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How Christopher Guest of 'Mascots' influenced the mockumentary

'Mascots,' which will debut on Netflix in October, looks to be the newest mockumentary by Christopher Guest, who also directed such comedies as 'Best in Show' and 'Waiting for Guffman.'

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Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Parker Posey, who frequently stars in Christopher Guest films, stars in 'Mascots,' Guest's first film since 'For Your Consideration' in 2006.

Director Christopher Guest鈥檚 newest movie 鈥淢ascots,鈥� which appears to be a mockumentary like many of his past projects, will soon arrive on Netflix, with Mr. Guest鈥檚 newest project only the latest effort in the genre that parodies film documentaries.聽

鈥淢ascots,鈥� which will debut on Netflix on Oct. 13, stars actors including Parker Posey, Jennifer Coolidge, Fred Willard, and Zach Wood.

It is Guest鈥檚 first film he has directed since the 2006 movie awards season parody 鈥淔or Your Consideration.鈥�

Guest鈥檚 movies are often based in the mockumentary genre, with some of his past films that he has directed including 鈥淲aiting for Guffman,鈥� which centers on a community theater production; 鈥淏est in Show,鈥� which depicts a dog competition; and 鈥淎 Mighty Wind,鈥� which is the story of folk musicians. Guest also co-wrote the comedy 鈥淭his Is Spinal Tap.鈥�

Monitor film critic Peter Rainer called Guest鈥檚 previous film, 鈥淐onsideration鈥� (which was not a mockumentary), 鈥渉ilarious 鈥� director/co-writer/actor Christopher Guest extends his perfect streak.鈥澛�

The mockumentary is a style that is associated with Guest鈥檚 work but also became popular in TV comedy in particular over the past decade or so.聽

NBC鈥檚 hit comedy 鈥淭he Office,鈥� which debuted in 2005, was a sitcom about office workers who were being filmed by a documentary crew (the final season involved them finally watching the documentary), and fellow NBC comedy 鈥淧arks and Recreation鈥� and the ABC hit show 鈥淢odern Family,鈥� which is still running, were both based on the premise that their characters were being followed around by cameras.聽

Guest himself has had a big impact on this genre, according to , who write of the director and writer鈥檚 work, 鈥淸Guest is] arguably the most influential writer/director in the mockumentary genre. Eons before Sacha Baron Cohen dreamed up Borat, Guest鈥檚 films were paving the parody way. [He was] instrumental in establishing, developing and advancing the genre.鈥�

, 鈥淔ew have done more to advance the cause of the mock-doc 鈥� the style, format, and off-the-cuff feel of [his] projects has informed entire chapters of modern screen comedy.鈥�

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