoofing many comedies, actually.
Anyway, there it is. Your first “movie-combo.” For not liking Harry Potter, I sure threw in a bunch of nods for the fans, like Precinct 9 and 3/4, the Nimbus 200, the Sorcerer’s Stone, and a Rememberall.
