Was just thinking of the Godfather again, as it often comes up in conversations with me and the buds, and how it really is a quintessential genre movie. It's a period-piece, gangster flick. BUT... it's so perfectly executed (IMO) that it rises above the genre to just be an excellent movie. I never think of "period piece gangster flick" when i think of The Godfather, i just think, excellent drama/movie.

Then I read Troy's review of Inglourious Basterds (I haven't seen it yet, but got the spark going), which then got me thinking about what other movies are there that rise above the genre that they are in? I'm not talking about movies specifically made in the dramatic category, but a movie that's specifically made as a genre movie, but SO well made, that you don't even remember it's a genre movie. Although there'll be some choices that are arguably just 'dramatic movies', and not 'genre specific dramatic movies'.

It's all subjective too, as the whole 'one man's trash, another's treasure yada yada' goes. But there aren't many I can think of... I'd be interested if anyone can think of movies that rise above the genre in genres that are more specific, ala Horror and Comedy.

I guess Hitchcock did it, imo, with Rear Window, although that's not what some would even call a "Horror" movie, and Pyscho would be the only other option that's firmly "Horror" but I don't think Pyscho rises above the horror genre, it's just at the top of it.

And oddly enough, when I think of Scifi, I have to go further back in time and technology to find films that rise above the genre, and the more technology has taken over, i can't think of a movie that was made in the last 20 years that rises above the Scifi genre, they just seem to become MORE indepth into the genre.

(And i don't include 'sweeping epic' as a genre, otherwise Lean wins hands down).

Here's some for me:
Paths of Glory - WWII genre
Few Good Men - Courtroom genre (arguably just a drama movie though)
Silence of the Lambs - Horror?/Thriller Genre
2001 - Scifi genre (only one i could think of, maybe Brazil too, King Kong (original))

I know there are others, just can't think of 'em right now.

peace
-k