When science-fiction and horror overlap, there is running and screaming, the towns people grab pitchforks and torches and the very idea of what it means to be human is called into question. At least, that’s what happens in some of the best movies that dip into both genres.
The age-old question of where the ethical line is in science and whether it should be crossed never ceases to generate new terrors as technology continues to develop. Killer cyborgs and androids? Out-of-control genetic mutation? Radiation-spawned monsters? All of these have have fueled some of our favorite sci-fi horror films.
If you’re new to this subgenre, here are some great movies to start with:
Frankenstein (1931)
The original mad scientist’s experiment gone wrong, with a career-making — and wordless — performance from lead Boris Karloff as the monster. With this and the horror hit “Dracula,” Universal got into the monster business early, following it up with “The Invisible Man,” “The Wolf Man” and “The Mummy.” While we’ve seen countless remakes of Mary Shelley’s groundbreaking tale in the decades since, nothing can match the frightening frisson of the original.
Them! (1954)
The ’50s were chockablock with movies about ordinary creatures of all kinds growing insanely large thanks to nuclear radiation. This 94-minute entry is easily the best of them with a no-nonsense hero in future “Gunsmoke” star James Arness and a (gasp!) female scientist (Joan Weldon) who is far from just a damsel in distress. Also: James Cameron is a big fan: He based the storyline of the orphan who is too traumatized to speak in “Aliens” on this movie.
Seconds (1966)
In this chilling drama from the director of “The Manchurian Candidate,” middle-aged banker Arthur Hamilton gets a second chance at life with a new face — that of movie star Rock Hudson. But his new life isn’t quite what he expected…
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
While we love the original ’50s version, with its noir overtones and McCarthy-era setting, the ’70s remake leans more heavily into the sci-fi side of things. With a stellar cast, including Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams and Leonard Nimoy, this version fits perfectly into the wave of post-Watergate conspiracy thrillers.
Alien (1979)
Ridley Scott’s franchise-launching film, in which the crew of a spaceship is slowly picked off one by one by a monstrous alien, still makes us shiver. While the most talked-about scene is that shocking dinner scene, Scott deftly uses a slower pace to create a mounting sense of dread that’s hard to escape.
The Thing (1982)
All the elements come together perfectly in John Carpenter’s remake of the (also great) 1951 film: The chilling isolation of the Antarctica research station, a flamethrower-wielding Kurt Russell, the eerie presence of wolfdog Jed and, of course, that fantastic, unsettling score by Ennio Morricone, not to mention the jaw-dropping special effects by Rob Bottin.
The Dead Zone (1983)
After a car accident leaves him in a coma for nearly five years, Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken) awakens with newfound psychic powers. When he crosses paths with an ambitious presidential candidate Greg Stillson (Martin Sheen), he has a vision of him starting World War III, Johnny must decide whether he can — or should — stop Stillson.
The Fly (1986)
David Cronenberg exponentially ups the gore and goop factor in this far more harrowing remake of the ’50s classic, in which a scientist accidentally merges his DNA with that of a housefly.
Tremors (1990)
A small western town deals with, as frustrated survivalist Burt (Michael Gross) puts it, “underground god damn monsters” in this hilarious and eminently rewatchable creature feature. Overlooked in its initial release, it has since become a cult classic that spawned a number of sequels. A planned Syfy TV series, with original star Kevin Bacon returning as handyman Val, however, was not to be.
28 Days Later (2002)
A man (Cillian Murphy) awakens in a hospital bed to find that all of London is abandoned: What disaster could have befallen the city? Danny Boyle redefines the zombie movie with a new origin story (rage-infected lab monkeys), undead predators who run instead of shuffle and the age-old lesson that nothing is as scary as your fellow human beings.
Annihilation (2018)
An all-female team of scientists and soldiers investigate a bizarre phenomenon known as “the shimmer,” which mysteriously mutates animals, plants and people in real time. Alex Garland’s vision of this zone of no return is bleak but beautiful.
Possessor (2020)
Brandon Cronenberg ably inherits his father’s horror mantle with this ultra-gory, mind-melting film about assassins who are able to take over someone else’s body to commit murder. But sometimes, something goes wrong, as Tasya Vos (Andrea Riseborough) finds out.
