Nothing fascinates us more than space terror, which has dominated the horror genre for decades. You’re on the edge of your seat when a spaceship approaches or exits the Earth’s atmosphere! When you add claustrophobia, solitude, and the immense expanse of space to the usual horror ingredients, you get a whole new level of fear.
A space horror film is difficult to make since it needs a large budget, a brilliant story, and a talented cast. There have been a number of classics that have left an indelible impression on the world of film in recent decades. Your scream may not be heard in space, but it will be heard on Earth when you see these spine-chilling, nerve-wracking flicks. Here is the ultimate mega list of 45 all-time space horror movies that have shaken generations of audiences to their core.
Alien: Released in 1979
”Alien”, the 1979 blockbuster film directed by Ridley Scott, has dominated the world of space horror movies for over four decades. This classic masterpiece earned both positive critical responses and huge box office success, bagging the Academy Awards for the Best Visual Effects and Saturn Awards for the Best Science Fiction film, among other awards. Apparently, ”Alien” became the blueprint of many rip-offs and sequels.
As the spaceship Nostromo approaches the Earth, it intercepts a distress signal from the barren moon Acheron. The seven crew members are awakened from cryosleep as the spaceship descends on the moon. While exploring the unknown territory, the crew members discover an alien spaceship with a chamber containing thousands of eggs. As one of the crew members grows intrigued with the egg, the parasite inside the egg attacks him, following which, he loses consciousness. He is carried back to their spaceship, unknowingly carrying one of the terrifying creatures of the universe, the Xenomorph. This monster creature soon starts a rampage as the crew prepares to confront it.
The Xenomorph and the sets designed by H. R. Giger are masterpieces that have inspired other designers for decades. The nerve-wracking atmosphere created by the director with the synchronization of sound, visuals, and detailing makes it one of the best space horror films ever produced.
Life: Released in 2017
Directed by Daniel Espinosa, ”Life” is an American sci-fi space horror film following an International Space Station crew that has discovered the first life form on Mars. The performance, visuals, and screenplay have been universally appreciated as the film grossed $100 million worldwide.
Somewhere in the future, a six-member group of scientists was sent from Earth to explore Mars at International Space Station. They retrieved a soil sample from Mars, which contained evidence of extraterrestrial life. As the Exobiologist Hugh Derry revived the dormant cell, he soon realized that the cell grew into multicellular cells. The cells could act as muscle, neuron, and photosensory cells simultaneously.
The organism was named Calvin, and soon it became hostile as it attacked the members. The crew tried to inform Earth about the situation, but their communication with Earth was cut off. On the one hand, the crew had to protect themselves from this growing, hostile alien and on the other hand, make sure that Calvin would not land on Earth.
”Life ” is an excellent space horror and can be considered as an updated and blended version of ”Alien” and ”Gravity”. The direction and cast are incredible, with well-developed characters and quite tense situations. The special effects used for the space shots and creature design are very realistic.
The Cloverfield Paradox: Released in 2018
”The Cloverfield Paradox” is another brilliant sci-fi space horror film directed by Julius Onah and is the third installment in the ”Cloverfield” franchise. The story follows a group of astronauts trying to solve the Earth’s energy crisis in their space station facing the Cloverfield Paradox.
In the year 2028, Earth seemed to suffer from a global energy crisis. The space agencies prepared to test the Shepard particle accelerator in the Cloverfield Station orbiting around the Earth. The scientists felt that this experiment would provide infinite energy and permanently end the energy crisis. However, the conspiracy theorists were scared that this test would create the ”Cloverfield Paradox” and open the portals to parallel universes while their horrors would threaten Earth. The crew failed to activate the Shepard for two years, after which they achieved success, but the test created a power surge due to overloading. After restoring power, they could not view Earth, and strange incidents started occurring in the station, confirming that the Cloverfield Paradox had occurred.
The film is fascinating and suspenseful. The initial script by Oren Uziel was on God Particle and was unconnected to Cloverfield. The producer decided to link the film to the Cloverfield franchise during production. Though this franchise has little connection to the previous movies, the script is intelligent and intriguing.
Event Horizon: Released in 1997
We have another futuristic movie down the line, ”Event Horizon”, directed by Paul W. S. Anderson and written by Philip Eisner. The film follows a group of astronauts sent to rescue and investigate when a missing spaceship reappears near Neptune.
The starship Event Horizon had mysteriously disappeared during its maiden voyage to Proxima Centauri seven years ago. Seven years later, in 2047, a distress signal was intercepted from the starship, which had strangely reappeared in orbit around Neptune. The rescue vessel Lewis and Clark was dispatched under the supervision of Capt. Miller, and William Weir, the designer of Event Horizon, also joined them. Weir explained the starship’s gravity drive to them, which generated a black hole and bridged two points in spacetime. On reaching the Event Horizon, the rescue team witnesses a massacre. While they searched for survivors, the gravity drive activated, resulting in a shock wave that damaged the rescue vessel. Soon the team began experiencing bizarre hallucinations and people from their past, which only they could see.
The film delivers a well-crafted atmosphere and a satisfactory explanation of its supernatural experiences with a powerful cast. The excellent special effects and thrilling moments make it an exciting watch. Though it avoids any kind of alien, the haunting premise makes it fit enough to be a supernatural horror movie.
The Thing- Released in 1982
The masterpiece series in space horrors continues with our next 1982 film, ”The Thing” by John Carpenter, which can still mesmerize any audience even today. This brilliant movie effortlessly blends sci-fi and horror, introducing a unique monster that can ingest and assume the form of any living organism.
A US research station in Antarctica suddenly witnessed an approaching helicopter from the nearby Norwegian base, trying to kill an escaped dog of their base. As the chopper got destroyed, the U.S. team, intrigued by the strange behavior of the Norwegians, flew to their camp to investigate. There, they discovered everyone dead or missing while also detecting the remains of an unforeseen humanoid creature that the Norwegians had burned. The American crew took the remains to their camp and concluded that it was an alien life form. Later it was revealed that the alien could assimilate and shapeshift after ingesting any living organism. Before the crew could realize it, the monster, initiated deadly attacks on them, and the crew was left to fight for survival.
The grotesque special effects by Rob Bottin are stunning and set a new standard in alien horror. The atmosphere is intense, and tension rises beyond expectations. The performance of the stars is beyond expression. You cannot be considered a horror fan if you miss this film.
Pitch Black – Released in 2000
”Pitch Black” is a sci-fi, action horror film directed and co-written by David Twohy, released in 2000. A spaceship carrying a dangerous criminal, Richard B. Riddick, makes an emergency crash landing on a deserted planet. The alien creatures of the planet begin attacking the survivors.
