BW's top ten science fiction horrors
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- DirectorRichard StanleyStarsDylan McDermottStacey TravisJohn LynchThe head of a cyborg reactivates, rebuilds itself, and goes on a violent rampage in a space marine's girlfriend's apartment.Sleek, visually impressive, with a nasty ass robot and William Hootkins as an epic sleazeball. Add gruesome gore and fascinating insight into the purpose of humanity and religion in a post human world and here's a clear winner.
- DirectorMichael ReevesStarsBoris KarloffElizabeth ErcyIan OgilvyAn aging hypnotist creates a device that allows the user to control the mind of another person, but his wife abuses its power by manipulating a younger man to commit evil acts.Though Witchfinder General is certainly the best of Michael Reeves' short career for me The Sorcerers comes close, bleak, trippy and twisted with a fine twilight performance from Boris Karloff and oodles of Swing London atmosphere to boot.
- DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsPaul HamptonJoe SilverLynn LowryThe residents of a suburban high-rise apartment building are being infected by a strain of parasites that turn them into mindless, sex-crazed fiends out to infect others by the slightest sexual contact.Cronenberg's high rise sexual nightmare may not be his most polished but its certainly one of his best developed, with cool transgressive vibes and one of cinema's all time greatest endings.
- DirectorTobe HooperStarsSteve RailsbackMathilda MayPeter FirthA race of space vampires arrives in London and infects the populace, beginning an apocalyptic descent into chaos.I'm possibly biased by the fact that Mathilda May's naked alien vampire was one of my earliest cinematic crushes, but the mixture of unearthly chills and haywire kitsch FX theatrics make Lifeforce endlessly charming.
- DirectorFrank HenenlotterStarsRick HearstGordon MacDonaldJennifer LowryOne morning, a young man wakes to find that a small, disgusting creature has attached itself to the base of his brain stem. The creature gives him a euphoric state of happiness but demands human victims in return.Gruesome, downbeat and darkly hilarious this Henenlotter masterpiece works in similar fashion to its cheery brain parasite star, zapping you through the eyes to make you feel like your brain got caught in a tumble dryer. And if there's a better film out there on the perils of drug addiction, I ain't seen it yet.
- DirectorHarry Bromley DavenportStarsPhilip SayerBernice StegersDanny BraininAn alien creature impregnates a woman who gives birth to a man who was abducted by aliens three years ago. The man reconnects with his wife and son for a sinister purpose.Britsploitation horror at its unhinged low rent finest, Xtro makes a strong impression through classy gruesome effects, gnarly imagination and utter refusal to make sense, all bound up in dark and doom laden ambience.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsKurt RussellWilford BrimleyKeith DavidA research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.Epitome of isolation shock, I may not be as enamored of this one as many but I can't help but love it on account of its being easily the finest showcase of gruesome monster effects ever made. Oh, and some fun writing too.
- DirectorBruce McDonaldStarsStephen McHattieLisa HouleGeorgina ReillyA radio host interprets the possible outbreak of a deadly virus which infects the small Ontario town he is stationed in.The marketing kinda ditched the science fiction aspect, but given that the explanation in this one comes from extrapolations on pretty heavy duty linguistic theory that are not disimilar to some treatments in full on science fiction I'm including it. Well, that and the tension, the superb star turn from Stephen McHattie and the refreshingly lack of condescension in its explanation.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsSigourney WeaverCharles S. DuttonCharles DanceReturning from LV-426, Ellen Ripley crash-lands on the maximum-security prison Fiorina 161, where she discovers that she has unwittingly brought along an unwelcome visitor.Wisely ditching the gung ho piffle of its predecessor in favor of an oppressive grim 'n grungy thesps in space nightmare approach, this is the creepiest and best paced of the series and also pulls a dynamite finale.
- DirectorMario BavaStarsBarry SullivanNorma BengellÁngel ArandaAfter landing on a mysterious planet, a team of astronauts begin to turn on each other, swayed by the uncertain influence of the planet and its strange inhabitants.Bava's colorful space gothic fantasia, sublime design on a tiny budget with the power to transport to a whole different place and time. Some classic (and influential) horror moments, but the vibe is what this one does best.