British humor is popular all over the world, but some British comedy movies have jokes that international audiences probably won’t understand.British comedy movieshave to have a broad appeal to make a global impact, and this means that they often aim for references and jokes that anybody can get. However, even some of the biggest comedies sneak in one or two obscure references to British culture and history.
Popular British comedies likePaddington,Edgar Wright’s Cornetto trilogy andWallace & Gromitare universal enough to gain international audiences, but this doesn’t stop them from having some references purely for fans from their own countries. Non-British fans might not necessarily know what they’re missing out on, because many of these jokes are hidden in the background or so subtle that the story maintains its pace even if they fly over the heads of some people.
ThePaddingtonmovies are based on one of Britain’s most beloved children’s characters. Paddington BEar is a national icon in some ways, on the same level as Sherlock Holmes or James Bond, so it makes sense that there are a few references in the movies that don’t quite land with international audiences. Hugh Grant’s role as Phoenix Buchanan inPaddington 2is the source of a lot of these references.
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Phoenix Buchanan is one of thebest comedy villainsin recent years, as his theatrical nature and huge ego make him a great foe for the Brown family. At one point, he says"Thank Larry, Johnny and all the ghosts of the avenue,“which highlights how his identity as an actor controls his actions.This phrase refers to Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud and the ghosts of Shaftesbury Avenue, which is located in the heart of London’s theater district.
A key plot point inFlushed Awayrevolves around the fact that England are playing in the World Cup Final, which means that everyone in London is watching the game, and everyone is waiting until half-time to use the bathroom. The sewer-based comedy shows some hilariously pathetic clips from the game while the crowd of rats cheer on their country. Ultimately, a newspaper headline reveals that England lost the final on penalties.
England lost on penalties in the 2006 World Cup, just a few short months beforeFlushed Awaywas released.
Nothing unites England like a major tournament for the men’s national football team, butEngland have been historically bad at penalty kicks. In Italy in 1990, France in 1998 and Portugal in 2004, England exited major tournaments on penalties. England also lost on penalties in the 2006 World Cup, just a few months beforeFlushed Awaywas released. Such bad luck weighs on the national psyche, and the entire country seems to tense up whenever a big match goes to penalties.Flushed Away’s humor is one way of coping with this sporting pain.
Chris Morris earned a reputation as one of Britain’s sharpest satirists with shows likeBrass EyeandThe Day Today,and he stepped up his ambitions withFour Lions,a comedy about wannabe terrorists planning a major attack on British soil. Morris satirizes the inherent logical fallacy behind radical religious extremism. One technique he uses is giving his characters plenty of British slang to make them more grounded and relatable, and this also creates a dissonance between their personalities and the roots of their flimsy beliefs.
Benedict Cumberbatch has a memorable role as a hostage negotiator who repeatedly fails to establish a connection with the terrorists. When he tries to strike up a rapport with Waj using some sexual language, Waj misinterprets his playful comments. Waj accuses the hostage negotiator of trying a"batty chirps,“meaning that he thinks the hostage negotiator is gay and trying to flirt with him.He says he’s not a"whammer,“which is a slang term for a gay man that refers to George Michael’s band Wham!
In the Loopcan be seen as the bridge between Armando Iannucci’s two great satirical TV shows,The Thick of ItandVeep.It was Iannucci’s first attempt to satirize American politics beforeVeep,as the story follows the tangled mess of communications as political and military leaders from both sides of the Atlantic contemplate the possibility of a war in the Middle East. Peter Capaldi is in hilarious form as Malcolm Tucker, the foul-mouthed spin doctor.
Tower Hamlets is the poorest area of London, and Judy implies that the children there have a culture of bad language.
Malcolm Tucker makes cursing an art form, and his vulgar style seems especially abrasive when he comes up against the Americans. He gets a little more pushback occasionally from his British compatriots, like when Judy says that her husband works for Tower Hamlets, so she’s become accustomed to hearing much worse language. International audiences probably wouldn’t know the meaning behind this jibe. Tower Hamlets is the poorest area of London, and Judy implies that the children there have a culture of bad language.
Steve Coogan’s Alan Partridge is a hugely popular comedy character in Britain, but a lot of his references don’t translate well to an international audience. Alan Partridge has had a few different TV shows, and they mostly deal with his struggles in the British entertainment industry, like howThis Time With Alan Partridgeparodies British magazine and chat shows. This is extremely different to most American chat shows, for example.
Alan Partridge is a popular comedy character in Britain, but a lot of his references don’t translate well to an international audience.