Set in the distant future, spaceship Hunter-Gratzner was transporting passengers in cryostasis, including officer William J. Johns escorting the infamous criminal Riddick. Riddick had surgically modified eyes enabling him to see in the dark, but his eyes had become light sensitive. Suddenly, micrometeoroids hit the spaceship, killing the captain, while Owen’s co-pilot was forced to crash land on a nearby planet.
They soon started exploring the planet, and they were ambushed by photosensitive, aggressive underground creatures. There were three suns, but an Orrey showed that an imminent eclipse would create darkness, enabling the creature monsters to hunt above the ground freely. Photosensitive Riddick is their only hope for survival amidst the pitch-black environment of the planet in a total eclipse.
Even after twenty-one years, Pitch Black stands strong and has become the new classic. The story is highly engaging with good effects and a fantastic cast comprising Vin Diesel, Radha Mitchell, Cole Hauser, and Keith David.
Hellraiser IV: Bloodline Released in 1996
Hellraiser IV: Bloodline is the fourth and final installment in the Hellraiser series, which is directed by Kevin Yagher and Joe Chappelle.
In the year 2027, Dr. Paul Merchant had designed a space station, the Minos where, he manipulated a robot to solve the Lament Configuration, as the robot was destroyed. The scientist explained his motivations to the leader of the guards, Rimmer, who demanded an explanation. He told the story of his ancestor, Philip LeMarchand, a French toymaker who made the Lament Configuration as specified by aristocrat Duc de L’Isle.
But he was completely unaware that the duke’s specifications for the box converted it to a portal to Hell. LeMarchand was horrified to see Duc and his assistant Jacques sacrifice a peasant girl to summon the demon, Angelique. Terrified, LeMarchand ran home to make another box, to neutralize the effect of the first box, but he was killed, making his bloodline cursed for opening the portal to Hell. In 1996, LeMarchand’s descendant, John Merchant, tried to complete the Elysium Configuration, which was an anti-Lament Configuration, but he was killed before completing it. Can Dr. Paul manage to complete the Elysium Configuration and end the curse to their bloodline?
For the Hellraiser fans, this is a crucial sequel as it explains the history of the Lament Configuration and its first cruel user. The important story, gory effects, and pretty good acting make it a must-watch.
Sunshine: Released in 2007
”Sunshine” is another science fiction space horror movie directed by Danny Boyle and Alex Garland. The film follows a group of astronauts who are on a dangerous mission to reignite the dying Sun and save the freezing Earth.
In the year 2057, the Sun is on the verge of dying while the Earth is freezing. Eight international astronauts are on the mission to reignite the dying Sun and save the planet Earth and its residents from freezing to death. They are aboard the spaceship Icarus II, carrying a colossal stellar bomb that would restart the Sun again. While passing by Mercuri, the crew gets the distress signal of Icarus I, who was on a similar mission but had disappeared seven years ago.
The physicist Capa recommends to captain Kaneda to take control of Icarus I. Navigator Trey reschedules their course towards Icarus I but forgets to realign the shield for protection from the Sun. Thus, the shield panels are damaged, posing a serious threat to the spaceship. The oxygen reserves of the ship are also destroyed leaving them with no other option but to dock with Icarus I. The crew of Icarus I is found dead as the unfiltered exposure to the Sun had scorched them.
The movie displays a realistic approach to how unethical people can react regarding their own survival. There are some scenes that display graphic violence that is quite scary. The perfect soundtrack gives a futuristic feeling. The innovative storyline makes it an interesting watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9CgwOifQzo
Galaxy of Terror Released in 1981
Co-written by B.D Clark, the movie combines Ridley Scott’s “Alien” and the 1956 horror classic “Forbidden Planet. The film highlights a group of explorers who land on the planet Morganthus for a rescue mission. They encounter a giant pyramid-like structure, and soon they are slaughtered by monsters formed by their worst fears.
On the planet, Xerxes, the Planet Master, whose head was veiled in a glow of red light like Sun, received a transmitted signal, informing that all contacts with the spaceship Ramus were lost near planet Morganthus. The Master immediately orders a rescue mission with spaceship Quest and the crew that he particularly chose. After landing in Morganthus, Quuhod, Alluma, Cabrini, and Cos, led by Baelon, reach the wrecked spaceship Ramus, but all they find are mutilated corpses. Cos is suddenly attacked by a gruesome monstrous insect and killed. Soon, they discover a pyramidal structure that psi-sensitive Alluma felt was “empty” and “dead.” As the crew enters the pyramidal structure, their darkest fears become real, and the members started getting slaughtered, one by one.
The production designer and second unit director of the film was James Cameron. The effort of Cameron and his team to reuse and recycle scraps into an incredible set is beyond any words. The movie indeed has its moments, especially the deaths of Daemia and Alluma, to successfully trigger the adrenaline rush with terrifying impact.
Pandorum: Released in 2009
”Pandorum” is a 2009 British-German space horror film comprising Lovecraftian elements and survival adventure. The film highlights two astronauts who wake up from a deep hyper-sleep and wake up untimely, disoriented, and with no memory of their past. Soon they realize that the seemingly deserted spaceship is flocked with cannibalistic humanoids.
In the year 2174, the battle for Earth’s limited resources had reached its highest point. Spacecraft Elysium was launched, carrying 60,000 people to the planet Tanis, for survival. In the very first scene, Elysium received a message from Earth, stating that they were the last existing humans present and may God protect them. Comrade Bower and Lieutenant Payton had suddenly awakened from hyper-sleep. Though they were disoriented at first, slowly, they started remembering a few things, especially their training. But they didn’t remember their mission or destination.
The numbers tattooed on their arms indicated their group number, but there was no trace of any other person there. Bower suddenly remembered that he was an engineer. They encounter a power problem that would require the nuclear reactor to be repaired. As Bowel went to repair the reactor, he encountered strange, pale, scar-covered humanoid creatures called Hunters who were hostile and cannibalistic.
There is an excellent storyline with some fantastic performances. The film is a perfect blend of horror, thrill, and suspense, making it an excellent watch and offering just about everything a horror fan wants in a sci-fi, Lovecraftian, space adventure.
Dead Space: Downfall – Released in 2008
This movie on the list is a psychological horror film directed by Chuck Patton and developed by Film Roman under the supervision of Electronics Arts. The video game Dead Space, on which the film is based, was also published by Electronic Arts in 2008.
