10 Most Unsettling Dark Comedies of All Time
There’s something about modern life that calls for dark humor. It seems appropriate that, in the face of adversities, the best form of defense is to poke fun at those very adversities through the time-honored American tradition of celebrating the macabre, the unsettling and the downright twisted.
Here we decided to put together a list of the ten black comedies that made us feel the most genuinely uncomfortable; menacingly comic cinematic milestones that managed to be by turns — or at once — both funny and disturbing. So get your cringe muscles tensed, and we’ll begin!
1. Fargo
Ethan and Joel Coen are moviemakers renowned for their discreetly humorous dialogue and excellent use of atmosphere, and their 1996 offering Fargo is arguably the ultimate testament to this. The movie tells the “true” story of a kidnapping gone horribly wrong and several murders out in the sticks of Minnesota and North Dakota. Through all its exciting, gory detail, it still retains a sense of humor so delicate it remains ambiguous. Whether it’s the violent introduction of Steve Buscemi to a woodchipper, or the sing-song accent of the movie’s various regional extras — not to mention the superb Frances McDormand — the atmosphere remains truly thrilling, unbearably tense, and constantly amusing.
2. The War of the Roses
To some, Michael Douglas may be a washed-up star nowadays, but he’s the only actor to have starred in two films in our top ten list, and he resolutely stole the show in both. The War of The Roses is a great, if underrated, comedy of the darkest kind. The tale begins when two lovers meet (the female protagonist played by the excellent Kathleen Turner), fall in love, get married, improve their careers and become wealthy. Then it all goes horribly wrong. Brilliantly narrated by their divorce lawyer (Danny DeVito), the movie chronicles how the couple’s squabbles eventually escalate into a messy, violent climax, as they inflict despicable levels of vengeance upon each another. If you’ve ever been through a break-up, you’ll squirm throughout this movie, laughing uncontrollably at the same time. Look out for a brief cameo from Dan “Homer Simpson” Castellaneta.
3. Addams Family Values
Perhaps not the most disturbing of films on this list, Barry Sonnenfeld’s Addams Family Values, which came out in 1993, is nonetheless a movie that conveys a constant and unnerving feeling of uncertainty. Perhaps it’s simply the more Gothic nature of the second Addams installment, the family’s impermeable relationship with death, or the darker and more serious use of the macabre juxtaposed with the normal American world around them. One way or another, it’s a black-as-night comedy with a true air of dis-ease. If you haven’t seen it since the fifth grade, take another look. The performances from Raúl Juliá, Anjelica Huston, Christopher Lloyd and Christina Ricci are tantamount to genius!
4. Delicatessen
Whilst 1991′s Delicatessen is certainly not considered a prequel to Amélie — director Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s “other” movie — it could well be described as its (very) messed-up older sister. The story revolves around a Parisian apartment building above a shady butcher’s shop in a post-apocalyptic France. The butcher lures waifs in with the promise of a vacancy, and then promptly dispatches them in order to sell their meat to the tenants above. This scheme is only foiled by the arrival of a plucky circus performer who becomes the butcher’s next target, and by a team of vegetarian troglodyte terrorists. What makes the film so creepy is its grimy, dirty aesthetic — one totally removed from the twee croissant-a-thon of Amélie. Macabre comic brilliance.
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Name of Thy God is Alcohol
It’s almost time for New Year’s Eve party! Every year, boys and girls go extra wild on New Year’s Eve without caring what may happen to them. While it’s a happy day for us to welcome the year of 2011, make sure you don’t get too drunk in the party or you may end up looking like these poor victims below.
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Celebrities Wrong Clothing Selection
It’s one of the greatest quandary of modern times. How can something so inviting and desired look so horrific when overlayed with a piece of tight fitting fabric? We have no answer for that. Today, we celebrate the camel toe for its great equalizing power in modern society. No matter what your station in life, no matter how much money goes into making you look your best, the camel toe can happen to you too. These celebrities, athletes and performers are perfect example of when good things go… not necessarily bad, but definitely very, very wrong…
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It’s not Photoshop It’s Just Extreme People
Sometimes it is hard to believe that people really do this. In world of Photoshop we can suspect that these photos are not real but however unlikely it may sound, they are! There are extreme people who like this kind of sport. Undoubtedly, we can say that they are very brave, but at the same time we can say they are totally crazy! However, we can enjoy watching photos of their hobby and activities and have fun.
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A Story Without Words
Everyday 99% of the medical doctors around the world are doing the very best they know how to help relieve pain and suffering. I am so thankful that this physician had the skills to help this little girl.
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The Art of Being Bored
Matching your daily groceries in style and buy them by color. That would be a fun thing to do when you’re bored on a lazy Sunday. Per Color pictures are exhibited at Robert Mann Gallery, Food For Thought: A Group Exhibition in New York from March 31 – May 14, 2011. Marco Ugolini
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The Dark Side of Grandparent Superheroes
How do superheroes act when they get older? Sacha Goldberger humorously answers that question with his awesome new photo series called The Darks. The two characters in this tale are Dark Mamika and Dark Papouka (you may remember Mamika from Grandma’s Superhero Therapy). Looks like she’s ditched her boyfriend, Mister Papika, for a new man in her life. But watch out….together they’re up to no good!
So what’s this new series about? “The Darks is a series about the dark side everybody has inside of them. I noticed that, with my grandmother, when you get old sometimes this dark side comes out. I asked her if she was ok to make some images about this. I wanted my grandparent superheroes to be naughty, like in real life. Also, I wanted my old superheroes not to be perfect. They are child-like. When you get older, sometime you are act more like a young child than a grown-up.”
