I watched a phenomenally bad “Horror Parody” last evening called, “Shriek, if you know what I did last Friday the 13th”

As a result, I went on a quest for the 10 best Horror parodies of all time. This quest became more difficult than I thought. Of course my list may differ from yours and comments are open… but this is my list 🙂

First I had to cut out horror movies that were funny that weren’t parodies. In other words, they set out to be a strong movie of it’s own accord and was not trying to rip on the films of the past.

While you may disagree, here are the films I eliminated from the running on the basis that I don’t view them as intentional parodies.

American Werewolf in London
Beetlejuice
Innocent Blood
Idol Hands
Scrooged

Then I had to eliminate the ones that I didn’t feel fit into the all-time best.

Blair Anything
Dracula-Dead and Loving It
Evil Dead II
Frankenhooker
Frankenweenie
Hysterical
Love at First Bite
National Lampoon’s Class Reunion
Once Bitten
Psycho Beach Party
Reposessed
Scary Movie II
Shriek If You know What I did last Friday the 13th
The Stuff
Transylvania 6-5000
Trick or treat – the movie
Wacko
The Raven

So… Here’s my list…..

10. Scary Movie
9. Attack of the Killer Tomatoes / Mars Attacks (tie)
8. Serial Mom
7. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (M)
6. Army of Darkness

5. Jeckyll & Hyde Together Again
Friday’s Mark Blankfield gives an excellent performance of the two very different sides of this classic character. Basing the satire on the transformation coming from snorting lines of powder, an overly libidinous Hyde, and some beautiful satire of Hospital life, this take on the old story is a pleasantly good time.

4. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Less we forget the all time most recognized, underground, cult sensation that may be one of the longest, in-theatre, running satires of the Horror Genre. Intentionally set on throwing the Frankenstein mythos on it’s conservative ass, the film has taken gender curiosity to an all time…low.

3. Pandemonium
Before Scream there was the Cheerleader Camp kill fest that was Pandemonium. One of the first parodies to start pulling direct references from other films (Carrie) Startlingly good performances from Tom Smothers, Carol Kane, and watch for a young, pre-PeeWee, Paul Ruebens (Who also aided in placing #7 on the list)

2. Student Bodies
The slasher flick with an on-screen Body count. After the proliferation of 70’s slasher flick, Student Bodies was one of the first and still best to take a stab at the genre. Surreal characters and a series of final plot twists make this a very wild ride. Keep an eye for the Marfan inflicted actor “The Stick” who creates the truly unbelievable character of “Malvert”

1. Young Frankenstein
Undoubtebly, the finest Parody of the Horror Genre… Ever. From its use of Black and White to it’s mockery of scientific presentation, Gene Wilder gives one of his best performances ever as Froderik Frahnk-en-steen. The stellar cast of Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman, and Cloris (BLUCHER!) Leachman, joined by (then) relatively newcomers: Peter Boyle, Kenneth Mars, and Teri Garr; went over the top to give a startlingly good Horror Film that truly had an rifle site on a nearly 100 year old genre.

PLEASE, feel free to make comments and include your own lists.

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