When mixing two things together, you either get a perfect combo or a piece of total garbage you can’t use anywhere. It’s all about the chemistry between the two. They either work or don’t. Think simple science: mixing water with sugar, you get a solution; however, mixing water with oil won’t work the same. And the same principle goes pretty much with all things in life. Let’s think of the things that DON’T go well together. Hmm.. drink and drive, love and ego, spicy food and water, pizza and pineapple (highly controversial, I must say), or Kristen Stewart and facial expressions.
However, they say that opposites attract. However, do they work? Let’s think of two utterly opposing film genres – horror movies and comedy movies. The baby of the two – a horror comedy. And these mutants exist; believe me or not, they are doing pretty well at the box office. Entering a comedy, we expect to laugh. We hope to tremble, jump, and scream in horror when watching scary movies. In the best horror comedies, we anticipate both: to cover our eyes from monstrosity one moment and giggle the next. Pretty mixed signals, eh?
Well, don’t you try to argue that you’re not into that! Yes, I know you keep messaging that boy who is a walking red flag. Okay, okay, that’s none of my business (block him). All jokes aside, horror comedies depict our shared experience of terrible and absurd real-life situations that leave us unable to decide whether to laugh or holler for help. And heck, scary comedy movies are made for entertaining. You are not supposed to learn someone’s biography from the plot. You sit down, occasionally wipe your sweaty palms on your jeans, periodically gasp in horror and, from time to time, crack a smile at a silly joke the protagonists made.
Below, we’ve compiled some of the best horror comedy movies worthy of your attention that will leave you perplexed. If you are a fan of this genre, let us know your favorite horror comedy. And, as always, have fun watching!
#1 Army Of Darkness
1992 | 1 hour 21 minutes | Directed by Sam Raimi
Starring Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz, Marcus Gilbert
Army of Darkness picks up where Evil Dead 2 left off: Ashley is returned to the middle of the dark ages, where he must find a means to return to his own time. However, the people he has encountered along the way believe that he will be the one to deliver them all from the terrible dead. If he saves them, they will help him find a route home. Along the way, he encounters Sheila, a stunning peasant girl, and the two have a romantic affair. Although it might not be as good as Evil Dead 2, it’s still a fun, silly, horror-tinged comedy. Compared to the first two, this one lacks the fear factor and emphasizes the bizarre, hilarious, and wacky aspects. Although occasionally cheesy, the movie is funny and enjoyable nonetheless.
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#2 An American Werewolf In London
1981 | 1 hour 37 minutes | Directed by John Landis
Starring David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Joe Belcher
The movie’s plot goes that a werewolf attacks two young American guys named David and Jack while they are on a backpacking trip in England. After Jack is killed, David is sent to a hospital in London, where he sees the ghost of his deceased companion. His friend informs him that he is a werewolf who will change at the next full moon. This movie’s blend of horror, suspense, action, and humor makes it so engrossing. The latter is crucial because the film is relatively spooky. The occasional comedy plays as a pleasant suspension release here. Even with one hand tied behind our back, this movie receives a perfect score of 10 in our books. The sequel, An American Werewolf in Paris, is also worth seeing if you liked the original film.
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#3 They Live
1998 | 1 hour 34 minutes | Directed by John Carpenter
Starring Roddy Piper, Keith David, Meg Foster
Expectations are always high for John Carpenter’s movies. Did the film live up to the expectations? It sure did. They Live is based on a pulp sci-fi tale about aliens who live among us and govern us through various forms of mind control. Occasionally, with guns and bulldozers. Its artistic, entertaining, clever, and lighthearted nature make it typical of Carpenter movies. They Live is creepy, exciting, and funny, making it the ideal viewing for anyone who has ever suspected that all is not as it seems on the surface. It’s full of clever ideas, excellent visuals, quotable snippets of dialogue, and great fight action, including one of the best-prolonged street brawls ever captured on film. If you are a fan of John Carpenter’s movies, you are bound to love this one.
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#4 Young Frankenstein
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#5 Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil
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#6 Re-Animator
1985 | 1 hour 24 minutes | Directed by Stuart Gordon
Starring Jeffrey Combs, Bruce Abbott, Barbara Crampton
Re-Animator is a horror camp classic that is deserving of the moniker. It’s one of those entertaining horror films that are so outrageously over the top that it’s just a lot of fun to watch. Like the Evil Dead movies, this one takes place in its own world. Extreme gore makes the film arguably the goriest of its era. It also has a significant amount of dark comedy. Thankfully, the entire cast plays it straight; if they had even once grinned at the camera, the movie would have been ruined! As with any film, this one has flaws. However, the sheer fun of the film makes up for them.
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#7 What We Do In The Shadows
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#8 Gremlins
1984 | 1 hour 46 minutes | Directed by Joe Dante
Starring Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton
Long story short, a guy named Billy Peltzer picks up a new pet called Gizmo. After breaking a few rules he shouldn’t have, he spawns ugly creatures called “Gremlins,” who proceed to terrorize the town. Despite some extraordinarily absurd and irrational moments, Gremlins shouldn’t be taken too seriously. You may sit there scratching your head and wondering why the creatures would act so ridiculously, but heck, who are we to judge what these animals are capable of and how they ought to behave? Also, considering this movie was created when physical effects had to be used instead of CGI, it still holds up very well by today’s standards. And it was made almost 40 years ago. Goodness gracious, Gremlins is a millennial! Lame jokes aside, it’s one of those horror-comedy mashups that came together and succeeded in becoming a classic. The film carries a unique plot, fantastic effects, engaging characters, humor, and a timeless score. It’s unquestionably one to watch over and over again.
