The Shrek series, created by DreamWorks Pictures in 1994 following Jeffrey Katzenberg’s departure from Walt Disney Studios, has grown into a worldwide sensation with four main movies, a fifth in production, two spin-offs, numerous shorts, and interactive specials. Despite its global success, it’s easy to overlook the series’ origins, which were quite edgy and satirical. Initially inspired by the 1990 children’s book Shrek!, this project was one of DreamWorks’ first after its establishment. In many ways, Shrek served as a witty jab at fairy tales, a nod to Katzenberg’s past employers, Disney. This underlying satire led to the inclusion of many adult-oriented jokes that were cleverly disguised for young audiences.
In 2005, James B. Stewart’s book Disney War provided an in-depth account of the rivalry between Katzenberg and Disney, with a focus on certain humorous elements in the film Shrek. Essentially, the DreamWorks team aimed to satirize Disney and its CEO Michael Eisner at that time. Despite being designed for family audiences, Shrek stood out from Disney by incorporating subtle jokes that were likely too complex for most children to understand.
The outcome was extraordinarily thriving, and the Shrek series remains popular to this day. As the story progressed, some questionable humor became less frequent, particularly in the first film’s gags. However, double entendre is inherent to Shrek’s character, ensuring its presence in Shrek 5. Meanwhile, let’s take a trip down memory lane and revisit ten of the series’ most daring jokes that you might have missed as a child.
‘Lord Farquaad’
In the animated film Shrek, Lord Farquaad, the antagonist, is said to be modeled after Eisner, and his name isn’t accidental. When pronounced aloud, it bears a striking resemblance to the insult “four-quick-fudge,” and the characters in the story themselves take care to enunciate it clearly on occasion to prevent misunderstanding.
Duloc Castle
At Farquaad’s residence, as Shrek and Donkey approach Duloc Castle, Shrek muses out loud, “Could it be he’s trying to overcompensate for something?” The humor of his remark becomes clearer once we observe Farquaad’s short stature. However, the adult audience would have picked up on a hidden layer of meaning in his comment. The castle is distinctively shaped like a certain body part, and the movie contains numerous jokes about size that can be interpreted in this manner.
In their real-life feud, height seemed to be a frequent point of contention between Eisner and Katzenberg, with Eisner being taller than Katzenberg in this instance. Towards the end of their professional partnership, Eisner is said to have referred to Katzenberg as a “little person” in an official company memo.
Robin Hood Song
Initially, Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men appear as a contrast to Shrek in the narrative, exhibiting arrogance and stereotypical heroic traits, assuming Shrek as an adversary. To the ears of an adult listener, their song about rescuing Fiona from Shrek sounds more ominous than comforting. Robin Hood sings “I enjoy a fair fight and a spirited lady,” while his Merry Men follow with “What he’s essentially saying is he enjoys…
Caught up in the conversation, Hood interjects, and his exclamation of “Paid!” might have left a puzzled teenager in 2001 wondering if they were about to say “laid,” a term that was not yet part of their lexicon.”
“In the midst of talking, Hood breaks in with an exclamation of “Paid!”, which would have left a young millennial in 2001 scratching their head, as they may not have been familiar with the term ‘laid’ at that time.
Dragon and Donkey
If you haven’t re-watched the original Shrek movie in a while, you might be surprised by how explicit and sensual the developing relationship between Donkey and Dragon appears. It’s quite bold – at one point, Donkey expresses his desire to avoid rushing into a “physical intimacy,” as Dragon seems to be wrapping herself around him. A few scenes later, there’s an image that could suggest Dragon is engaging in oral sex with Donkey, complete with audible slurping noises. Donkey then protests, “Hold on, hold on! That’s my private area you’re messing with! You’ll tear it off!
Farquaad’s Magic Mirror
At the start of the film, a caricature of a reality TV dating show presents Farquaad with various princesses he could marry, and when Snow White appears, the mirror quips, “Though she resides with seven others, she’s not an easy catch.
Later, we find Farquaad gazing into the mirror from his bed, sans shirt and sipping a martini. He requests the mirror to display Princess Fiona, and it seems reluctant, as if intruding upon this personal scene. To heighten the humor, Farquaad also looks beneath the covers with an unusual expression.
‘Pork Illustrated’
In the film “Shrek 2”, an innuendo is introduced early when Prince Charming unexpectedly finds the Big Bad Wolf perusing a magazine. The magazine’s cover, titled “Pork Illustrated,” depicts a pig in a swimsuit. The wolf’s embarrassed smile in this scene was also featured in the film trailer, signaling to parents that there would be adult humor for them if they decided to bring their children to the cinema.
Fairy Godmother’s Apothecary
In this film, the Fairy Godmother has a tendency to tell bold, uncouth jokes. One of her more surprising humor pieces, however, is a subtle visual joke that might be overlooked. As you watch closely, you’ll notice her residence is not just a simple cottage, but a workshop for enchanting potions. If you pay attention to the moving conveyor belt, there’s a bottle clearly labeled “Viagra” among the other concoctions. Although kids in 2004 might not have understood its meaning, some parents certainly did.
K.N.I.G.H.T.S.
In the movie Shrek 2, K.N.I.G.H.T.S., an intriguing aspect, is cleverly likened to real-world police officers. This humorous comparison is given considerable attention and is further developed through various means – for instance, a mockumentary of the reality show COPS depicts the knights as crooked and brutal, and they even frame Puss in Boots by planting a bag of “catnip” on him before arresting him for possession.
The story continues with Donkey changing into a horse with white fur, and him and Shrek being pursued by knights. They humorously call Shrek as “riding a white steed,” which is a clever reference to the famous televised chase that resulted in the apprehension of O.J. Simpson, often referred to as “the White Bronco incident.
Smoky Carriage
In the course of Shrek the Third, some subtle humor might have slipped past younger viewers, like the scene at Worcestershire Academy where Shrek, Donkey, and Puss find two students exiting a smoke-filled carriage that appears to be a humorous take on medieval college cannabis usage, with one student carrying what looks like a church censer.
Gingerbread Man
Ultimately, “Shrek Forever After” is mostly suitable for families, though young viewers may not grasp the joke when Donkey refers to Gingerbread Man as a “cracker.” Initially, this could appear to be a downgrade from being a cookie to a less desirable treat, but upon reflection, it’s a clever play on words with a double meaning.
Currently, you can stream the first three Shrek movies on Peacock. On the other hand, Shrek Forever After is being streamed on Max. As for the spinoff, Puss in Boots, it’s not available on any subscription-based streaming platforms at the moment. However, subscribers of Prime Video can enjoy the most recent movie, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
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2025-03-13 00:43