The movie takes place in the year 2508 after humanity avoided extinction by a narrow margin. In the second year of an illegal mining operation that was taking place on the planet Aegis VII, geologist Jennifer Barrows discovered a monolith-like artifact. The entire operation was funded by the Church of Unitology, while the artifact was identified as the Marker, considered as sacred to the Unitologists.
But, in reality, the Marker was supposed to have a fatal influence on the colony. It was responsible for causing the outbreak of reanimated mutated dead bodies referred to as Necromorphs. By the time the spaceship Ishimura arrived, Aegis VII had been devastated, with dozens killed and the others grasped under violent psychosis. The Marker was brought on board, as some members became angry while others worshiped it.
There is a good storyline to follow, even if you are not acquainted with the video game. The movie is violent, bloody, and scary, even in animated form.
Prometheus: Released in 2012
”Prometheus” is a magnificent space horror film directed by Ridley Scott. In late 2010, Lindelof rewrote the script written by Spaihts as a prequel to the 1979 blockbuster, ”Alien”. He and Scott developed a script that preceded the story of ”Alien” but was not connected to the original series.
In the year 2089, archeologists Shaw and Holloway discovered a star map in Scotland which they interpreted as an invitation from humanity’s forerunners, the ”Engineers”. Following the map, they set out on an expedition aboard the spaceship ”Prometheus”. They landed on the distant moon LV-223 and started exploring a huge, artificial structure.
Inside the structure, they found stone cylinders, a statue, and a decapitated dead body of an alien. The android David took a cylinder to the spaceship and investigated the cylinder and the dark liquid inside it. David intentionally spiked a drink with the dark liquid and gave it to Holloway. Soon terrible incidents began occurring in the spacecraft, as the dark liquid was revealed to be a biological weapon.
The film had received unanimous praise for its visual effects, design, and Fassbender’s performance as android David. The plot raises a lot of questions, but there are no answers making it more intriguing. Even James Cameron said that he enjoyed the film and praised Ridley Scott’s direction.
Ghosts of Mars: Released in 2001
Next on the list is ”Ghosts of Mars”, written, directed, and scored by John Carpenter. Though it failed in the box office, the film developed a cult following for the action sequences and soundtrack.
The plot is set in the second half of the twenty-first century when Mars is almost made habitable where women are mostly in power. Police officer Melanie Ballard is sent to transport prisoner James Williams to a remote mining outpost. After arriving at the remote town, Ballard doesn’t find anyone.
Soon, she learns that an underground gateway has been found, that has released disembodied ghosts, which has possessed the miners. The possessed miners commit havoc, murder, and destruction along with self-mutilation. Even if they kill the possessed human, the ghosts find another target. The team decides to use a nuclear reactor to eliminate the ghosts. The ghosts considered the humans as invaders of Mars and wanted to wipe out humanity from Mars. Can Ballard and William fight back the ghosts?
The film mostly generated negative reviews, but Carpenter said that he deliberately wanted to make the film mindless and silly, yet thrilling and entertaining action movie. Carpenter added, ” the name of the movie is Ghost of Mars; I figured the campiness would be self-explanatory”.
Screamers: Released in 1995
”Screamers” is a space horror film directed by Christian Duguay, based on a short story by Philip K. Dick. The theme follows social conflict, reality confused with illusion, machines getting over their creators.
Set in the year 2078, planet Sirius 6B, which was once a mining hub, has been converted to a toxic wasteland due to the conflict between the mining company, New Economic Block or N.E.B. and ”The Alliance”. When the miners found out that toxic gases were being released due to their extraction of ores, they went on a strike. But the mining company hired mercenaries to break the strikes.
On the other hand, the Alliance has created self-replicating devices to hunt down and kill all enemies. They are named Screamers as they emit a high-pitch noise while they attack. Alliance commanding officer Joe Hendrickson decides to accept a truce offered by the N.E.B. As the commander proceeds; he is surprised to encounter a new form of Screamers that he is not aware of. He was horrified to find that the Screamers have evolved into new versions by themselves. What will happen when a machine overtakes its creators?
The film is intelligent and imaginative. It creates ambiguity about who is human and who is not, making the story very intriguing. The special effects and set designs have genuinely imparted a futuristic ambiance in the movie.
Europa Report: Released in 2013
”Europa Report” is a found footage space horror film directed by Sebastian Cordero and recounts the story of the first voyage to Europa, one of the four Galilean moons of Jupiter.
Six astronauts embark on a difficult mission to Jupiter’s moon Europa to explore any potential life forms. After six months, a solar storm damages all modes of communication with Earth. Engineers Blok and Corrigan tried to repair the ship from the outside, but Corrigan was killed in the process. After twenty months of a tough voyage, the ship finally managed to land safely on Europa but missed the target zone.
The ship sends a probe into the underlying sea. A weary Blok sees the light outside the sea but is unable to record it resulting in the probe losing contact with the ship. Marine biology officer Petrovna collects some samples where the chief science Officer Luxembourg discovers unicellular organisms. While investigating, Petrovna sees a blue light and falls through the ice into the sea. Her head-mounted camera displays her terrified face while a blue bioluminescent light reflects in her eyes.
The film has been described as one of the most thrilling and realistic approaches to space explorations. The film generated positive reviews for being one of the most suspenseful and fascinating science fiction produced in the past few years.
Apollo 18: Released in 2011
Here is another found footage film in the list, ”Apollo 18”, directed by Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego and written by Brian Miller. The film is about the canceled Apollo 18 mission that had landed on the moon but never returned from its voyage. The film is the lost footage of the mission that has been recovered recently.
The crew of the canceled Apollo 18 mission was informed that it would proceed with a top-secret mission disguised as a satellite launch. Lieutenant Grey stayed back in the Apollo command module ‘Freedom’ while Commander Walker and Captain Anderson landed on the moon in the Lunar Module, ‘Liberty.’ As the duo planted the detectors, they obtained rock samples, which they found to be weird. The camera in the background showed a rock moving into the crater. After they returned to ‘Liberty”, they heard strange noises outside, while the camera again captured a small rock moving. The following day, Anderson found a rock sample on the floor of ‘Liberty,’ though they had locked away all the samples. Soon they discovered some footprints that led them to the abandoned Soviet lander, which was bloodstained. They found a dead cosmonaut inside the crater. They were unable to understand what was threatening them!
The plot may be simplistic, but the film generates some very frightening, nail-biting scenes. This space horror is not a movie for the faint-hearted, as the chills and thrills prove that something is not right out there.
