The Best 80s Horror Comedy Movies
By: Ashley Welling
In the mood for something spooky but hilarious? Let’s travel back to a time when eye-gouging, exploding heads, and dramatic zoom-ins reigned supreme and explore the best of what 80s horror comedy movies have to offer. Whether all the filmmakers on this list intended their creations to be funny is up for debate. Regardless, we scoured the decade for gems and came up with just some of our favorites below.
The Evil Dead (1981)
The Evil Dead is a pure, unfiltered, 80s horror movie classic from the mind of (a very young) Sam Raimi. Starring the legendary Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams, the film follows five friends as they retreat to an isolated mountain cabin for a weekend of partying. However, after discovering a mysterious book in the basement, all hell starts to break loose. Tormented through the night by demons from another world, Ash takes matters into his own hands as his friends are taken over one by one. The combination of Bruce Campbell’s dramatic facial expressions, quippy one-liners, and over-the-top violence adds a healthy dose of humor to this cult classic. With a small budget and a whole lot of passion, the cast and crew of The Evil Dead made a horror film that is funny, innovative, and truly terrifying.
Night of the Demons (1988)
Don’t let the 36% on Rotten Tomatoes fool you, this is one silly 80s horror movie you won’t want to miss. A little rougher around the edges than the other films on this list, Night of the Demons is an entertaining take on the classic “teenagers go somewhere to party and have sex but end up dying in horrific ways,” subgenre. The story follows Judy, a teenager just looking for some wholesome Halloween fun at an abandoned mortuary. When she shows up to the party with an Alice in Wonderland costume, that’s your first clue that her world is about to be turned upside down. And indeed, after party-goers start performing a seance, the evening starts to go a bit south. Between the strobe-light lit dance scene that goes on for far too long to the truly over-the-top hair and makeup, this is one goofy descent into madness that’s worth your time.
Chopping Mall (1986)
If you’re looking for a movie about killer robots murdering innocent mall employees with lasers, then this is your movie. The premise is simple, a security company sells mall management three robots to patrol after hours with the promise that “nothing can go wrong.” But, *gasp* something goes wrong! With the help of a lightning storm, the robots are rewired into some serious killing machines. Watch as one group of teenagers suddenly become explosives experts in their fight to take the robots down for good. Come for the 80s horror comedy, stay for the exploding heads and horror queen Barbara Crampton.
House (1985)
Roger Cobb is a prolific horror author with a troubled past. Committed to shifting genres and writing his next book about his experiences in the Vietnam War, he decides to retreat to his late aunt’s house to get some peace and quiet. Haunted by his past, he grapples with both his own demons and those that live within the walls. With some help from animatronics, blubbery bodysuits, and some Spirit Halloween level face masks, House is a thrill ride through the best of what the silliest of 80s horror movies have to offer. Also, there’s a three-year-old with a mullet.
Available to stream on Amazon
Bad Taste (1987)
Peter Jackson’s first feature-length film will leave you amazed at what he can do with some of his closest friends and 1/50,000 of the Lord of the Rings budget. Shot mostly on weekends over the course of four years, the film follows agents from the Astro Investigation and Defense Service as they investigate the disappearance of an entire town in New Zealand. And, without giving too much away, shenanigans ensue. Goopy, gory, and a little science-fiction-y, Bad Taste is a must-watch for any 80s horror comedy aficionado worth their salt.
Available to stream on Amazon