Summary
Despite flaws found within many horror comedy flops, a few notable films deserve more attention.Great films that flop at the box officetypically fail due to outside factors, but for many horror comedies, the failure is a result of the content within the films. It’s not a guarantee that audiences are going to connect with the combination of laughs and terrors. While some underappreciated horror comedies assemble a unique, laughable concept,others seek to be humorous tributes to the great horror films that came before.
Various horror comedies are made with self-awareness of the genre, playing into the tropes fans have come to expect. The specific references made in these films are a treat for familiar horror fans. Luckily, for some horror comedies, the dark days of underperforming at the box office are in the past and the films have gone on to accumulate a cult following.
How Alien Flopped (Despite Making $100 Million)
According to distributor Fox, 1979’s sci-fi horror Alien lost millions. However, the movie made over $100 million, so how could this be possible?
10Haunted Honeymoon (1986)
An Endearing Final Directorial Attempt By Wilder
It’s never brought up when discussingGene Wilder’s best movies, butHaunted Honeymoonis an underrated film in his career that deserves more attention. Wilder acts as the film’s lead, as well as its director and writer. InHaunted Honeymoon,Wilder is working alongside famous comedian actors Dom DeLuise and Gilda Radner, ensuring audiences walk away from the film having had a fun time.
Haunted Honeymoonis also notable as it is the last film Wilder directed and the last film starring Radner before her death.
Haunted Honeymoon’s writing does suffer a bit throughout the film and a few jokes don’t stick the landing. However,Haunted Honeymoondoes an excellent job of transporting audiences to the setting of a 1930s comedyin both the set design and characterization of its cast. Outside the film,Haunted Honeymoonis also notable as it is the last film Wilder directed and the last film starring Radner before her death.
Haunted Honeymoon
Cast
Haunted Honeymoon is a comedy film directed by Gene Wilder, who stars alongside Gilda Radner and Dom DeLuise. Set in the 1930s, the film centers around two radio performers whose honeymoon at a spooky mansion results in a series of humorous and eerie events. As they navigate the mansion’s mysteries, they contend with both paranormal occurrences and familial intrigue.
9Idle Hands (1999)
Has Earned A Following For Its Unique Humor
Like many horror comedies aim to pull off,Idle Handsis not meant to be taken seriously. The film’s premise revolves around a teenager, played byChucky’s Devon Sawa, whose possessed hand embarks on a killing spree.Idle Handsperformed poorly at the box office buthas since grown a bit of a cult following for its humor and the picture it paints of the late ’90s youth culture.
The tone ofIdle Handsis disjointed at times, but oddly enough, it works in the film’s favor. Despite its weak narrative,the combined elements of the supernatural world and stoner humor make for an entertaining film. Additionally, the evil detached hand of Sawa’s character is played by Christopher Hart, who is famously known for his role as Thing inThe Addams Familyfilms and brings just as much personality toIdle Hands' disembodied character.
Idle Hands
Idle Hands is a horror-comedy directed by Rodman Flender. Released in 1999, the film follows 17-year-old stoner Anton, whose lack of ambition leads to unexpected chaos when his hand becomes possessed. Amid humorous and supernatural events, Anton must confront this demonic force threatening his way of life.
8Night Of The Creeps (1986)
The Combination Of Horror Film References Pays Off
Fred Dekker’s directorial debut,Night of the Creeps, is an homage to great horror films and legendary filmmakers in the genre. Although many horror comedies pull inspiration from classic horror films like Dekker did, not all can successfully pull it off. Critics tend to dislike films that do this because the humorous references in the films aren’t always funny on their own to warrant the parody.
The wayNight of the Creepsis self-aware and is purposefully made as a B movie has critics split. While some critics felt the film relies too heavily on recycled horror film clichés,others praised Dekker’s film for its ability to blend genres of horror, comedy, sci-fi, and romance.Night of the Creepscleverly combines the threat of several horror antagonists such as aliens and zombies. With humorous nods to the genre and characters named after beloved horror filmmakers,Night of the Creepsdeserved more for its celebration of horror.
7Parents (1989)
Dark Humor Doesn’t Overpower The Necessary Suspense
In horror comedies, there is a necessary and equal balance between the laughs and scares. Luckily, Bob Balaban’sParentshas just that.Parentsfollows the Laemle family living in the suburbs during the ’50s. The Laemle’s young child, Michael (Bryan Madorsky), grows suspicious of his parents’ behavior, fully believing they are cannibals.Despite having a chilling premise and sufficient execution,Parentsstill performed poorlyupon its original release.
Balaban andParentswriter Christopher Hawthorne effectively pulls off the point of view of Michael. Considering he is young,audiences are never fully sure whether his suspicions are a grim result of his childlike imagination or if there’s credibility to the things he sees. This suspense is elevated by the countless images of meat in the film. The uneasy feeling Michael gets being distrustful of the plated meat’s source is shared by the audience.
6Eight Legged Freaks (2002)
Oversize Spiders Take Over The Town
A comedy film about gigantic spiders attacking a small town doesn’t sound promising, butthere are positives toEight Legged Freaksthat should’ve made it a bigger deal when it came out.Eight Legged Freakshas some of thescariest spiders featured in horror movieswhen toxic waste causes them to grow exponentially in size and tower over citizens. Considering its 2002 release, the design of the spiders had the potential to take audiences out of the film.
It isn’t flawless by any means, but the decent quality makes it easy for audiences to buy into the threat presented by the giant spiders.
