james gunn's SLITHER (2006)

horror comedy is a strange beast. there's no shortage of lovable films among its best examples, but very rarely is a workable balance struck that lets the film sit comfortably astride the two genres; most are either horror films playful enough to sustain humor (Dead Alive, Evil Dead II) or comedies goofing on horror, however effectively (Ghostbusters, Shaun Of The Dead), leaving us to draw the conclusion that the dichotomy between fright and funnybone is, in the end, too vexing to avoid choosing sides.

James Gunn's gross, giddy Slither insists otherwise, operating not only as a tremendously funny low-key comedy but also a genuinely accomplished horror flick. a fair share of the credit for this goes to the inspired cast, great special effects and Gunn's impressive debut behind the camera, but the real asset is his script, which strikes and sustains a tone that nurtures both genres without allowing them to interfere with each other. the key to its success is a deep wit extending beyond the comedic elements ("sheriff, what's a 'gina?" "it's...a country. where Ginese people come from.") into the fabric of the film itself, allowing Gunn to take a well-worn scenario from the annals of 80s B-splatter and lace it with a smart self-consciousness that keeps the scares real by never stooping to simple parody. the emphasis on the gross-and-creepy m.o. of Slither's forebears rather than the gory-and-sadistic scares of its contemporaries also does the film innumerable favors, particularly as it toys endearingly with the genre's sexual and phallic tropes, reduced so sadly to crass distastefulness in recent horror. all of these clever decisions culminate in an obscenely satisfying and entertaining work, impeccably paced (a decided strength in both comedy and horror cinema) and playfully executed. (two of the film's most effective sequences are absolute models of the power of cross-cutting.) given the dominance of horror films over the past few years, it's both a shame and a surprise that this film wasn't better-received upon its release, but it's a consolation that it seems destined for cult appreciation, placing it among the distinguished company it deserves.