It’s a well-known truth that you can’t spell slaughter without laughter – and some of my favorite films out there involve the convergence of comedy and terror.
For the second part of this featurette – let’s talk about Vampires. I usually like my blood-suckers more serious and scary than aloof and comical – but the following films are too good to resist.
Once Bitten:
1985′s Once Bitten was Jim Carrey’s first starring role – as the young Mark Kendall, a sex-starved goofy kid who happens to collide with a century-old vampress vixen on the prowl for virgin blood.
Cheesy one-liners, a fantastic cast, and the saucy Lauren Hutton make this a vampire comedy too good to pass up.
Memorable Quote:
Mark Kendall: Are you a prostitute?
Countess: I’m whatever you want me to be.
Mark Kendall: Good! ‘Cause I only have five dollars!
Memorable Clip:
Love at First Bite:
I mean seriously. What’s funnier than George Hamilton as Count Dracula? Not much according to the 1979 film Love at First Bite. Hamilton… er… Dracula is kicked out of his castle by Romanian commies – and he is forced to relocate to New York alongside his man-servant Renfield. There he learns that life in the big city is not all it’s cracked up to be – especially when the grandson of your arch-nemesis Van Helsing totally shacks up there too.
The casting is perfection and the goofy dialogue never seems to end. Jokes, sleaze, and swingers totally make up for the lack of gore – and it’s most definitely a NON-PC vamp-comedy not to be missed.
Memorable Quote:
Dracula: Children of the night… SHUT UP!
Memorable Clip:
Dracula Dead and Loving It:
I have no idea why so many people hate on this flick. It’s a parody of both hammer horror and Bram Stoker, pulled off by comedic geniuses Mel Brooks AND Leslie Nielson, and still no love.
But for those of you like me – you see the charming and hysterical qualities in 1995′s Dracula Dead and Loving it. Set in 1893 and roughly following the well-known story of Dracula’s ship voyage and hypnosis of Renfield – and totally twists it with last-word competitions, sight-gags, and slapstick comedy. There are tons of bloody good scenes, chemistry between all the actors is something you seriously can’t teach – and when did slipping in bat poop not become funny?
Memorable Quote:
Jonathan Harker: She’s alive?
Van Helsing: She’s Nosferatu.
Jonathan Harker: She’s Italian?
Memorable Clip:
My Best Friend is a Vampire:
Okay – I’ll admit it. This film is corny. But what film have I mentioned that isn’t? A teenage boy on the prowl for a chick starts dreaming about a woman seducing him. Low and behold – he meets her and she proceeds to bite him on the neck. Amidst turning into a vampire – he is presumed gay by his parents, fooling around with the girl of his dreams, and being dragged into what is referred to as the “Vampire Armageddon“. Yeah… plot’s not important here. What is – is the humor, slapstick, 80′s cheese, and camp. Don’t hate.
Memorable Quote:
Ralph: She sucked your what?
Check out earlier articles and stay tuned for future ones:
You Can’t Spell Slaughter Without Laughter! – Zomcoms
You Can’t Spell Slaughter Without Laughter! – Murderhers
YES! Love for Once Bitten and Love at First Bite makes me so damn happy. I have so much love for both of these movies. Lauren Hutton is the foxiest 70′s woman ever, and George Hamilton was unbeatable as…himself, kinda. XD
“With you, never a quickie. Always a longie.” Good stuff!
There’s also the inadvertently funny. – Hugh Jackman’s Van Helsing.
My Best Friend Is A Vampire and Once Bitten are two favorite comedy vampire movies
I haven’t seen My Best Friend in forever though
You know what’s funny is that vampire chick in the beginning of the movie who turned the kid. Is Gregory Peck’s daughter. Just a little fun fact.
Love At First Bite is one of the funniest comedies ever made, leaving out it horror roots.
George Hamilton was truly awesome. As well as Arte Johnson.
“Children of the night…..shut up!!”