The horror genre isn’t all scares and blood splatter. There are plenty of movies that offer just as many laughs as they do frights. Here are our favorite horror comedies. What’s yours?
Dan’s Pick – Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn
This one was a toughie friends. There are so many classic horror-comedies out there that it makes it nearly impossible to choose from, but after many hours of procrastinating and crying I decided that Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn is one of the best out there. This of course is the sequel to the cult classic The Evil Dead which tells the tale of a group of friends who are vacationing in a cabin that unknowingly unleash demons by reading from the book of the dead.
The sequel picks up right where the first one ends. Our hero Ash wakes up in the woods and is still being haunted by the demons from the first film. What ensues is pretty much a mesh of slapstick and gore. Ash gets thrown around the woods and cabin, gets possessed, and goes through gallons and gallons of blood trying to stay alive. It’s a step up from the low budget style of the first film, but it doesn’t stray too far from it either which is why it still resonates with fans to this day.
What makes this movie stand out as a comedy is the character Ash played again by Bruce Campbell. Campbell is a total lunatic in this film, going crazy hacking and slashing his way through the deranged demons that are invading the cabin. One of the stand out scenes in this film is when Ash’s hand is possessed and he has to hack it off which leads to him replacing his hand with a chainsaw. It’s so over the top and goofy that it makes you laugh out loud at times. It’s the perfect mix of blood and guts and deranged humor that makes this movie a must watch during the Halloween season.
Mark’s Pick – Slither
When I think about comedies in the horror genre, there are two categories they always fall into: the out-right, ridiculous parody and the well-written satire, which could easily be lumped in with horror films. The former is reserved for the Scary Movies and Beetlejuice, while the latter is where a cult-classic like Evil Dead resides. My preference is satire and why my choice for favorite horror-comedy is Slither.
The 2006 film is rarely mentioned among the average movie viewer, but it is in the top three of horror movies in the last decade. It gets lost among the Saws and Paranormal Activities that found more mainstream attention. The practical effects harken back to the late-70s through the 80s era of horror that is my favorite in the genre. The film is about Michael Rooker’s character, who is at his absolute best, as an average man who’s body is invaded by these slug like creatures, and becomes obsessed with eating meat. By the end of the movie, he eventually morphs into one of the best monsters that I’ve seen introduced in a long time.
Slither came from the mind of James Gunn, who is now better known as the guy behind Guardians of the Galaxy, and has a tone very similar to those who’ve seen the Marvel classic. He enlists some of the best under-the-radar at the time comedic actors in Elizabeth Banks, Nathan Fillion, and briefly, Jenna Fischer.
Fillion and Fischer were only known in the cult circles of Firefly and The Office, respectfully, but neither had reached the level they are at now. Banks, on the other hand, was in Wet Hot American Summer and had a small roll in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films, and neither had sent her hurdling toward stardom. So it is understandable why the movie was missed by the general public.
Slither mixes all the things I like about horror with all the things I like about comedy into a surprisingly good package. Along with Shaun of the Dead, it is only non-traditional horror film that I try to watch in October. I couldn’t recommend this movie any highly; trust me, you will not be disappointed.
Anthony’s Pick – Shaun of the Dead
The obvious choice is Ghostbusters, but I have to be honest, I’ve already written about that awesome movie more times than necessary. Instead, I’m going with a recent classic comedy and one of my favorite films of the past decade: Shaun of the Dead.
What makes Shaun of the Dead a near perfect horror comedy is the fact that it fulfills both parts of that equation. Not only is this film absolutely hysterical, it also has some fantastic effects that make it the best zombie film since Dawn of the Dead… the original. The zombie makeup is top-notch, the splatter effects are gruesome, and the story is one of the best-told zombie stories ever.
Of course, there’s plenty of talent behind this movie, so it should come as no surprise that this movie is so great. Ever since Spaced, the team of Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright, and Nick Frost has proven that they can come together with some smart comedy that is able to pay homage to pop culture they hold dear and Shaun of the Dead expanded upon that groundwork. Shaun of the Dead lovingly sends up the horror genre, while at the same time, puts together quite an addition to the mix.
What’s your favorite horror comedy? Let us know with a comment!
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