This week: Screams to Laughter Edited by: Warped Sanity  
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| Horror and comedy are a great pairing. This newsletter focuses on the why and how of mixing the two genre. |
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Though comedy and horror might appear to be on opposite ends of the writing spectrum, they have much more in common than you may think. Both utilize exaggeration and tend to go over the top for their affect. It can be said that horror and comedy are the two sides to the same coin. While horror feeds on tension, comedy breaks the tension.
Why add comedy to horror? The answer is simple. No matter what genre readers prefer, all love to laugh. Comedy enhances the story and characters.
Comedy as an Allusion of Safety
Laughter can offer a soft cushion to land on just when you think something horrific is about to happen. Comedy gives the reader the comfort to whistle through the graveyard, unaware of real threats, before the zombie reaches from the grave, grabbing them by their feet.
Imagine a character living in an old haunted house. A clanking, which mimics a knock taunts them. They grab the closest thing that resembles a weapon and inch towards the direction of the noise which appears to be in the bathroom. They enter the bathroom swinging at air. They pause at the empty room trying to identify where the knocking is coming from. It is coming from the shower, shrouded by a dark curtain. Weapon in hand, they quickly open the curtain, right before a rusty pipe bursts, drenching them. They slip, falling on their butt. After the shock wears off they laugh at themselves. Believing they are safe, they don't bother to yield their weapon and are unprepared for the real threat that lurks close by.
The Value of Characters Who Make Us Laugh
Characters can offer comedic relief from the tension through dialogue. People tend to like those in life who make them laugh and in turn grow fond of fictional characters who make them laugh. Whether the character with a sense of humor is the hero or victim, it makes the character come alive to the reader. If the character survives, they will be relieved. If they reach a demise, the emotional response in the reader will be more intense.
My favorite type of comedian in horror is the villain. I've always had a fondness for psychopaths with a sense of humor in literature and movies. It creates a mental conflict within the watcher or reader. We want to hate them for the evil things they do, but we can't help but love them We become conflicted, not wanting the other likable characters to meet a horrible fate, yet a part of us begins to feel guilty because in some small way, we are rooting for the villain's survival.
Humor as an Outcome
In short stories, humorous outcomes, can provide a surprise ending to the reader. Just when we think one thing about the killer, we are taken to a humorous reasoning for their actions or a humorous demise to a character. Since I love reading these sort of short horror stories, I've attempted this myself. Whether I was successful at it is debatable.
Conclusion
Maybe I'm Jaded, but very little in horror writing or horror movies scare me. Whether intentional or not, most horror has some comedic value. Personally, I laugh at most horror movies, often making side jokes and comedic predictions. I'm not alone, obviously. Just look at how many times The Exorcist has been parodied.
What are some other values of mixing comedy with horror that I failed to mention? What are some of your favorite horror stories that utilize elements of humor?
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Horror/Scary: May 19, 2021 Issue [#10775]
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