As the success of the recent Werewolves Within has demonstrated, the genre of horror-comedy is as alive and kicking as ever. But while modern masterpieces like Zombieland, the Evil Dead franchise, or Shaun of the Dead are beloved by many, there are horror-comedies that are less known but deserve just as much appreciation and attention from any genre fan.
Cinematic horror-comedies have been around for almost as long as classic horror movies, allowing the audience to enjoy good scares while at the same time reducing tension by laughing at their fears. With the genre going strong for almost a century, it's no surprise that some gems slip under the fans' radar.
While the 1922 silent film, One Exciting Night, is often credited with being the pioneering horror-comedy, it didn't quite balance the genre elements and featured crude, racially insensitive humor. However, 1948 Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein that pitted the iconic comedic duo against the classic villain (played by Bela Lugosi himself) became a smashing success and spawned a series of monster parody movies. The genre picked up from there, eventually delivering such modern classics as An American Werewolf in London and marvelous sci-fi horror Rocky Horror Picture Show. These 5 excellent, underappreciated movies might be less known but are a must-watch for any fan of horror comedies.
What We Do In The Shadows (2014)
This fantastic New Zealand horror-comedy mockumentary, co-directed by Thor: Ragnarok's Taika Waititi and Flight of the Conchord's Jemaine Clement and starring the directors themselves along with Jonathan Brugh and Ben Fransham, spawned a popular franchise, including the successful eponymous TV series. The story follows several vampires, who share a flat in Wellington, and explores their daily routines, mundane chores they have to undertake, little squabbles they get into, and challenges they have to face as modern vampires.
While putting the farcical, madcap comedy to the forefront, What We Do in the Shadows retains genuine horror elements and never forgets to remind the audience they are observing deadly creatures of the night. It's clever, eccentric, hilarious, and will entertain any genre fan with a soft spot for vampires.
The Final Girls (2015)
Directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson and starring American Horror Story regular Taissa Farmiga and The Vampire Diaries' Nina Dobrev, this meta comedy-slasher cleverly subverts the genre tropes and archetypes. It follows a group of high school students who get trapped in a typical slasher movie, Camp Bloodbath, and need to use the genre rules to make it out alive.
The movie cheerfully smashes the fourth wall and deconstructs every single stereotype, from characters being punished for having sex to a disfigured masked killer seeking revenge for his past mistreatment. At the same time, The Final Girls has a surprisingly emotional side and explores the topic of grief as the main protagonist, a shy girl named Max, has to face one of the movie's characters, played by her recently deceased mother. The film is fast-paced, gory in the best slasher tradition, and hilarious in its meta jokes — a must-watch for any comedy-horror fan.
The Dead Don't Die (2019)
This subtle horror-comedy reflection piece, directed by the surrealistic maestro Jim Jarmusch, might not be everyone's cup of tea. It's certainly not what one would expect from a zombie flick, and those who hope for a Zombieland-type of an action ride are likely to be disappointed. But it's a real treat for Jarmusch's fans and viewers who can appreciate deadpans, countless genre references, and nuanced social commentary.
Featuring a stellar cast that includes Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Steve Buscemi, Tilda Swinton, and Tom Waits, the movie follows two unperturbed police officers who are caught in the midst of a zombie apocalypse and are trying to assist the local residents. It's beautifully bizarre, reflects on realistic human behavior in times of crisis, and delights in unashamedly demolishing any resemblance of a fourth wall, with Murray and Driver even mentioning the movie's script. The Dead Don't Die is a truly peculiar and underappreciated horror-comedy masterpiece that shouldn't be missed.
Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil (2010)
Popular movies like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Hills Have Eyes, and the classic Deliverance ensured that most people feel a bit weary when running into country folk in remote, heavily wooded areas. Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil takes those fears and 'hillbilly horror' expectations and turns them upside-down.
The story follows a group of college students on a camping trip who encounter two socially-awkward country boys, whom they automatically perceive to be murderous hillbillies. In reality, against all genre rules, Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine) are just a pair of harmless, simple folks trying to enjoy a weekend of fishing and drinking while working on their newly bought cabin. The confusion, assumptions, and prejudices lead to some hilarious moments and an awkwardly growing death toll, mostly due to the college kids accidentally killing themselves while convinced their lives are in danger. It's a wonderful mix of blood-splattering slasher, facepalm comedy, and an unexpected twist in the best traditions of horror.
Cabin In The Woods (2011)
Co-written and co-directed by Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon, this irreverent, meta horror-comedy is an unapologetic collection of slasher tropes, deliberately inserted and then turned on their heads. The seemingly familiar plot follows a group of college students who decide to spend their vacation in a remote cabin and end up accidentally unleashing a curse that leads to them being killed off one by one. However, just as one of the movie's taglines, "You think you know the story," suggests, nothing is as it seems. The intentionally cliched story, archetypical characters, and on-the-nose references to every haunted house, zombie, slasher, and monster movie out there perfectly prepare the ground for a mind-bending twist and the reveal of people 'behind the scenes.'
While Cabin in the Woods has rightfully gained a niche cult following, it often goes unnoticed by the wider horror audience. With its superb cast that includes Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, and Kristen Connolly, unhinged and referential humor, and excellently twisted story, this underappreciated horror-comedy gem is a must-watch for any genre fan.