52 Deliciously Dark Comedies You Should See Before You Die

    These films are dark, depraved, and deeply hilarious.

    Louis Peitzman
    by Louis Peitzman

    BuzzFeed News Reporter

    1. Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

    Warner Bros. / Via screendrift.tumblr.com

    Written by: Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein

    Directed by: Frank Capra

    What it's about: Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant) must deal with his eccentric family, including his aunts Abby (Josephine Hull) and Martha (Jean Adair), who poison lonely bachelors with arsenic, and his homicidal brother Jonathan (Raymond Massey), whose face has been mangled by a drunk plastic surgeon.

    2. Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)

    Criterion / Via smallnartless.tumblr.com

    Written by: Robert Hamer and John Dighton

    Directed by: Robert Hamer

    What it's about: Louis Mazzini (Dennis Price) vows to avenge his mother after she is disowned by her aristocratic family, the D'Ascoynes. Louis begins to off members of the family, all played by Alec Guinness, one by one, until he finally becomes the duke — shortly before he's charged and convicted of murder.

    3. All About Eve (1950)

    20th Century Fox / Via damnafricawhathappened.tumblr.com

    Written by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz

    Directed by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz

    What it's about: Broadway star Margo Channing (Bette Davis) has just turned 40 and worries about the future of her career. She meets Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter), who purports to be a fan, but turns out to be an incredibly ambitious actor who forces her way into Margo's life and eventually becomes an even bigger success.

    4. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

    Columbia Pictures / Via jacknicholson.tumblr.com

    Written by: Stanley Kubrick, Peter George, and Terry Southern

    Directed by: Stanley Kubrick

    What it's about: In the war room, President Merkin Muffley of the United States (Peter Sellers) and his advisers — including General Buck Turgidson (George C. Scott) and Dr. Strangelove (Sellers) — debate a first strike nuclear attack on the Soviet Union that will bring about a nuclear apocalypse.

    5. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)

    Warner Bros. / Via cliftonwebb.tumblr.com

    Written by: Ernest Lehman

    Directed by: Mike Nichols

    What it's about: Troubled older couple George (Richard Burton) and Martha (Elizabeth Taylor) invite over the young and more innocent Nick (George Segal) and Honey (Sandy Dennis) for late-night drinks. The more they all imbibe, the crueler and more violent their games get, culminating in a declaration of war.

    6. Harold and Maude (1971)

    Paramount Pictures / Via kellymagovern.tumblr.com

    Written by: Colin Higgins

    Directed by: Hal Ashby

    What it's about: Young, but death-obsessed Harold Chasen (Bud Cort) meets 79-year-old Maude (Ruth Gordon), who has a zest for life. They engage in a short-lived but passionate romance, as Maude gives Harold a new appreciation for the world around him and shows him how to make the most of his time on earth.

    7. Network (1976)

    United Artists / Via annakendrick.tumblr.com

    Written by: Paddy Chayefsky

    Directed by: Sidney Lumet

    What it's about: After getting fired, TV anchor Howard Beale (Peter Finch) goes on the air and threatens to commit suicide. His impassioned rants and raves earn incredible ratings, prompting the network to look for similar programming, at which point, Diana Christensen (Faye Dunaway) greenlights a show with radical terrorists.

    8. Brazil (1985)

    Universal Pictures / Via maudit.tumblr.com

    Written by: Terry Gilliam, Tom Stoppard, and Charles McKeown

    Directed by: Terry Gilliam

    What it's about: In a dystopian future filled with useless machines and endless bureaucracy, government employee Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) seeks to rescue suspected terrorist Jill Layton (Kim Greist), a woman he has seen in his recurring dreams. In doing so, he runs afoul of the dangerous totalitarian government.

    9. After Hours (1985)

    Warner Bros. / Via truefoes.tumblr.com

    Written by: Joseph Minion

    Directed by: Martin Scorsese

    What it's about: Over the course of one night, Paul Hackett (Griffin Dunne) tries to get back to his apartment and faces a series of misadventures along the way, encountering the mysterious Marcy (Rosanna Arquette), her sculptor roommate Kiki (Linda Fiorentino), and burglars Neil and Pepe (Cheech and Chong).

