The Coens are known for making films that defy simple classification. Although they refer to their first film, "Blood Simple" (1984), as a relatively straightforward example of detective fiction, the Coens wrote their next script, "Raising Arizona" (1987), without trying to fit a particular genre. They decided to write a comedy but intentionally added dark elements to produce what Ethan calls "a pretty savage film". Their third film, "Miller's Crossing" (1990), reversed this order, mixing bits of comedy into a crime film. Yet it also subverts single-genre identity by using conventions from melodrama, love stories, and political satire.