Riddick: Released in 2013
”Riddick” is the third installment in the Riddick film series. Vin Diesel is the lead actor and the producer of the film while it is written and directed by David Twohy, who is also the writer and director of the two previous films.
Riddick didn’t want to continue as Lord Marshal of the Necro monger fleet. Several attempts are made to assassinate him as he refused to swear into the Necromonger faith. Riddick managed to make a deal with Commander Vaako to grant him a trip to Furya, while Vaako would become the next Lord Marshall. Riddick, Krone, and a group of Necromongers arrived on a deserted planet. However, by the time Riddick realized that they were not on planet Furya his team members started making brutal attempts to kill him off while Riddick attacked them back with equal vigor killing most.
Amidst the commotion, Krone caused a landslide that buried Riddick. But Riddick survived with a broken leg. He was stuck on the planet with vulture-like flying animals, hyena-like beasts, scorpion-like creatures called Mud demons, and many other threats that were more than eager to attack him.
The movie is fast-paced with scary and gory sci-fi elements. The creature effects and different monsters were fantastic, in spite of the extensive use of CGI. The film also presents colorful cinematography by David Eggby.
Starship Troopers – Released in 1997
Set on futuristic Earth, a couple joins military services to earn citizenship. ”Starship Troopers” follows their tale in a war between mankind and an insectoid species called ”Arachnids”. The film, released in 1997, is directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier.
Johnny Rico and his girlfriend Carmen join the military service in the twenty-third century to become class citizens. But Carmen becomes a spaceship pilot, while Rico is enlisted in the mobile infantry. Due to a mishap, Rico was demoted and flogged as he decided to quit the military forces. But an asteroid originating from the planet ”’klendathu” hits his hometown of Buenos Aires, killing his parents. Johnny and fellow troopers set out on a mission to destroy the inhabitants of the klendathu planet, which are deadly, huge space bugs for whom the entire universe is a feeding ground. But this operation, led by humans, was a disaster as the human beings had underestimated the Arachnids.
The film delivers a great cast, violence, depth of characters, great CGI representing the bugs. What else do you need in a sci-fi horror film when you have the battle, the gore, and a cheesy story to top it off.
Aliens: Released in 1986
”Aliens” is the sequel to the 1979 blockbuster ”Alien” by Ridley Scott, written and directed by James Cameron. Due to the loss of communication with the human colony on the exomoon, Lieutenant Ellen Ripley returns to the site to investigate.
Ellen Ripley was in stasis for 57 years in the shuttle where she had escaped the hostile alien from Nostromo. After being rescued, her employers were skeptical about her experiences with the alien eggs on the exomoon LV-426. The place had been transformed into a habitable colony, Hadley’s Hope. But somehow, they lost contact with the colony, as a result of which Weland-Yutani Corporation decided to send out an investigation team while they asked Ripley to accompany them.
On reaching LV-426, they found the colony to be absolutely deserted. Two alien face-huggers and a traumatized young girl were the sole survivors. They kept a watch on the colonists turned incubators for the alien eggs to hatch. As soon as an infant alien burst out from a colonist’s chest, the Marines killed it. But this killing enraged the adult aliens, who began to ambush the Marines. Can Ripley survive for a second time or will she finally give in?
The special effects of this film commenced in May 1985 under the supervision of John Richardson and were developed in Stan Winston Studio by a team of 40 persons. The film received positive reviews and a box office success as a worthy sequel of the original film.
Jason X: Released in 2001
While other films present Jason Voorhees as the infamous serial killer or an undead monster, he is transformed into a cyborg named Jason X in this film. This science-fiction slasher is written by Todd Farmer and directed by Jim Isaac.
After the serial killer, Jason Voorhees was captured by the United States government. While their numerous attempts to kill him had failed, Dr. Rowan finally managed to put him in a cryogenic pod and activate it, but Jason managed to rupture the pod and stabbed her. Cryogenic fluid spilled into the room and froze them both. After 445 years later, humans had moved to a new planet.
A group of students arrived at the research facility on a field trip and found frozen Rowan and Jason. They brought them aboard the spaceship Grendel and were able to revive Rowan while Jason was left behind as they believed him to be dead. One of the students was asked to dissect Jason’s body, but Dr. Rowan warned them of his nature. However before they could act upon the warning, Jason woke up and resumed his brutal mass killing.
Despite the negative reviews, in the beginning, the film witnessed a gradual growth of popularity among the young fans of the series. The fans have appreciated the witty script, smart direction, and excellent performance.
Dark City: Released in 1998
Directed by Alex Proyas, ”Dark City” centers on John Murdoch, an amnesiac and finds himself becoming a suspect in a murder case. He desperately tries to find out his true identity and clear his name while being pursued by police and a mysterious group called ”Strangers”.
John Murdoch was awakened in a hotel bathtub, but he couldn’t remember anything. He received a phone call from Dr. Daniel Schreber, asking him to escape from the hotel as a group of men called Strangers were after him. In the room, he found the dead body of a woman along with a bloody knife. He escaped the hotel before the ”Strangers” arrived.
Following the clues, he managed to learn his own name and his wife’s name. Murdoch discovered that the city had perpetual nighttime. At midnight, the Strangers rearrange the city while also altering the memories and identities of the people. At the same time, Murdoch learned that he belonged to a coastal town called Shell Beach, but no one knew how to reach there. The ‘Strangers’ injected one of their men with memories of Mr. Murdoch to track him down.
The movie generally received positive reviews as the plot was so original and exciting. The creation of a strange world with fiction and fantasy, past and present, is incredible. The thrills and excitement of the story make it a great entertaining horror film.
Doom: Released in 2005
”Doom” is the 2005 sci-fi space horror film, directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak and loosely based on the video game series of a similar title. The film follows the Marines who are sent to Mars on a rescue mission where they encounter bizarre creatures.
A portal to an ancient city on Mars had been discovered deep below the Nevada desert. After twenty years of the discovery, 85 personnel of the Union Aerospace Corporation research facility are seen to be under attack. A squad of eight Marines was sent, following a distress message from Dr. Carmack. On reaching Mars, the Marines found that a site had been revealed where ancient skeletons of the genetically enhanced humanoid race had been discovered.
Soon they rescued the traumatized and injured Dr. Carmack and took him to the medical lab, but he disappeared from there. They encountered an unknown creature that attacked them and killed one of the Marines. They killed the creature and after performing an autopsy found that it possessed human organs. Soon they were attacked by another creature, and the group was horrified to find that the creature was Dr. Carmack in a mutated form.
