This assault on our precincts is the Fearless Tales Genre Fest. San Francisco is traditionally a haven for the international or social-issue film festival, but this marks the largest horror-fantasy showcase in memory for movies that dare to deal with humankind's darkest side. It opens Tuesday at the Victoria Theater (16th near Mission) and Thursday at the Castro and continues at both venues through Saturday. It will be a decidedly odd mixture of classics and untested fodder with 29 features and 17 short subjects. John Stanley reports for the San Francisco Chronicle.