We've Been Spoofed!

by Eugene Novikov Apr 6th 2008 // 6:32PM

I suppose we should be flattered. It seems that someone (specifically Outlaw Vern) has put together an impressively elaborate Cinematical parody page. Vern's "Professional Movie Blog of Films" features such stories as "EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK: Shrek 4 Window Decal" and "Vern's Six to Grow On: Top 6 Movies I Don't Have Anything Insightful to Say About." The point, I guess, is to try to paint Cinematical as so much corporate hackwork. Hopefully our actual readers know better. We think the parody's a bit mean-spirited (we're just trying to be helpful, here), are stunned anyone would take the time, and maybe most importantly, are flabbergasted to find someone still using Geocities (as one of our number incredulously opined, "What is this, 1996?"). But we're also mature enough to acknowledge that parts of it are kind of funny. ("Exclusive Paraphrase"? Okay, that's a good one.) And we figured we ought to tip our hats and acknowledge the jab. At least someone's reading, right?

10 Comments

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

4-06-2008 @ 2:30AM

Eric D. Snider said...

I don't know who "we" is when you say "we think the parody's a bit mean-spirited," but my part of "we" thinks it's pretty damn funny, and that when parody is pretty damn funny it doesn't matter if it's mean-spirited.

4-06-2008 @ 10:38AM

Eugene Novikov said...

I didn't say it wasn't funny, so "we" seem to be in agreement.

But "doesn't matter" is kind of a loaded term. Doesn't matter how? If you mean "doesn't make it less funny," then I agree. If you mean "doesn't measurably increase one's chances of being challenged to a duel," then I beg to differ.

4-06-2008 @ 2:00PM

Eric D. Snider said...

Good point, Eugene. I guess my real point is that I think only the very thin-skinned would find it mean-spirited. :-)

4-06-2008 @ 10:24AM

Erik Davis said...

To be fair, we're not the only ones he goes after. Yes, the site looks like Cinematical, but upon further inspection some of those posts mimic other sites. I'll let you all figure out which sites he's spoofing.

4-06-2008 @ 7:33PM

Dan Katz said...

Damn right you should be flattered. Mean spirited?? That you're even remotely upset is ridiculous. Jeez it barely even looks like your site. The Transformers poster joke is brilliant. You should be so funny.

4-06-2008 @ 7:52PM

Eugene Novikov said...

Hey now, who's upset? I didn't mean the post to come off that way. Like I said, it's pretty funny.

4-06-2008 @ 8:03PM

Lisa said...

I do not think you are wrong to be a little offended.
It's like when someone is just "joking" in a kind of mean way, you can't help but feel a little sting. There are a lot of sites that really deserve being made fun of, i do not see how this is one of them.

4-06-2008 @ 8:20PM

Jordan said...

i think vern was just using you guys as the template...i've been reading him for awhile and he's not what i'd call "mean-spirited"...he was just taking the piss. but he did nail it.

4-06-2008 @ 9:12PM

Peter Hall said...

I do love that he used a picture from Thunderbirds as the image for Gandhi. And those fake ads are great. The "scour for nude photos" button made me giggle.

4-06-2008 @ 11:44PM

Vern said...

Hey guys, I'm the same Vern who did that parody. I can't deny some of it being kind of mean, so I appreciate you having a sense of humor about it.

For what it's worth though, my goal was definitely not "to paint Cinematical as so much corporate hackwork." Most of the movie blog related things I made fun of (half-assed top 10 lists, "exclusive" movie posters, anti-"torture porn" hysteria, obsession with box office) are criticisms of modern movie coverage in general. I based the look mostly on Cinematical, but I didn't mean it to all be seen as a swipe at you guys specifically.

So, sorry for any offense, thanks for the link, and viva la Geocities.