With fantastic special effects and gruesome monsters, the film is loved by the Doom game series fans. Although fans have claimed that the movie may not be a masterpiece, but it is enjoyable and entertaining.
Lifeforce: Released in 1985
”Lifeforce” is a British sci-fi horror film directed by Tobe Hooper and written by Dan O’Bannon and Don Jacoby. The film is about a series of events that follows when three humanoids, which are recovered from an alien spaceship, are brought to Earth.
The crew of a space shuttle ‘Churchill’ found a huge spaceship hidden behind the Halley’s Comet. Inside the spaceship, the crew found many desiccated bat-like creatures and three humanoid bodies suspended inside glass containers. The crew recovered one bat-alien and the three humanoid bodies and prepared their return journey to Earth, but soon all communications with Earth were lost.
A rescue mission was launched which found out that spaceship ”Churchill” had been gutted in a fire. None of the crew made it alive while the escape pod was missing. The alien bodies were taken to the European Space Research Center in London, where the female alien woke up and drained all the life force from the guard. She then proceeded to drain the life force from other human beings while she also possessed the ability to shapeshift. The male aliens also attempted to escape but were killed by the guards. However, in reality, all the humanoids remained alive.
The amazing special features were created by Academy Award winner John Dykstra. Many critics considered it as one of the most intelligent vampire movies ever made with lots of actions and stunts.
The Last Days on Mars: Released on 2013
This film has been co-produced between Ireland and Great Britain. Based on the short story ”The Animators” by Sydney J. Bounds, ”The Last Days on Mars” was directed by Ruairi Robinson and the screenplay was by Clive Dawson.
Martian research base Tantalus was established in the year 2040. The crew comprising of eight persons who had been posted there for the research is only nineteen hours away from the completion of their research work. Mars scientist Marko Petrovic had found samples that indicate the presence of life on the planet. Richard Harrington drove Petrovic to the spot where he had obtained the sample, but suddenly, he fell into a sinkhole.
Soon another crewman Dalby also disappeared from the same spot. The other members found a fungal organism at the spot, which had converted Petrovic and Dalby into aggressive zombie-like creatures. Whoever they killed was being transformed into a similar zombie-state with thirst, amnesia, and aggression.
Though the story is far from original, the execution of the film is pretty good. The film was beautifully shot with great performance. The concept of a zombie in space is well-executed, providing the sharp chills and thrills that space horrors require.
Supernova: Released in 2000
Surprisingly, this movie was originally developed in 1988 by William Malone, titled ”Dead Star” with paintings by H. R. Giger. For this film, director Walter Hill, went by his pseudonym Thomas Lee.
Supernova monitors the patrolling of the medical ship, ”Nightingale 229” in deep space in the early 22nd century, consisting of a six-member crew. The crew received a distress signal coming from the moon, Titan 37, which was more than 3000 light-years away. The crew decided to hyperjump to the required destination, during which Captain Marley injured himself fatally. The jump also damaged the spaceship, hence losing 82% of the fuel. Also, Title 37 had a blue giant in its orbit, which would pull the spaceship to a point where it would be incinerated. They had only 11 minutes to escape.
The crew was also threatened by the rescued young man and the alien artifact he had brought into the ship. The artifact was analyzed and found to contain nine-dimensional matter. The young man was revealed to be the ex-lover of the medical officer Kaela (Kay-Ella). He had developed super strength, super-healing ability and became younger after coming in contact with the artifact, but soon he became hostile.
The film has good special effects and CGI even though it was made in the year 2000. The space vessels were also designed interestingly and in a realistic manner. The film’s quick pace is enough to capture and keep the interest of the audience till the end.
Forbidden World: Released in 1982
”Forbidden World” used some of the same sets of ”Galaxy of Terror” designed by James Cameron. The film is also known to use some of the footage recycled from the 1980 film ”Battle Beyond the Stars”. All three movies were produced by Roger Corman.
The plot is set in a distant future. A genetic research station was established on the lone planet Arabia. There the research team had invented an experimental lifeform, ”Subject 20”, to avoid the global food crisis. But something went wrong as Subject 20 mutated rapidly and slaughtered all the subject animals in the laboratory before cocooning itself.
Military officer Mike Colby and his robot assistant SAM-104 investigated the matter and concluded that they must terminate Subject 20, which faced a lot of resistance. When Subject 20 hatched from its cocoon, it started killing the crew members one by one, starting with Jimmy, who was in charge of cleaning the lab.
The monster becomes quite terrifying at the end, while there is plenty of nudity and gore in the film. The special effects by John Carl Buechler are magnificent as the ripping of bodies or melting of a member right before the eyes is capable of taking anyone’s breath away.
Dead Space – Aftermath: Released in 2011
This movie, the prequel to ”Dead Space 2”, is directed and co-written by Mike Disa. ”Dead Space – Aftermath” is set in the year 2509 and follows the events of ”Dead Space”.
The mining colony that developed on planet Aegis VII was funded by the Church of Unitology. They found a Marker, considered sacred to the Unitologists’ beliefs. The Marker was responsible for the outbreak of reanimated mutated corpses referred to as ‘Necromorphs’ in the Aegis VII colony and the mining ship, U.S.G. Ishimura. When Earth lost contact with U.S.G. Ishimura, another ship called U.S.G. O’Bannon was sent to investigate the matter, but all communication with them, too, was lost.
The Earth sent yet another spaceship to investigate, which rescued the four survivors of U.S.G. O’Bannon; security officer Kuttner, engineer Borgas, chief science officer Stross, and chief medical officer Cho. Kuttner had led a team to stabilize Aegis VII’s failing gravity. There they found parts of the Marker, but on touching it, strange things began to occur.
Considering it as an animation movie, it has plenty of gore. It bridges the gap between the first game and the second game with an excellent story. The CGI and voice acting were not great but it is good enough to give it a watch.
Planet of the Vampires: Released in 1965
This movie on the list is an Italian-Spanish sci-fi space horror, directed by Mario Bava, based on the story titled ”One Night of 21 Hours” by Renato Pestriniero. Some critics have stated that this film had been a major source of influence for Ridley Scott’s ”Alien”.
Two huge spaceships, Galliot and Argos, were on an expedition into the space when they intercepted a distress signal coming from an unexplored planet, Aura. As the ship entered Aura’s atmosphere, Argo’s crew became possessed by an unknown force and started killing each other ruthlessly. However, Captain Mark had enough willpower to resist the unknown force and bring back the others from their hypnotic, murderous state.
After the Argos land on the Aura, they explore the planet and search for the Galliot. When they finally discovered the other ship amidst the thick mist, they found that all the members of the crew had killed each other. They found several corpses that were locked inside the ship’s bridge. As Mark returned after getting the tool to open the sealed room, the corpses had already disappeared.
