10 Movies and Shows Similar to Saturday the 14th (1981)

Description: This shares with 'Saturday the 14th' a horror-comedy approach to classic monsters (werewolves vs. various creatures). Both films use humor to offset their gruesome moments while maintaining genuine scares.

Fact: The transformation scene took 10 months to create. The film invented the term 'Oscar-winning makeup'. David Naughton's 'Blue Moon' performance was entirely improvised.

Description: Like 'Saturday the 14th', this mixes supernatural horror with broad comedy. Both films feature teams of quirky characters using unconventional methods to battle ghosts, balancing scares with laughs.

Fact: The Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man was Dan Aykroyd's idea. Slimer was originally called 'Onionhead' in early scripts. The library ghost's scream was a modified baby's cry.

Description: Both 'Gremlins' and 'Saturday the 14th' mix horror and comedy while featuring mischievous, destructive creatures. They share a similar tone of balancing genuine scares with slapstick humor, appealing to both younger and older audiences.

Fact: The gremlins' voices were created by speeding up recordings of various animals. Steven Spielberg suggested the famous 'don't feed after midnight' rule. The film was originally much darker, including a scene where Billy's mom gets decapitated.

Description: This film shares with 'Saturday the 14th' a playful approach to horror tropes, particularly vampire mythology. Both movies balance scares with comedy and feature protagonists who must confront supernatural evil in their neighborhood.

Fact: Chris Sarandon (Jerry Dandrige) was cast partly because of his 'beautiful neck' for vampire close-ups. The film's special effects were done by Richard Edlund's company, which also worked on 'Ghostbusters'. A scene where Amy transforms was so intense it made test audiences physically ill.

Description: While less horror-focused, this shares with 'Saturday the 14th' an adventurous spirit and young protagonists facing bizarre threats. Both films blend humor with suspenseful sequences and feature eccentric characters.

Fact: The octopus scene was cut from the original release but restored in later versions. Sean Astin broke his toe kicking the Fratellis' car. Richard Donner encouraged improvisation, leading to many iconic lines.

Description: This shares with 'Saturday the 14th' a campy horror-comedy approach with musical elements. Both feature ordinary people dealing with monstrous threats in humorous ways, with over-the-top characters and situations.

Fact: The plant Audrey II was operated by four different puppeteers simultaneously. The original ending was much darker but changed after test screenings. Steve Martin's dentist character was specifically written for him.

Description: Like 'Saturday the 14th', this blends horror and comedy while focusing on a family encountering supernatural threats. Both films have a playful tone despite their vampire themes and feature young protagonists.

Fact: The Frog Brothers were originally written as much younger characters. Kiefer Sutherland didn't blink during his scenes to appear more menacing. The film's success spawned a franchise including sequels and comic books.

Description: This shares with 'Saturday the 14th' a quirky, supernatural comedy approach with horror elements. Both films feature eccentric characters dealing with the afterlife and use visual gags alongside spooky scenarios.

Fact: Michael Keaton filmed all his scenes in just two weeks. The original script was much darker, with Beetlejuice as a winged demon. The dinner party scene's 'Day-O' sequence was entirely improvised.

Description: Like 'Saturday the 14th', this is a horror-comedy that plays with suburban paranoia and features an ensemble cast dealing with strange occurrences. Both films use humor to explore the idea of normal people encountering the bizarre.

Fact: Tom Hanks improvised many of his character's neurotic lines. The film was shot almost entirely on the Universal backlot. Director Joe Dante wanted to make a commentary on suburban conformity through horror tropes.

Description: Like 'Saturday the 14th', 'Tremors' is a horror-comedy that blends suspense with humor. Both films feature a small group of characters battling supernatural or monstrous threats in an isolated setting. The tone is lighthearted despite the danger, making it accessible to a broad audience.

Fact: 'Tremors' was originally conceived as a serious monster movie before the comedic elements were added. The film's creatures, called Graboids, were inspired by real-life prehistoric worms. Kevin Bacon initially turned down the role but changed his mind after reading the script.