    10. Throw Momma From the Train (1987)

    Fox Searchlight / Via iamtheleviathan.tumblr.com

    Written by: Stu Silver

    Directed by: Danny DeVito

    What it's about: In a modern take on Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train, novelist Larry Donner (Billy Crystal) meets Owen Lift (Danny DeVito) on a train. Owen decides he will kill Larry's ex-wife Margaret (Kate Mulgrew) in exchange for Larry killing Owen's overbearing mother (Anne Ramsay).

    11. Evil Dead II (1987)

    Paramount Pictures / Via zombiejig.tumblr.com

    Written by: Sam Raimi and Scott Spiegel

    Directed by: Sam Raimi

    What it's about: At an abandoned cabin in the woods, Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) and his girlfriend Linda (Denise Bixler) are terrorized by a demonic force that possesses Linda, forcing Ash to kill her. In this sequel, Ash attempts to stop the evil work of the Necronomicon once and for all with his trademark flair.

    12. Heathers (1988)

    Anchor Bay / Via crypticmeth.tumblr.com

    Written by: Daniel Waters

    Directed by: Michael Lehmann

    What it's about: Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) has infiltrated the Heathers, the meanest, most popular clique in school. After she and her boyfriend J.D. (Christian Slater) accidentally kill Queen Bee Heather Chandler (Kim Walker), they go to extreme measures to right high school's wrongs.

    13. The War of the Roses (1989)

    20th Century Fox / Via teflonly.tumblr.com

    Written by: Michael J. Leeson

    Directed by: Danny DeVito

    What it's about: Married couple Oliver (Michael Douglas) and Barbara Rose (Kathleen Turner) go from blissfully happy to at each other's throats, leading Barbara to throw Oliver out of the house. But he finds a loophole that will let him stay, so the two set about ruining each other's lives and causing as much destruction as possible.

    14. Misery (1990)

    Columbia Pictures / Via ceinwen92.tumblr.com

    Written by: William Goldman

    Directed by: Rob Reiner

    What it's about: When novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan) gets in a car accident after getting caught in a blizzard, he is rescued by Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates). She claims to be his biggest fan but turns out to be dangerously psychotic, refusing to let Paul leave and horrifically abusing him when he tries.

    15. Delicatessen (1991)

    Miramax Films / Via carlosexron.tumblr.com

    Written by: Gilles Adrien, Marc Caro, and Jean-Pierre Jeunet

    Directed by: Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet

    What it's about: In post-apocalyptic France, landlord Clapet (Jean-Claude Dreyfus) doubles as a butcher, luring job seekers to his building and killing them to provide meat for his tenants. When his daughter Julie (Marie-Laure Dougnac) falls for Louison (Dominique Pinon), she drums up a rebellion to stop her father.

    16. Man Bites Dog (1992)

    Criterion / Via empiregrotesk.tumblr.com

    Written by: Rémy Belvaux, André Bonzel, Benoît Poelvoorde, and Vincent Tavier

    Directed by: Rémy Belvaux, André Bonzel, and Benoît Poelvoorde

    What it's about: A crew of filmmakers are making a documentary about charming serial killer Ben (Benoît Poelvoorde), documenting the atrocities he commits without intervening. Eventually, the filmmakers are brought into Ben's world and begin to participate in his heinous crimes.

    17. Death Becomes Her (1992)

    Universal Pictures / Via apyles2.tumblr.com

    Written by: Martin Donovan and David Koepp

    Directed by: Robert Zemeckis

    What it's about: Bitter actresses and rivals Madeline Ashton (Meryl Streep) and Helen Sharp (Goldie Hawn) spar over Dr. Ernest Menville (Bruce Willis), who left Helen for Madeline. Both women discover a potion promising eternal youth — but only learn of the serious consequences when they're trying to murder each other.

