Looking from the Opposite Perspective...What is unriffable???

[LordZordec]

Question: Is there such a thing as a movie that is impossible to riff? 

I mean, even the best written, well cast, skillfully directed, and phenominally acted movies still have some sort of opening for heckling from the imaginitive, smartelic mind.  Even though Rifftrax doesn't do comedy films, I think a lot would agree that in most cases, it is possible to riff them, especially if they weren't particularly good comedies.  But what are some movies that do such a good job in self deprication or catching what the real joke of the scene is that there is nothing left to riff?  Or what movies would you feel like a totally evil horse turd for even attempting to riff?

Here is my short list:
Dumb and Dumber
Schindlers List
The Killing Fields
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai
World Trade Center
Casualties of War
Fletch

[poopoopeepee]

I think anything that takes itself too seriously is riffable to some extent.  Certain movies though, (like Schindler's List) should only be riffed in the company of close friends, who know you well enough to know you're not a racist, or that much of an idiot.

Buckaroo Banzai is pretty riffable for John Lithgow alone (although I think it's pretty tongue-in-cheek),
I don't think Dumb and Dumber would be too easy to riff, and I'd be pretty pissed if someone tried riffing Fletch with me in the room.

I have never seen The Killing Fields, but I think the subject matter may be a bit heavy for a commercial riffing...  why would anyone want to kill Sally Fields? 

[poopoopeepee]

why would anyone want to kill Sally Fields? 

Actually, having IMDBd her, I think I may give 'er a go.

[Nergol]

I think that it's basically impossible to riff anything that's "in on the joke". How could you riff UHF, Airplane, Naked Gun, or Hot Shots?

There are some things with subject matter too serious to riff. Mostly, these would be historical fiction. Someone mentioned The Killing Fields. Schindler's List, Apocalypse Now, or Saving Private Ryan would be other good examples.

There are films that are too slow-moving to riff. The Two Towers riff kind of didn't work for me because of this.

There's one more class of films - ones that are just so bad on their face that, well, a riff is kind of unnecessary for them. The Room was kind of like that. The riff wasn't bad, but I just kind of felt like I didn't need it, because what's wrong with The Room is just so self-evident that even pointing it out in a funny way seemed sort of unnecessary.

[Rattrap007]

i think it depends on the material. Stuff like Schindler's  List, Passion of the Christ, etc would be bad choices. A silent movie would be a major challenge..

[gonzodamus]

There are some things with subject matter too serious to riff. Mostly, these would be historical fiction. Someone mentioned The Killing Fields. Schindler's List, Apocalypse Now, or Saving Private Ryan would be other good examples.

Saving Private Ryan?  You know Vin Diesel's in it, right?  I'd love to see someone give that flick a once over  

The invasion of Normandy may be a bit rough, but the rest of the movie is ripe for it.

[poopoopeepee]

There are some things with subject matter too serious to riff. Mostly, these would be historical fiction. Someone mentioned The Killing Fields. Schindler's List, Apocalypse Now, or Saving Private Ryan would be other good examples.

Apocalypse Now is very riffable.  Brando's performance alone has already been spoofed / ridiculed countless times.  Plus, it's got Dennis Hopper!  Actually, I find Apocalypse Now to be pretty over-rated.

Documentaries are probably as un-riffable as it gets.  However, I bet Mike, Kevin, and Bill could riff the phonebook and have me thoroughly entertained.

[Thrifty]

The reason comedies aren't riffable is because riffing is basically movie alchemy.  You transmute a movie from one form (drama, sci-fi, adventure, horror) into another (comedy) by making wisecracks at the serious parts, taking the wind out of the sails of a moment that was meant to be taken seriously.  With a comedy, the best you can do is make angry comments at the poor quality of the jokes.  Even within serious movies with comic relief, I have seen the guys try to riff on comic relief moments, and it fails because you're not making a joke, you're just criticizing.

For a good example of why you can't riff comedies, see The Nostalgia Critic's review of Last Action Hero.

Aside from that, the other category of unriffable movies is somber movies about real tragedy, because it would be tasteless.  Jaws had a scene where one of the characters was sadly reminiscing about losing buddies in a World War 2 battle.  Some viewers were offended by the riffing on this.  Bill came here and apologized profusely, saying that they were simply unaware that the scene referred to a real incident.

[Thrifty]

There are some things with subject matter too serious to riff. Mostly, these would be historical fiction. Someone mentioned The Killing Fields. Schindler's List, Apocalypse Now, or Saving Private Ryan would be other good examples.

Apocalypse Now is very riffable.  Brando's performance alone has already been spoofed / ridiculed countless times.  Plus, it's got Dennis Hopper!  Actually, I find Apocalypse Now to be pretty over-rated.

I've tried to enjoy Apocalypse Now several times, but I cannot get through it.  It's boring and utterly directionless.

[Vent]

United 93 would be cousin-kissingly awkward to riff

[Thrifty]

United 93 would be cousin-kissingly awkward to riff

Don't you judge me!

[gonzodamus]

For a good example of why you can't riff comedies, see The Nostalgia Critic's review of Last Action Hero.

For a good example of why you can, check out Cinester's riff of Back to the Future

Straight comedies may be different, but action comedies seem like perfect fodder to me!

[stansimpson]

For a good example of why you can't riff comedies, see The Nostalgia Critic's review of Last Action Hero.

For a good example of why you can, check out Cinester's riff of Back to the Future

Straight comedies may be different, but action comedies seem like perfect fodder to me!

Heartily seconded.  It should be noted tho that pulling it off successfully is an enormously difficult task compared to standard riffing material.

[Darth Geek]

For a good example of why you can't riff comedies, see The Nostalgia Critic's review of Last Action Hero.

For a good example of why you can, check out Cinester's riff of Back to the Future

Straight comedies may be different, but action comedies seem like perfect fodder to me!

Heartily seconded.  It should be noted tho that pulling it off successfully is an enormously difficult task compared to standard riffing material.

Well, the most important thing is that the movie take it's silly premise seriously (as Back to the Future does).

[LordZordec]

United 93 would be cousin-kissingly awkward to riff

Don't you judge me!

Hey cuz, I rented that 9/11 movie.  Wanna come over tonight???