Horror and comedy make surprisingly good bed fellows as you will see from the list of classic horror/comedies below. Humour can let a horror film get away with acts of ultra goriness and ultra violence, and render what would otherwise freak you out as merely laughable. Most horror films do in fact have a streak of humour in them - albeit, a very dark streak. Take a film like Last House on the Left - an unremittingly grim film which nonetheless attempts to inject humour into the proceedings with the bumbling cops. This effort of lightening the film's mood is jarring and out of place and just comes away as bad taste. The films below are nowhere near the intensity of the horror of Last House on the Left. If I had my sick little way, I would put Human Centipede 2 on the list, but I realise that it is only me and about three other film fans that find that film funny. I must warn you though before you read, this is a Scary Movie free zone. I'm sorry, I just don't find them funny.
10. The Toxic Avenger (1984)
Known as 'The Film That Built Troma', The Toxic Avenger is a very funny horror film that it is virtually impossible to dislike. Melvin, the 98 pound weakling janitor in a health spa is persecuted by a bunch of bullies. After tricking him into thinking a girl is interested in him, a prank with a pink tutu and a stuffed goat goes horribly wrong and Melvin falls out of the window into a vat of noxious chemicals. He is transformed into the hideously disfigured Toxic Avenger who has considerable super powers. He uses his powers for the good of Tromaville - mainly kicking the asses of the jocks who bullied him. Despite his repulsive appearance, he has a girlfriend who is blind and loves Toxie for who he is. Toxie the vigilante is a terrific comedic horror film hero. His vigilantism is terrific to watch as he knocks off all of the obnoxious people in Tromaville in super violent ways. The film contains animal cruelty, beheadings, eye gougings and offensive representations of elderly people, blind people and ethnic minorities. This may raise alarm bells in the viewer, but the film is so dumb it is more entertaining than offensive. The special effects are cheesy and the dialogue is corny. The Toxic Avenger would go on to set the template for Troma films - over the top horror that is funny in a dumb way and doesn't care about taste and political correctness. The film is definitely more funny than horrific and it has earned its place in the canon of camp 1980s movies. It spawned several sequels, none of which are as funny as the original, but are worth checking out if you enjoy the initial instalment of Toxie.
My first film watched was Carrie aged 2 on my dad's knee. Educated at The University of St Andrews and Trinity College Dublin. Fan of Arthouse, Exploitation, Horror, Euro Trash, Giallo, New French Extremism. Weaned at the bosom of a Russ Meyer starlet. The bleaker, artier or sleazier the better!
