Can you believe it's been 20 years since "Forrest Gump" hit theaters? It seems like the film has been so deeply ingrained in our pop culture that it's hard to imagine a time when "Forrest Gump" wasn't a part of our lives.
"Forrest Gump" premiered on July 6, 1994, and the film would go on to win six Academy Awards, including "Best Picture" and "Best Actor in a Leading Role" for Tom Hanks' iconic performance as the seemingly-simple title character who leads an extraordinary life.
In honor of the 20th anniversary of "Forrest Gump," the film is getting re-released in IMAX theaters for a special one-week run starting Sept. 5. A groundbreaking film such as this deserves an epic screening venue.
You know what else hugely successful films inspire? Parodies. And "Forrest Gump" has plenty of them. While another screening of this movie is always recommended, whether it's in IMAX or not, sometimes all you need is to laugh with Forrest Gump at the film's more awkward moments. Here are some of the best parodies to help you do that.
1. "Gump" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
Nobody does parodies like "Weird Al," and this one kills two birds with one stone by poking fun at both "Forrest Gump" and The Presidents of the United States of America's mid-'90s hit "Lump." The song points to some of the funniest moments of the film, such as Forrest's presidential visits, and also asks what we always think when we watch this movie, "What's with his hair?"
2. The "Honest" Trailer of "Forrest Gump"
The Screen Junkies channel on YouTube gave "Forrest Gump" its famous "Honest Trailers" treatment just before the actual 20th anniversary of the film. The trailer shows how this film, which inspired "one really disgusting seafood restaurant" should be advertised today. Twenty years later, and the main takeway is, "you can succeed in America if you're dumb enough to blindly do what other people tell you to do."
3. "Gump Fiction"
Have you ever wondered what it would have looked like if Quentin Tarrantino directed "Forrest Gump"? Me neither, but this "Forrest Gump" parody from "MADtv" answers that question for us anyway. Since this was part of a late-night sketch show, some of the jokes are obviously going to be a bit crude and not to everyone's liking, but "Gump Fiction" has its moments.
4. 8-bit "Forrest Gump"
Forrest really did have a lot of people chase or attack him in the film, didn't he? I guess that's why this 8-bit version of the movie works so well. Can we make a "Forrest Gump" video game a reality, please?
5. If Wes Anderson directed "Forrest Gump"
Parodies of Wes Anderson's unique directing style never cease to delight. This video that went viral a few months back uses Anderson's style to recreate the title sequence of "Forrest Gump," complete with whimsical music and close-ups of carefully-placed objects. It's so spot-on.
