Shaun of the Dead is not only one of the funniest movies of the 21st century, it also ranks among some of the greatest zombie films of all-time. Edgar Wright’s film is one of those rare examples of how a movie can balance two completely different tones successfully without compromising one of them. It stands as one of the greatest horror-comedies ever.
Comedy and horror seem to go together surprisingly well. Maybe it’s because amidst the scares of a horror scenario, we like to have a big laugh to help break the tension. There aren’t too many movies that can successfully pull off the juxtaposition between the two genres as well as Shaun of the Dead. But if you like that zombie-comedy classic, here are some more great horror-comedies to check out.
10. Tucker & Dale Vs Evil
There is a surprisingly large subgenre of horror films dealing with deranged hillbillies living in the woods who terrorize innocent teens. Tucker & Dale vs. Evil takes that tired trend and completely flips it on its head. In this version, the unkempt hillbillies are kind-hearted and harmless while the teens view them as dangerous only through their own ignorance.
It is a hilarious take on those people who have watched too many of these movies. There are some hilariously gory moments as these dimwitted teens continually get themselves killed trying to kill these apparent madmen. But the film also has a surprising amount of heart at its center as well.
9. Slither
Though he is currently heavily immersed in the comic book world with projects in both the MCU and the DCEU, James Gunn clearly has a soft spot for the horror genre. He got his start making gory, vulgar horror movies which featured his signature dark and irreverent humor. This qualities were on full display in Slither.
Taking a page out of the old school alien invasion films, as well as classic zombie movies, Slither follows a small town that finds itself overrun with slug-like aliens who infect people’s brains. Gunn seems to take pleasure in making his audience squirm while making them laugh. But this is not a movie to watch if you have a sensitive stomach.
8. Young Frankenstein
Parody films can be really hit and miss. When done wrong they can be painful to watch but when done right they can be hilarious. Mel Brooks seems to know how to do it right, and the best example of this is Young Frankenstein.
Adopting the look of the old black-and-white monster movies, the film tells the story of the grandson of the infamous mad scientist and his attempts to finish his work. Featuring magnificent performances from Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle, it’s an energetic comedic retelling of the classic horror tale.
7. An American Werewolf In London
While there were had previously been horror parodies and comedies with horror-related elements to it, An American Werewolf in Paris was one of the first films to really try to combine the two. Instead of having one genre of film sprinkled with some of another genre, filmmaker John Landis allowed them to exist together.
The story concerns a pair of American friends travelling in England when one of them is attacked by a werewolf and begins to change. The film seems to effortlessly balance the two tones while also featuring some of the most groundbreaking make-up effects ever created.
6. The Cabin In The Woods
The horror genre can often find itself growing stale over time. The same scenarios and clichés get played again and again to the point that the genre needs a nice shot in the arm with a fresh take. The Cabin in the Woods was the perfect film to fit that need.
Though the premise about a group of teens who take a trip to a remote cabin and end up unlocking an ancient evil might sound all too familiar, there is much more going on here. The movie brilliantly celebrates and laughs at the genre it clearly loves so much.
5. Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters is a movie that is featured on many people’s lists of the best comedies of all-time. However, the horror elements of the film don’t always get the love they deserve. The adventures of a group of scientists turned ghost exterminators is packed with laughs but it also embraces its paranormal aspects to great effect.
Few horror fans would call this one of the scariest movies around, but the ghostly threat and spooky atmosphere that hangs over much of the film help it sit comfortably in both genre.
4. Attack The Block
What makes Shaun of the Dead such an enjoyable movie is Wright’s unique filmmaking voice. While there is no one quite like him in the film business, Joe Cornish has some of those similar sensibilities. Cornish worked with Wright on Tintin as well as the Ant-Man script. However, Cornish’s directorial debut proved he could stand on his own.
The film follows a youth gang who must defend their neighborhood from an alien invasion. The young cast, including John Boyega, add a lot of charm to the surprisingly intense horror elements.
3. Zombieland
Shaun of the Dead showed that zombies can be funny and Zombieland followed that film’s lead. The film stars Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin as an unlikely group of survivors trying to make their way through the zombie apocalypse.
The film has a really fun energy to it and is helped out tremendously by its very charming cast. The zombie action is appropriately gory with a lot of fun being had with the various methods of killing them. We’ll see if the sequel can live up to the original.
2. This Is The End
There have been plenty of movies about the end of the world, but none quite like This is the End. The film centers this catastrophic event around the most self-centered and dependent people on earth: celebrities.
The likes of Seth Rogen, James Franco and Jonah Hill play hilariously exaggerated versions of themselves all trapped together for the end of days. The stars are more than willing to poke fun at themselves and there are plenty of hilarious cameos throughout the film. The film also gets surprisingly epic in its depiction of the end of days making the whole thing a lot of fun.
1. What We Do In The Shadows
Taika Waititi’s unique brand of humour worked surprisingly well for the MCU in Thor: Ragnarok. But anyone who had seen this cult mockumentary would have known that this man is one of the funniest people currently working in the movie business.
The film finds a documentary crew following a foursome of vampires who share a house in New Zealand. It sounds like a simple plot but that’s sort of the point. The film finds its humor in the mundane day-to-day lives of these vampires. The dry wit and hilarious one-liners are boosted by some clever exploration of vampire mythology.
