Horror: The Most Blendable Genre?

Driving to work this morning I had a thought: Horror seems to be the genre that blends best with other genres to produce hybrid, cross genre films.

Sure, there's other great tastes that taste great together (there's probably more romantic comedies than any other hybrid), But you can successfuly mix horror with almost anything else and it'll work.

It goes well with comedy (Shaun of the Dead, Evil Dead, return of the Living Dead. . . since when did dead become so funny?).

It CAN go well with romance, although this isn't tried very often (think the 1970's version of Dracula based on the Broadway play starring Frank Langella; that scene at the end, w/ Drac just offing himself by flying into the sunrise, stricken because he can't have Mina, not Keanu Reeves' "woah, vampiric dudes!" Love may never die, but the acting in that adaptation sure did).

It goes REALLY well with sci-fi (Alien, Both versions of The Thing, both versions of The Blob).

Goes with action (From Dusk 'Til Dawn, or Resident Evil - I kinda liked the FIRST one; sue me).

And sometimes you can even pull off trifectas, like Aliens (horror/sci-fi/action) or Army of Darkness (horror/action/comedy).

Yeah, you can mix our flexible little genre with damn near anything; it works and plays well with others. But there's some combos you just can't picture. Has there ever been a romantic sci fi? If there was, I can't recall it. How about a romantic action film, for the ultimate date flick, something both parties to the date can enjoy? Probably never happen in a credible way.

Bottom line: besides all the other cool stuff it's got going for it, horror is the triple sec of the genre bar, the straw that stirs the drink in more successful mixtures, IMO, than any other. I think that's kinda nifty. Anybody agree or disagree? Inquiring minds want to know.

I've never seen it, but I do recall an anthology film w/ a western/horror theme called "Weird Prairie Tales" or something like that. And we have the upcoming "It Came From the West" zombie movie/puppet animated caper Al's been pushing for awhile. But I can't imagine that isn't gonna go for a western/horror/comedy trifecta.

A friend of mine has a halloween tradition where he rents an intentionally bad, silly horror movie, and a bunch of us sit around & MST3K it whilst drinking beer and eating 6' hero slices. Most of our wives go in the kitchen and talk about whatever "mature" stuff wives talk about, and leave us to our silliness.

Anyway, one film he rented was called "Deathmaster", which was about a vampire that ends up in late 1960's California, and exerts his unholy influence over a community of hippies. The hero of the flick is a white hippie that - if you can believe it - also happens to be a kung fu master. (What I'm sure must be unintentional) hilarity ensues. This further proves my original premise; horror can even be blended w/ kung fu and make an enjoyable film. Although why this particular film was enjoyable to me had nothing whatever to do with the film's quality. I guess the "Blade" movies fall into the horror/action/kung fu mold, too. Think what you will, I kinda liked them.

Once again, Darkmite proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that his middle name is "Thorough".

I AM impressed. It was indeed Count Yorga himself. Never saw Yorga, but it HAS to be better than Deathmaster.