Having just seen Hellboy 2 and witnessing how effortlessly Guillermo del Toro mixed multiple film genres, I felt obligated to stylize my latest “Ten Films” list after that concept. I mean, if del Toro can make a science fiction/action/horror/fantasy film – and do it effortlessly – why can’t most people figure out how to capture the magic of genre-benders?

Most readers probably have a clue which film genre I cherish most, and with that in mind, I’ve decided to compile my list of the best horror specific genre-benders for all to appreciate.

So, without further ado… I submit to you:

ALIENS, MY FAVORITE ACTION/HORROR FILM. Aliens is always incorrectly categorized as a science fiction film, but just because a film has creatures from outer space in it, doesn’t make it sci-fi. Aliens is a terrifying horror spectacle with some of the best action setpieces ever captured on film. From the first harrowing drop to the infested planet to the final battle between Ripley and the queen (“Get away from her, you bitch!”), movies rarely get scarier or more action-packed.

SCREAM, MY FAVORITE HORROR/COMEDY FILM. I originally had Peter Jackson’s Dead/Alive listed as my favorite horror/comedy hybrid, but the more I thought about it, I realized that there is virtually nothing scary about it. Scream, on the other hand, is both terrifying and hilarious from its opening scene until the end credits roll. Ridiculed by some as the birth of “trendy horror”, Scream deserves all the acclaim it can get. It never fails to pull any punches while remaining a hilarious commentary on the then-tired slasher genre.

TENEBRE, MY FAVORITE HORROR/MYSTERY FILM. Italians do horror/mystery films so well; they gave them their own genre – the giallo. And the film that reigns supreme on the top of my giallo pile is Dario Argento’s Tenebre, a perfect amateur detective story, juxtaposed against grotesque murders falling straight out of a splatter film. Just when you think you can’t handle another twist or scare, the film spins you 180 degrees and covers you in gore. When all is revealed by the film’s end, you’re left with a terrifying, head-scratching reveal unlike before or since.

THE SHINING, MY FAVORITE HORROR/DRAMA FILM. My short attention span keeps me from enjoying far too many talky dramas, yet there is something inherently brilliant about The Shining’s slow-burn portrayal of a family descending into unimaginable madness. Nicholson gives the performance of his career, building both the drama and horror in every warped expression. When the walls of reality come crashing down in the film’s final act, its all the more terrifying in that its happening to people that you now have a deep emotional attachment to. Plus, it has furries in it.

ARMY OF DARKNESS, MY FAVORITE FANTASY/HORROR FILM. Very few filmmakers have tried tackling the fantasy/horror hybrid. All those duds that Lucio Fulci churned out must have left a very sour taste in the collective Hollywood mouths. Sam Raimi, however, was able to craft a brilliant third chapter to his Evil Dead series by literally tossing it’s hero into the realm of high fantasy. Bruce Campbell tackles his memorable Connecticut Yankee role with charm and finesse, but it’s the stop-motion skeletons, evil doppelgangers, and fantastical creatures that truly steal the show.

JOHN CARPENTER’S THE THING, MY FAVORITE SCI-FI/HORROR FILM. The Thing is one of those films that defies logic, in that there is no reason why its simplistic plot and cookie-cutter characters should be so engrossing. Yet somehow, under the direction of the once-awesome John Carpenter, the alien life form that infects this remote Antarctic research station ends up becoming one of the cinema’s greatest scream machines. From the moment we first realize just how big its spaceship really is, to the movie’s chilling final image, the film achieves its goals on every level, provoking logical questions and scaring the holy crap out of you.

DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE, MY FAVORITE ROMANTIC HORROR FILM. Dellamorte Dellamore (released as Cemetery Man in the US) is a movie that, for a short time, was my absolute favorite film. When I first saw Michele Soavi’s gothic masterpiece, I was so caught up in its tale of love and redemption from beyond the grave, that I couldn’t shake it from my head. Years later, it’s still hard to forget – not only because of the beautiful performances by Rupert Everett and Ana Falchi, but because of the horrors that dwell below its surface. The spectre of Death in that film still gives me the heebie-jeebies.

RAVENOUS, MY FAVORITE HORROR/WESTERN FILM. Once I was able to get past Ravenous’ screeching original score, I was completely riveted to its fast-paced tale of feral flesh-eaters in the Wild West. The fact that it was set in 1847 wasn’t just an afterthought, but an integral part of the storytelling process… and a necessity for any good genre-bender. When Ravenous’ credits roll, you have to mentally step out of the film’s Sierra Nevada fort and back into the 21st century – and you’ll be watching your back for days. - Ted Geoghegan

FACES OF DEATH, MY FAVORITE DOCU-HORROR FILM John Schwartz's Faces of Death has, over time, lost a lot of its infamy, as nearly all of the footage from it has been proven fake. What tends to be forgotten, however, is how powerful the film still manages to be, even once its outed. The acting is sub-par, but the scenarios themselves are horrifying. Having death presented in a documentary style only furthers its creepiness. Plus, those 70s hairdos are just mind-boggling.

DEATHDREAM, MY FAVORITE WAR/HORROR FILM All right, so Deathdream isn't actually about war, itself, but rather the long-lasting effects of war. The image of Richard Backus wandering aimlessly around his home, a member of the living dead, after returning from Vietnam is truly bone-chilling. It manages to be both terrifying and political without every being too heavy-handed. Bob Clark, we miss you.