Happy Death Day, Elvira, and more horror comedy to soothe your worries

Happy Death Day, What We Do in the Shadows, and Elvira: Mistress of the Dark are just a few of the horror comedies that can lift you up during troubled times. Read on to see what other gut busters made our list.

Happy Death Day, What We Do in the Shadows, and Elvira: Mistress of the Dark prove that horror and comedy are as perfect a combination as peanut butter and chocolate. So whether you’re feeling a little blue or just in need of a good laugh, here are 10 of our favorite horror comedy flicks to chase your cares away.

Happy Death Day  (2017)

For self-centered sorority girl Tree, life is all about Kappa Pi Lambda meetings and secret trysts with her professor. But when Tree is murdered by a masked assailant on her birthday, things take a turn for the supernatural. Instead of dying, our hero finds herself in a time loop that resets to the moment she woke up on that fateful day.

Can Tree discover the identity of her killer and live to see tomorrow?

Happy Death Day combines elements from classic comedies like Groundhog’s Day and humorous slashers like Scream to create a horror film that’s totally unique. Director Christopher Landon leans into the story’s comedy without pushing for laughs, while Jessica Rothe carries the film with her top-notch performance as Tree.

There may be plenty of violence in this film, but don’t cover your eyes! You won’t want to miss a second of this goofy, glorious film.

What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

Before writer/director Taika Waititi became a Hollywood darling for directing films like Thor: Ragnarok and Joio Rabbit, the successful New Zealand filmmaker set out to create a mockumentary about vampires with his old pal Jemaine Clement.

In What We Do in the Shadows, Waititi and Clement star as Viago and Vladislav, ancient vampires living in a modern Wellington flat along with fellow vampires Deacon and Petyr.

While the film has a fantastic plot that involves reigning in a newly minted hipster vampire and preparing for an Unholy Ball, the specifics are almost beside the point. What really makes this movie so darn funny is watching the clash between ancient vampires and the modern world. Simple things like going to a club become all the more complicated when you can’t enter a building without being invited in.

The Love Witch (2016)

In The Love Witch, Elaine has set out in search of a new life filled with passion and romance. Unfortunately for the young witch, the sex magic she uses has the unintended consequence of turning her lovers into sniveling, unattractive man babies who meet untimely ends.

As her trail of victims continues to grow, can Elaine finally master her magical powers or will the hunt for the perfect lover lead to madness?

Drawing inspiration from the low-budget exploitation films of the 60’s, The Love Witch is the perfect watch for folks who prefer their comedy extra dry.

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988)

You probably know Elvira as the sassy-yet-sultry movie host who introduced you to some of the great cult films of the late 20th century. But in 1988, the macabre maven got to take her turn on the big screen in Elvira: Mistress of the Dark.

In the film, Elvira’s plans to open a Las Vegas review are complicated when she learns that she’s inherited her great-aunt Morgana’s New England mansion, a recipe book, and a poodle named Algonquin.

Packed with bawdy send ups, puns galore, and Cassandra Peterson’s special brand of ditzy humor, Mistress of the Dark is the quintessential tongue-in-cheek 80’s horror comedy.

One Cut of the Dead (2017)

The cast and crew of a low-budget horror movie get more than they bargained for when zombies attack during their live performance.

If you haven’t yet seen this modern horror comedy masterpiece, then the only advice we can give is don’t look it up before watching. While other films can withstand a spoiler or two, the twists in One Cut of the Dead are so brilliant that you owe it to yourself to go in blind.

With a jaw-dropping one-take shot that spans a full 30 minutes of the film, One Cut of the Dead proves there’s still life in the zombie sub genre. If you start this movie and feel like something is a little off, hold on. All will be revealed, and we promise it’ll be worth it.

Can’t get enough horror comedy? We got you covered:

• Final Girls
• Cabin in the Woods
• Tucker and Dale vs. Evil
• Anna and the Apocalypse

Happy Death Day and all of the films in our list can be streamed on Amazon Prime, Vudu, Shudder, and YouTube.

What’s your favorite horror comedy? Let us know in the comments!