Going back to the classic that launched the trend, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) was the first commercially successful horror comedy. Since then, comedy has become a staple subgenre of horror.
Over the past twenty-five years, it has gained tremendous popularity with the Scary Movie franchise as well as genre-defying favorites like Jennifer’s Body, What We Do in the Shadows, and Get Out – I know what you might be thinking here, this isn’t a comedy, right? Well, it did receive two Golden Globe nominations in comedy categories.
The Horror Comedy genre is quite broad with varying levels, featuring a range of humor and horror elements so there is something for everyone. Just as with horror, comedy is subjective, so you decide. Personally, I have a fondness for dark humor, which can be challenging to express in everyday life. However, horror comedies allow me the freedom to laugh at some of the darkest aspects of human existence. I do not think I am alone here.
Horror comedies also provide an important and much-needed component to life – the permission to laugh at our fears. My, oh my, there are plenty of fears to go around and we all could use more joy and laughter in our lives. I scoured the internet and combed through my library’s movie collection (SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY!) to compile this list. I hope you make many discoveries to add to your watchlist and enjoy the glorious splendor of this subgenre. Happy Viewing!
Bloody Hell (2020) Australia
A man with a mysterious past flees the country to escape his own personal hell – only to arrive somewhere much, much worse.
On Prime Video
Legiones (Legions) (2022) – Argentina
The forces of evil descend on Argentina. Mankind’s best hope, a once-legendary shaman, is confined to an insane asylum from which he must escape when the battle against demonic resurrection becomes personal.
Crna Zorica (Loveless Zoritsa) (2012) – Serbia
Her name is Zoritsa, but the raged villagers name her “the kiss of death”! Is Zoritsa a serial killer
or just a girl bearing an extraordinary curse?
Prekletstvo Valburge (The Curse of Valburga) (2019) – Slovenia
Two crooks looking to scam tourists organize a tour of an abandoned manor house rumored to
be haunted by the cousin of Count Dracula. But the scam descends into bloody chaos when the
tour is attacked by a Nazi cannibal wielding a circular saw.
O Clube dos Canibais (The Cannibal Club) (2018) – Brazil
Otavio and Gilda’s elite life falls in danger when Gilda accidentally discovers a secret from Borges, a powerful congressman, and the Club’s leader.
Las brujas de Zugarramurdi (Witching and Bitching) (2013) – Spain
A gang of armed robbers finds a safe haven in a secluded village crammed with witches–only to encounter the bizarre, the unexpected, and the occult. Can they save themselves, and the rest of
the world from the next witch apocalypse?
On Apple TV, Google Play Movies, and Prime Video.
Nekku (Neck) (2010) – Japan
Student Mayama Sugina is researching “The Neck Theory,” that scary thoughts can actually bring about the existence of ghosts. A friend becomes her guinea pig and enters her Neck Machine.
3 Bellezas (3 Beauties) (2014) – Venezuela
Perla is obsessed with having a beauty queen in the family and she is willing to do whatever it takes to make her dream come true.
The Exorsis (2021) – Philippines
Gina must find an exorcist to save her sister Dani, who is possessed by an evil spirit, before hercondition takes a turn for the worse.
Fido (2006) – Canada
In an Earthly world resembling the 1950s, a cloud of space radiation has shrouded the planet, resulting in the dead becoming zombies that desire live human flesh.
MexZombies (2022) – Mexico
A group of teenagers must face a zombie apocalypse, and help reestablish order.
Grabbers (2012) – Ireland
When an island off the coast of Ireland is invaded by bloodsucking aliens, the heroes discover that getting drunk is the only way to survive.
On AppleTV and Prime Video
Hantu Kak Limah (The Ghost of Kak Limah) (2018) – Malaysia
When Kak Limah turns up dead shortly after her marriage to a much younger man, her pesky ghost haunts the villagers, who can’t seem to get rid of her.
Brama (The Gateway) (2017) – Ukraine
Grandma Prisja, her daughter Slava and grandson Vovtshyk live their everyday life in a godforsaken forbidden zone of Chernobyl where there are wild beasts, rusalkas and stalkers. This is a place where the mythical and realistic worlds blend.
Qie xiao jin jia de lu guan (Secrets in the Hot Spring) (2017) – Taiwan
Three youngsters meet by accident at a mysterious hot springs hotel. There, they fall into an unforgettable adventure. It starts off scary but soon turns funny when they have to try and save a family.
De kuthoer (The Columnist) (2019) – Netherlands
A columnist must continuously deal with threats and negative comments on her social-media pages. One day, she has had enough and decides to hunt down her trolls.
Peechay Tou Dekho (Look Back) (2022) – Pakistan
It follows two friends who visit a haunted house out of curiosity.
Bhediya (2022) – India
Set in the forests of Arunachal, Bhediya is a story of Bhaskar, a man who gets bitten by a wolf, and begins to transform into the creature. As Bhaskar and his buddies try to find answers, a bunch of twists, turns, and laughs ensue.
On Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Apple TV.
Sono solo fantasmi (They’re Just Ghosts) (2019) – Italy
Three brothers confront a ghost outbreak in the city of Naples.
Der Bunker (The Bunker) (2015) – Germany
When a man starts working as a teacher in an isolated bunker mansion, he is drawn into a couple’s unconventional methods of schooling their son.
