Who doesn’t love a good horror-comedy whose raucous comedy is equally matched by copious gore? That’s what you get with The Cabin in the Woods, the final Horror Comedy Monday in our 31 Days of Halloween. With Halloween nearly upon us, it only made sense to celebrate with one of the most beloved horror comedies of the decade. One that ticks off just about every box you can think of; laughs, self-awareness, endearing characters, smarts, splatstick fun, and endless bloody surprises. In the days leading up to the best holiday of the year, we wanted to go big. It doesn’t get much bigger than this horror-comedy.
Synopsis: Five college-aged friends head off for a weekend getaway at a secluded cabin in the woods. Their weekend of fun turns into an orchestrated fight for survival against evil, but there’s a lot more to this cabin than it initially seems. Expect humor, surprises, and a whole lot of bloodshed.
Key Players: The five central characters in this horror-comedy fulfill traditional archetypes; the Whore, the Athlete, the Scholar, the Virgin, and the Fool. Of course, it’s far more complex than that, but Anna Hutchinson’s Jules takes on the role of the Whore, and Chris Hemsworth plays Jules’ boyfriend Curt, the Athlete. Jesse Williams plays Holden, the Scholar. Leading the bunch is Kristen Connolly as Dana the Virgin, and Fran Kranz as Marty the Fool. Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford steal scenes as lab engineers Gary and Steve.
Why It’s on the List: This self-aware horror-comedy begins as a traditional slasher, and quickly deconstructs its tropes in the most over the top fashion. Meaning that those loving jabs at the subgenre aren’t subtle in the least. Co-written by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard, who also makes his directorial feature debut here, The Cabin in the Woods racks up the surprises along with the body count. Self-aware horror comedies are plenty, but none manage to shock quiet like the third act of The Cabin in the Woods. The absolute bonkers finale also gives this horror-comedy a replay value like no other.
You’re All Doomed!: This early scene gives a tease to the archetypes in play, but moreover, it’s a humorous parody of Crazy Ralph and all slasher harbingers of doom like him. Even better, this clip gives nothing away in terms of plot, for those who still haven’t seen it…
Where You Can Watch: The Cabin in the Woods is available to rent or purchase on digital, or on Blu-ray.
