Marlon Wayans names his five favourite movies of all time
Countless industry icons have helped to make the 21st century a vibrant hub for cinematic comedy, with the likes of Tina Fey, Judd Apatow and Sacha Baron Cohen each creating some of the best genre flicks of the past few decades. Yet, one name that too often goes under the radar is Marlon Wayans, the writer behind such beloved spoof flicks as Scary Movie, White Chicks and A Haunted House.
Sure, such aforementioned flicks might not get the critical plaudits, but it would be churlish to deny that they have hit a chord with general audiences over the years, with Scary Movie sparking a long-running franchise. A series inspired by such spoof classics as Airplane and The Naked Gun, as well as the odyssey of modern horror, Wayans is clearly a lover of cinema.
Such is certainly illustrated in his list of all-time favourite movies, taking to Rotten Tomatoes to discuss the films that have most inspired him over the years.
Understandably, his list is filled with a number of iconic comedy flicks, with the first being the Martin Brest film Beverly Hills Cop from 1984. “Eddie Murphy was so appropriate,” he admired regarding the film’s leading actor, “Comedy is the magic of learning to be appropriate. In terms of his performance, he was so damn appropriate. He knew when to play what, and he let the situation lead him into being broad”.
From one comedy classic to another, Wayans’ second pick is the Bill Murray classic Groundhog Day, directed by Harold Ramis. “This is one of my favorite movies ever, because of the writing,” he told the publication, “I’m a big Bill Murray fan, and I just think any comedy that can last over two hours and keep your attention, even though it was the same situation over and over, and get funnier every time — this is probably my favorite movie of all time”.
Diversity and representation was also a key reason why Wayans wanted to get into the industry, with the film Hollywood Shuffle being very important in the writer’s progress. “An African American filmmaker [Robert Townsend] and being Keenen’s little brother inspired me to want to do movies,” he started, “Through laughter, it erased color lines, and is one of my all time favorites. I love when you do a movie with people doing multiple characters”.
Elsewhere, when it comes to parody movies, Wayans and his brothers were heavily inspired by the 1988 film I’m Gonna Git You Sucka. “This inspired me to want to write parodies and do parodies,” Wayans said of the movie, which he starred in along with Bernie Casey and Chris Rock, “You’d think I was being biased, of which I probably am, but I’m not, because I really love that movie and my brother. I think he’s a brilliant genius”.
Topping off his list is yet another comedy, picking the Hollywood flick Meet the Parents, starring Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller. Speaking about the movie, he stated: “The scene with the volleyball when he [Ben Stiller] hit her in the nose and she started bleeding, that worst case scenario was one of the funniest things in the world. And I love Ben Stiller’s performance, he was so genuine…That movie made me laugh from the inside out”.
Marlon Wayans’ favourite movies:
- Beverly Hills Cop (Martin Brest, 1984)
- Groundhog Day (Harold Ramis, 1993)
- Hollywood Shuffle (Robert Townsend, 1987)
- I’m Gonna Git You Sucka (Keenen Ivory Wayans, 1988)
- Meet The Parents (Jay Roach, 2000)