Konferensen (The Conference) (2023) – Sweden
A team-building conference for municipal employees turns into a nightmare when accusations of corruption begin to circulate and plague the work environment. At the same time, a mysterious figure begins murdering the participants.
Gulyabani (Ghoul) (2014) – Turkey
Four friends go to a hunting house in the forest to write a film script, when they bring to life the ghoul Gulyabani.
Natten har øjne (Attachment) (2022) – Denmark
A couple’s new relationship is interrupted by mysterious happenings in their new flat, provoked by one of the women’s disapproving mothers.
Black Sheep (2006) – New Zealand
An experiment in genetic engineering turns harmless sheep into bloodthirsty killers that terrorize a sprawling New Zealand farm.
On Plex, AppleTV, Prime Video
It Hatched (2021) – Iceland
A young couple set out to open a guesthouse in a remote place in Iceland. They come for peace but soon find out that something evil is lurking beneath their basement and hunting them in their dreams while they sleep.
Agak Laen (A Bit Different) (2024) – Indonesia
Four friends running a haunted house search for new ways to scare visitors, but hijinks ensue when they take things a step too far.
Una comedia macabre (A macabre comedy) (2017) – Peru
Angela discovers that her boyfriend is unfaithful to her. She convinces Jenny, a friend with many phobias, to visit a witch who is an expert in voodoo to perform revenge on him.
Mūžības skartie (Touched by Eternity) (2024) – Latvia
Fatso lives in a run-down trailer, spending his days listening to podcasts about immortality. One day, his monotonous life is disrupted by two unexpected visitors-vampires Egons and Carlos-who offer him the eternal life he’s longed for.
Wszyscy moi przyjaciele nie zyja (All My Friends Are Dead) (2021) – Poland
A group of friends face a whirlwind of shocking events at a New Year’s Eve party.
Khook (Pig) (2018) – Iran
Iranian directors are getting slaughtered by an unknown serial killer and a blacklisted director, Hasan Kasmai, is curious about only one thing: Why isn’t the killer after him?
To kako (Evil) (2005) – Greece
An evil force is awakened in downtown Athens transforming the unsuspecting citizens into raving zombies.
Shams Al-Ma’arif (The Book of Sun) (2020) – Saudi Arabia
A senior in high school sets out to film a no-budget horror movie with his best friend, one-time rival, and teacher, but the project soon puts them all in danger.
On Netflix
Dizlayk (Dislike) (2016) – Russia
Most popular video bloggers were gathered to taste a new energy soft-drink in a mansion, which turn them into a trap. To release it, they have to answer the question correctly: Who wants to kill them?
Sightseers (2012) – United Kingdom
Chris wants to show girlfriend Tina his world, but events soon conspire against the couple and their dream caravan holiday takes a very wrong turn.
Eclipse em Portugal (Eclipse in Portugal) (2014) – Portugal
A regular teenager To-Quim’s ordinary life turns topsy-turvy after he joins a band called the Black Metal.
Fried Barry (2020) – South Africa
Aliens take over the body of a drug addict and take it for a joyride through Cape Town.
Bunny the Killer (2015) Finland A group of Finnish and British people get stuck at a cabin when they are attacked by a creature
that is a half human, half rabbit.
Joyonghan gajok (The Quiet Family) (1998) – South Korea
A family opens a mountain inn where their first guest commits suicide. Suddenly all their guests befall horrible fates.
On Prime Video
Mad Heidi (2022) – Switzerland
Swiss mountain girl Heidi is abducted by brutal government troops and must defend herself and fight a war against a cheese-fueled machinery of hate.
Yummy (2019) – Belgium
A young couple travel to a shabby Eastern European hospital for plastic surgery. Once there, things unravel into blood and violence.
There’s Something in the Barn (2023) – Norway
Bill moves his American wife Carol and children Nora and Lucas to Norway where he’s inherited a family estate. There, Lucas discovers a mischievous barn elf from ancient folklore living in the barn who elf plots to get rid of the American intruders.
Gui a! Gui a! (Men in White) (2007) – Singapore
Five Singaporeans – a housewife, a gangster girl, two rappers and a badminton player – die on the same day and return to Earth as ghosts.
Attack of the Lederhosen Zombies (2016) – Austria
Three young snowboarders find themselves in an epic battle for survival when a scientific experiment unleashes a horde of zombies and mutant wildlife in the Austrian Alps.
El conde (The Count) (2023) – Chile
Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet is a two-hundred-and-fifty-year-old vampire. Now tired of his life, he wants to die at last after the disgrace and family crises he has caused.
Jedné noci v jednom meste (One Night in a City) (2007) – Czech Republic
Through very fine surrealism, director Jan Balej immerses us in a city ecosystem with this stop motion feature film, a look at the peculiar inhabitants of a neighborhood and their coexistence in a dark environment.
JC Farris is a Chicago-based filmmaker and screenwriter. Her work often delves into classism, gender inequality, fear, and injustice, with a focus on transformation and healing. With experience across film, theatre, improv, and festivals, JC has also honed her craft through several industry labs and competitions. Her interest lies in women-driven horror and sci-fi. She is a screener for film festivals and provides script analysis for competitions. Learn more about JC Farris here!
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