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Comedy Horror/Horror Comedy - 13/8/2012 7:16:44 PM

Rgirvan44

Posts: 18883
Joined: 10/3/2006
From: Punishment Park

An interesting little debate on Twitter today as to whether there is any difference in those two terms. I said yes, that the first word is the primary genre so that

Horror Comedy
Shuan of the Dead
American Werewolf
Cabin in the Woods
Evil Dead
Scream

Whereas Comedy Horror was things like Scary Movie or Young Frankenstien (not of similar quality of course)

What do others think? Are these seperate sub-genres or are people looking too deeply into this?

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RE: Comedy Horror/Horror Comedy - 13/8/2012 7:23:52 PM

vad3r

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Joined: 3/9/2010
From: Close to Mod HQ

They are the same.

Scary Movie and Young Frankenstein are spoofs.

Horror comedy/comedy horror are a mixture of horror and comedy.

Egg & bacon = bacon & egg.

My work here is done.

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RE: Comedy Horror/Horror Comedy - 13/8/2012 7:34:08 PM

jcthefirst

Posts: 4076
Joined: 6/10/2005
From: Bangor

quote:

ORIGINAL: Rgirvan44
Are these seperate sub-genres or are people looking too deeply into this?

Probably, but I think your list is spot on.

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RE: Comedy Horror/Horror Comedy - 13/8/2012 9:03:52 PM

DancingClown

Posts: 3556
Joined: 8/1/2006
From: The Lot

quote:

ORIGINAL: Rgirvan44

An interesting little debate on Twitter today as to whether there is any difference in those two terms. I said yes, that the first word is the primary genre so that

Horror Comedy
Shuan of the Dead
American Werewolf
Cabin in the Woods
Evil Dead
Scream

Whereas Comedy Horror was things like Scary Movie or Young Frankenstien (not of similar quality of course)

What do others think? Are these seperate sub-genres or are people looking too deeply into this?

Personally I really don't see much of a difference between a Horror Comedy or a Comedy Horror. Perhaps on an individual level one might use one or the other depending on how much comedy or horror features in the films you mentioned. So maybe I'd refer to Shaun of the Dead as a Comedy Horror because I find the humour is more dominant, whereas I might refer to American Werewolf as a Horror Comedy because I find the horror element to be stronger than the comedy.

With films like Scary Movie or Young Frankenstein I would class them simply as comedies because despite being spoofs of the horror genre there is nothing vaguely 'horrific' about them.

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RE: Comedy Horror/Horror Comedy - 13/8/2012 10:51:21 PM

MonsterCat

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From: St. Albans, Hertfordshire

You don't think Scary Movie is horrific? I beg to differ.

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RE: Comedy Horror/Horror Comedy - 13/8/2012 10:58:24 PM

elab49

Posts: 51576
Joined: 1/10/2005

I think you're right - whatever comes first indicates the primary objective. If Shaun was funny but failed as a horror, the film would have failed.

Something like Saturday the 14th, though, is comedy first I think.

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RE: Comedy Horror/Horror Comedy - 14/8/2012 8:44:18 AM

jonson

Posts: 8064
Joined: 30/9/2005

Interesting, never really thought about it, but I think you're right.
I do prefer a Horror Comedy over a Comedy Horror all day long.
I love horror films that much I find the idea of Comedy Horrors wrong, but lacing a horror film with a bit of comedy is fine. Confusing? Yeah.

Of your list though, I wouldn't consider Scream or American Werewolf as Horror Comedys though, just straight horror films, with a dash of wicked humour, but not enough to make it a Horror Comedy

To have the word Comedy in the genre title I think it has to be a bit, I don't know, silly is perhaps the word I am looking for. ie House, Shaun of the Dead, ED2, Return of the Living Dead etc.

Interesting point though.

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RE: Comedy Horror/Horror Comedy - 14/8/2012 10:19:04 AM

st3veebee

Posts: 2354
Joined: 3/9/2006
From: 9303 Lyon Drive

This has always bugged me: what are these scary parts in Shaun of the Dead? Is it just the zombie make-up? There are no actually shocking moments ...are there?

I suppose when Dylan Moran dies it is somewhat gruesome.

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RE: Comedy Horror/Horror Comedy - 14/8/2012 1:24:17 PM

chewbacasnapsak

Posts: 727
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quote:

ORIGINAL: st3veebee

This has always bugged me: what are these scary parts in Shaun of the Dead? Is it just the zombie make-up? There are no actually shocking moments ...are there?

I suppose when Dylan Moran dies it is somewhat gruesome.

Wasn't it marketed as a Rom Com Zom, making it clear it was a romantic comedy with zombies in, i dont think anyone was under the illusion it was going to be scary or horrific.

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