A Tribute to Horror’s Comedic Relief

Who says we can’t have a few laughs in between the scares?  Comic relief plays a big part in many horror movies to make sure that the audience isn’t completely drained.  Some think it’s simply distracting, but there are times when it provides an undeniable bit of fun to the proceedings.  So, I thought that in these dark times, it’d be fun to look back at some of the characters that I found to be an amusing light in frightening and disturbing movies.

Deputy So and So Sinister:  Although Ethan Hawke finds few things humorous when he moves into a crime scene, we as an audience are treated to a few moments of delightful black humor when he argues with his wife and with the arrival of James Ransone’s Deputy So and So.  Never given a name, even in his starring role in the sequel, the young cop attempts to provide Hawke with some common sense.  “Snakes don’t have feet” is a very true statement.  ​

Rod in Get Out: Who wouldn’t want a friend like Rod (Lil Rey Howery) that’s willing to cut through the lies and solve the case? The way he supports Chris and refuses to take ‘no’ for an answer is a sign of true friendship as he fits all the pieces together and comes in a glorious blue TSA light.  But on top of that, he had audiences clapping with his exclamations and attempts at explaining the situation to cops.  Chris goes through absolute hell at the hands of privileged white people, and Rod is right.  He should NOT have gone into that house.  His comic timing is perfect as is the writing by Jordan Peele. ​

Richie in It: Chapter 2: This is a movie with a lot of laughs in general, especially with the formerly mentioned James Ransone acting alongside Bill Hader as Richie ‘Trashmouth’ Tozier.  Playing a comedian that’s talked into returning to face a horrifying clown, Richie tries to lighten the mood in the face of death with various digs at people’s mothers, careers, and reacts so casually to a spider with a human head, “Oh, there he is.”  But on top of the laughs, we’re reminded that comedians often work from suffering and by the end of the movie we learn how much heart Hader can bring to any role he’s given.  

Gabe Wilson in Us: It may be lost on some that get too caught up in a certain song appearance in this film, but starring opposite Lupita N’yongo’s Adelide is Winston Duke, a goofy dad that has trouble understanding when to stop talking.  That’s a great delight for us watching, however, as he tries to defuse situations while still managing to protect his family against the terrifying dopplegangers that are attacking them.  One can only imagine how challenging and fun it was to play his own clone and drag his other half outside.  

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Author

Davis has been a horror fan since he was a little kid and watched Scream and Jaws for the first time.  He graduated with a degree in theatre education and a Georgia Film Academy Certificate from Columbus State University and is known for his huge film collection and a passion for the industry.  He’s written film reviews for college papers, worked as a PA, short film writer, and actor and can’t wait to do more with the HorrOrigins team!  He’ll soon be appearing in the short film Wild HR which will be shown at the OutlantaCon Short Film Festival and can be found getting stalked by Ghostface in the YouTube video Return To Woodsboro.