    18. Serial Mom (1994)

    Universal Studios / Via tribecafilm.tumblr.com

    Written by: John Waters

    Directed by: John Waters

    What it's about: Baltimore housewife Beverly Sutphin (Kathleen Turner) is secretly a serial killer, murdering anyone who commits even the slightest offense against her. The authorities eventually catch on, but Beverly's trial turns into a circus where she manages to discredit every witness against her.

    19. Happiness (1998)

    Lions Gate / Via spacecadet.tumblr.com

    Written by: Todd Solondz

    Directed by: Todd Solondz

    What it's about: Three sisters search for happiness — Trish (Cynthia Stevenson) is married to Bill Maplewood (Dylan Baker), a pedophile rapist; Helen (Lara Flynn Boyle) is obsessed with Allen (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a man making obscene calls; and Joy (Jane Adams) falls for one of her students (Jared Harris), who is also married.

    20. To Die For (1995)

    Columbia Pictures / Via rooneymara.tumblr.com

    Written by: Buck Henry

    Directed by: Gus Van Sant

    What it's about: Ambitious Suzanne Stone (Nicole Kidman) is determined to become a news anchor. When her husband Larry (Matt Dillon) tries to get her to spend more time at home, she seduces a high school boy (Joaquin Phoenix) and convinces him and his friends to murder Larry.

    21. Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995)

    Sony Pictures Classics / Via snowwhiterazorpop.tumblr.com

    Written by: Todd Solondz

    Directed by: Todd Solondz

    What it's about: Awkward, unpopular Dawn Wiener (Heather Matarazzo) tries to survive the horrors of seventh grade, including a romance with a boy (Brendan Sexton III) who threatens to rape her, a younger sister (Daria Kalinina) who gets all the attention, and a cool older guy (Eric Mabius) she doesn't have a chance with.

    22. The Cable Guy (1996)

    Columbia Pictures / Via d-white211.tumblr.com

    Written by: Lou Holtz Jr.

    Directed by: Ben Stiller

    What it's about: Steven Kovacs (Matthew Broderick) strikes up a friendship with his seemingly harmless cable guy, Ernie "Chip" Douglas (Jim Carrey). But Chip soon takes on more and more eccentric behavior, deliberately inserting himself in Steven's life and ultimately trying to ruin all his relationships.

    23. Freeway (1996)

    Republic Pictures / Via needlessnoise.tumblr.com

    Written by: Matthew Bright

    Directed by: Matthew Bright

    What it's about: In this loose adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood, troubled Vanessa Lutz (Reese Witherspoon) gets a ride to her grandmother's house from guidance counselor Bob Wolverton (Kiefer Sutherland). Bob turns out to be a serial killer, but when Vanessa defends herself, everyone takes Bob's side over hers.

    24. Fargo (1996)

    Fox Searchlight / Via tomhiddlston.tumblr.com

    Written by: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

    Directed by: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

    What it's about: Police chief Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand), who is very pregnant, pursues a grisly homicide case in Fargo, Minn., discovering that an unlikely suspect, car salesman Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy), is actually the man who set the crimes in motion.

    25. The House of Yes (1997)

    Miramax Films / Via televandalist.com

    Written by: Mark Waters

    Directed by: Mark Waters

    What it's about: In this film based on the Wendy MacLeod play of the same name, Marty Pascal (Josh Hamilton) brings his fiancée Lesly (Tori Spelling) home to meet his family. Once there, she encounters his dangerously delusional twin sister Jackie-O (Parker Posey), with whom Marty has an inappropriate relationship.

    26. Very Bad Things (1998)

    Universal Studios / Via kylesimmonsvoice.co.vu

    Written by: Peter Berg

    Directed by: Peter Berg

    What it's about: A Vegas bachelor party for Kyle Fisher (Jon Favreau) goes from bad to worse when his friend Michael (Jeremy Piven) accidentally kills a prostitute, and another friend, Robert Boyd (Christian Slater), suggests they cover it up. Deaths pile up as the friends struggle to make it to Kyle's wedding in one piece.

