Comedy has been a key aspect of scary movies since the genre’s early days. Fear and humor are interconnected in many respects, and horror films do an excellent job of riding the line between them. Several of the best horror movies of all time benefit from their comical qualities. Entire franchises have even been constructed on this concept alone. Unlike other genres, horror films tend to accrue a cult following that gives them a special degree of creative independence.

Since they typically require a substantially low budget, there isn’t much risk involved. Directors can create movies that make the whole production look like a practical joke, but people will still love them. Absurdism was a prominent film movement in the early 20th century, but it seems to have strongly resurfaced in modern horror. Many upcoming horror movies will be released in 2025, some of which will feature similarly crazy plots. In a genre filled with wild premises, certain тιтles stand out among the crowd.

10

The Gingerᴅᴇᴀᴅ Man (2005)

Directed By Charles Band

Funny horror movies tend to excel at taking the most seemingly innocent objects and turning them into terrifying killing machines. Classics like Gremlins and Child’s Play demonstrate that no matter how cute something is, there’s still a chance it will try to murder everyone. Charles Band’s Ginderᴅᴇᴀᴅ Man is no exception to this trope.

Nobody would expect a gingerbread man to come to life and start terrorizing people, but that’s exactly what happens in this film. After a serial killer is sent to the electric chair, his witch mother mixes his ashes into a gingerbread spice jar. The mysterious mixture shows up at a bakery, and when Sarah (Robin Sydney) accidentally sends electricity into the oven, the cookie man comes to life. Seeking revenge on Sarah for her testimony, the sentient cookie begins a horrific killing spree, taking down innocent people in the most gruesome ways.

9

Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988)

Directed By Stephen Chiodo

When it comes to wacky scary movies, Stephen Chiodo’s 1988 horror sci-fi Killer Klowns from Outer Space is easily one of the most recognizable тιтles. The very existence of this film proves that directors can do whatever they want with enough resources. It’s as if someone had a dream about this happening, and decided to create a movie out of it.

The premise is exactly as the тιтle suggests. When an asteroid smashes into Earth, a group of teens discovers that it’s carrying murderous circus clowns. ᴀssuming the teens are pulling a prank, the unsuspecting town proceeds to get terrorized by the wrath of the hilarious creatures. The movie promises killer clowns, and it goes above and beyond. Stephen Chiodio has suggested an idea for an unconventional continuation of Killer Klowns from Outer Space in the form of a sequel TV show, which would be welcomed with open arms.

8

Zombeavers (2014)

Directed By Jordan Rubin

Murderous animals are one of the most popular and profitable avenues within the horror genre. Typically, the creatures are either mᴀssive, have evil powers, or there are just tons of them. Elizabeth Banks’ Cocaine Bear managed to rake in millions of dollars off the concept of a drugged-out black bear. The possibilities are virtually limitless, but some of the concepts are much wackier than others.

Director Jordan Rubin apparently wanted to set a new standard of peculiarity with his 2014 film Zombeavers. Beavers aren’t traditionally thought about in a threatening context, but that isn’t the case in this horror comedy. The plot follows a group of college friends who quickly find their forest getaway interrupted by a swarm of unᴅᴇᴀᴅ beavers that turn their victims into buck-toothed killer zombies. One by one, the characters transform into creatures as they leave a river of gore in their wake. It’s as weird of a movie as they come, featuring on-theme deaths that are hysterical.

7

Tusk (2014)

Directed By Kevin Smith

Horror movies with out-of-the-box premises tend to unlock new fears for members of the audience. In the case of Kevin Smith’s Tusk, the fear revolves around getting kidnapped and surgically transformed into a walrus. Never in a million years would anyone be concerned about this, but it seems like a more rational thought after watching this film. At the center of the story is Wallace (Justin Long), a podcaster who visits an old man named Howard (Michael Parks) in hopes of getting an interview.

It turns out that Howard once had his life saved by a Walrus, and he’s obsessed with them. So, he proceeds to drug Wallace and transfigures him into an anatomically functioning Walrus. For the remainder of the plot, Howard forces the poor creature to acclimate to his new way of life. As absurd as this film is, Tusk is surprisingly scary and captivating in certain moments. There is something so unsettling about the sheer insanity behind Howard’s actions. Like most A24 horror movies, there aren’t many quite like this one.

6

Troll 2 (1990)

Directed By Claudio Fragᴀsso

Claudio Fragᴀsso’s Troll 2 deserves to be at the top of the list of the best so-bad-they-‘re-good movies. It’s no secret that corniness has been an integral aspect of horror from day one. However, films of this nature typically have a degree of self-awareness. Despite how ridiculous a movie may be, it’s usually apparent if the creators were trying to be serious or not.

