Silly movies are a dime a dozen. Silly horror movies, though less common, are still not that rare. But good ones aren’t that easy to find. In fact, a silly horror movie is sort of like the elusive pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Too much has to go right for it to just happen, and more often than not, though movies try, they just don’t manage the right combination of factors to be both funny and absurd in a way that makes people laugh, not cringe.
Hanky Panky, however, is the right kind of silly movie. What does that mean? It means that there’s a moment where things get so absurd that you wonder if there was ever a plot, or if you just imagined there was. And yet, you never reach for the remote. It means that, even as you laugh, you are aware that three-quarters of what’s happening on screen is far beyond the point of absurdity. But that doesn’t matter, because you’re having so much fun you won’t think about complaining.
Some years ago, I watched a movie called The VelociPastor. I didn’t have much experience with these types of movies, beyond a formative watch of ThanksKilling, and I admit The VelociPastor changed me for the better. Hanky Panky reminded me of that formative experience that I wish everyone could have. And let me be clear here, I am still not a horror movie person. If it’s real, full-on horror, I probably can’t take it. I have watched a fair bit of horror films in my life, but I am very much a scaredy cat.
But I can watch a movie like Hanky Panky, an unapologetic B horror movie that is trying to be nothing more than entertaining every day of the week and twice on Sundays. In fact, this is one that I will probably re-watch when I need a good laugh or throw on during a movie night with friends. Because this is the kind of movie you want to experience with other people, if nothing else you can point at the screen during some scenes and laugh together.
At its core, Hanky Panky is not even horror, it’s a comedy, though there is indeed horror, and a fair bit of nonsense to the plot. It’s all brought together by a charming cast that just looks like they’re having the time of their lives just spending time together. We all need some silliness in our lives, and if you’re leaning towards making that of the horror variety, you could do worse than this delightful movie.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of Hanky Panky? Share with us in the comments below!
Hanky Panky is available to stream on Apple, Google, Vudu, and Amazon.
