What are some movies comprised (almost completely) of references and homage?
 

We've all noticed Kill Bill, Quentin Tarantino's ode to kung-fu B-movies, grindhouse cinema, etc. Film references abound, and even the central story - seems to be a homage to The Bride Wore Black. It's obvious that Tarantino loves these films, and isn't "stealing" anything per se; he shows his appreciation and respect by making a film out of references and homage.

Pretty cool, I thought.

I also saw the trailer for Bernardo Bertolucci's The Dreamers today. After looking it up, I noticed that the plot was similar to Melville's Les Enfants Terribles - and the trio of film-loving youngsters play games referencing classic movies.

Can anyone else think of any films that a director has made almost completely out of references and homage?

I also thought of Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, which references Kevin Smith's - and others' - films non-stop, though since Kevin Smith made the film, I don't think it really counts. I would also discount Simon Pegg's and Jessica Stevenson's TV show "Spaced", where - although references abound - the central story does not seem to reference anything.
Well, maybe Green Card, but hey.

Anyone else?

- Not Another Teen Movie - 80's and 90's teen comedies
- "O" - Othello
- 10 Things I Hate About You - Taming Of the Shrew
- The Magnificent Seven - The SevenSamurai

. . . I hesitate to mention this one . . .

- O, Brother, Where Art Thou? - The Oddessy (supposedly)

That's all I can think of off the top of my head . . . I'll add more as I think of them.

I don't think he meant parodies and remakes.

Independence Day

Though instead of reference and homage, it seemed more like it was ripping off scene after scene from other films.

Independence Day was just a really reworked "War of the Worlds".

Every single Quentin Tarantino movie, short, and MTV segment ever made.

A lot of comedies fall into that category - <i>Airplane, Naked Gun, Scary Movie, Fatal Instinct, Top Secret</i> etc. - they're filled with movie references/send-ups.

The Mummy Returns. Every scene seems to be stolen from another movie. Tragic.

Definitely Jean-Luc Godard, in my own experience a lot of his early stuff is filled with references to American films. Films like A Bande Apart, Pierrot Le Fou and Contempt reference westerns, crime films, epics, etc. so much so that it makes my head spin. I particularly like the Lubitsch references in Pierrot Le Fou. He also makes a ton of literary references as well.

Brian DePalma. Doesn't matter what film.

I didn't mean parodies, nor did I mean remakes.

Die Another Day pretty much rehashes, references and self-homages all previous Bond films in some way.

DePalma's Blow Out

The best recent example is Minority Report. I wrote a great post about it back in June or July 2002 but it's gone now. (I should save those things damnit)

I think the recent Cabin Fever is a good example. I've noticed everything from Evil Dead to NotLD to TCM in there. Although the film did have some original moments, I'd say much of it was homages.

House of 1000 Corpses

<b>Basic Instinct</b>, according to the imdb, pays homage to Hitchcock.

I think Cabin Fever and House Of 1000 Corpses are perfect examples. Their own movies, but obviously made up of many other films.

Gremlins II, and actually the first Gremlins, now that I think about it. Most Joe Dante films include a few references.

I think DePalma is a very good example. Sisters and Dressed To Kill are very Hitchcockian, and Blow Out is definitely an homage to Blow Up.

I forgot about this one...i did enjoy the references to the other Bond movies.


But I really enjoyed the little nod to the origin of the name James Bond in the film.

Re: What are some movies comprised (almost completely) of references and homage?
 

Also in that trailer I think I saw the three run through the Louvre just like in Godard's Band of Outsiders.

A lot of Godard's films themselves are self-reflexive - in most cases he works on violating established film/genre 'rules.'

Can't forget Brain Donors, as a modern day Marx Bros film and Stoogemania, where a guy fancies himself as a Stooge.

The Projectionist was a very early entry into this sort of homage equaling love of film, but it's so unbelievibly bad, it's not worth seeking. The only notable thing about that today is that it was Rodney Dangerfield's film debut, and he's in a largely serious role.

And let's not forget The Patriot, also by Devlin and Emmerich, which too ripped off scene after scene from other films.

Or how about Godzilla, also by Devlin and Emmerich...

sigh... to come into the industry with a bang(Stargate) and to do nothing worthwile since. It would be different if they had something to do with SG-1, but they washed their hands clean of that too. So since 1994 they have had 1 good movie.

If anything, Stargate sucked major a** and The Patriot rocked.

Godzilla was just.....blah.