Troll 2 stands alone among its counterparts because it genuinely feels like they were trying to make something scary but failed miserably. It’s truly a masterclass in comedic horror. The story is about a town called “Nilbog,” or goblin spelled backwards, where the inhabitants are secretly cannibalistic creatures. Everything from the costumes to the delivery of lines is outlandish and downright laughable. To top it all off, there isn’t even a single mention of trolls throughout the entire runtime.

5

Brainᴅᴇᴀᴅ/ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Alive (1992)

Directed By Peter Jackson

Peter Jackson has ᴀsserted himself as one of the most impressive filmmakers of the modern generation. Although most are familiar with his masterful work on The Lord of the Rings & Hobbit movies, his earlier projects haven’t received nearly as much attention. The director’s third full-length film, Brainᴅᴇᴀᴅ, or ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Alive in North America, is easily one of his craziest.

This horror comedy follows a wacky zombie invasion that breaks out after Vera (Elizabeth Moody) is accidentally bitten by a Sumatran rat monkey while spying on her son at the Zoo. Some of the kills featured throughout the plot are among the most creative to ever grace the silver screen. All the deaths are over the top, and they’re only improved by the egregious amount of cheesy gore. Considering the type of projects that Jackson creates now, it’s frankly unbelievable that Brainᴅᴇᴀᴅ came to fruition by his hand.

4

Blood Diner (1987)

Directed By Jackie Kong

Cannibalism has proved to be an intriguing topic in the realm of horror movies, but few others have made anything like Jackie Kong’s Blood Diner. This film provides an illustrious example of the cinematic horror trends that characterized the 1980s. From the cheesy practical effects to the synth-heavy soundtrack, it’s got all the right components of classic indie horror.

First, they greet you, then they eat you. Blood Diner tells the story of two cannibalistic brothers who plan to awaken Sheetar (Tanya Papnicolas), an ancient Egyptian goddess. To do this, they need to collect a series of sтιтched female body parts to create a special dish for her. As unsuspecting girls enter their vegetarian restaurant, they are swept away by the brothers to be turned into a blood buffet. The premise alone would be enough to qualify this film as unconventional, but as the plot unfolds, things only get crazier.

3

Society (1989)

Directed By Brian Yuzna

Considering that Society was only Brian Yuzna’s second film, it’s wild that the director went in the direction he did. The movie is so wild that it would only make sense coming from a seasoned director with nothing to lose. Nevertheless, Yuzna decided to come out swinging in this horror mystery and the results speak for themselves. The story follows Bill Whitney (Billy Warlock), a teen boy who doesn’t trust his parents.

After discovering a shocking tape, he comes to realize that they are a different species who are members of a social elitist cult. These creatures amalgamate with one another into an amorphous blob and consume those who are below them in society. Thus, the premise is meant to be a play on the idea that the rich always feed off the poor. It’s absurd in an entertaining way, but some of the visuals are utterly disgusting. Society’s ending makes this very apparent, showing the mᴀss of flash engaging in an orgasm as it absorbs a victim.

2

ᴅᴇᴀᴅly Friend (1986)

Directed By Wes Craven

The horror genre wouldn’t be the same today without the legendary Wes Craven’s contributions. From Scream to A Nightmare on Elm Street, he has delivered some of the most iconic scary movies in existence. Although the director’s works are widely recognized, his 1986 horror sci-fi ᴅᴇᴀᴅly Friend is one of the few Wes Craven movies that most people haven’t seen.

This film is built upon a relatively basic premise, but it’s stretched to extreme ends. After their friend Samantha (Kristy Swanson) is put into a state of brain death, kids Paul (Matthew Labyorteaux) and Tom (Michael Sharrett) try to resurrect her by putting their robot’s microchip into her brain. As these things usually go, Samantha comes back to life, turns malicious, and attacks anyone she sees. ᴅᴇᴀᴅly Friend isn’t Craven’s magnum opus by any means, but it’s got the right amount of crazy to make it a cult classic.

1

Rubber (2010)

Directed By Quentin Dupieux

Quentin Dupieux’s 2010 indie comedy horror Rubber is the type of movie that will leave the viewer wondering if they are stuck in a weird dream. It’s hilarious to imagine the writers of this film sitting down in a room together and coming up with the idea. In a genre packed with unconventional concepts, Rubber takes the cake by a long sH๏τ. The entire plot is based around a run-of-the-mill tire named Robert who suddenly comes to life.

Although he appears normal, Robert can move independently and instantaneously explode objects with his mind. For the rest of the movie, he rolls around the desert on a murderous spree, only leaving guts in his wake. If it wasn’t wacky enough, there isn’t even an explanation or origin story for Robert’s consciousness or power. He just becomes self-aware and immediately decides to start killing everything. It’s a hysterically intriguing horror film by all measures and certainly deserves a watch, even if it’s just to prove that it exists.