10 Cosmic Horror Films To Scare You Into Oblivion

Despite it being heralded as one of the best sci-fi horrors of all time, Alien (on paper) doesn’t inherently seem like a cosmic horror. Compared to the other films where the creatures are from another dimension, Alien has its feet still placed firmly in reality.

The reason for Alien being a cosmic horror is based on the creature’s design.

Created by H. R. Giger, the xenomorph was made to look as different from humanity as possible while possessing features designed to instill a psychological terror within the viewer. The only emotion a human can relate to the alien is fear.

This unemphatic design and the mystery surrounding how the alien got on the moon in the first place is what turns this space thriller to cosmic horror. Alongside the alien, there are artefacts from a past civilisation shown on the moon – including a giant alien skeleton.

These artefacts were also designed by Giger, who specialises in merging human bodies and technology together to create some bizarre and sickening art works. The giant creature, who’s bones are surrounded by intricate technology, gives the viewer even more of a lasting fear than the alien. The audience gets to know this xenomorph, but the body in the chair remains a mystery.

Or it DID until Prometheus was released.

Despite the prequel, Alien still stands as a cosmic horror classic.