Some people that I know don’t like horror movies. Either they scare easily or they’re turned off by the level of violence in some of these movies. Horror is so much more than blood, gore, and cheap scares. The horror genre is probably the most versatile genre in film. You can combine horror with so many other genres. You can mix-and-match it with comedy, drama, reality, action, or romance. The thing is, is that you don’t have to mix just two, you can have a movie that is representative of multiple genres at the same time. Balancing them out might be tricky, but the ones that pull it off successfully are the ones that are remembered the most. For me, however, the most effective combination is science fiction and horror. What makes science fiction horror so effective is the reality that it can create. For example: The darkness and isolation of deep space can elicit a very strong emotional reaction to the unknown. Usually, it’s fear. But when you throw in something like a monster or a deserted ship, you’re giving that fear free license to run amok. That makes for a very intense experience. For this post, I’m going to be going over some of my favorite science fiction horror films that really stood out to me.
Alien
Yeah, I’m starting with the best. Ridley Scott’s 1979 masterpiece, Alien, took the world by storm. The film is about a group of what you would call space truckers as they are returning home from somewhere in deep space when they come across a distress signal from a nearby moon. The crew discovers an alien ship that was carrying eggs of some sort, when one of the crew is attacked by a parasite. Back on their ship, the infected crew member has this creature bursting from his chest in one of the most memorable scenes in film history. What follows is a struggle for survival against a growing creature that could be hiding anywhere in the dark corridors of their ship. Certain critics refer to Alien as Texas Chainsaw Massacre In Space, and they’re not necessarily wrong. The creature’s design by the late H.R. Giger is one for the ages. It is a truly terrifying beast that picks off the crew members one at a time. It’s an intense ride from beginning to end and gives us Sigourney Weaver in one of the most bad-ass roles that she’s been in as Ripley. If you haven’t seen Alien, shame on you. Stop reading this post and go see it!
Event Horizon
When Event Horizon came out, it kind of divided audiences and critics. You had some people say that it was an intense ride, while others said it rips off better films like Alien and Hellraiser. I’m one of the people that actually loved this movie. Yeah, you can definitely tell that the film was inspired by Alien, but it seems to be geared more towards being Hellraiser in space, and on that level, it mostly succeeds. What really makes this movie stand out, is the setting and atmosphere. The film mostly takes place on the ship called the Event Horizon which disappeared 7 years prior to the events in the movie, only to show up with the crew missing. I loved the design of the ship. It has a very Gothic and cold feeling throughout that really adds to the dread. While the CGI effects are obviously less-than-stellar, even by 1997 standards, the rest of the film holds up remarkably well. It has very strong performances from Sam Neill, Laurence Fishburne, Jason Isaacs, and Sean Pertwee. I wouldn’t say that Event Horizon is equal to Alien. Most people wouldn’t. But I don’t think the film is as bad as a lot of people say it is. Is it derivative of better films? Sure, but in the best way possible. I definitely like to watch this one from time to time.
Annihilation
If there was one word that I could use to really describe Annihilation, it would be psychedelic. From a visual standpoint, this film is amazing. You have this nifty “shimmer” that’s expanding, but when people go into it, they see some really strange stuff, like altered plant and animal life because of some kind alien genetic modification. The film falls more or less on the science fiction side, but there are some serious elements of horror that really stand out. It’s at times a body-horror movie, a monster movie, and an alien movie all rolled into one. It’s a bit of a slow-burn, but when the violence hits, it hits hard. This movie is extraordinarily interesting and bizarre. Yet, it works. It’s definitely one that you need to see.
John Carpenter’s The Thing
I know I mentioned this film in my Best of October: Remakes post, but it’s still worth mentioning here. John Carpenter’s The Thing is pretty much the very definition of science fiction horror. You’re dealing with an alien that eats its victims and assumes their form, along with their memories and everything else. In an isolated environment like Antarctica, that would lead to some serious paranoia. Who do you trust? Can you trust yourself? The atmosphere is dripping with dread. Not only that, the creature and gore effects still hold up over 30 years later. It’s all done practically and in combination with miniatures. I love this movie. You have a very strong cast that includes Kurt Russell, Keith David, and Richard Dysart. I can’t recommend it enough.
From Beyond
Oh, 1980s, where would we be without your strangeness? When it comes to movies, there has never been a decade quite like the 80s. It saw the quality of movies ranging from amazing to amazingly awful to everything in between. This was before CGI really became a thing, so most of what you saw was done practically. It had to be. One of the most bizarre movies to come out of the 80s was From Beyond. Loosely based on the H.P. Lovecraft of the same name, and I do mean loosely, the film follows a mad scientist(as if there was any other type)trying to experience the outer limits of pleasure by stimulating a particular gland and accessing another dimension. The results were gooey and gory. From Beyond was absolutely bonkers. Genre favorite, Jeffrey Combs, actually plays a bit of a good guy in this one. The creature designs and effects are absolutely nuts. It’s definitely not for everybody, but I found it to be incredibly entertaining.
The combination of science fiction and horror is one of the best combinations you can get for a horror film, if it is done correctly. There has to be a balance between science fiction and horror, but most movies that attempt this combo don’t really work. Thankfully, the ones that do work are absolutely amazing and those are the ones that I’ve just mentioned. So, be sure to check them out, if you are as much of a sci-fi/horror fan as I am. Remember: October continues, and I’ve got something special in mind for Halloween.