There is plenty of gore, shock, and eerie music with great special effects. The viewers are kept at the edge of their seats with the suspense and thrill. It is considered one of the best sci-fi films to be ever produced in Italy.
Red Planet: Released in 2000
”Red Planet” is a sci-fi space horror directed by Antony Hoffman, and it is the only feature film to be directed by him.
Overpopulation and pollution had created an ecological crisis on Earth in the year 2056. The interplanetary missions were trying to make Mars a habitable planet by seeding atmosphere-producing algae. An investigating mission was initiated when the quantity of Oxygen produced was reduced remarkably. When the crew aboard the spaceship Mars-1 reached Mars, it was damaged severely by a gamma-ray burst.
Commander Bowman stayed back on the ship for repairing while the remaining crew searched for the automated habitat, responsible for the manufacture of food and oxygen. Unfortunately, the landing craft was damaged and landed off-course, while Chantilas, the aging scientist, was fatally wounded internally and requested others to leave him behind. To their surprise, they found the automated habitat, HAB1, was mysteriously destroyed. Without oxygen, they expected their inevitable death, but they found that Mar’s atmosphere although thin was actually breathable. But they were unaware of the other challenges that they were about to face.
In spite of being a major box-office failure, the horror fans found the film better than any average sci-fi horror movie. The visuals and special effects, and set designs are quite good as compared to any other similar movie.
Critters 4: Released in 1992
”Critters 4” is the fourth film in the Critters franchise, directed by Liam Buck. The film is known to have been filmed simultaneously with the third film from February to July 1991. Unlike the previous installments, the story of this film takes us to a future space station and is not on Earth.
The film continued its story from its prequel, where Charlie McFadden was still an alien bounty hunter. He was about to destroy two critter eggs when he received a hologram message from his extraterrestrial friend Ug, who informed him that those eggs were the last two existing Critters, and destroying them was against the intergalactic law. Charlie placed the eggs in a preservation capsule that fell from the sky and launched back to space.
After fifty years, in 2045, the crew of the spaceship Tesla found the pod in deep space and brought it aboard. The young engineer Ethan discovered the emblem of the Intergalactic Council and questioned the legality of claiming it. No one listened to him as they landed at a nearby station after communicating with Councilor Tetra of TerraCor. Rick forcefully opened the pod and encountered Charlie, who jumped out of the pod. The freshly hatched baby Critters killed Rick and managed to run off.
There are some fun action scenes with the cheesy, goofy attitude of the creature and good effects that make it a funny and entertaining watch.
Inseminoid: Released in 1981
The film, ”Inseminoid”, also called ”Horror Planet” in the United States, is a British space horror directed by Norman J. Warren and written by Nick and Gloria Maley. The film follows the terror faced by a group of archaeologists and scientists after excavating the ruins of an ancient civilization on a distant planet.
A team of 12 members, consisting of archaeologists and scientists of the Xeno project, excavated and examined the ruins of an ancient civilization on a distant freezing planet. They discovered a cave containing wall markings and strange unknown crystals. Suddenly an explosion injured photographer Dean White and Ricky Williams. Medical assistant Sharon concluded that the crystals were surrounded by an energy field, and the civilization was controlled by chemical intelligence.
Suddenly the chemical intelligence grasped Rick as he re-entered the cave in a state of delusion. He threw Gail, damaging her helmet, and she was killed in the planet’s toxic atmosphere. As Mitch and Sandy returned to the cave to collect more crystals, a monstrous alien creature appeared and raped Sandy, pumping some green fluid inside her, triggering an accelerated pregnancy. Sandy soon became psychotic and began to kill her teammates one by one.
There is plenty of gore and enough horror to keep you on the edge of your seat. The film is fast-paced with twisted facts and is quite enjoyable.
Prospect: Released in 2018
Written and directed by Zeek Earl and Chris Cadwell, this sci-fi space horror takes the story to a poisonous forest in an alien moon where a teenager and her father encounter something strange.
A teenage girl, Cee, landed on a forest area of an alien moon with her father, Damon, to mine for gems. The forest was covered with poisonous spores. Due to a technical malfunction, their lander was damaged and landed some distance away from their site. The father and daughter, while walking, reached an abandoned site where they extracted a fleshy pod revealing a valuable gem. Cee requested her father to take the gem and return it to their lander, but Damon insisted that they continue with their journey.
As they proceeded, they met Ezra and his silent companion, who intended to rob Damon. But Damon suggested that they join hands with him so that instead of working for the mercenaries to dig the site of extraordinary value, they could take the entire dig for themselves. Cee, who had been hiding throughout the encounter, engaged in a shootout that killed Ezra’s companion and Damon. Ezra and Cee were left to decide their course of action.
The small cast does a good job of maintaining the pace of the film. Sophie Thatcher as Cee is very impressive in her transformation from being dependent on her father to become a tough girl who faces the challenges boldly. The film is enjoyable and worth watching.
Doom – Annihilation: Released in 2019
”Doom: Annihilation” is the second film in the Doom Franchise, but it is a remake and not a sequel to Doom, released in 2005. The film is written and directed by Tony Giglio.
Dr. Betruger prepared the experiment where he transported a volunteer from a U.A.C. lab in Nevada to the U.A.C. base in Phobos by using teleporters called ”Gates”. The experiment was successful, but the subject emerged partially deformed. A group of Marines was awakened from their cryosleep as they were on the mission to guard the Phobos Base. Among the Marines was Joan Dark, whom no one liked, and Bennett Jones, a scientist, and Joan’s ex-boyfriend.
Dr. Betruger became determined to teleport himself to the Nevada base. After lots of preparations, DR. Betruger passed through the Gate, but suddenly the Phobos base went offline, and monsters began to emerge from the Gate. The Marines received instructions to investigate and restore power, but they were attacked by the U.A.C. staff who had been converted to zombie-like creatures. What will the Marines do as the reserve power had also been drained, granting them a time of 90 minutes before the nuclear reactor explodes?
The practical creature effects are awesome and remind us of the horror films of the 80s and 90s. Amy Manson as Joan Dark gave a tough performance as required. The mix of practical effects and CGI makes the film incredibly entertaining.
Dark Star: Released in 1974
Imagine a sci-fi film made with a budget of $60,000. This mission was accomplished by debutant John Carpenter as ”Dark Star” was directed, directed, scored, and co-written by him along with Dan O’Bannon, who also served as the editor, production designer, and visual effects supervisor of the film.
