Both films are similar in that they put a spin on the concept of ‘genre’ with combining around three different genres as a whole. The concept was accurately coined a ‘hybrid-genre’ (also known as cross-genre) where multiple elements from a genre are combined to create a new style of a film. ‘Black comedy’ was introduced into the arts by surrealist André Breton in 1935 who actually coined the term in his 1940 book ‘Anthologie de l’humour noirafter’, wrote after he acknowledged the merging of comedic and dark elements in particularly the work of poet Jonathan Swift. Within film, the first strong example comes from director Billy Wilder, with the 1940 academy award hit ‘Sunset Boulevard’ which utilized elements from comedy but also had quite a dark tone.

As film revolutionized, ‘Black Comedy’ became more popular, with around 88 films being produced after 2010 compared with only 20 in the 1980’s. this shows the growth in popularity of the genre mix because many people are wanting to see it onscreen. ‘Happy Death Day’ successfully employs elements from this hybrid by maintaining a dark and somber tone usually seen in horror films with the killer stalking Tree but also the nature of some of the killings. But this is juxtaposed with a lighter mood, with constant jokes and ridiculous moments. The film takes inspiration from ‘Scream’ (1996, by Wes Craven) to combine comedy and a dark mood to create a contemporary, successful black comedy

Whereas, arguably sci-fi horror is a much larger and more popular area. There is debate over whether or not the genre combination is actually a hybrid, due to the similarities in genre it can be difficult to actually define whether or not a film is a sci fi or horror because many science fiction films can unintentionally create fear and horror can typically rely on science for justification. So as a result, many films can be referred to as ‘sci fi – horrors’ although some can only contain minimal elements of either genre. The hybrid genre can be seen as early as 1918, with Michael Curtiz and Edward Fritz’ Hungarian sci fi-horror ‘Alraune’. Although there is not much actually known about the film since it is now lost, it is believed to be about a mad scientist creating a demonic child which perfectly unites common tropes and elements from both the sci-fi and horror genres.

Arguably, Alien can be considered a science fiction film from afar, in general terms. It involves the discovery of extraterrestrial life then the struggle for survival. The film does employ horror tactics however, with the alien itself scaring some viewers with its grotesque look but also the infamous scene where the alien rips its way out of Kane’s chest. Although the film contains elements of horror to engage the audience through fear, the main premise is science fiction which defines Alien as a sci-fi horror, with some elements of a thriller from the intense action. The success of Alien inspired many sci fi horrors, most notably ‘Predator’ (1987, by John McTiernan). The film was similar to Alien in the way that it blurred the line between horror and sci fi, creating a hit which showcased the successes of both genres.

Ultimately, both films can be classed as horror hybrids because they mainly utilize strong elements of a horror to scare but also engage the audience with the plot and the characters. HDD also uses comedy to add a lighter tone, and also adds a refreshing spin on the ‘slasher genre’with the idea of Tree’s killer hunting her down until she can break the time loop by figuring out who is behind the mask. There is also an element of sci-fi with the film because the time loop plot, but this is focused more on in the sequel ‘Happy Death Day 2U’, whereas the original focuses mainly on a slasher horror, with a general comedic tone. On the other hand, Alien centers around a sci-fi heavy plot, but the film was released at a time where horror was arguably much bigger and more widely received than it is now in contemporary cinema so as a result: the film employed scare tactics to reach the large horror fanbase. Even today, Alien is constantly referenced as a horror masterpiece, regardless of the inital sci-fi plot