The Comedy of Terrors(1964)
1964 · Jacques Tourneur · 84 min
An undertaker who hasn't had any 'customers' in a long time is forced to pay one year's back-rent. To get money he starts to kill people, which brings absurd results.
Comedy · Horror · Crime
6.5170 votes
TMDB score
1/5
Intensity
0/5
Gore
1/5
Stays with you
How The Comedy of Terrors scares
The Comedy of Terrors is a horror movie in name only, built around slapstick and dark jokes rather than actual scares. It stars horror icons hamming it up in a farce about an undertaker drumming up business, so any dread is played for laughs rather than real fear. There's no gore, no tension, and nothing that lingers past the credits. It's a cozy, silly watch for fans of old horror actors who want fun over frights.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, The Comedy of Terrors rates psychological 1/5, visceral 1/5, gore 0/5, lingering effect 1/5, and overall intensity 1/5.
- Psychological: 1 of 5
- Visceral: 1 of 5
- Gore: 0 of 5
- Lingering: 1 of 5
- Intensity: 1 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 30 of 100 — leans Slow burn
Supernatural vs Real-world: 90 of 100 — leans Real-world
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 5 of 100 — leans Fun-scary
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
A breezy, low-key farce that stays light and playful throughout, with only mild bursts of mischief rather than any real scares.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 1.
How scary is The Comedy of Terrors?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, The Comedy of Terrors rates 1/5 — gentle by horror standards, building its fear through slow-burn dread rather than shocks. It works on both fronts, unsettling the mind while going for the body. Expect it to be restrained with gore and fun-first. The dread fades once the credits roll.
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