The 10 Best Black Comedies of All Time

ByPaul Posted on Updated on

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When writing this list I realized that we’re all going to have differing definitions of what a “black comedy” is (and it’s not a Tyler Perry movie). I guess you can look it up on Wikipedia if you want, but what a black comedy is to me is a movie that takes serious topics like murder, suicide, rape, zombie attacks, nuclear holocausts etc.

So by that definition, I’ve selected the ten best black comedies of all time. And of course I left your favorite out.

10) Edward Scissorhands (1990)

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The movie is mostly sort of sad and touching, but it has some pretty hilarious parts as well. The Pleasantville-type world Burton has created here is inherently a quirky place, and Edward’s bush and hair trimming skills along with his propensity to deflate waterbeds make this movie a memorable dark comedy.

9) Death to Smoochy (2002)

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A lot of people write this movie off at the video store because of it’s weird title, but rent it, I promise you that you won’t regret it. Robin Williams and Ed Norton are fantastic as rival kids show hosts, and watch for Jon Stewart in one of his few film appearances.

8 ) Shaun of the Dead (2004)

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I know I’ll get some criticism for putting one or two horror comedies in here, but Shaun of the Dead is a great black comedy and is one of the few good parody films out there. It’s gruesome and violent but hilarious above all else.

7) Election (1999)

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This movie is often overlooked, but it’s a real gem of the genre. Initially about a school election between Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) and Paul Meltzer (Chris Klein), it turns in a different direction when a teacher is expelled for having sex with the underage Tracy and Matthew Broderick starts believing she is evil and must be stopped.

6) Evil Dead 2 (1987)

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Another horror/comedy entry here, but shut up, it’s a black comedy for sure. I wasn’t sure which of the Evil Dead movies to pick. I skipped past the first one as it’s too much horror, and chose this over Army of Darkness just for one scene alone:

5) Heathers (1988)

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I just finished watching Heathers for the first time about five minutes ago so I can say that I’ve actually seen all the movies on this list. It’s a great concept and seemed like Mean Girls meets Suicide Club (though it came before both), though I didn’t think it was particularly funny. Just because a movie doesn’t take something seriously (in this case suicide) I’m not sure if that makes it a comedy. But whatever, it counts.

4) Natural Born Killers (1994)

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Even I’m hesitant to classify this as a black comedy over other similarly themed movies like Resevoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, but the scene I think clinches it for me is the “sitcom scene” titled “I Love Mallory” which for some reason, I can only find in Italian. Copyright protection rules!

3) American Psycho (2000)

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If you have any doubt that American Psycho is a black comedy, just look at Christian Bale’s face in that picture. It can be viewed as a psychological mind**** thriller instead I suppose, but I personally see more of the humor side of it. The business card scene? One of my favorite exchanges in ANY movie.

2) Fargo (1996)

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I don’t want to hear about The Big Lebowski and Raising Arizona, Fargo is the only Coen Brothers comedy worthy of making this list, and it’s a really damn good one. The “true story” of a North Dakota crime spree that starts with a bumbling car salesman is far and away nearly the best example of a black comedy out there.

1) Dr. Strangelove (1964)

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I won’t proclaim Dr. Strangelove as the first black comedy, but I think it’s certainly the best. In a time when nuclear war with Russia seemed like a very real possibility, Peter Sellers and Stanley Kubrick decided to turn all that on its head and show how truly absurd the situation was. In the process, they created one of the greatest comedies ever made.

I think I'm a part of the first generation of journalists to skip print media entirely, and I've learned a lot these last few years at Forbes. My work has appeared on TVOvermind, IGN, and most importantly, a segment on The Colbert Report at one point.

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40 Comments

  1. If anybodies not sure what a Black Comedy is just watch Death to Smoochy. I personally can’t think of a better example. Also, it happens to be a great movie.

  3. Thank God you had Dr. Strangelove at the top. One of the best comedies ever made, without a doubt. And it’s more relevant today than ever. I think I’m gonna have to pop in the old DVD sometime soon.

    Also, I would have added Bad Santa, if that is indeed a black comedy. I think it probably is. Pulp Fiction is very funny, too, but I don’t know how to classify that movie exactly.

  5. @ Jeremy: Brazil is an amazing movie. I would say it could be classed as a black comedy. There is certainly enough comedic sequences. DeNiro and the heating system, the shared desk scene, really everything surrounding the ministry of information.

    Actually, now that I’m thinking about it Brazil is definitely a black comedy.

  13. I wonder – is Better Off Dead a black comedy? Maybe it unfairly gets grouped in with other 80s comedies, but it’s pretty different. The main character tries to kill himself…

  14. Really???? How can you not include Very Bad Things??? I saw it when I was 13 or 14 and still to this day hold every “Dark” Comedy to this standard…and BTW its Dark Comedy not Black Comedy…a black comedy would be a tyler perry movie

  15. Yeah but the problem with Very Bad Things is that it’s just not a good movie. Saw it last night. It’s good when yes, you are 13 or 14 but pretty much sucks as an adult.

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  20. I would have said “bullshit” if Dr. Stangelove wasn’t number 1, although it helps to be of a certain age to understand the movie.

    I am disappointed that another Stanley Kubrick film, “Clockwork Orange”, did not make your list.

  21. @ Christopher

    I wouldn’t vall A Clockwork Orange a black comedy, not by any means.l Certain aspects of the film are very satirical, for sure, though.

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  23. I’m surprised you missed “Loot”. Loot is a play by Joe Orton. The play is an extremely dark farce which satirises the Roman Catholic Church, social attitudes to death, and the integrity of the police force. Everything needed for a black comedy.
    Loot was made into a a film of the same name in 1970, directed by Silvio Narizzano and starring Richard Attenborough, Lee Remick, Hywel Bennett and comedian Dick Emery.
    There is one clip I could find on YouTube which is the neked bank robbery scene. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS1gNpPy4SA

    But the really black comedy comes later and involves the “Loot” from the bank robbery and a coffin and his mother’s body.

    This is one truly dark comedy.

  24. @ Bear

    It seems as though many black comedies focus on authority or authoritative figures. Reason being, of course, that the practices of authority are often absurd and ripe for parody.

    Thanks for the clip.

  25. You opened with an apology for “leaving out my favorite.” But how can you not have “Happiness” on this list, never mind not at the top of this list? Even the title is perfect. I’ve lost friends for making them watch this “black” comedy. Thanks for the others, I’ll check out the ones I haven’t seen.

  30. Scorsese’s After Hours references Murder, Suicide, Burn Scars, vigilantism, and the whole “Surrender Dorothy” thing – and still won the Palm D’Or.

    Happiness and VBThings also great additions.

    Honorable Mentions: Squid & Whale, Punch Drunk Love, To Die For.

  32. Two that I feel should be on the list are, Thank You for Smoking, and Dogma. Thank you for smoking has one of the best ever sustained performance of a really evil and entirely charming bastard. Dogma made fun out of a lot of the silly concepts of religion, and well before the DaVinci Code, spoke about the catholic conspiricy.

  36. “serious topics like murder, suicide, rape, zombie attacks, nuclear holocausts” how are zombie a serious topic compared to the others?! still barton fink would have been a better choice than fargo in my opinion.. but still very good list, thanks!

  37. I’m glad a few people cleared the whole ‘dark comedy’ genre…but how do you make this list without adding The Graduate which I feel is the epitome of dark comedy? I was patiently waiting for it at the bottom of the list (#1) but it somehow slipped through the cracks…that being said…solid list!

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