Image by Erik Reichenbach from Pixabay Horror and comedy are two genres that I have written about a good deal at this point on the blog. Regarding the former, I’ve expressed my general discontent with the genre as a whole, shared my love of some horror classics (including Hitchcock’s Psycho and Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby), and talked about great modern horror flicks like Jordan Peele’s Get Out. Regarding the latter, I’ve dissected various comedic subgenres like coming-of-age movies and black comedies.
In my examination of both genres, I’ve come to firmly believe that they are polar opposites in terms of tone, style, and intention. Whereas most horror movies set out to frighten and unsettle the audience to the point of either turning them away or gluing their eyes to the screen, comedies generally aim to induce such magical bursts of laughter in the audience that we struggle to keep our eyes fixated on the screen from laughing so much. So, with the Halloween season coming to a close, I thought to myself: “What is it about movies merging these two genres together that can work so well?” That’s what today’s blog is all about: my love of horror comedies. Why do I love them? I guess you’ll have to keep reading to find out… 😉 Shaun of the Dead (2004) For my thoughts on Shaun of the Dead overall, click here. As one of my favorite Edgar Wright films, Shaun of the Dead is a prime example of blending genres to tremendous effect. In many ways, it works just as well as a zombie horror movie as it does a zany British comedy. A lot of this successful blend comes down to Wright’s direction with regards to the editing, use of music, and action choreography. What makes Shaun of the Dead a scary movie? For one thing, it embraces many of the most effective tropes of the zombie genre when it comes to getting the audience to jump out of their seats. From a number of effective scares with the zombies to racketing up the tension in the pivotal action sequences (notably the climactic scene at the Winchester pub), there are plenty of terror-inducing moments throughout the film. However, what is arguably the scariest part of Wright’s approach to this story is how he teases the oncoming zombie apocalypse in the film’s first act. The audience watches Shaun go about his day in much the same way he would any other day, and yet people are already acting like zombies due to the mundanity of their lives. But once the outbreak has hit, Wright crafts almost the exact same shot but now highlighting how Shaun obliviously walks through a destroyed neighborhood ridden with the undead. That level of visual storytelling is (in my humble opinion) unmatched in any of Wright’s other movies and even in many zombie movies of this century. So, what makes Shaun of the Dead funny? Wright’s trademarks of his filmmaking, but specifically his “Three Flavours Cornetto” trilogy, are his snappy editing (specifically during action sequences) to inject levity during action sequences and his ability to bring out some great chemistry between his Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. And that is arguably truer nowhere else but in Shaun of the Dead. Whether it be watching Shaun (Pegg) and Ed (Frost) bicker over how to survive in their crummy apartment or seeing their personalities play off of the rest of the cast while in the middle of killing zombies, Wright strikes this balance between scares and laughs better than most comedies can even aspire to. All in all, Shaun of the Dead is a worthy example of what the best of the “horror comedy” subgenre can be due to its effective parody of both genres from one of the better Western filmmakers working today. Zombieland (2009) To preface this section, Ruben Fleischer’s horror comedy directorial debut Zombieland is one of my favorite movies of this century. So, I am very much biased in favor of this movie as it was a formative film of my adolescence and holds up for me as (arguably) the prime example of what can be done when blending comedy with horror. As a horror flick, Zombieland has some genuinely terrifying scenes (notably the flashback apartment scene and the climactic fight at Pacific Playland) that, similar to Shaun of the Dead, remind me just how scary zombies could be if they were real. And this film is a great showcase for how effective zombies are as an antagonist in a horror flick. I think much of this believability (in my humble opinion) comes from the convincing make-up work done on the zombie extras and the choreography; these elements combined make for some exhilarating action and thrill-inducing scares despite how much this movie is a comedy at its core. Also, much in the way that other zombie movies like 28 Days Later or Shaun of the Dead do, Zombieland builds its world (specifically how it fell apart) in such a fun and exciting fashion. That opening credits sequence—a mish-mash of zombies attacking humans set to Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls”—is one of the most iconic openings to a movie in the 2000s. Prove me wrong. 😉 All that being said, however, Zombieland is in my mind undoubtedly a comedy movie first and foremost. Despite the horror elements, the movie embraces a zany spirit and fast-paced, character-driven story that relies much more on laughs to keep the audience’s attention. One of my favorite recurring bits in the film is the “rules” of survival by Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), which are all timed to damn-near comedic perfection with each of their respective scenes. Furthermore, while some of the zombie scenes are scary, Fleischer’s direction excessively leans into making fun of the zombies (and the survivors killing/running from them) with over-the-top, blood-and-gore-rich kills that is less for horror and more for hilarity. But the emotional (and comedic) core of Zombieland (in my humble opinion) is the chemistry among the cast. From Columbus’s angsty mentor-mentee dynamic with Twinkie-obsessed Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) to his quirky but sweet burgeoning romance with strong-willed Wichita (Emma Stone), not to mention Wichita’s sisterly bond with Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), this is such a memorable ensemble of actors that excel in their respective roles and play off each other so well. I don’t think I need to say anymore. If you’re looking for an extremely funny horror flick this Halloween, you absolutely cannot go wrong with Zombieland. Happy Death Day (2017) Going into watching Christopher Landon’s 2017 slasher comedy Happy Death Day, all I knew about it was that the main character’s name was Tree and that it was essentially a rip-off of Groundhog Day. And while both of these statements are correct, to reduce this film to those two facts alone is (in my humble opinion) a gross understatement of just how damn fun it is to watch. For those unfamiliar