The story took us to the mid-22nd century when mankind had started colonizing interstellar space. Artificially intelligent Thermostellar Triggering Devices, which were able to talk and reason, were used by the scout ship Dark Star to look for unstable planets that might be a threat to future colonization. After 20 years of following the mission, the Dark Star suffered frequent malfunctions due to aging.
Commander Powell had died in one of the incidents and remained in cryogenic suspension as Lieutenant Doolittle had taken over as the next commander. When the Dark Star was hit by electromagnetic energy during a space storm it triggered another malfunction. However this time, the term stellar bomb #20 somehow received an erroneous message to deploy, but the ship’s computer managed to stop it. But another accident with laser again deployed the bomb, and this time it could not be convinced to stop.
Within a claustrophobic environment, the film is brilliant with its witty dialogue and excellent character development. The intelligent humor mixed with satire makes it a must-watch, not to mention that it marks the beginning of Carpenter and O’Bannon.
Solaris: Released in 1972
”Solaris” is a Soviet science-fiction art film based on the 1961 novel of the same name by Stanislaw Lem. The movie was directed and co-written by Andrei Tarkovsky. The film won the Grand Prix Special du Jury at Cannes Film Festival in 1972.
The scientific mission on a space station orbiting the fictional planet Solaris had been interrupted because the core team of scientists was psychologically traumatized. Psychologist Kris Kelvin was being sent to the space station to evaluate the situation. As he arrived at the Solaris Station, none of the scientists greeted him, while he found the space station in utter chaos. His friend Dr. Gibarian had killed himself, while the two crewmen – Snaut and Sartorius were erratic.
Dr. Gibarian had left a cryptic same name farewell video message where he warned Kelvin about the bizarre things that were happening at the station. After a brief sleep, Kelvin was awakened and was shocked to see his wife Hari, who had died ten years ago. The scientists explained to Kelvin that Solaris had created Hari from Kelvin’s memories.
Solaris is not an action movie. It is a thoughtful, sensitive film with a lot of depth. It used the freedom of science fiction to examine true human nature. The film was flooded with positive reviews and is considered one of the best science-fiction films ever made.
Aniara: Released in 2018
”Aniara” is a science-fiction space horror film written and directed by Pella Kagerman and Hugo Lilja. It is adapted from the 1956 Swedish poem of the same name by Harry Martinson. The film, set in the future, tells the story of the ravaged Earth and mass migration from Earth to Mars.
The Earth had been destroyed in the distant future by natural disasters and rising sea levels. Aniara was a luxurious spaceship that took passengers from Earth to Mars in three weeks. An artificial intelligence called Mima was present on the ship, which evoked the passengers’ experience of the Earth’s beauty, embedded in their memories and emotions, through virtual reality.
Suddenly, the spaceship deviates from its course to avoid colliding with space debris. Unfortunately, some of the debris hit the ship’s nuclear reactor, resulting in the ejection of the ship’s fuel. The ship lost all control on navigation, propulsion, and resumption of its course. Captain Chefone promised the passengers that they would resume their courses as soon as they passed a celestial body. For the next few years, the passengers remained panic-stricken as their only hope for sanity was to be soothed by Mimaand their memories.
The movie is a marvelous adaptation of the poem, with admirable cinematography and unique ways of framing the objects and characters. The film proves that there is no escape from the Supreme Power, no matter how much technology continues to advance.
2001- A Space Odyssey: Released in 1968
This film is an epic sci-fi space horror blockbuster, written and directed by Stanley Kubrick. The film is noted for its accurate depiction of space flight, magnificent special effects, and ambiguous imagery.
An alien monolith appeared in a prehistoric land and helped the local tribe of hominids to learn using the bones as tools and weapons. Millions of years had passed when Dr. Floyd, Chairman of the United States National Council of Astronautics, traveled to Clavius base, which was a U.S. Lunar outpost. At Clavius, Floyd called for a meeting to discuss their newest discovery, which was another monolith that was identical to the previous one.
When they reached the monolith, it emitted a high-powered radio signal when it was struck by sunlight. After eighteen months, the American spacecraft, Discovery One is seen heading towards Jupiter. Most of Discovery’s operations were controlled by ‘H.A.L.,’ a computer with a human personality. When H.A.L. reported the failure of an antenna control device, scientist Bowman found nothing wrong. Soon there began a conflict between H.A.L. and the scientists.
Many critics reviewed it as the ‘ultimate statement of a science fiction film. The movie deals with the topics of evolution, technology, artificial intelligence, existence, and the option of extraterrestrial life. It is also considered one of the greatest science fiction films to be ever made.
Dead Space: Released in 1991
”Dead Space” is a remake of the sci-fi film ”Mutant” produced in 1982 by Roger Corman. Though there are some differences, the main plot and the characters remain almost the same. The film follows the crew members of a spaceship that is orbiting Saturn when they are attacked by a deadly virus.
Phaeton had been a safe research facility, considered to be under control, until Commander Kreiger and his robot, Tinpan, received a distress signal from the research facility. On reaching the facility, the commander found out that the scientists had been busy performing a series of genetic experiments which had given rise to a deadly, hostile monster. This mutation-causing virus had become a threat to the planet, as the creatures created by the virus were almost unstoppable. This virus had been created by scientists to destroy another virus, the Delta-Five virus, which was already ravaging the planet.
The BeastMaster is back as Commander Kreiger as the responsibility of saving the endangered planet lies on his shoulders, and he is great in his performance. If you liked ”Mutant”, then you would like this film, too, as the special effects and suspense of the film make it highly entertaining.
Breach: Released in 2020
This American science-fiction action horror film is also titled ”Anti-Life” and is directed by John Suits. The lead stars of the film are Cody Kearsley, Bruce Willis, and Thomas Jane. The film follows an interstellar Ark that comes under the threat of a shapeshifting alien force.
The Earth was suffering from an abiotic crisis while 300,000 survivors were being taken to a new colony in a spaceship called the Ark. Blue and Shady were two experienced crew members who had been infected by a parasitic force. Meanwhile, Blue killed Ortega as she tried to hook up with him. Security officer Stanley discovered the decomposed body of Shady while the old janitor Clay found Ortega’s body.
As Blue killed another security officer, he was shot dead. After performing an autopsy, it was concluded that there was a parasite on the ship. Soon the dead bodies reanimate and start attacking other people on board, converting them into monsters as well. How would the survivors protect themselves from this hostile parasite and the monstrous creatures?
