To lighten the mood a little after our mammoth Disturbing Films List in the previous post, we thought we'd turn our attention to mock documentaries, or "mockumentaries", as they are perhaps more commonly known. Seems straightforward enough, but what exactly is the definition of a mockumentary?

We found a number of existing mockumentary lists online, which included the likes of "The Blair Witch Project" and "[Rec]", but, at AQNI, we don't consider these mock-docs; rather, we believe these examples are more handheld, or shaky, cam films. Of course, they do contain aspects of the mockumentary format, but these elements do not make up the majority of the aforementioned films.

So, for our own list, our definition of a mockumentary is this:

• At least 80% of the film must be doc-style (i.e., the characters must be aware they are being filmed, they are perhaps being interviewed or their lives followed by cameras, and the characters must act naturally, as if the situations they find themselves in are indeed real-life).

• The film must be bordering on believable. We don't expect the subject matter to be completely feasible, but an effort at least should have been made to convince the viewer of the "documentary's" credibility.

We have selected our top 10 mock-docs which are detailed below. You will notice, I'm sure, the absence of some of the more famous mockumentaries (such as "This is Spinal Tap" and "Borat"). We accept these are good films but have tried to make the list more diverse and hopefully give people the opportunity to seek out some of the lesser-known examples of the genre. We have included feature films, short films and one-off TV shows in the selection.

1 - Kenny [2006]
(Dir: Clayton Jacobson | Genre: Comedy)

Here's a surprise! We delayed watching Kenny, because, for some reason, we were convinced we weren't going to enjoy it. Just shows how wrong you can be, and that you should never judge a film without giving it a fair chance. A wonderful, feel-good comedy focusing on a "plumber" who works for a "corporate bathroom rental company" (i.e., he's a Portaloo cleaner!). The film follows Australian Kenny Smyth, in documentary style, as he tackles various issues in his profession, his life and his relationships. We laughed out loud on a couple of occasions, and thought the whole film was executed to perfection. This is in no way a condescending view of the working man; instead it glorifies what a kind-hearted and hard-working human-being Kenny is and, ultimately, he does reap some well-deserved rewards.

2 - S&Man [2006]
(Dir: J.T. Petty | Genre: Horror)

This film perhaps gave birth to our idea of creating a Mockumentary Film List. We watched it without knowing much about it, but found the whole format appealing. It's mostly factual, and a very good insight into horror films; both famous examples of the genre, and also the more underground variety. However, there is a clever interspersed fictional plot running through the film. As J.T. Petty interviews various real-life actresses, psychologists, fans and directors (including the bizarre Bill Zebub), he also meets new wannabe film-maker Eric Rost, who has set-out on a one-man mission to create his own series of snuff "style" horror films called S&Man. This film keeps you guessing about what exactly is real, and what's not. And, trust us, you will search Google for confirmation afterwards!

3 - Lake Mungo [2008]
(Dir: Joel Anderson | Genre: Horror, Drama, Mystery)

Alice Palmer is the daughter of a loving family. When she drowns in a dam her parents and brother are severely grief stricken. They begin to experience seemingly paranormal events and consult parapsychologist, Ray Kemeny who holds a séance at their house and begins to befriend the family. This retrospective mockumentary tells the story of the family's plight to discover what actually happened to their daughter and the truth behind the strange occurrences in their home. We have read some negative reviews of Lake Mungo, but we found the film to be eerie and atmospheric. The acting is very natural which gives credence to the documentary format. The character development is strong and although Alice Palmer's own appearances in the film are brief, you do get a sense of how much she is missed and feel an emotional attachment to the storyline.


4 - A Sense Of History (Short) [1992]
(Dir: Mike Leigh | Genre: Drama)

We are big fans of director Mike Leigh so we were pleased to discover he had directed a mockumentary. His films are often subtly humorous, as well as always being very natural, and A Sense Of History is no exception. This short film follows the 23rd Earl of Leete as he recalls his past and explains his family history. His character is, at first, seemingly harmless, taking the cameras on a guided tour of the grounds of the ancestral home. However, a series of shocking revelations during his tour quickly put to rest any first impressions of innocence the viewer may have had of him. We thought this mock-doc was both witty and outrageous. Jim Broadbent, who wrote the short film and also starred as the Earl, creates a character who, despite his numerous and severe shortfalls, is almost impossible to dislike.

