If you're a true movie geek, you probably refuse to dress up at Halloween in anything but a movie-related costume. I guess I'm not a true movie geek, because two years ago I went as Family Guy's Quagmire, who as of yet is not in any movies. Last year, though, I was Harpo Marx. I haven't decided what to be this year yet, but it isn't definite that I'll be something with cinematic reference.

Of course, if I was a real, hardcore movie geek, I wouldn't just settle for the basic, predictable movie-themed outfit. I'd go for the gold, and be an uber-geek. How? I would doubly dress up as a movie character who is dressed up as somebody or something else. To do so, I would pick one of my favorite non-Halloween costumes and disguises depicted on film (it isn't as fun dressing as a character who is dressed up for Halloween). However, most of these would be difficult to achieve -- or at least too obscure to wear to a common party, where the crowd isn't as film familiar as you. If you attempt any of these, good luck! And please, please send me a photo.

1. Harpo Marx and Chico Marx as Groucho Marx in Duck Soup (1933, Leo McCarey)

See, now if I had really wanted to be geeky (or pretentious), I would have not just dressed as Harpo last Halloween; I would have dressed as Harpo dressed as Groucho. In one of the most famous sequences in any Marx Brothers film, Pinky (Harpo) and Chicolini (Chico) each disguises himself as Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho) in order to steal some war plans. The real gem of the sequence, of course, is the "mirror scene" (watch it if you've never seen it before, please), where Pinky pretends to be the reflection of Rufus until Chicolini appears and ruins everything. Although historically it was only Harpo and Chico who were often mistaken for each other, or for twins, all three brothers look so alike here, that when they're all together, it is almost difficult to tell who is who. If you want to pull this double-costume off, it won't be hard -- Grouch faces are easy to do, and then you just need a sleeping cap and gown -- but I doubt you'll get much tolerance when you constantly correct everyone who thinks you're simply Groucho.

A good parody is hard to spin beyond the here and now. Take "Weird Al" Yankovic, for example. The pop-music jokester has put out 11 regular albums since 1983, when the accordian-playing nice guy's spoof of The Knack's "My Sharona" (titled "My Bologna" and recorded in the men's room of his college radio station) started his career as a musician, comedic icon and food fetishist when it blew up on The Dr. Demento Show. However, every hilarious and unforgettable cut like "Eat It", "Like A Surgeon" and "Smells Like Nirvana" that hit was matched by fade-away tracks like the New Kids jape "The White Stuff" (an ode to Oreos), the Rocky III goof "Theme From Rocky XIII (The Rye Or The Kaiser)" or the misjudgment "Taco Grande" (a riff on Latin rough-boy Gerardo's only hit, "Rico Suave"). The secret to a successful parody is complex, involving a careful balance of picking a song that is big enough, worthy of a good-natured dressing down and most important, funny. The same is true with movies, and the latest in the popular Scary Movie series is a great example of what can go right and wrong with such an attempt.
 

Although it's without any music, there's a trailer for Scary Movie 4 floating around (via CBS 4 in South Florida. Can I get a big WTF on that one?) as we speak. It's funny, I've never watched a trailer without music or sound effects before...and I'm glad I haven't had the chance. Though the film definitely seems to have its funny moments, those of you who can wait may want to stick it out another day or so until the official trailer hits.

Based on what's shown, it looks like our Airplane friends are using the film The War of the Worlds as a main storyline, only it seems the aliens here take over the world using an iPod (I had to snicker at that one). Leslie Nielsen will play a moronic President of the United States (Little late on this joke?) who would rather wait to see how a children's book turns out than save the planet; an obvious poke at George Bush's initial reaction to 9/11.

Some of the other films on the chopping block include The Village, The Grudge and SAW (featuring a scene between Shaquille O'Neil and Dr. Phil). Oh, and there's also a spoof of the Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah's couch like a buffoon thrown in as an extra bonus. Part of me is happy to see some new blood (David Zucker and Jim Abrahams) injected into the franchise, however, their jokes don't seem to have that special zing we've seen previously. Scary Movie 4 hits theaters on April 14th.

UPDATE: Yahoo has added the real Scary Movie 4 trailer, complete with actual music and everything. Check it out here.

[via JoBlo]