1 I have not forgotten the enormous influence that German cinema had on Hollywood from the 1920s through to (at the very least) the 1940s, influencing the visual style of genres including horror, the gangster film and film noir. But these techniques were brought over by the filmmakers themselves: directors like F. W. Murnau, Ernst Lubitsch, Edgar J. Ulmer and Billy Wilder and cinematographers like Karl Freund.
2 I have been informed by series co-editor Jamie Sexton that Guy Ritchie was similarly parodied on The Adam and Joe Show (1996–97). However, given that the same show also spoofed Larry Clark (staging his Kids (1996) with a cast of cuddly toys), it is safe to say that their parodies are aimed at a niche, cine-literate audience.
3 The popular television show Starsky and Hutch (1975–79) is a vivid example of the homoerotic nature of the buddy cycle. The ´disclaimer´ in this case is the androgynous, silk-scarved Huggie Bear, played by Antonio Fargas (although Fargas was ´out-camped´ by the rapper Snoop Dogg in the otherwise forgettable 2004 film version). The show´s iconic credit sequence includes Hutch (David Soul) watching a (female) stripper only to be distracted by Starsky (Paul Michael Glaser) blowing in his ear, Starsky swooning only to be caught by Hutch and a climactic explosion that causes both men to end up in each other´s arms. The freeze-frame that follows fixes the partners mid-embrace.