5 - Best In Show [2000]
(Dir: Christopher Guest | Genre: Comedy)

It would be sacrilege to create a mockumentary list without incorporating at least one film by Christopher Guest, probably the most prolific mock-doc director in the business. Out of his many offerings (which include the likes of Waiting For Guffman and Spinal Tap, among others), we found Best in Show to be the one we most enjoyed and the closest match to our list criteria. This film follows a selection of eccentric dog-owners as they prepare for, and complete in, the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show. There are some genuinely amusing moments within this mockumentary, and the cast gel together flawlessly, which makes the whole parody a fun and riotous experience. We are confident you will have favourite characters and - despite this being a mock, and therefore having a pre-determined outcome - you will likely find yourself rooting for your favourites to win the show!


6 - Forgotten Silver [1995]
(Dir: Costa Botes, Peter Jackson | Genre: Comedy, Drama)

This film documents the life of fictional New Zealand film-maker, Colin McKenzie. Lost film is discovered in an old shed by director Peter Jackson (playing himself, here), which contains ground-breaking revelations concerning the birth of cinema. A number of directors, actors and historians give statements to the camera about Colin's incredible, but unacknowledged, cinematic achievements, such as pioneering the tracking shot and the close-up, and creating both sound and colour film long before the accepted dates of their invention. We thought Forgotten Silver was made more credible due to the inclusion of interviews and opinions by so many industry experts. The film is comedic and gets more and more ridiculous as it progresses, culminating in the discovery of the entire city McKenzie built with minimal funds, and in a phenomenally short time-frame, in order to film his biblical epic, Salome. We give this a big thumbs-up!

7 - Death Of A President [2006]
(Dir: Gabriel Range | Genre: Crime, Drama, Satire)

George W. Bush gets shot and all Hell breaks loose, in this mock-doc which offers a satirical view of counter-terrorism hysteria in a post-9/11 world. There is actual archive film of the ex-President himself, as well as anti-Bush protesters, which gives the film an element of realism (but, of course, we know for a fact there is no truth to this storyline!). We enjoyed the whodunnit aspect, and there is a thought-provoking twist which suggests some interesting conspiracies about the conduct and corruption of the authorities. We did occasionally feel that some of the interviews were much more staged, or scripted, than in many of the other mockumentaries, but overall Death of a President is a worthwhile watch.


8 - The Last Broadcast [1998]
(Dir: Stefan Avalos, Lance Weiler | Genre: Horror, Mystery)

So, we have finally calmed down enough to write about this film! Aside from the ending, which we were incensed by and will elaborate on shortly, this is a fine example of a spooky, shaky-cam mockumentary. Steven and Locus host a cable-access TV show called "Fact or Fiction". They decide to investigate the myth of the Jersey Devil and are accompanied into the woods by supposed psychic Jim Suerd. Steven and Locus do not return from the woods alive, and Jim is accused of their murder. The mockumentary centres on the investigation into the two mens' deaths, which is made into a documentary by David Leigh. So far, so good. We were very impressed up until the last ten-or-so minutes, when the mock became a regular horror flick, abandoning the documentary style altogether. If we were prone to using emoticons, we would insert an angry face here!

9 - Land Without Bread (Short) [1933]
(Dir: Luis Buñuel | Genre: Satire, Historical)

If you click on the title above, you will see the IMDB page for this film describes it as a documentary, rather than a mock. When you watch the film, it's easy to see why. This is filmed exactly as you would expect a documentary of the time to be produced, and is perhaps serious enough in tone to be believed. The mock aspects are subtle, and yet if you think even semi-carefully about what the narrator is saying, the fictional elements are blindingly obvious. We liked Land Without Bread for precisely this reason. There are no flashy techniques used. It is simply an old mock-doc by a director we are fond of. A word of warning, though, there are two scenes of animal slaughter within the film, so if you are particularly upset by this, Land Without Bread might not be for you.

10 - Ghostwatch (BBC TV Show) [1992]
(Dir: Lesley Manning | Genre: Horror)

Being British, we had to include Ghostwatch on our list. This is probably the most obscure mockumentary we have watched to date. The film is actually a one-off TV special, aired on the BBC at Halloween, 1992. It features a number of well-known British TV personalities, such as Sir Michael Parkinson, Sarah Greene and Craig Charles. It is partly set in a TV studio, where Parkinson interviews various experts and takes calls from viewers, and partly set on location with Greene and Charles at the home of the Early family, who have been experiencing what they believe to be a haunting by a ghost they refer to as "Pipes". Yes, it's far-fetched and mostly unbelievable, but despite the terrible acting from the haunted family, there is always a niggling thought at the back of your mind that possibly this could be a real TV investigation, because surely Parky wouldn't lie to his loyal British public?! The ending, however, is wonderfully over the top, and scuppers any doubt that this is indeed a complete work of fiction. If only the BBC would still produce such shows!