What Your Favorite Horror Comedy Says About Society
Horror comedies are more than just laughs and blood splatter—they prove that society itself is the punchline. Sure, we could all ignore the gnawing void, but why do that when you could stare directly into it, laugh, and enjoy an ice-cold Diet Coke/fridge cig in the process?
Here are 11 horror-comedy classics to get you started.
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Shaun (Simon Pegg) is a thirty-something Londoner who barely notices when a zombie apocalypse happens because he’s hungover and aimless. Sound familiar?
What it says about society: Your dead-end job is slowly killing you and your daily commute already looks like a zombie horde eating your soul.
Why it slaps: This movie doesn’t gently point out that we’re wasting our lives. It hurls it in your face with the subtlety of a Corey Seagar bat to the head. Edgar Wright nails the soul-sucking loop of misery that ties the living and undead together. Add a soundtrack of bangers and boom! You’ve got an absolute masterpiece.
Moral of the story: Welcome to late-stage capitalism. You’re rotting from the inside out, but hey! At least you’ve got your (maybe already composting) friends!
Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010)
Two lovable, wholesome hillbillies (Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk) just wanna fix up their vacation cabin in peace. Too bad a group of college kids mistake them for murderous rednecks. Cue slaughter, miscommunication, and a whole lot of accidental deaths.
What it says about society: Classism sucks and just might get you 86’d in a country-fried fever dream.
Why it slaps: Tucker & Dale is a bloody, hilarious fuck off to classism and all the stereotypes that come with it. Think Deliverance if it was rewritten by the ghost of Mr. Rogers after eating a bucket-load of edibles.
Moral of the story: Stereotypes are deadly. Also, don’t go camping in the middle of nowhere unless you know what you’re doing.
The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
A bunch of hot people (including a young Chris Hemsworth!) go to a cabin in the woods, duh! But plot twist: they start dying. Monsters show up at some point. Joss Whedon wrote and produced this one, and his geeky humor shines through like a Buffy Summers impalement tool.
What it says about society: Your suffering is someone else’s entertainment. Oh and corporations are literally killing for profit and maybe some fun.
Why it slaps: It’s not just any horror movie… it’s ALL horror movies! The tropes are employed with deadly precision and deconstructed while throwing in snarky commentary about the voyeuristic consumption of violence. You’re complicit, btw, hope that’s cool.
Moral of the story: You’re in the machine, buddy, and it’s powered by blood. But hey, I hope you enjoy the popcorn!
Jennifer’s Body (2009)
Megan Fox is a cheerleader possessed by a demon. Suddenly, everyone cares because she’s sexy and bleeding all over the football field. Meanwhile her bestie, the criminally underrated Amanda Seyfried, is stuck playing emotional support lapdog.
What it says about society: Men will literally sacrifice a high school girl to Satan for a record deal. We’ll act like she’s the problematic one. Yay equality!
Why it slaps: Diablo Cody’s script is way ahead of its time. It’s a sharp critique of how society sexualizes teen girls, ignores female friendships, and laughs off male violence as ambition. Also, it’s super fuckin’ funny.
Moral of the story: Misogyny is a hell of a drug. But you know what? Friendship’s way stronger. Oh, and don’t ever date indie musicians, ever.
Evil Dead II (1987)
Ash is trapped in a cabin with his dead girlfriend, a possessed deer head, and enough demonic chaos to make the 700 Club turn into MTV Spring Break circa 2001.
What it says about society: When all else fails, slap on a chainsaw and scream into the void.
Why it slaps: Bruce Campbell is the horror-comedy king, delivering one-liners like a campy demigod. It’s the perfect allegory for battling your inner demons when life spirals into chaos.
Moral of the story: Mental health isn’t just therapy. Sometimes, it’s laughing hysterically while smashing a demon’s head with garden tools. Self-care, diva!
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
A documentary crew follows a group of vampire roommates in New Zealand as they struggle with basic chores, dating, and werewolves who just wanna be better. Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement bring their A-game and then some.
What it says about society: Immortality doesn’t make you wise. It just gives you more time to make horrible life choices.