    27. Slums of Beverly Hills (1998)

    Fox Searchlight Pictures / Via gh-05-t.tumblr.com

    Written by: Tamara Jenkins

    Directed by: Tamara Jenkins

    What it's about: Vivian Abromowitz (Natasha Lyonne) moves with her family from cheap apartment to cheap apartment in Beverly Hills because her father Murray (Alan Arkin) can't afford to pay rent. Newly endowed with breasts, Vivian embarks on a journey of sexual discovery with her neighbor Eliot (Kevin Corrigan).

    28. Bride of Chucky (1998)

    Universal Pictures / Via totalfilm.tumblr.com

    Written by: Don Mancini

    Directed by: Ronny Yu

    What it's about: Evil doll Chucky (Brad Dourif) is brought back to life by his ex-girlfriend Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly). Chucky ends up killing Tiffany, only to bring her back in doll form, and the two go on a killing spree to procure the Heart of Damballa, an amulet that will help them reclaim human bodies.

    29. Ravenous (1999)

    20th Century Fox / Via trendy-rechauffe.tumblr.com

    Written by: Ted Griffin

    Directed by: Antonia Bird

    What it's about: During the Mexican-American War, Captain John Boyd (Guy Pearce) encounters Colonel Ives (Robert Carlyle), who has taken to killing and eating men in order to absorb their strength. Boyd struggles to convince everyone of what Ives is doing, while Ives' body count continues to rise.

    30. Jawbreaker (1999)

    TriStar Pictures / Via thisyearsboy.tumblr.com

    Written by: Darren Stein

    Directed by: Darren Stein

    What it's about: A group of high school mean girls, led by Courtney Shayne (Rose McGowan), accidentally murder their friend Liz (Charlotte Ayana) when a prank goes wrong. When outcast Fern Mayo (Judy Greer) finds out, Courtney keeps her quiet by transforming her into hot exchange student Vylette.

    31. Fight Club (1999)

    20th Century Fox / Via tonysassy.tumblr.com

    Written by: Jim Uhls

    Directed by: David Fincher

    What it's about: The narrator (Edward Norton) is a listless, unhappy man who gets drawn into the world of fight clubs by Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt). As Tyler becomes more destructive, the narrator tries to thwart him, unaware that the two men are inextricably linked.

    32. Election (1999)

    Paramount Pictures / Via joeydeangelis.tumblr.com

    Written by: Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor

    Directed by: Alexander Payne

    What it's about: High school teacher Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) tries to stop overzealous Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) from becoming student body president. He convinces jock Paul Metzler (Chris Klein) to run, but is unprepared for Paul's sister Tammy (Jessica Campbell), who's also running for president out of revenge.

    33. American Beauty (1999)

    DreamWorks / Via supermodelgif.tumblr.com

    Written by: Alan Ball

    Directed by: Sam Mendes

    What it's about: Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) is unhappy with his life — his wife Carolyn (Annette Bening) is cheating on him, and his daughter Jane (Thora Birch) hates both her parents. Lester becomes obsessed with Jane's best friend Angela (Mena Suvari) and buys weed from his neighbor Ricky (Wes Bentley).

    34. Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)

    New Line Cinema / Via alilikesartandstuff.tumblr.com

    Written by: Lona Williams

    Directed by: Michael Patrick Jann

    What it's about: Amber Atkins (Kirsten Dunst) vies to win a beauty pageant against evil Becky Leeman (Denise Richards) in the small town of Mount Rose, Minn. There's clear corruption in the form of Gladys Leeman (Kirstie Alley), head of the pageant and Becky's mother — and then girls start dying horribly.

    35. Chuck & Buck (2000)

    Lions Gate / Via all-about-the-movies.tumblr.com

    Written by: Mike White

    Directed by: Miguel Arteta

    What it's about: Buck O'Brien (Mike White) has a serious case of arrested development — he's obsessed with the sexual experimentation he and his friend Chuck (Chris Weitz) did when they were 11. Buck makes an advance at Chuck (now Charlie), who rejects him, but Buck refuses to give up his obsessive quest.

