Horror and comedy are two genres that go together surprisingly well. Many classic horror films offer genuinely funny humor alongside tension, shock, and gore, with the contrast between being scared and being amused making for an interesting viewing experience. They're the kinds of movies where the comedy is funnier and the horror is scarier because of the (intentional) tonal whiplash caused.
The slasher movie is a sub-genre within the horror genre, referring to a specific kind of horror movie that tends to include "an effective killer, a high body count, and non-firearm weapons." The definition is fairly broad, but specific enough that the following 10 films can all be defined as slasher movies, parodies of slasher movies, or at least films containing slasher movie elements. For anyone looking for a slasher movie that's comedic and a little lighter than your average one, all of the following should make for entertaining watches.
'Bodies Bodies Bodies' (2022)
Bodies Bodies Bodies is the latest film to qualify as both a slasher film and a comedy. In the end, though, it's first and foremost a satirical comedy about Gen Z culture with a tense atmosphere and some suspenseful scenes, meaning those going into it hoping for a straightforward horror movie may be disappointed.
To reveal why it ends up being more of a dark comedy than anything else would be to ruin much of the film's final act, so it's best to keep things vague. Ultimately, this film about a group of partygoers stuck in a house - all the while being stalked by a murderer who may be one of their own - ends up being a fun comedy-thriller, providing a fresh spin on the slasher genre through its commentary and comedy.
'Tucker and Dale vs. Evil' (2010)
In Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, things take a bloody and chaotic turn when two hillbillies (the titular Tucker and Dale) are mistaken for serial killers; the stereotypical kind you'd find in a movie like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre or The Hills Have Eyes.
It's not Tucker and Dale who make a mess of things, though. It's the college students camping nearby who take it upon themselves to take action, as they're all mistakenly under the impression that they're "in" some kind of horror movie. They are in a horror movie, sure, but not a typical one. The violence and grisly kills come from their own hubris and foolishness, with the falsely accused Tucker and Dale being the hapless heroes, making this a nice reversal of the standard "unsettling loners stalk and kill college kids" plotline found in so many slashers.
'The Cabin in the Woods' (2011)
To explain the setup of The Cabin in the Woods would make it sound like a very run-of-the-mill slasher movie. There are a group of young people, they stay in a cabin, and they're attacked by evil forces, who they then need to fight against if they're to make it out alive.
Really, though, that's only about 25% of the movie, if that. Even though the main premise is introduced early on, it still feels wrong to explain it to anyone who might not have seen this, despite it being over a decade old. All that's important is that it ends up being a uniquely meta and darkly comedic spin on the slasher genre, and is worth watching for the countless plot twists and unexpected (and also sometimes very funny) turns the movie takes.
'The Babysitter' (2017)
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The Babysitter is about a young boy discovering that his attractive, 20-something babysitter is the leader of a devil-worshipping cult. When she and her fellow cult members find out that he's found out, they take drastic measures to keep him quiet, leading to a bloody and over-the-top fight for survival.
It's a film that gets decent mileage out of taking the sorts of characters who are usually the victims in slasher movies and making them the villains. It's a silly and breezy watch, meaning it probably won't stick with viewers too dramatically. But for what it is, it's quite enjoyable, and makes for solid switch-your-brain-off and shovel-popcorn-into-your-mouth entertainment.
'Trick ’r Treat' (2007)
A tongue-in-cheek, playful anthology film that's made up of several stories (some featuring elements), Trick 'r Treat is a fairly recent cult film of sorts, with a small but dedicated fanbase. Maybe you need to be the kind of person who really gets into the Halloween spirit to truly love it, but it's an enjoyable enough movie either way.
The segment about a seemingly normal high school principal who's also a serial killer in secret might be the most slasher-inspired of the lot. Even with some violent kills and a strong Halloween aesthetic, the film as a whole stays pretty light and fun to watch, even for those who usually find themselves deterred from most horror films.
'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2' (1986)
The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) was always going to be a hard act to follow, but by taking the series in a completely different direction tonally, director Tobe Hooper came close. Whilst the first movie was a pure horror movie, the second ends up being just as much of a comedy as it is a horror film.
For a while, the two films are fairly similar plot-wise, too. Once again, Leatherface and his cannibal family are preying on young victims, but things take a turn into more absurd (and much more violent) territory when their latest would-be victim fights back, with the help of a lawman played by the great Dennis Hopper. It all makes for one of the most over-the-top and enjoyable films in the long-running horror series.
'Mom and Dad' (2017)
If you love seeing Nicolas Cage going crazy in the way only Nicolas Cage can go crazy and horror-comedies, then watching Mom and Dad is a no-brainer. It's a very silly but stupidly fun horror movie about parents who mysteriously get overcome with the urge to murder their offspring, and their kids therefore needing to fight back to survive.
Maybe the idea of seeing Nicolas Cage play a father who suddenly wants to murder his kids isn't everyone's idea of a good (or funny) time... but the film undeniably knows its audience, and for those who like their slasher movies as goofy as possible, Mom and Dad could well be a blast.
'Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter' (1984)
Arguably, the funniest thing about Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter is the title. It did not end up being the final chapter in the Friday the 13th franchise; not by a long shot. There have been eight films in the franchise released since 1984 (or six, if you don't count Freddy vs. Jason and the 2009 remake).
There are funny aspects of this film beyond the title, thanks to Crispin Glover's wild performance, and some of the over-the-top dialogue. Its tongue feels intentionally in cheek, though not to the point where it becomes a parody of itself, or betrays its roots. In fact, this fourth Friday the 13th film is arguably the best of the lot, thanks to its satisfying balance of campy comedy, suspense, and grisly kills. It's a very satisfying (and sometimes quite funny) horror movie all around.
'Ready or Not' (2019)
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Ready or Not is a film that doesn't start like a slasher film, with some mystery and mild suspense surrounding a somewhat eerie wedding night. Things get violent and messy after a certain point, and then it starts feeling like a bit of a slasher movie. By the end, however, it takes another wild turn, and doesn't end exactly like you'd expect a slasher movie to end.
It all adds up to something of a whiplash-inducing experience, but it's undoubtedly interesting and entertaining throughout. It also remains consistently funny, in large part thanks to the absurdity of its premise, its cartoonish violence, and all the plot twists.
'Scream' (1996)
Wes Craven began to deconstruct and include meta elements in his films before 1996 (notably in 1994's New Nightmare), but the original Scream was where he pushed the commentary hard enough to the point where it almost became a comedy.
Of course, it didn't push things far enough to feel like an all-out parody, but it was a more self-aware and playful take on the slasher genre than had been seen before, and it influenced numerous filmmakers (not just those in the horror genre), thanks to its characters discussing horror tropes and having post-modern banter. Whether it's a trend that got out of control or not is subjective, but it's hard to deny that Scream pioneered that brand of comedic horror movie, and executed it well.