The Alan Partridge movieAlpha Papa,has a splash of action, but a lot of the comedy is familiar. This means that Alan name-drops C-list British celebrities and chats about the inanity of British life. One memorable joke comes when he is pulled back into the radio station by a rope. He loudly proclaims to the crowd that he has to go because"Pat’s tugging me off.“Non-British people might not pick up on this sexual innuendo, or any of Alan’s other frequent gaffes.
Edgar Wright is known for filling his comedies with jokes in every corner, meaning that they have plenty of rewatch value. Some of thebest jokes in the Cornetto trilogycan only be seen in the background or caught after a few watches.Shaun of the Deadis Wright’s satirical take on the horror genre, so some of his sneakiest jokes are only there for horror fans to pick up on. Fortunately, there’s enough hilarious comedy inShaun of the Deadfor anyone to enjoy, regardless of what country they’re from or whether they enjoy horror movies.
There’s enough hilarious comedy inShaun of the Deadfor anyone to enjoy, regardless of what country they’re from or whether they enjoy horror movies.
One memorable scene inShaun of the Deadsees Shaun walking to the same shop as he does every day, carrying out his usual routine completely oblivious to the fact that a zombie apocalypse has erupted around him. The name of the supermarket is “Landis,” which is a nod to comedy director John Landis, as well asa pun on the British supermarket chain Londis. Landis also directed an iconic horror comedy on British soil,An American Werewolf in London,so this could explain why Wright chose to pay tribute to him.
There’s usually some debate among Edgar Wright’s fans over which of his first two Cornetto trilogy movies is superior. WhereasShaun of the Deadlampoons the horror genre,Hot Fuzzgives action movies the same treatment. The script name-dropsBad BoysandPoint Break,but there are also references to movies likeLethal WeaponandDie Hard.AlthoughHot Fuzzhas Hollywood in its sights, it still makes time for some uniquely British jokes.
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One minor detail that could easily go unnoticed inHot Fuzzis that the code on the police evidence locker in Sandford is “999”.This simple code is the number used to contact the emergency services in Britain, just like 911 in the United States, which shows just how inept and careless the police are in Sandford.Hot Fuzzis packed with great jokes, but it’s these less obvious jokes that add to the layers of humor in Wright’s action parody.
Richard Curtis is one of Britain’s most popular comedy writers, and his movies have gained huge audiences all over the world. As well as hits likeFour Weddings and a FuneralandBridget Jones’s Diary,he wrote and directed one of thebest Christmas movies ever,Love Actually.Like many of his movies, he gets the best out of Hugh Grant, who plays the country’s new Prime Minister in the sprawling romantic comedy.
People with an interest in military history might know that the Special Air Service is an elite British military unit.
When Natalie makes a comment about how insensitive her ex-boyfriend was, David jokes that the office of Prime Minister grants him the power to kill people if needed. He quips that he could simply call the S.A.S., and he refers to them as"absolutely charming”.People with an interest in military history might know that the Special Air Service is an elite British military unit specializing in counter-terrorism and direct action, butthis isn’t common knowledge to most non-British people.
TheWallace & Gromitfranchisehas hardly put a foot wrong, proving that quality over quantity is often the best way to go. The franchise’s first feature-length movie was a long time coming, butThe Curse of the Were-Rabbitproved to be worth the wait, winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. A longer story forWallace & Gromitmeant it was necessary to introduce a few new characters, and Helena Boham Carter is a welcome addition as Lady Campanula Tottington.
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Lady Tottington is the aristocratic vegetable enthusiast with a love of rabbits who takes a shine to Wallace. She prefers the informal name “Totty” to her full title, which non-British audiences might not think twice about.In Britain, the word “totty” is slang for an attractive woman, and it’s often used in the phrase “posh totty”.“Totty” evolved from “tot” meaning an infant, so the term totty has the same roots as calling an attractive person “baby”. Just like “baby” or “babe,” “totty” can be offensive or disrespectful in some contexts.
The latestWallace & Gromitmovie keeps up the same style of humor, with a few subtle jokes that could be missed by non-British audiences. It’s worth watching back and seeing all the gags hidden in the background, but there are other jokes that are only intended for British people to understand. The name of the newsreader, Anton Deck, is one such joke, referring to British TV presenting duo Ant and Dec.
The way that Anton Deck is introduced inWallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl,it seems as if the movie is about to throw to the famous presenters, so the reveal that it’s just one completely unrelated man is a good gag for anyone who knows of Ant and Dec. Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly are famous for presenting shows likeBritain’s Got TalentandI’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!International audiences might recognize them from their brief cameo inLove Actually,where they share a scene with Bill Nighy.
