Like Netflix Day Shift? The director wants you to watch these films

The new vampire hunt movie from Netflix day shift brings back an old classic: combining action, horror and comedy into one entertaining, immersive package. It helps to have a lead actor like Jamie Foxx and a director like JJ Perry.

First-time director Perry, a veteran stunt performer and action choreographer, brings electrifying action sequences to the film, while Foxx and co-star Dave Franco add to the charm. Perry spoke to Polygon about his love for films that can combine the three genres of action, horror and comedy.

“If you have those three ingredients and execute them perfectly,” he says, “you always have the upper hand with the audience.”

Perry’s work on the John Wick franchise and his longstanding friendship and working partnership with director Chad Stahelski led to him receiving many screenplays for his first directorial venture. But most of those scripts focused on traumatic experiences in the military. Perry, an Army veteran, was not interested in doing this type of work.

“People sent me scripts and they were all darker,” he says. “And because I was in the army, [they were all], Oh, this is about a PTSD guy with a sniper who has PTSD and Oh, we want you to do a John Wick movieand then I Well, I kinda did.”

That changed when Perry found out about it day shifta film in which Foxx’s vampire-hunting Bud Jablonski must team up with friends old and new to mend his relationship with the Vampire Hunters’ Union and take down a whole bunch of bad guys to earn a big score.

“When I got the script [for Day Shift]’ says Perry, ‘as soon as I read it I knew this was it.’

In our chat, Perry mentioned four movies that combine action, horror, and comedy that he grew up watching. These films went through his mind as he worked on them day shift, and you can see the influence in one of Netflix’s best action movies yet. So if you have seen and liked day shift and want to revisit some classics, here are Perry’s tips.

Big trouble in Little China

Buckaroo Banzaic Director WD Richter rewrote the screenplay for Big trouble in Little Chinaby taking it from an 1880s western and turning it into a modern day martial arts story. Director John Carpenter’s fourth project, starring Kurt Russell, was Carpenter’s only martial arts film – something he had wanted to do for a long time.

While Great difficulties has garnered a significant cult following since its release, the film’s poor reception led Carpenter to exit the Hollywood system and return to making films himself. Russell is joined in the cast by Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun and James Hong.

Big trouble in Little China can be viewed on Hulu.

The Lost Boys

There is a lot to write about Joel Schumacher The Lost Boysa dark and funny coming-of-age story that works like an insane adaptation of Peter Pan. But if there’s just one thing I want to mention, it’s Kiefer Sutherland’s unforgettable performance as the villainous David Powers. Aided by the film’s incredible costumes, production design, and hair and makeup, Sutherland’s Powers is an iconic film villain from a time filled with them.

The Lost Boys can be viewed for free with ads on Tubi or rented or purchased digitally on VOD platforms.

The bad death

Two young people in Evil Dead peer into a place they shouldn't be

In the excellent Evil Dead franchise, arguably the pinnacle of horror comedy, Sam Raimi’s original film remarkably balances its dark humor tone with the horrors unfolding before your eyes. It’s a deft feat, and one that feels like no one but Raimi (and his star and ship, Bruce Campbell) has pulled it off.

The bad death can be watched for free with advertising on Tubi and Pluto TV or rented or bought digitally on VOD platforms.

Terrible night

Tom Holland (no, not that one) is best known for his excellent directing child’s play, spawning Chucky franchise. But his directorial debut was this vampire horror comedy about a little boy who finds out his neighbor is a vampire. What is the boy doing? He finds an actor who has played a vampire hunter in movies to stop the vampire of course.

Terrible night can be watched for free with advertising on Pluto TV or rented or bought digitally on VOD platforms.