No two film genres are more intertwined, in my opinion, than horror and comedy. While we may love the “over the top” aspect that this genre has to offer, we can’t deny that such scenes often delve into the realm of the absurd and laughable. Just think the lawnmower scene in Dead Alive.
After all, think of how many times you’ve gone to the theaters to watch the latest horror movie and people laughed as much as they screamed. In fact, many times, they laughed immediately AFTER they screamed! For every scare we encounter, we get a rush of adrenaline which makes us feel energetic and, well…good! So why not laugh a little when someone kicks the bucket? Usually it’s so outlandish of a death that it merits a chuckle or two.
Now, I forgot to mention something rather important. This week’s entry into the How To Start Getting Into Horror series is the last in terms of making recommendations within subgenres. I know that there are several that I could’ve gotten into, such as “body horror”, “art-house”, “fantasy”, and more, but the whole point of these posts was to spark an interest in horror and all that it had to offer.
There are going to be two more posts and I’ll ruin the surprise for you. I guess you could call it a spoiler! Firstly, there’s going to be a piece on how to NOT get started in horror. Lastly, there’s going to be a wrap up piece. A conclusion, if you will. Something to tie everything together.
But since this post is the last recommendation piece, I decided that comedy is the best way to end this series. After witnessing blood, guts, carnage, mayhem, and sheer terror, it’s time to lighten things up and have a laugh. But not so much so as to recommend Scary Movie. Thanks, but I’ll pass on that one.
A great place to start is with something fresh and modern, something that actually, in my opinion, mixes horror and comedy in effectively equal parts. Let’s head to New Zealand for Housebound, which combines supernatural elements and snarky, witty writing that makes for a hilarious and, at time, truly creepy film! This would be a great way to end a horror movie marathon, simply because of the levity that it gives.
Certainly we can’t forget the Evil Dead trilogy. While the first one is still an incredibly spooky film, it has its moments of black humor. And the next two entries become even more comical, fully embracing the absurdity of their stories and upping the laughs. In its own way, an Evil Dead marathon would be a great way to get someone into horror, although starting off with Evil Dead 1 might be a bit too much.
Of course, another great entry into this subgenre, I feel, is Cabin in the Woods. It doesn’t joke around with its horror but it also completely embraces its comedy, creating something wildly unique and thoroughly entertaining.
What makes horror comedy so good at this point for a burgeoning horror fan is that, by now, they’ve experienced and probably questioned several horror cliches and tropes, which are exactly what these comedies aim to poke fun at. Movies like Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, Scream, and the upcoming The Final Girls don’t shun these elements but instead embrace them, adding to the “wink wink” nature of the films. It’s a way for horror fans to laugh at the absurdities of our genre without feeling like it’s being attacked.
Oh, and make sure to sneak in Beetlejuice at this point for good measure, I might add. One of my favorites.
Check out the rest of our How To Start Getting Into Horror series.