Comedy-horror has been a thing as far back as Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, which succeeded in being both super hilarious and downright spooky in equal measure. The brilliance inherent to Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg's comic zombie flick also stems from the fact that it takes itself seriously as both a comedy movie and as a zombie movie, allowing for a perfect fusion that adheres to the rules of both popular genres. Which means that Shaun of the Dead is endlessly funny, but also happens to be one of the best "straight" horror movies of the last 10 years at the same time. Its influence, then, has been felt through a nearly relentless barrage of comedy/horror movies - many of them British - that failed to realise that Shaun of the Dead's power stemmed from its ability to channel the genuine horror of flicks like Night of the Living Dead.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