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#9 This Is The End
2013 | 1 hour 47 minutes | Directed by Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen
Starring James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen
The movie’s plot centers on James Franco’s housewarming party when the apocalypse strikes Hollywood Hills. Those who make it through the earthquake shelter at Franco’s home while they wait for a rescue that might never arrive. Even though This Is The End, let’s be honest, doesn’t have the best plot in movie history, it is nonetheless a very creative film in its own right. The film is unique and energizing because each actor and actress stars as over-exaggerated versions of themselves. In addition, the creators took the highly overused end-of-the-world scenario and made it entirely their own. This film won’t fail to make you laugh. It is an immensely witty and enjoyable comedy with raunchy banter. Although, much of the experience of watching the movie depends on whether you love the actors or not!
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#10 Dead Alive
1992 | 1 hour 44 minutes | Directed by Peter Jackson
Starring Timothy Balme, Diana Peñalver, Elizabeth Moody
A horror comedy about a mama’s boy finally having a chance to date a lovely young lady. However, soon enough, his mother gets bitten by a Sumatran rat-monkey, turning her into a bloody zombie. Well, that’s one hella recap! Dead Alive is an incredibly humorous, gut-wrenching, fast-paced, and adrenaline-pumping cult classic. There isn’t a dull moment throughout the movie’s entire runtime because it begins with a quick tempo and doesn’t slow down. There is no denying this is a nasty zombie film. Still, it successfully blends comedy and horror, creating a truly entertaining and engaging zombie comedy. If you enjoy movies of the zombie genre, it’s a must-see!
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#11 Eating Raoul
1982 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Directed by Paul Bartel
Starring Mary Woronov, Paul Bartel, Robert Beltran
Ever seen a movie so disturbing that it makes you laugh? If not, then allow us to introduce you to this comedic gem. Eating Raoul is a ridiculous cult favorite about a morally upright couple who live in Los Angeles but run into financial difficulties. They seek to solve them by inviting perverts to their apartment, killing them, and stealing their money. The narrative is filled with murders, yet there is no blood and guts. Instead, everything is subdued, as in an Agatha Christie book, where death is subtly announced by a thud from another room. It’s also very pleasing to see how well-made movies on a shoestring budget can be. It is a must-see for everyone who enjoys B movies or movies in general.
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#12 The Final Girls
2015 | 1 hour 31 minutes | Directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson
Starring Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, Adam Devine
Comedy and horror are tricky to combine, and bad things (reviews) may happen when those two aren’t mixed properly. Nevertheless, every now and then, one or a few movies succeed in discovering the formula for success, and one of them that did is The Final Girls. The plot centers on a group of five friends mysteriously becoming trapped in an awful slasher movie from the 1980s. Even though they know what will happen, they struggle to prevent the unavoidable – demise. Only a seemingly miraculous event will be able to halt the murdering machine that is Billy. The movie’s mockery of horror clichés, especially those seen in the slasher subgenre, is debatably its strongest feature. Any fans of ’80s horror who want a good laugh? You are in for a treat with this one.
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#13 Midsommar
2019 | 2 hours 28 minutes | Directed by Ari Aster
Starring Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, Vilhelm Blomgren
This is more than just a horror film. It is a tale about coping with loss. How reality isn’t always what it seems. How being in a group of people who are willing to listen to you makes suffering more bearable. This film is about many different things. This movie occasionally makes it difficult to watch because of the graphic violence, disgusting content, or plain strangeness, but you just can’t turn away. You must keep watching with morbid curiosity to find out what the actual heck is happening. And even though it won’t be to everyone’s taste, Midsommar touches on topics related to the human psyche that are well worth exploring. The performances of Jack Reynor and Will Poulter, who play “the bad guys” in the movie, provide some fantastic comedic moments to offset a few scenes of brutal violence.
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#14 Cabin In The Woods
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#15 Scream
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#16 Shaun Of The Dead
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#17 Jennifer’s Body
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#18 Night Of The Creeps
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#19 Cooties
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#20 Death Becomes Her
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#21 The Love Witch
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#22 Zombieland
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#23 Bubba Ho-Tep
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#24 The Rocky Horror Picture Show
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#25 Little Shop Of Horrors
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#26 The Lost Boys
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#27 Clue
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#28 Tremors
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#29 The Witches Of Eastwick
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#30 Warm Bodies
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#31 Friend Of The World
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#32 Happy Death Day
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#33 Hocus Pocus
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#34 Teeth
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#35 The ‘Burbs
More facts about this movie.
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#36 Krampus
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#37 Scary Movie
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#38 Little Evil
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#39 American Psycho
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#40 The Toxic Avenger
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#41 Rubber
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#42 Creepshow
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#43 Dark Shadows
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#44 Planet Terror
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#45 Trick ‘R Treat
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#46 Slither
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#47 Ghostbusters: Afterlife
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#48 Love And Monsters
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#49 Willy’s Wonderland
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#50 Ghostbusters
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