    36. American Psycho (2000)

    Lions Gate Films / Via bowiesclockworkorange.tumblr.com

    Written by: Mary Harron and Guinevere Turner

    Directed by: Mary Harron

    What it's about: Wealthy investment banker Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) lives a secret double life as a sadistic serial killer. As Patrick becomes increasingly unhinged, he tries to convince people about the horrors he's inflicting, but no one will take him seriously.

    37. Adaptation. (2002)

    Columbia Pictures / Via kadrajsinema.com

    Written by: Charlie Kaufman

    Directed by: Spike Jonze

    What it's about: Charlie Kaufman (Nicolas Cage) struggles to adapt The Orchid Thief, a novel by Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep), while his twin brother Donald (Cage) suddenly becomes a successful screenwriter. Things turn violent when Charlie meets John Laroche (Chris Cooper), the protagonist of Susan's novel.

    38. Death to Smoochy (2002)

    Warner Bros. Pictures / Via fuckyeahednorton.tumblr.com

    Written by: Adam Resnick

    Directed by: Danny DeVito

    What it's about: Rainbow Randolph Smiley (Robin Williams) is the host of a popular children's show who gets busted for making deals with parents to get their kids on his show. When he's replaced by the innocent Sheldon Mopes (Edward Norton), Randolph sets about destroying Sheldon and his character, Smoochy the Rhino.

    39. The Rules of Attraction (2002)

    Lions Gate Films / Via mrgolightly.tumblr.com

    Written by: Roger Avary

    Directed by: Roger Avary

    What it's about: At Camden College in New Hampshire, the students are more concerned with sex and drugs than with studying. Sean Bateman (James Van Der Beek) pines after Lauren Hynde (Shannyn Sossamon), while being pined after by bisexual Paul Denton (Ian Somerhalder).

    40. The Good Girl (2002)

    Fox Searchlight Pictures / Via josefksays.tumblr.com

    Written by: Mike White

    Directed by: Miguel Arteta

    What it's about: Justine Last (Jennifer Aniston) is stuck at a boring retail job and in a marriage with the clueless Phil (John C. Reilly). She begins an affair with Holden Worther (Jake Gyllenhaal), who has named himself after the protagonist of Catcher in the Rye, then tries to get rid of him when things get too intense.

    41. Bad Santa (2003)

    Dimension Films / Via cunty.tumblr.com

    Written by: Glenn Ficarra and John Requa

    Directed by: Terry Zwigoff

    What it's about: Alcoholic and sex addict Willie T. Stokes (Billy Bob Thornton) poses as a mall Santa along with his accomplice Marcus (Tony Cox), who dons an elf costume, so that the two can disable the mall security system and rob the safe. Along the way, Willie scandalizes parents and mall employees with his foul language and bad behavior.

    42. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

    Rogue Pictures / Via captbritain.tumblr.com

    Written by: Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg

    Directed by: Edgar Wright

    What it's about: Aimless electronics shop employee Shaun (Simon Pegg) doesn't seem to notice that the zombie apocalypse is happening all around him. Eventually he catches on and tries to survive, along with his friends, while also attempting to win back his recent ex-girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield).

    43. Art School Confidential (2006)

    Sony Pictures Classics / Via gifthescreen.tumblr.com

    Written by: Daniel Clowes

    Directed by: Terry Zwigoff

    What it's about: Jerome (Max Minghella) follows his passion to art school, where he falls for art model Audrey (Sophia Myles). Meanwhile, the community is living in fear of a serial killer, the Swarthmore Strangler, and Jerome finds himself in a rivalry with undercover detective Jonah (Matt Keeslar).

