Clue, The Brady Bunch Movie, Death Becomes Her, and Robin Hood: Men In Tights. This may seem like a random list of movies. After all, what does a murder mystery have in common with a cheesy parody, a dark comedy, and a musical comedy? These four movies are all part of a forgotten era. They are the charred remains of a lost art. They are campy movies from the 20th century.
A movie is usually considered “camp” if it is ridiculous and over the top. Take Mel Brooks’ Robin Hood: Men In Tights and the random, but catchy dance numbers, for example. Robert Zemeckis’ Death Becomes Her, and its wacky stunts, along with the hilarious writing, are peak camp.
Most movies don’t need a special gimmick. Most campy movies simply have a natural charm that makes them so lovable.
From the 80s to the early 2000s, these types of movies were a dime a dozen, however, a few movies from each decade stick out. The 80s saw Elvira: Mistress of the Dark and Flash Gordon. The 90s had The Addams Family and But I’m a Cheerleader. The 00s had an overflow of campy movies, but the most notable from this time were White Chicks, Jennifer’s Body, the Scary Movie series, and even Mamma Mia!
This period is often considered the “Golden Age” of campy movies, especially considering what happened in the years to come.
Since 2010, there has been a noticeable decrease in campy movies and the appreciation for them. There have been a few gems in the past fifteen years, such as the Pitch Perfect trilogy, Bottoms, Birds of Prey, and Do Revenge, but campy movies have been scarce as of late.
Most movies released after 2010 are either superhero movies, animated children’s movies, dramas, biopics, or deep thinkpieces. Audiences have been deprived of the hilarious, exaggerated, ridiculous movies that the previous generations enjoyed in abundance.
The current generation of moviegoers needs more campy movies. We are living in a time where the general public is deprived of fun and whimsy. In such a dark and stressful time, campy movies are a beacon of light. They’re also a staple of pop culture, and it would be a crime for future generations to miss out on such an iconic genre.
Mac G Buchanan • May 30, 2025 at 11:51 am
Nice one Bella!