Two great tastes that taste great together!

 Comedy is any humorous discourse generally intended to amuse, especially in television, film and stand-up comedy.  Horror is a discourse that strives to elicit the emotions of fear, disgust and horror.  These two styles of story-telling may seem contradictory, but the genre of horror comedy has a long and storied history…

 The technical term for horror comedy is gallows humor, which is defined as a type of humor that arises from stressful, traumatic or life-threatening situations.  It is different from black comedy because gallows comedy is created by the person affected by the stressful, traumatic or life-threatening situations.  “The permission to laugh at your fears, to whistle past the cinematic graveyard and feel secure in the knowledge that the monsters can't get you.“ – Bruce Hallenbeck, Comedy-Horror Films: A Chronological History,

 In the era of silent film, comedy-horror arose from stage performances rather than literature.  The Ghost Breaker (1914) was based on a 1909 play of the same name.  The genre exploded after the trauma of World War I.  One Exciting Night (1922) is a notable example, but watch out, there’s lots of black face in it.

 Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953)  The Castle of the Monsters (1958)  The Comedy of Terrors (1964)  The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)  Please Don’t Eat My Mother (1972)  Attack of The Killer Tomatoes (1978)  An American Werewolf in London (1981)  The Evil Dead (1981)  The Toxic Avenger (1984)  Re-Animator (1985)  Frankenhooker (1990)  Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)  Dead Snow (2009)

Directed by Mel Brooks; starring Gene Wilder, Cloris Leachman, Peter Boyle, Madeline Kahn and Gene Hackman. Directed by Mel Brooks; starring Gene Wilder, Cloris Leachman, Peter Boyle, Madeline Kahn and Gene Hackman. The grandson of the original Dr. Frankenstein takes up his grandfather’s work. The grandson of the original Dr. Frankenstein takes up his grandfather’s work. The idea came up on the set of Blazing Saddles. The idea came up on the set of Blazing Saddles. One of the best comedy movies ever made. One of the best comedy movies ever made.

Written and directed by Dan O’Bannon (Star Wars, Dune and Alien) Written and directed by Dan O’Bannon (Star Wars, Dune and Alien) Zombies as the result of a US Army experiment gone bad. Zombies as the result of a US Army experiment gone bad. Fought off by a group of punk rockers partying in a graveyard. Fought off by a group of punk rockers partying in a graveyard. Notable for its campiness and the inclusion of punk and death rock bands in the film. Notable for its campiness and the inclusion of punk and death rock bands in the film.

Written by Edgar Wright (Spaced). Written by Edgar Wright (Spaced). Described as a “Rom-Zom-Com”, which stands for a romantic zombie comedy. Described as a “Rom-Zom-Com”, which stands for a romantic zombie comedy. Perennial losers Shaun and End must save their friends from the zombie apocalypse sweeping London. Perennial losers Shaun and End must save their friends from the zombie apocalypse sweeping London. Possibly the best synthesis of the genres of true horror and comedy. Possibly the best synthesis of the genres of true horror and comedy.