    44. Choke (2008)

    Fox Searchlight Pictures / Via fuckyeahsrockwell.tumblr.com

    Written by: Clark Gregg

    Directed by: Clark Gregg

    What it's about: Victor Mancini (Sam Rockwell) is a sex addict who works as a Colonial America reenactor and intentionally chokes at restaurants to con people into giving him money. While seeking care for his ill mother (Anjelica Huston), he develops real feelings for her doctor Paige Marshall (Kelly Macdonald).

    45. World's Greatest Dad (2009)

    Magnolia Pictures / Via stannisbaratheon.tumblr.com

    Written by: Bobcat Goldthwait

    Directed by: Bobcat Goldthwait

    What it's about: Single father Lance Clayton (Robin Williams) does his best to connect with his difficult teenage son Kyle (Daryl Sabara). After Kyle accidentally strangles himself during autoerotic asphyxiation, Lance writes a suicide note on his son's behalf, and finds new popularity in death.

    46. The Loved Ones (2009)

    Paramount Pictures / Via whore-er.tumblr.com

    Written by: Sean Byrne

    Directed by: Sean Byrne

    What it's about: Awkward Lola Stone (Robin McLeavy) asks Brent (Xavier Samuels) to prom, but he turns her down. In retaliation, Lola and her twisted father (John Brumpton) kidnap Brent and brutally torture him so that Lola can have the prom night she always dreamed of.

    47. Jennifer's Body (2009)

    20th Century Fox / Via fullofhotpith.tumblr.com

    Written by: Diablo Cody

    Directed by: Karyn Kusama

    What it's about: Needy Lesnicki (Amanda Seyfried) is best friends with the much more popular Jennifer Check (Megan Fox). But the two butt heads when Jennifer is sacrificed to a demon and then becomes possessed, viciously murdering and eating high school boys.

    48. Four Lions (2010)

    Drafthouse Films / Via freddiequell.tumblr.com

    Written by: Chris Morris, Jesse Armstrong, and Sam Bain

    Directed by: Chris Morris

    What it's about: Omar (Riz Ahmed), Waj (Kayvan Novak), Barry (Nigel Lindsay), and Faisal (Adeel Akhtar) are four British Muslim men who aspire to be suicide bombers. Despite their convictions, they are terrible at being jihadists and mostly end up doing more harm to their cause than good.

    49. Super (2010)

    IFC Films / Via aeg2163.tumblr.com

    Written by: James Gunn

    Directed by: James Gunn

    What it's about: Short-order cook Frank Darbo (Rainn Wilson) decides to fight crime and takes on the superhero identity of The Crimson Bolt. He meets Libby (Ellen Page), who wants to be his sidekick, Boltie, but proves herself to be seriously unstable, and both end up way over their heads.

    50. God Bless America (2011)

    Magnolia Pictures / Via doomvault.tumblr.com

    Written by: Bobcat Goldthwait

    Directed by: Bobcat Goldthwait

    What it's about: Miserable insurance salesman Frank Murdoch (Joel Murray) is fed up with the rudeness and cruelty of American pop culture. He teams up with disaffected teenager Roxy Harmon (Tara Lynne Barr), and the two go on a violent killing spree, culminating in the destruction of an American Idol-like reality show.

    51. Killer Joe (2011)

    LD Entertainment / Via posthawk.tumblr.com

    Written by: Tracy Letts

    Directed by: William Friedkin

    What it's about: Drug dealer Chris Smith (Emile Hirsch) is deeply in debt, so he hires contract killer Joe Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) to murder his mother and collect the insurance money. Things get complicated when Joe begins sleeping with Chris' little sister Dottie (Juno Temple) and threatens to take her away.

    52. Cheap Thrills (2013)

    Drafthouse Films / Via cine-monster.tumblr.com

    Written by: Trent Haaga and David Chirchirillo

    Directed by: E.L. Katz

    What it's about: Desperate for money, Craig (Pat Healy) and his high school friend Vince (Ethan Embry) end up playing a sick game with twisted rich couple Colin (David Koechner) and Violet (Sara Paxton), who encourage the men to brutalize themselves for increasing monetary rewards.

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