Luckily, the CGI holds up in many areas. It isn’t flawless by any means, but the decent quality makes it easy for audiences to buy into the threat presented by the giant spiders.Eight Legged Freaksdoesn’t have the same amount of scares as other horror comedies do, but its absurd humor is what makes it worthwhile.
A Gory Horror Film With More Humor Than Suspense
Before he was known for directingtheLord of the Ringstrilogy, Peter Jackson directed a gory zombie comedy that clicked with critics but failed to connect with audiences for the longest time. As other horror comedy films have, Jackson’sDead Alive, also known asBraindead, has earned a cult following in recent years.Dead Alivefollows Lionel (Timothy Balme) and his mother, who becomes infected by a rat-monkey hybrid and infects other residents of the town.
Beyond the unique creature behind the spread of the zombie infection, the oddities found withinDead Alivehelp alleviate the tone of the film and make the gory scenes easily digestible.Dead Aliveis regarded as one of the bloodiest films in horror, but thanks to the humorous effect during these scenes, the gruesome visuals are more palatable. The matched levels of bloodshed and fun solidifyDead Aliveas an archetypal comedy horror film that rightfully deserves its positive reassessments.
Dead Alive
Dead Alive follows the story of a young man, Lionel Cosgrove, as he contends with his overbearing mother who becomes a zombie after being bitten by a rare Sumatran rat-monkey. Set in a suburban neighborhood, Dead Alive offers a unique take on the traditional zombie narrative.
10 Best “Fast” Zombie Movies Of All Time, Ranked
Unlike their slow-moving and lethargic undead counterparts, fast zombies pose an even more deadly threat within the horror movie genre.
Monster Fans Meet Their Heroes
A year after Dekker’sNight of the Creeps,The Monster Squadwas another horror comedy that didn’t do well in theaters. While the film itself is flawed in some areas,Dekker attributes part of the box-office failure to poor marketing and a PG-13 ratingthat prevented older audiences from wanting to watch the movie. Regardless, there are a few redeeming qualities toThe Monster Squadthat suggest it should have been bigger at the time of its release.
The idea forThe Monster Squadcame together when Dekker decided to combine aspects ofThe Little Rascalsand the Universal Monsters, asThe Monster Squadpays homageto the latter.InThe Monster Squad, young monster enthusiasts come face-to-face with the creaturesin a battle to save the world. The fun concept is light-hearted. Considering Dekker’s directorial debut also paid homage to the horror genre, it’s evident there’s a great amount of passion the director puts into the film.
3Serial Mom (1994)
An Average Mom Goes On A Killing Spree
Directed by John Waters,Serial Momis a black comedy that follows a vengeful, serial-killing mother, Beverly (Kathleen Turner).Critical reception ofSerial Momwas fairly positive, but unfortunately, the film struggled to perform well at the box office.Serial Momhas a tasteful balance of comedy and thrills, though audiences are never unsure of Beverly’s next move.
She has a clear mission to aggravate others. It’s only a matter of if or when she gets caught. A few critics find that Turner’s performance leaned heavily into realism rather than comedy, making it difficult for the humor of the film to shine through. Still, Turner’s performance is strong as the violent matriarch. Additionally,Serial Momhas some clever commentary about the way society interacts with true crimethat remains relevant to this day.
Serial Mom
Serial Mom, directed by John Waters, portrays Beverly, an exemplary homemaker, whose deep intrigue with serial killers unsettlingly merges with her upstanding moral principles, creating tension within her idyllic family life.
2Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon (2006)
Recycles Horror Tropes Without Feeling Tired
The references to popular horror film tropes inBehind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernonhad the potential to feel overdone and uninteresting. However, the mockumentary-style film, which follows an aspiring serial killer following the path laid out byfamous horror villains, keeps the familiar formula feeling fresh.Behind the Maskhas a nice pace and Nathan Baesel leads the film as the endlessly witty and charismatic titular character.
Behind the Maskelevates the Scream formula when Leslie’s opponents use his thoroughly discussed plan to their advantage in the final portion of the film.
Similar to other horror comedies, the jokes inBehind the Maskare likely to appeal to devoted horror fans.The deconstructing of the genre is done in a way that’s not meant to be condescending, but rather appreciative.Behind the Maskelevates theScreamformulawhen Leslie’s opponents use his thoroughly discussed plan to their advantage in the final portion of the film.Nightmare on Elm Street’s Robert Englund also stars inBehind the Maskin a supporting role.
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon is a 2006 mockumentary-style horror film. It follows an aspiring serial killer named Leslie Vernon who grants a documentary crew exclusive access as he prepares to unleash his terror on Glen Echo, while also examining horror genre tropes.
1Slither (2006)
A Box Office Failure With Positive Critical Reviews
Seen positively in the eyes of critics and audiences today,Slitherwas a box office failure. There’s no definitive explanation as to why, but audiences are now widely appreciating the quirks and humor within the film. As a B-movie,Slithersucceeds in providing horror fans with a decent amount of uncomfortably realistic special effectsand nods to beloved horror films.
Slitherhas references to countless ’80s films within the genre, such asA Nightmare on Elm Street,The Thing, andNight of the Creeps. The latter shares the same premise asSlither. However,Slitherdoesn’t come off as a cheap copy of the classic horror films before it.Slithermakes sure to be entirely its own thing. As one ofJames Gunn’s most rewatchable filmsand his directorial debut,Slitheris an easy viewing full of comedic moments that don’t over-power the scary visuals throughout.
