Trying to mix off-beat comedy with horror is something that very few directors are able to pull off, with legends such as Sam Raimi of the Evil Dead franchise coming to mind. It takes a lot of guts (pun intended) even to try it, but writer/director Sean Haitz’s low-budget horror film Cannibal Comedian, co-written by Stephen Ward, pulls it off swimmingly (in buckets of blood) with the help of a ton of cheesy puns and practical effects.
Charlie (Aaron Prager) is a desert-dwelling cannibal who serves his victims as meatballs on the roadside but has an appetite for bigger things as a standup comedian. Charlie is a charming Ted Bundy but with a sense of humor type of guy, because he has friends in town despite having a blood lust, such as the raunchy and absurd “Sheriff” Weaver (David Vega), and the biggest meatball customer Eleanor (Mis Sadistic). Eleanor helps her buddy out by pretending to be stranded on the road, when a kind, budding musician named Crystal (Austin Judd) comes along and offers a ride. This leads to a comical chase scene where Charlie is running in circles around the car for Crystal while Eleanor is egging him on.
“…cannibal…as a standup comedian.”
Crystal eventually is captured, and while Eleanor just can’t wait to take a bite, Charlie holds off. They have a strange relationship where Crystal gives him the encouragement that he needs to finally try out his standup act in a comedy club, instead of purely on his victims. Charlie nervously walks into the club dressed in his apron that is full of blood, which works with his act as the cannibal comedian, making off-color jokes about his kills. Club owner and wannabe comedian Carrey (Robert Dunne) gets jealous of Charlie’s instant success, so their inevitable butting heads becomes the impetus for the drama of the rest of the film.
This is the type of movie that would be a disaster if not for Sean Haitz and the cast all working in symphony like they did to make this such a weird and fun film. I first saw this movie at the Joe Bob Briggs Jamboree Drive-In festival in 2023 in Las Vegas, with a crowd of self-proclaimed “mutants” loving it. It’s easy to see why with Aaron Prager delivering “dad”-level cannibal jokes with the composure of a true comedian, and the writing offering a steady stream of silly material, such as: “What do you get when you put a 60-year-old woman in a wheelchair? Fast food!”
For those who love comedy with their horror, this is the top (or Jerry Seinfeld as the movie referenced) of the indie mountain in my opinion. I even found myself rooting for Charlie to do well during his standup gigs. The slasher-like chase kills are gory, and Haitz used all practical effects to bloody good results. The end credits announce that there will be more Cannibal Comedian in the future, which is great because it will slay with the right audience, hopefully to Terrifier franchise levels.
"…For those who love comedy with their horror, this is the top..."
