Monday, May 23, 2011

10 of the greatest horror comedy movies

Shaun of the Dead
One of the best British comedy movies ever made. And it's got zombies, to boot! Simon Pegg and Nick Frost star as a laughable pair of buddies who find themselves caught with friends in the middle of a zombie uprising. So, the zombies are chomping on all your friends and family. Where do you go to be safe? The pub. Oh, yeah, and there's a love story, too. Can't forget the love story. This flick isn't overly violent, but keep in mind it is about zombies, so expect some blood.

Evil Dead 2
This film is sort of a sequel to the earlier film, Evil Dead. Both were directed by Sam Raimi and star Bruce Campbell who plays the unforgettable Ash Williams. There's not a huge gore factor here, but the special effects can still be pretty disturbing for those who aren't big horror fans. The comedy here is often dark, but it's always hilarious. Who could forget when Ash has to cut off his hand that's turned evil? And then the hand crawls around trying to kill him.

Army of Darkness
This is a sequel to Evil Dead 2, and the last of the Evil Dead trilogy. This movie is the best-known of the three films, and it's also the funniest. Bruce Campbell returns as the hero, the often dense but funny Ash, and Sam Raimi is still directing. In this one, Ash is accidentally sent back in time to the Middle Ages where he teams up with knights and peasants alike to fight an army of the undead. There's more comedy than horror here, so you can feel pretty safe watching this one even if you're squeamish.

From Dusk Til Dawn
Directed by Robert Rodriguez and starring Quentin Tarantino, George Clooney and Harvey Keitel, this is one of the most fun action/horror flicks ever made. The first half of this movie is pretty straight action/crime drama. Then the vampires show up. Vampires? Yes, lots and lots of vampires. And that's when the real fun begins. If you don't mind lots of cursing and violence on the big screen, but you love plenty of laughs and over-the-top action sequences, this movie is right for you. Just remember, this one isn't for the kids.

Young Frankenstein
A classic movie from the great director Mel Brooks. Stars Gene Wilder as the title character and includes plenty of other actors such as Teri Garr, Marty Feldman, Gene Hackman, Peter Boyle and more. This film is really more comedy than horror, but it is a great spoof of the old Universal studios Frankenstein movies. This film is even in black and white, making it appear somewhat like the old Frankenstein movies.

The Return of the Living Dead
This mid-80s favorite walks a thin line sometimes between its horror and the comedy aspects. This is not an overly gruesome film, but the horror elements are strong enough to keep you on the edge of your seat at times. Not any real big stars appearing here, but the soundtrack is pretty decent in a punk kind of way. The plot? A pair of stooge workers in a morgue accidentally release a top-secret government gas that brings back the dead. And boy, do the dead start coming back.

Tremors
Giant, man-eating worms from under the earth start showing up in a Western town to swallow down some locals. Who will save the day? In this film, it's a couple of goofballs played by Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward. Michael Gross and Reba McEntire are also notable as two gun-loving nuts with enough firepower to shoot down the moon. But can all their guns take out the worms? You'll have to watch find out.

Fright Night
Another favorite from the 1980s. A teenager, played by William Ragsdale, discovers his new neighbor, played by Chris Sarandon, is a vampire responsible for several murders in town. The teen gathers some friends and with the help of a late-night monster movie TV host, played by Roddy McDowall, they try to take out the vampire. This isn't a laugh-a-minute kind of movie, so don't expect constant chuckles. This film is more like a lot of the light humor from the teen flicks of the mid-80s. Quite enjoyable, and the horror elements are usually more funny than disturbing.

House
This 1986 film starring William Katt and George Wendt seems almost forgotten today, but it's a hilarious flick. It's a pretty basic story. The William Katt character moves into the house that belonged to his late aunt, only to find out plenty of ghosts haunt the place and most of them are downright evil. If you haven't seen this one, you need to. It's a rare treat.

An American Werewolf in London
This is a classic from 1981, directed by John Landis and starring David Naughton. A pair of Americans backpacking in England are attacked by a werewolf. One is killed. The other becomes a werewolf. One of the funny things about this movie is that all the music in the film is somehow related to the moon. For example, Van Morrison's song Moondance is played in the movie.

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