Horror comedy tends to be an extremely fun film genre that beautifully blends humor with thrills and chills, giving audiences the best of both worlds. Often categorized under two distinct types (dark comedy or parody/spoof), the exciting style of storytelling has been a go-to in Hollywood ever since Abbott and Costello helped create it, and it remains a tried-and-true crowd pleaser. The 1980s was a decade in cinema that saw some of the most celebrated and enduring horror comedies hit the big screens, with fan favorites like Gremlins, Ghostbusters, and Little Shop of Horrors taking audiences by storm.
The charming Michael Keaton served up an iconic performance when he headlined the Tim Burton Halloween classic Beetlejuice, dazzling viewers as the devious bio-exorcist ghoul. Bruce Campbell reprised his breakout role as beloved horror hero Ash Williams in Sam Raimi’s outstanding follow-up Evil Dead II, once again taking on evil forces but this time with some added comedic flair. These are some of the best horror comedies of the 1980s.
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9 Killer Klowns from Outer Space
Trans World Entertainment
The Chiodo Brothers directed the 1988 sci-fi horror comedy Killer Klowns from Outer Space, which follows a nefarious group of extraterrestrials who happen to terrifyingly resemble circus clowns as they target Earth in search of human prey to feast upon. The kitschy cult classic is the only film written and directed by the trio of sibling artists famous for their innovative special effects, and was a surprise hit with both audiences and critics alike, earning praise for its brash humor, imaginative visuals and playful horror. Potential sequels have remained in development hell since the comedy’s debut, and in 2019 the Syfy channel was in talks to license the rights for any further installments.
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8 Creepshow
United Film Distribution
Legendary “Father of the Zombie Film” himself George A. Romero helmed the 1982 horror comedy anthology film Creepshow, consisting of five chilling short stories with two of them being adapted from Stephen King’s original spooky tales. Touting a large ensemble cast including Hal Holbrook, Leslie Nieslen and Adrienne Barbeau, the celebrated Romero staple served as an homage to famous EC horror comics of the 1950s such as Tales from the Crypt and The Haunt of Fear and utilized a comic-book feel via special effects. The popularity of Romero’s Creepshow led to his anthology television series Tales from the Darkside as well as two follow-up sequels.
7 The Lost Boys
Warner Bros.
’80s heartthrobs Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric and Corey Haim headlined the 1987 supernatural black comedy horror film The Lost Boys, centering on brothers Michael and Sam Emerson as they begin to suspect their new town is crawling with vampires and must fight to end their frightening reign.
After the angsty Michael finds himself in the middle of a messy undead love triangle, his little brother Sam and his new nerdy pals set out to save him from the head of the vampire gang David Powers (Sutherland). The Lost Boys title is a direct reference to the famous characters featured in J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan tales and helped shift depictions of vampires in pop culture, giving the creatures a sexier, more youthful appeal.
6 Gremlins
Warner Bros.
Whatever you do, never feed a gremlin after midnight! Teenager Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan) learned this crucial lesson the hard way in the 1984 black comedy horror classic Gremlins, in which the young man must team up with his girlfriend (Phoebe Cates) to battle the mischievous, destructive creatures who cause chaos in their small town on Christmas Eve.
Comedian Howie Mandel provides the vocals for Gizmo, the main mogwai character who tries to help the teeangers battle against his violent fellow monsters led by the devious and aggressive Stripe (Frank Welker). Gremlins and Gizmo went on to become cultural phenomenons due to the film’s blend of horror and comedy, inspiring numerous creature features and launched a sequel and popular merchandise including toys, collectibles, and various video games.
5 Little Shop of Horrors
Adapted from the great Roger Corman film of 1960, the 1986 horror comedy Little Shop of Horrors stars comedy great Rick Moranis as nerdy floral shop owner Seymour Krelborn, who discovers an unusual carnivorous plant that only feeds on human blood and flesh; after Seymour feeds “Audrey II” the body of his crush’s sadistic boyfriend, the plant demands to be fed more and becomes bloodthirsty.
Technicians for the film created six animatronic flytraps of multiple sizes for the hungry plant, ranging from 4 inches tall to 12 feet in height, and by the grand finale of the comedy as many as 60 human operators were required. Little Shop of Horrors went on to earn two Oscar nominations and has amassed a passionate cult following since its release.
4 Evil Dead II
Rosebud Releasing Corporation
The innovative Sam Raimi partnered up with friend and collaborator Bruce Campbell once again for his highly- anticipated 1987 horror follow-up Evil Dead II, which follows iconic hero Ash Williams as he once again squares off against malevolent forces while at a secluded cabin in the woods with his girlfriend.
Co-writer Scott Spiegel wanted the sequel to be less straight horror than its predecessor, drawing inspiration from the Three Stooges and slapstick comedies to give the film a more light-hearted vibe. Lauded for its humor, Campbell’s performance and Raimi’s superb direction and vision, Evil Dead II was a critical hit despite a lackluster box office performance; its large cult following led to 1992’s Army of Darkness.
3 An American Werewolf in London
Universal Pictures
Revered as a major milestone in the comedy-horror genre, the 1981 smash hit An American Werewolf in London tells the spine-tingling story of two American backpackers who while traveling throughout England are brutally attacked by a vicious creature that leaves one of them dead. After regaining consciousness after the assault, David Kessler (David Naughton) quickly begins to fear that he will become a bloodthirsty werewolf by the next full moon.
Director John Landis drew inspiration for the picture after coming across a group of gypsies performing rituals on a buried man while in Yugoslavia, and sought to create a supernatural project that captured the concept. An American Werewolf in London is revered for its cutting edge makeup effects and blend of humor and horror, and remains a knockout ’80s staple.
2 Ghostbusters
Columbia Pictures
“If there’s something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call?” Fans all across the world know the answer to that famous question, knowing the eccentric Ghosbusters crew will be on the case. The 1984 beloved supernatural comedy features a spectacular cast led by Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis and famously chronicles the efforts of the trio of parapsychologists as they hunt ghosts in New York City.
Aykroyd wrote the script alongside Ramis, drawing from his own personal fascination with the paranormal and belief in ghosts; his great-grandfather was a renowned spiritualist and his grandfather had used radios to contact the dead. Ghostbusters launched a lucrative pop culture multimedia franchise and is revered for its use of action, comedy and horror.
1 Beetlejuice
The prolific Tim Burton directed the fan-favorite 1988 fantasy horror comedy Beetlejuice, starring the dazzling Michael Keaton as the titular “bio-exorcist” character who is called upon by a recently deceased couple (Alec Baldwin & Geena Davis) to rid their home of pesky new inhabitants. Burton wanted to capture the charm of the B movies he grew up with, using methods like stop-motion, puppetry, and blue screen to add to the quirky aesthetic of the flick; on the visual effects, the filmmaker said, “I wanted to make them look cheap and purposely fake-looking.”
The celebrated Halloween hit features a career-defining performance by Keaton and then newcomer Winona Ryder, and The Washington Post declared it had “the perfect balance of bizarreness, comedy and horror.” A highly-buzzed about and long desired sequel is currently in the works, with Keaton and Ryder set to reprise their roles.