Why it slaps: This is The Office (Ricky Gervais’ original version, come on) meets Dracula, and it’s glorious. The characters are lazy, petty, lonely, and deeply awkward. Vampires: they’re just like us!
Moral of the story: Aging doesn’t cure anything, especially not your ability to get your shit together.
House (Hausu) (1977)
A girl named Gorgeous goes to a haunted house with six friends. Things quickly devolve into absolute lunacy. We’re talking demonic cats and yeah, a killer piano. The special effects were meant to look unrealistic. Japanese rock band Godiego provides an excellent score. I say this as a concerned Coloradan: please don’t watch this on drugs. Or do. It’s your life, dude.
What it says about society: The trauma of war, broken families, and post-industrial loneliness will absolutely manifest as a piano that eats you.
Why it slaps: This movie is both batshit insane and utterly beautiful. It’s like someone combined an acid trip, surrealist art, and ‘70s Japanese society. Sometimes art looks like a watermelon eating your friends while a cat smiles in the corner.
Moral of the story: You’re not okay and that’s okay, friend! Is anyone really okay?
Idle Hands (1999)
Devon Sawa’s hand gets possessed by a demon and starts killing people. He barely notices because he’s so goddamn high. Ah, youth.
What it says about society: Weed, apathy, and unchecked horniness are more dangerous than we think.
Why it slaps: This is Beavis and Butt-Head Do Evil Dead. It’s a dumb, horny, blood-drenched romp that accidentally stumbles into satirical greatness. Plus, there’s Jessica Alba in angel wings. You are SO welcome.
Moral of the story: Your laziness might just kill everyone you love. Seriously, go clean up the kitchen before your hand starts murdering people.
Drag Me to Hell (2009)
An ambitious banker denies an old woman a loan and well… things escalate wildly.
What it says about society: Sam Raimi’s big middle finger to the American banking system and moral cowardice was released on the heels of the Great Recession. As a 2008 college graduate, I feel this film on an unholy level.
Why it slaps: It’s got gore, humor, and a sweet bite. Alison Lohman’s character is both hateable and sympathetic. Even the demons are like, hey this jerk definitely deserves eternal damnation.
Moral of the story: Capitalism is hell. Rogue goats—also hell. Trust me.
Tremors (1990)
Two broke-ass dudes are stuck in the dead-end desert town of Perfection, Nevada. They discover underground worm things that eat people. Reba McEntire shoots more guns than Dick Cheney at a hunting lodge. It’s the dirtbag masterpiece we don’t deserve.
What it says about society: Rugged individualism looks cool until it gets you swallowed into the ground. Team up with your gun-nut neighbors because class solidarity is real.
Why it slaps: Tremors feeds the myth of self-reliance to a 30-foot flesh-tube. Kevin Bacon plays a himbo cowboy philosopher who fights with blue-collar ingenuity. A conspiracy couple with a fallout shelter full of guns and beans is weirdly essential to the plot.
Moral of the story: In a broken system, the people who survive are the ones who can improvise, form community, and fight like hell.
Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
A struggling florist (the eternally brilliant Rick Moranis) feeds blood to his sentient plant named after his unrequited object of affection Ellen Greene, and things go south pretty quickly. The original 1960 version doesn’t have songs, but it was directed by Roger Coman and features a young Jack Nicholson.
It’s like if someone adapted Faust to be the florist and a Frank Oz-puppeted plant voiced by Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops as the devil. Oh wait, that’s exactly what happened. Who knew a goddamn singing, intergalactic puppet alien thing could cause so much strife?!
What it says about society: Audrey II, the plant, is a metaphor for every abusive, toxic system that asks for just a little bit more from you each day until it’s chewing through your very soul. You think you can control the beast, but it just gets hungrier and more diabolical.
Why it slaps: Delightfully dark and horny for suffering, this movie is a Technicolor nightmare dressed up as a Broadway adaption. Steve Martin plays the world’s most sadistic dentist. He engages in a full-on BDSM power struggle with Bill Murray that’s somehow completely appropriate to the plot. Plus, the songs are legendary.
Moral of the story: You can’t reason with a creature that sings about world domination while gaslighting you. Just take the L and move on.