Hybrid Genres

Hybrid Genre films are use multiple genres to mix up the plot, style, setting, and general atmosphere of the film. A good example of this is Robert Rodriguez’s horror, From Dusk Till Dawn. The film is heavily influenced by Quentin Tarantino, who wrote it and also made a cameo appearance. Tarantino works quite heavily with hybrid genres in his other films such as Kill Bill, Inglorious Basterds and Pulp Fiction, and this Horror/Western/Gangster/Comedy is no different. It starts out as the story of two murdering criminals, who rob, and burn down, a shop in the desert, before taking a family hostage. There are indications of a gangster thriller here, but the main focus is on the western themes. The music is quite light hearted through the first half of the film, and involves a lot of slide guitar, and other country and western techniques. Also it is set in the desert, as a kind of road movie, so there are more genres being brought into play.

There are a few jokes in From Dusk Till Dawn, mainly for subtle comedy effect rather than blatant slapstick, such as the two criminals walking away from the petrol station shop as it explodes, arguing as if there was nothing happening. Audiences find films a lot easier to watch with a side of subtle comedy, so this is a crucial aspect of this particular film.

The atmosphere of the film gets considerably darker when the characters enter the bar, and the music gets a bit more sinister. Soon after this is when the film turns into a full blown vampire horror, with all the characters being attacked by them as they transform from the bar staff and patrons. To me this is one of the most varied hybrid genre movies to date, using western, action and horror techniques very effectively.