The combination of Horror & Comedy has always been an awkward one, and it’s not seldom that it’s a terribly awful combination. However, new horror comedies like 2017’s Get Out have also proved that it can be a hugely effective combination. We have made a selection of the best horror comedy movies of all time. We have also given streaming options for Netflix, Amazon, Hulu & More.
Warm Bodies (2013)
Jonathan Levine offers a rom-com horror flick via Warm Bodies. Levine puts a new spin to romance and zombies in this movie. Audiences and critics have mixed responses but mostly positive. It earned USD 117 million in total.
Streaming options: Amazon Prime, Vudu, Direct Cinema, Playstation & Fandango
Rubber (2010)
Quentin Depieux wrote and directed Rubber, a film about a rubber tire that goes on a killing spree. During production, Depieux rewrote how Robert the Tire should be presented in the film. He was able to pull off the right mix of blood and gore with laughs to make this an enjoyable film.
Is available for streaming online for free via Tubi TV
Fido (2006)
Director Andrew Currie took inspiration from Lassie Come Home and The Night of the Hunter, and came up with Fido, a funny zombie movie. Though it did not perform well at the local box office, only earning less than USD 800,000, it did quite well on video, grossing USD 2.95 million.
Streaming via Amazon Prime & Vudu
Beetlejuice (1988)
Tim Burton comes out a winner with this classic horror-comedy flick, Bettlejuice. Starring the likes of Michael Keaton on the title role, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, and Winona Ryder, it was a blockbuster earning USD 73.7 million in total. Critics approved of Burton’s play on comedy, weirdness, and horror.
Streaming via Prime Video, Vudu, Microsoft, Fandango & Google Play
Basket Case (1982)
Basket Case, written and directed by Frank Henenlotter, was celebrated by critics for its balance of suspense, realism, and entertainment. Henenlotter was not involved during post-production and had no creative control over the first release. In 2011, a Blu-ray version was released by Henenlotter using original prints that were thought lost.
Streaming via a subscription on Shudder
Hausu (1977)
From director Nobuhiko Obayashi comes House, a horror comedy movie that was a hit at the tills, especially among young audiences. It took 2 years to go into production. When it finally pushed through, Obayashi got unknown stars, mostly actors from his TV commercials, for his cast. It was screened in the US almost 3 decades later to much success.
The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
Drew Goddard offers The Cabin in the Woods as his directorial debut, from the script which he co-wrote with Joss Whedon. With a budget of USD 30 million, it grossed USD 66.5 million worldwide. Goddard was able to pull off a comedy-slasher film with a hint of weird added in the mix.
Streaming via Amazon Prime, Vudu & DirectTV
Watch The Cabin in The Woods online
Ghostbusters (1984)
Ghostbusters is the product of the collaboration between Ivan Reitman, as director and producer, and Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, as writers. The result is a classic, comedy-horror film icon for generations to come. It grossed USD 537 million in total and spawned the Ghostbusters franchise. The Library of Congress added the film to the National Film Registry in 2015.
Streaming on Netflix & Amazon Prime
Fright Night (1985)
Tom Holland directs Fright Night, a horror comedy classic. It may not sound much in the present but in 1985, its earnings of USD 29.5 million was quite laudable. Following the film’s success, sequels came out, including remakes. Holland himself wrote the script and made himself roll on the floor laughing while doing so. It was lauded for its entertainment value, which is a great combination of horror and comedy.
Streaming via Vudu, Amazon Prime & Fandango
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Director Edgar Wright collaborates with actor Simon Pegg to bring you Shaun of the Dead. It is not your average walking dead movie. Though it has the expected blood and gore expected from a zombie flick, it focuses on the funny side of human relationships amidst a zombie apocalypse. It grossed USD 30 million at the box office.
Streaming via Amazon Prime, Google Play & Itunes
Watch Shaun of the Dead online
Sharknado (2013)
Written by Thunder Levin and directed by Anthony C. Ferrante, Sharknado is a hit comedy disaster movie that spawned 5 sequels, with a 6th one in the works. The movie was shown on Syfy but due to its popularity, repeat showings were done, including a public screening and international release. It is one of those extremely silly movies that work.
Streaming on Hulu & Netflix
Evil Dead 2 (1987)
Sam Raimi comes back with a sequel to Evil Dead. For the sequel, Scott Spiegel co-writes the film with Raimi. The script was inspired by slapstick comedy films, one of which was The Three Stooges. The original storyline was to bring Ash to medieval times through a portal. But since they only got USD 3.6 million to make the movie, they had to toss it out. It later came to life in the next installment. Evil Dead 2 went on to earn USD 5.9 million in the US.
Streaming via Amazon Prime
Teeth (2007)
Mitchell Lichtenstein wrote and directed Teeth with a budget of USD 2 million. It only broke even with earnings of USD 2.3 million. Its star, Jess Weixler won the Grand Jury Prize for acting from the Sundance Film Festival for her role. Though it bombed at the box office, it was lauded by critics for its funny yet gory take on female sexuality.
