Horror in Space

In sharp contrast to many 1960s science fiction films, which presented an idealized view of space exploration, Ridley Scott's Alien (1979) terrified audiences, depicting a harrowing and ultimately doomed deep-space mission. The Alien films launched a new generation of horror set in the great unknown, inspiring genre filmmakers to take Earth-bound franchises like Leprechaun and Friday the 13th into space. 

   This collection of new essays examines the space horror subgenre, with a focus on such films as Paul W.S. Anderson's Event Horizon, Duncan Jones' Moon, Mario Bava's Planet of the Vampires and John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars. Contributors dicsuss how filmmakers explored the concepts of the final girl/survivor, the uncanny valley, the isolationism of space travel, religion and supernatural phenomena.