The Ultimate Ranking of South Park's Top 10 Terrifying Horror Movie Parodies

Summary

South Park spares no one as it parodies everything from horror films like The Silence of the Lambs to iconic movies like Scarface and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The show excels at comically transforming well-loved horror films, such as creating a comedic version of the Children of the Corn plot and spoofing Red Dragon.

South Park goes even further by satirizing iconic horror antagonists, including Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street and the unsettling surgeon from The Human Centipede, in its own distinctive style.

South Park spares no subject when it comes to parody, even venturing into the realm of terrifying horror films. From The Silence of the Lambs to A Nightmare on Elm Street, no gruesome movie is safe from Trey Parker and Matt Stone's satirical commentary. Not only do they take aim at political ideologies, lampooning both liberal and conservative views, but they also mock a wide range of celebrities, ranging from Barbra Streisand to Tom Cruise.

In addition to targeting political and celebrity figures, South Park finds ample opportunities to hilariously poke fun at classic movies like 300, Scarface, High School Musical, and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. However, perhaps one of Parker and Stone's most favored genres to satirize is horror.

Throughout the series, South Park has taken aim at a multitude of iconic horror movies. The town's mischievous children even attempted to create their own eerie society, mirroring the chilling Children of the Corn. In another episode, young Ike found himself tormented by the lost souls of deceased celebrities, in a humorous nod to The Sixth Sense, peppered with hints of Poltergeist. The show doesn't stop there, with moments like Kyle's bizarre ordeal of being stitched into a real-life Human Centipede by Apple, and Randy joyfully exploring the haunted aisles of a Blockbuster Video store, reminiscent of Jack Torrance's madness in The Shining. This animated series is filled with an abundance of clever and entertaining horror movie parodies.

10 Children Of The Corn

In season 4, episode 16, titled "The Wacky Molestation Adventure," the young residents of South Park stumble upon a peculiar revelation - by falsely accusing their parents of sexual abuse and successfully sending them to prison, they gain the unprecedented freedom to shape society according to their own desires. Resultantly, the town's adults are incarcerated, leaving these resourceful youngsters to take charge. This paves the way for a comically satirical twist reminiscent of Children of the Corn, as a visiting couple is horrified to witness the complete dominance of kids and the conspicuous absence of any other adult presence. It's a perfect fusion of South Park's zaniness with a captivating Children of the Corn narrative.

9 Red Dragon

In Season 8, episode 13, titled "Cartman's Incredible Gift," Cartman is enlisted by the police to assist in tracking down a serial killer after sustaining a head injury that convinces him of possessing psychic abilities. The episode cleverly parodies various movies about serial killers, with its funniest scene paying homage to a memorable moment from Red Dragon. In Red Dragon, there is an unsettling scene where the killer compels the detective to witness a slideshow showcasing their gruesome acts of violence. In South Park, however, the serial killer subjects Cartman to a monotonous slideshow featuring his mundane vacation photos. This results in a hilariously contrasting reaction, as Cartman's extreme boredom replaces the detective's horrified responses.

8 A Nightmare On Elm Street

For the majority, episode 10 of season 14, titled "Insheeption," serves as a parody of the mind-bending science fiction masterpiece by Christopher Nolan, Inception. However, in its final section, as the job of infiltrating dreams spirals out of control, the United States government seeks the assistance of the original dream intruder: Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street. It was truly amusing to witness Freddy, an iconic horror villain from the 1980s, portrayed as a rugged mountain man with a family. The episode rewrites the entire franchise, revealing that Freddy's on-screen killing sprees were actually authorized by the government in an attempt to "thwart the Russians."

7 The Sixth Sense

In season 13, episode 8, titled "Dead Celebrities," Ike possesses the unique ability to see famous spirits, not just ordinary departed souls, much like the character played by Haley Joel Osment in The Sixth Sense. This episode coincided with a period when several renowned personalities, including Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Patrick Swayze, Walter Cronkite, Ted Kennedy, Bea Arthur, and Ricardo Montalbán, had recently passed away. The plot suggests that these celebrities cannot move on to the afterlife because Michael Jackson has unfinished business on Earth. Furthermore, "Dead Celebrities" features an amusing parody of the quirky medium character portrayed by Zelda Rubinstein in the film Poltergeist.