Braindead (1992)
Before Lord of the Rings fame, Peter Jackson directs the zombie apocalypse movie that is Braindead. The movie-going public were not sold out on the film but critics loved the movie. Considered one of the goriest movies ever made, several scenes were removed and it still barely made the R-18 rating during its international release. The uncut version was banned in Germany. The movie did not do well at the box office but took home many awards from various film festivals.
Scream (1996)
Wes Craven’s slasher flick Scream is a cult classic in the genre. The original title was Scary Movie, but it was changed by the Weinstein Brothers before filming ended. It was both a success at the box office and with critics. It earned USD 173 million total and brought home several awards and scored several nominations.
Streaming on Starz
Housebound (2014)
The directorial debut of Gerard Johnstone, Housebound gives a fresh take on haunted houses that is hilarious. It is celebrated by critics and was recognized by different film festivals through various nominations and wins.
Return of the Killer Tomatoes (1988)
John de Bello returns from the success of Attack of the Killer Tomatoes via the sequel Return of the Killer Tomatoes, which he also directs. This directly follows the story of the original, 10 years later. George Clooney also stars in one of his earliest roles.
This is the End (2013)
Seth Rogen tries his hand at directing, along with Evan Goldberg via the disaster comedy flick, This is the End. It stars James Franco, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, and Rogen as themselves as they show what they would do during an apocalyptic disaster. With only a budget of USD 32 million, it earned USD 126 million. The movie was originally titled The Apocalypse, and was later changed to The End of the World. The title was changed again at the request of Simon Pegg to Rogen, whose film had the same name. Rogen’s film was later called This is the End.
Watch This is The End Online
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi are the geniuses that wrote, directed, and starred in the horror-comedy What We Do in the Shadows. With only a USD 1.6 million budget, it earned USD 6.9 million. Clement and Waititi made 3 different versions of the film: one was more comic, another zeroed in on the story, and the third is a balance of both. Critics lapped it up, praising its wit and humor.
Watch What we do In the Shadows online
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010)
Eli Craig writes and directs Tucker and Dale vs Evil. It earned USD 4.7 million against a USD 5 million budget. It is splatstick with a mix of silly. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and got some nominations from film festivals, even bringing home a few awards.
Zombieland (2009)
Director Ruben Fleischer collaborates with writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick to bring you Zombieland. This zombie apocalypse gag was a blockbuster, recouping its USD 25 million budget on opening weekend alone. It went on to earn a total of USD 290 million.
Streaming on Direct TV & Starz
An American Werewolf in London (1982)
John Landis writes and helms cult classic An American Werewolf in London. It grossed USD 30.56 million, against a budget of USD 10 million. at the box office and won a few awards, including the Saturn Award for Best Horror Film and an Academy for Best Makeup.
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Mel Brooks helms Young Frankenstein starring a young Gene Wilder in the title role. Brooks and Wilder worked on the script together, which was a parody of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein novel. It is considered as one of the classics in the horror-comedy genre, earning accolades as one of the funniest comedies. It is included in the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 2003. It definitely made its producers happy with its USD 86.2 million earning against a USD2.78 million budget.
The Voices (2014)
Ryan Reynolds stars in The Voices, a film written by Michael R. Perry and directed by Marjane Satrapi. Ben Stiller was the original choice for the title role but did not push through because of budget constraints. The part went to Reynolds after he sent some voice recordings to Satrapi. Critics mostly gave positive marks to the film, lauding its mix of dark humor and gore.
Piranha 3D (2010)
Alexandre Aja directs the sequel to Piranha with an all-star cast. The production encountered a lot of delays, from putting the crew together, to filming, to release. The movie made USD 83 million worldwide, with positive critic feedback. The film was shot in 2D and the 3D effect was added in post-production. Aja was able to deliver blood and gore in a comedic way, with a nice touch of nudity.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)
The Chiodo brothers wrote, produced, and directed Killer Klowns from Outer Space. The title was just Killer Klowns at first but they did not want the public to think it was a slasher movie. It became a cult classic and became popular with critics for its cheeky humor and wacky imagination.
The Toxic Avenger (1984)
Michael Herz co-directs The Toxic Avenger with Lloyd Kaufman (Samuel Weil in the credits). The splatstick flick became a cult classic after the initial snub during its initial release. It spawned 3 sequels, a video game, and a musical. It was appreciated for its entertainment value and technical quality of the production.
Scary Movie (2000)
Keenen Ivory Wayans directs and stars in Scary Movie, a spoof of 2 successful horror movie franchises. Several successful movies were also referenced throughout the film. It did quite well at the box office, earning USD 278 million, from a budget of USD 19 million. Critics lauded its entertainment value but panned it for going overboard with some elements to generate laughter. It generated 4 successful sequels.
Grabbers (2012)
Jon Wright brings to life the film written by Kevin Lehane. Grabbers participated in different film festivals. It took home a few Best Film awards. It was lauded for its cinematography, special effects, and fresh take on monsters.