with Happy Death Day or Groundhog Day, the basic premise is that Theresa “Tree” Gelbman (Jessica Rothe), a rude and selfish college student, is killed the night of her birthday by a masked assailant before waking up the morning of her birthday again. Once she realizes what is going on, she gets to work solving the mystery behind her killer’s identity along with the help of her one-night stand Carter Davis (Israel Broussard). While I would argue that this movie is barely a horror film, it certainly leans into elements of the “slasher” genre that other classics such as Halloween popularized and Scream lampooned. The ambience of the movie’s kill scenes emulate the tradition of the “slasher” movie in terms of a masked killer hiding from view of their victim yet (mostly) clearly in plain sight to the audience. Furthermore, this film straight-up apes the core of Harold Ramis’s Groundhog Day that I think is horror but of a different stripe. For Tree’s crisis of living the same day over again (in addition to the stress of finding out who her killer is) plays right into the existential horror that makes Groundhog Day as much a philosophical exploration as it does a classic 90s comedy. But as I said, Happy Death Day is barely a horror movie and is much more a comedy. Rothe’s central performance balances a bold zaniness with just the right amount of charm to make us care about her predicament without ever fully empathizing with her until the third act. Similar to the next movie I’ll be talking about, the writing and direction here allow for Rothe to shine in so many scenes (notably the montage scene where she intentionally dies multiple times to discover the identity of her killer) to make her likeable in spite of her less attractive personality traits. On top of that, this movie embraces the best comedic beats of a time-loop film like Groundhog Day by showing just how funny it is to watch someone psychologically break from living the same day over and over again for an obscene amount of time. Easily my favorite parts of Groundhog Day are watching Bill Murray’s character slowly yet surely confront his own insignificance by going through this what-would-be incredibly traumatic experience, and that is just as true in Happy Death Day with Tree. While this movie does not rely as much on scaring the audience as other horror films of the past decade, Happy Death Day is well worth 96 minutes watching it because it’s such a fun time (and, truth be told, the sequel’s actually pretty good, too!). While it may not be an original concept or have a distinctive identity compared to films like Shaun of the Dead or Zombieland, it can still go head-to-head with the best of the modern horror comedies for just how much it’ll make you laugh. Ready or Not (2019) While Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland arguably lean a good deal into scares, Ready or Not might be the scariest movie that I’m discussing today. It just so happens to also be quite funny, which makes it that much better than it could’ve been otherwise. Ready or Not tells the story of newlywed Grace (Samara Weaving), whose recent admission into the wealthy Le Domas Family Games company after marrying Alex Le Domas (Mark O’Brien) comes with some strings attached. On the night of Grace and Alex’s wedding, the family participates in the tradition of having the newest member of their family choose a game for them to play. Unbeknownst to her what this will entail, Grace randomly draws “Hide-and-Seek” which sets her on an unexpected path of having to survive the night with her new in-laws. Unlike Happy Death Day, Ready or Not works just as well as a horror movie as it does a comedy. For starters, the efforts of the Le Domas family members hunting for Grace often culminate in some pretty intense face-offs and effective jump scares. Of course, these scenes would not be as terrifying as they are if not for the cultish devotion of the Le Domas family to find Grace. Until the final ten to fifteen minutes of the movie, the audience is unaware as to their true motivations for putting Grace through it all and yet it is evident from the get-go that their stalwart dedication to their mission. The cherry on top, however, is Samara Weaving’s convincingly terrified performance. Once she realizes what is going on, she never relents in her sheer terror of what is happening to her and how, no matter what she does, the Le Domas family seem to be one step ahead of her. On the flip side, Weaving’s compelling fright has an incredibly funny side to it by the fact that, multiple times during the runtime, she acknowledges how absurd her situation is as a way to cope with it. While not as on-the-nose of commentary as a movie like Scream, I LOVE that her character reminds the audience how ridiculous the film’s premise is in a way that is believable and entertaining. What is NOT believable, however, is the violence and the third-act reveal. Regarding the former, the kills in Ready or Not very much evokes the over-the-top blood and gore seen in the films of Quentin Tarantino which, while absurdly unrealistic at times, can be quite fun to watch and anticipate. Regarding the latter, I found it virtually impossible to buy into the climactic twist regarding the Le Domas family’s history of this ritual. However, I was able to give into my disbelief in order to just enjoy the utter ridiculousness of what was happening. If you’re looking for an effective horror movie with scary moments and intense fight scenes that injects some really great, tension-relieving humor, then Ready or Not is the movie for you this Halloween night. Certainly, these four movies only capture a slice of the pie that horror comedies occupy in the grander history of cinema. From older classics such as The Invisible Man, Young Frankenstein, and An American Werewolf in London to modern additions like Scream and The Cabin in the Woods, filmmakers throughout the decades have tackled this seemingly impossible blending of polar-opposite genres to tremendous effect. Many cinephiles and film critics recently have identified the “renaissance” that the horror genre has gone through over the last few years. As we get further into the 2020s, I can only hope that a sizeable element of this “renaissance” is the production of many more great horror comedies like the ones I wrote about today. Which of these horror comedies is your favorite (or least favorite)? Do you believe that horror and comedy can blend as well as I think they do? What opinions of mine do you find absolutely ridiculous? Let me know in the comments below. Until next time, this has been… Yours Truly, Amateur Analyst
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Austin McManusI have no academic or professional background in film production or criticism; I simply love watching and talking about movies. Archives
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