6 Cloverfield

Randy's purchase of a video camera in season 12, episode 10, "Pandemic," leads to an incessant need to document every aspect of the family's activities, much to their annoyance. To everyone's surprise, when the town is suddenly attacked by enormous guinea pigs, Randy continues to record the chaos, resulting in a side-splitting parody of the film Cloverfield. The episode's animation flawlessly replicates the movie's distinctive shaky-cam style, incorporating well-timed cutaways that hilariously expose the absurdity of such camerawork from a third-person perspective.

5 Pet Sematary

In season 9, episode 9 titled "Marjorine," the main storyline revolves around the boys orchestrating Butters' fake death in order for him to infiltrate the girls' slumber party. Meanwhile, the subplot focuses on Butters' parents grieving over his supposed demise, unaware that it's all a ruse. An amusing depiction of Jud Crandall from Pet Sematary, an elderly farmer, visits the Stotches to caution them against using a mystical burial ground nearby to resurrect their son. This particular scene cleverly highlights the ironic contradiction of Jud disclosing information about the forbidden cemetery he wishes to keep others away from. It begs the question, if he truly desires people to stay clear, why does he even mention it?

4 The Human Centipede

3 The Silence Of The Lambs

In the first episode of season 15, titled "HumancentiPad," Kyle unintentionally becomes part of a real-life experiment called the Human Centipede when he blindly accepts Apple's terms and conditions. In a twisted twist, the role of the unsettling surgeon character from The Human Centipede is taken over by the megalomaniacal Steve Jobs, who aims to transform Kyle and the other unwilling participants into Apple's ultimate product. The process of creating this episode was documented in the film 6 Days to Air.

After the boys prank their teacher's house in season 7, episode 3 titled "Toilet Paper," Officer Barbrady seeks advice from Josh Myers, a convicted toilet-paperer, at the local juvenile detention center. These scenes are a comedic homage to Anthony Hopkins' award-winning portrayal of Hannibal Lecter and Jodie Foster's character, Clarice Starling, in The Silence of the Lambs. Upon Barbrady's departure, the juvenile guard jokingly asks if he was using "the silly voice" for the police officer, revealing that the Hannibal act was all part of the performance. In the hilarious final scene of the episode, Josh imitates the iconic movie ending by conversing with Barbrady over the phone and preparing to prank the White House with toilet paper.

2 Night Of The Living Dead

1 The Shining

Season 11, episode 7, titled "Night of the Living Homeless," not only takes its name from the iconic zombie film by George A. Romero, but also cleverly spoofs the genre that was pioneered by Romero's masterpiece. This episode follows the familiar story structure of a group of survivors arming themselves and seeking refuge in a hidden location to escape the hordes of ravenous undead. However, instead of facing a gruesome fate at the hands of flesh-eating zombies, these survivors are simply trying to avoid giving spare change to homeless individuals. The episode skillfully combines a parody of Night of the Living Dead with a thoughtful exploration of the pressing issue of homelessness.

In the midst of the streaming revolution, Randy makes an unconventional decision to purchase a Blockbuster Video store in South Park season 16, episode 12, titled "A Nightmare on FaceTime." Despite the undeniable decline of Blockbuster due to the rise of streaming services, Randy persistently believes in its potential as a profitable business venture. While Sharon and the children are well aware of the prevailing trend, Randy remains determined to prove them wrong. As the store remains abandoned and forgotten by the living, it becomes a haunting reminder of Blockbuster's obsolescence. The overwhelming solitude pushes Randy to the brink of insanity, mirroring Jack Torrance in the infamous film, The Shining. Consequently, the episode masterfully parodies the most iconic moments from the movie.