History Main / LightmareFuel

LightmareFuel is when [[AccidentalNightmareFuel Nightmare]] [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel Fuel]] is PlayedForLaughs. It is the perfect combination of the truly scary with the truly funny. This often happens in comedy works, but can just as often occur in horror stories.

* ''{{Zombieland}}''. The explanation of Rules #1 ("Cardio") and #2 ("DoubleTap") are accompanied by a visual of people being graphically attacked and killed by zombies. They are hilarious and tragic and scary all at the same time.

* ''{{Zombieland}}''. The explanation of Rules #1 ("Cardio") and #2 are accompanied by a visual of people being graphically attacked and killed by zombies. They are hilarious and tragic and scary all at the same time.

* ''BeingHuman'' constantly whips between wacky sitcom hijinks and extremely gory supernatural horror, which can be more than a little jarring.

* There are more than a few moments of this in ''{{Beetlejuice}}''.

* ''TheRenAndStimpyShow'' was all about this, at least up until John K was kicked out from it. The episodes produced by Games Animations, much degraded in quality, also stepped in the territory of NightmareFuel frequently - however, with these, it was unintentional and more prone to be genuinely horrifying rather than just used for comedic effect.
* SpongeBobSquarePants does this a lot, especially after the movie.

* ''DoctorWho'' has been using this trope a lot, especially during the [[StevenMoffat Moff]] [[NightmareFuelStationAttendant era]].

* SpongeBobSquarePants does this a lot, especially after the movie. YMMV on if it works or not.

** ''AdventureTime'' often falls into this. Given that Pendelton Ward works on ''Flapjack'', it was probably inevitable.

[[IthoughtItMeant Nothing to do]] with [[CoolHorse horses]] that are [[EnergyBeing made]] of [[HardLight light]] or what they eat.

* ''PeeWeesBigAdventure:'' The encounter with Large Marge.

LightmareFuel is when NightmareFuel is PlayedForLaughs. It is the perfect combination of the truly scary with the truly funny. This often happens in comedy works, but can just as often occur in horror stories.

A SubTrope of MoodWhiplash. Compare FauxHorrific.

** ''AdventureTime'' often falls into this. Given that the creator works on ''Flapjack'', it was probably inevitable.

* ''AdventureTime'' often falls into this.

[[AC:Animation]]
* ''CourageTheCowardlyDog'' is pretty much ''made'' of this, being a genuinely creepy cartoon that happens to be a comedy.
* Similarly, ''TheMarvelousMisadventuresOfFlapjack'' is prone to bouts of some seriously scary imagery that's played entirely for laughs.

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A SubTrope of MoodWhiplash.

Compare FauxHorrific.

* ''DoctorWho'' has been using this trope a lot, especially during the [[StevenMoffat Moff]] [[NightmareFuelStationAttendent era]].

* In ''{{Jaws}}'', the scene where Brody is complaining about having to dump chum (chopped up fish and fish blood) into the ocean begins with the line "'Slow ahead.' I can go slow ahead. Come on down here and chum some of this shit.' and ends with the line "We're gonna need a bigger boat, having gone from funny to scary in a nanosecond when the shark abruptly appears.

* The 1989 comedy ''TheBurbs'' on the surface seems to be a wacky "mistaken identity" comedy about three childish protagonists who suspect that their next-door neighbors are a family of serial killers. The protagonists' wives, of course, think they're just being stupid. [[HilarityEnsues Wacky hijinks fill the rest of the movie]], until the protagonists discover that the the trunk of the next-door neighbors care is filled with decomposed human remains. Because the neighbors really are a family of serial killers.

* ''{{Serenity}}'': "I am a leaf on the wind. Watch how I die."

* On ''{{Angel}}'', the start of the Fred/Illyria StoryArc qualifies. It starts off on a light note - Wesley and Fred are together, while Angel and Spike are arguing over [[UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny whether cavemen or astronauts would win in a fight]]. Then Fred starts coughing up blood...

* ''TwilightZoneTheMovie''. "You wanna see something ''really'' scary?"