The‘90s period of filmwas synonymous with outrageous content that certainly indulged in cinematic risks. Many horror flicks from the ‘90s perfectly blended themes of satirical humor with shoddy scares. Furthermore, devoted fans of the horror genre solidify the ‘90s as a groundbreaking time for dark comedy mixed with outright fear. The ‘90s further included a slew of traditional horror tropes, including the utilization of “the final girl” and friends splitting up. From the insaneplot twist inThe Sixth Senseto the frustrating narrative ofCemetery Man, the ‘90s offers plenty for horror fans to digest.
Unfortunately, for many of these movies, theeffort of cheap scaresoccasionally becomes tattered. While horror comedies have comfortably adapted in the broader genre, certain elements prove to be entirely humorous, and thus, the fear factor begins to crumble. And yet, sometimes it’s that particular use of meta-horror that draws an entire audience in, making for credible reception and box-office success. Whether some movies are more popular than others or not, all of the films on this list are far more funny than actually frightening.
5Leprechaun (1993)
There’s nothing more sacred to a leprechaun than his antique pot of gold. Starring Warwick Davis as the deceiving titulcar character,Leprechaunimparts an atmopsheric nostalgia that blends the cheesiness of its humor with genuine moments of terror. Arguably, themovie truly belongs to Jennifer Aniston, with the then 24-year-old actress making her film debut. TheFriendsactress plays Tory Redding, a girl-next-door type who inhabits a particular likability that resonated well with audiences. From the entertaining brawls betweenDavis' Lubdan the Leprechaunand the rest of Tory’s group to the impressive ’90s makeup,Leprechaunhas successfully garnered a cult following. Still, the movie relies solely on moments of black comedy, and is therefore much more amusing than terrifying.
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4Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994)
During the explosive ’80s, Freddy Krueger was a polarizing figure in the realm of horror. Following Wes Craven’s critical and box-office success, many of theNightmare on Elm Streetsequels remain undeniably laughable. Krueger’s once-nightmarish approach was exchanged for a cartoonish afterthought with astring of tiresome one-liners. WhileNew Nightmaredid attempt to steer the direction of the sinking ship back on track, it was unfortunately too late, as the generation that once feared Freddy Krueger simply became unfazed. Combine all of that with the fact that Freddy’s new look appeared far too comical, and it’s not hard to understand why a large portion of fans simply belly-laughed at this sequel.
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3From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
Written by thecinematically satisfying Quentin Tarantino, the 1996 action-horrorFrom Dusk Till Dawnfollows two criminal brothers and a family of hostages that unknowingly stumble upon a barroom patronized by vampires. While the action-packed thriller touches upon many memorable horror elements, the overall audience reception of the film finds the scenes to be more humorous than actually scary. Specifically, when Quentin’s character finds himself with a bare foot in his mouth. However, that actually might have scared some people. Traveling criminals encountering a saloon full of hyperactive vampires sounds ludicrous enough, though even more when combined with the obvious over-use of makeup and cheap scenes of violence.
2Scream (1996)
Much to the sheer delight of horror fans,Wes Cravenand Kevin Williamson’s iconic slasher film completely re-invented the sub-slasher genre. In borrowing traditional horror tropes from films likeFriday the 13thandHalloween, many of those tropes helped to establishScreamas a self-aware slasher flick. In doing so, many themes within Wes Craven’s classicdirectly mock itselfin the process. Williamson’s script blatantly recognized the common mistakes made in traditional horror films, and thus, Scream managed to captivate a wide audience. Despite the inclusion of one of the most recognizable villains in cinematic horror, Ghostface, many moments in the 1996 film rely purely on extreme meta-humor.
1The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Despite terrifying audiences back in 1999,The Blair Witch Projectremains a folklore film that is far more funny than it is actually scary. Itsdocumentary-style narrativepurposely inflicts an aura of authentic fear, though the end result falls flat on its face. For starters, audiences were left with a clear-cut disappointment, seeing as the rumored Blair Witch is never actually seen. Rather, most of the film’s plot focuses on the three teenage “investigators” searching the woods for the majority of the film, only to be merely met with certain instances of fearful interactions with an unseen figure. While several scenes in the movie do attempt to trigger a particular sense of fear, it’s important to remember that while many films include an actual vision of the apparent monster,The Blair Witch Projectfails to do us the honor.