The actual monster is pretty well made, and the possessed workers put up a good show too. It is thrilling and exciting as a B-movie with the charismatic presence of Bruce Willis.
The Dark Side of The Moon: Released in 1990
”The Dark Side of the Moon” is a direct-to-video sci-fi horror film. The film is directed by D. J. Webster and written by Carey Hayes and Chad Hayes and follows the bizarre experience of the crew of a spacecraft involving the mystery of the Bermuda Triangles.
Somewhere in the near future, a maintenance vehicle was seen orbiting the Earth, set on a mission to repair the nuclear-armed satellites. Suddenly, the crew experienced an unexpected power failure. Without the power, the spaceship started freezing and also began to drift towards the dark side of the moon. They visualized an old NASA shuttle, the Discovery drifting towards them, although NASA had been inoperative for the last 30 years.
Two of the crew members boarded the shuttle to look for parts for repairing their own ship, but instead, they found a dead body. The mission records of the shuttle indicated that the shuttle had disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle many years ago. But they were unaware that a malevolent force had been waiting with the dead body as its host.
The introduction of the Bermuda Triangles in the plot gives the film an interesting twist. The performance of the cast is quite good; the shadowy cinematography and the shivery score get the desired chill factor a horror film needs.
Creature: Released in 1985
Two rival corporations send their crews to the largest moon of Saturn, but the wrath of an unknown creature may ensure that they never come back to Earth. This is the storyline of the science-fiction horror film ”Creature”, directed by William Malone.
Geological researchers of the American multinational corporation N.T.I. found an ancient alien laboratory on Titan, the largest moon of Saturn. In the lab, there was a container, which kept an alien creature alive. The creature emerged and killed the scientists while their space station crashed. N.T.I. dispatched their new ship Shenandoah to Titan.
While in orbit, the crew located a distress signal that was coming from another ship from their rival West German multinational Richter Dynamics. While landing, the ground collapsed, and the ship fell into the cavern. A search party was organized to contact the Germans. In the German ship, they found the crew had been slaughtered by the hostile alien creature. Soon the crew of both the spaceships started being stalked and killed one by one by the mysterious creature.
Within the limited budget, Malone offers an appropriate atmosphere with decent gore. The special effects by Robert and Dennis Skotak were also pretty good. The movie is an ”Alien” rip-off but is more scary and violent than ”Alien” and maintains the adrenaline-rush throughout the movie.
It! The Terror from Beyond Space: Released in 1958
This is the oldest movie on the list and inspiration for Dan O’Bannon’s screenplay for Ridley Scott’s classic 1979 film, ”Alien”. This film was written by Jerome Bixby and directed by Edward L Cahn. The story involves Earth’s second mission to Mars to investigate the outcome of the first mission.
In the year 1973, a spaceship returned to Earth from Mars, bringing the sole survivor, Edward Carruthers. He was suspected of killing the other crew members for food and water rations, but Carruthers constantly denied the allegation, mentioning a hostile humanoid creature responsible for the death of his crew. Commander Van Heusen returned to the red planet with Carruthers, but while the spaceship was on the surface, there was an emergency opening allowing the creature to easily enter the spaceship. Soon the creature started killing the crew member one by one, while bullets had no effect on the creature. An autopsy of the dead body revealed that the creature had sucked all the fluid from the body. The creature was found immune to hand grenades and gas grenades, while it was so strong that it crashed through the metal doors.
The director maintains a steady pace of the story, while the cramped set design, lighting, and the use of shadow add to the creepy and claustrophobic atmosphere. The film is highly entertaining.
Savage Planet: Released in 2006
Another similar film on the list is ”Savage Planet” which is directed by Andrew Wild and written by Jeff Hare, Kevin Moore, and Declan O’Brien.
The story takes us to the year 2068, when Earth’s natural resources had been depleted, and it could not sustain human life any longer. Most of the companies were trying to colonize the moon, but Caron decided to colonize the planet Oxygen, which can save the lives of billions of people. Since this planet was 20,000 light-years away, a method of deep space teleporting had to be used to get there. A team led by Cain arrived at the planet by teleporting but, to their horror, found that voracious, huge, prehistoric bears reside in the planet, which itself is in an unstable condition. The team tried to leave the planet but began to face many challenges. Will they be able to get out of that horrifying planet?
There is plenty of suspense, and the atmosphere is also made very creepy. The encounters with the bears are quite nerve-wracking. Overall, the film displays the usual chills and thrills that horror fans expect from any horror film.
The Green Slime: Released in 1968
The Green Slime is a tokusatsu science fiction movie directed by Kinji Fukasaku. The film was shot in Japan. The film is about a group of astronauts who accidentally carry with them an alien slime creature.
A group of researchers realized that the Earth is about to encounter a fatal collision with the asteroid Flora. Thus, Commander Jack Rankin was summoned to take charge of the space station Gamma 3 and destroy the asteroid. Rankin commanded a shuttle on the surface of Flora to set the bomb and destroy it. While on the surface, they discover a strange amoeba-like organism attached to their vehicles. Dr. Halverson wanted to investigate the sample, but Rankin threw the substance as some of it splattered on Dr. Halverson’s suit.
After the detonation was successful, the crew returned to the spacecraft to celebrate while their spacesuits were being decontaminated. The energy from the decontamination created the one-eyed tentacled creature that discharged electricity, which caused the blood to multiply and create more creatures. The creatures attacked the crew and began slaughtering them.
The performance of the cast is awesome, and the pace of the film is brisk. The special effects are amazing. In spite of the movie being from 1968, it is quite enjoyable and entertaining.
Alien Cargo: Released in 1999
A space cargo ship comes under the attack of an alien life form that releases the inner evil psyche of any organic life. This is the story of sci-fi, space horror, ”Alien Cargo”, directed by Mark Haber.
Two crew members were awakened from their hyper-sleep aboard the cargo transport ship Solar System Shipping Vessel No 17. The two members, Christopher McNeil and Theta Kaplan realized that they had been awakened ten months past their scheduled time. Soon, they discovered that the ship’s internal systems were badly damaged, they were out of fuel, and they had drifted off-course.
As they examined the ship’s log, they discovered a space probe that was brought on board. They encountered a strange substance and began to analyze it. It was not before long that both of them started to argue that escalated into violence. As Kaplan was trapped in the freezing cargo, she realized the new substance-induced psychosis but became inert at low body temperatures. The ship’s computer suggested a drug to control the infection but soon it was discovered that the drug had a temporary effect.
There are no crazy monsters while the story proceeds logically in a sensible manner. This low-budget film relies more on an interesting story rather than on special effects and appearance.