ABRAHAM LINCOLN:VAMPIRE HUNTER. Yes, you read that correctly. That is really a new bizarre movie heading our way this year. What does that mean?
Is it a horror? A comedy spoof? Horror comedy? Probably.
Is it the height of contemporary post-modern cross genre cultural mainstream fictional evolution?
It originates from the recent novel of the same name from SETH GRAHAME-SMITH, also author of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES, an earlier bizarre and funny mash up of fiction genre elements producing very humorous results. There are a number of similar books now including :
QUEEN VICTORIA, DEMON HUNTER-A.E.MOORAT
SENSE AND SENSABILITY AND SEA MONSTERS-BEN. H.WINTERS
HENRY VIII, WOLFMAN-A.E.MOORAT
JANE SLAYRE-BRONTE/BROWNING ERWIN
I AM SCROOGE:ZOMBIE STORY FOR CHRISTMAS-DICKENS/ADAM ROBERTS
And there are still more. These new bizarre ‘mash-up’ cross genre titles have appeared and been influenced by a number of sources over the last decade or so, from ALAN MOORE’S LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN film series, and the steampunk subgenre with examples in movies and fiction in many places.
Some have argued that some of these such as the ABRAHAM LINCOLN VAMPIRE HUNTER book/movie though funny, can uncomfortably distort and lambast actual historical fact in negative ways. Most of these cross genre hybrid books use classic fictional tales as their starting point, and the LINCOLN one is a stand alone here. Should it matter so much? We know real historical fact right? Or we can go and find out, and this tale stands as simply fantastical satire or interesting inventive fun.
Where did this fairly modern trend of increasingly taking actual historical factual events and distorting them or using them as a base to then weave fantasy upon them? There are many very entertaining examples right now in SF/and FANTASY genre fiction, with many newer authors such as ADAM CHRISTOPHER, BEN AARONOVITCH, GAIL CARRIGER, possibly taking inspiration from classic and arguably forgotten legends such as JULES VERNE and H G WELLS. It should also be noted the significant influence back and forth from movies and television on new fiction books, and vice versa, and also comics and graphic novels.
I suppose I am wondering just how these genre cross over works are going to go before it is absolutely indefinable beyond belief? The genres that so many admire and dearly love such as science fiction, fantasy, horror could become ‘Historical retro horrorcom’ or ‘Fantasy realist docu-com’ hybrids. Nothing wrong with this, it is creative, it is happening and facinating to observe. It just seems the clear definitions of the kinds of stories and films we identify with are blurring and evloving into many new post-modern self reflective ironical works which at least reflect our own interests or entertainment desires.
genrerama 
Sounds interesting. There was a Masters of Horror episode, The Washingtonians, which was very good. US founding fathers in extraodinary roles. I don’t want to give it away if you have not seen it. check it out.
Right, I have the MASTERS OF HORROR dvds, fantastic series allowing many classic directors new opportunities. Haven’t actually watched that one yet. Still have second series to get through.