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Science fiction horror that is NOT b-grade

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  • Science fiction horror that is NOT b-grade

    Can anyone can recommend any movies combining the science fiction and horror genres that are not b-grade schlock (aside from "Alien")?

    Don't get me wrong: I enjoy mindless b-movies, but I'm wondering if that's really all there is to cinematic science fiction horror (again, aside from "Alien").

    I'm open to suggestions from any decade and any part of the world.

  • #2
    Aliens

    I'm always still in trouble again

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    • #3
      Really? I though Alien (and sequels) were b-grade schlock. Pretty much formula movies, people trapped in an isolated location, stalked by a monster, everyone dies but one brave girl. Same plot as Halloween, or John Carpenter's "Thing"

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      • #4
        Originally posted by I am Ivo, hear me roar View Post
        Can anyone can recommend any movies combining the science fiction and horror genres that are not b-grade schlock (aside from "Alien")?

        Don't get me wrong: I enjoy mindless b-movies, but I'm wondering if that's really all there is to cinematic science fiction horror (again, aside from "Alien").

        I'm open to suggestions from any decade and any part of the world.
        This is really going to come down to what you mean by "science-fiction" and what you mean by "horror". Are you referring to anything to do with aliens? Are you referring to those films that take place primarily in outer space? Are you referring to mad scientists who create evil diseases or Frankenstein-type monsters? Are you referring to post-apocalyptic? I can give you a list of some of my favorite sci-fi horrors, but depending on who you ask, some of these will probably be considered "b" because they were made on cheaper budgets, are indie films, or because they didn't do that great in their original release. Some modern audiences may no longer consider all of them "horror" (things that scared audiences then don't scare them today). Assuming you're referring to films in the vein of Alien where they take place in outer-space or on alien planets, some of my favorites include:

        Event Horizon.
        Pandorum.
        Pitch Black.
        Screamers.

        Good horror films that deal with aliens on earth include:

        The Thing.
        The Mist.
        Predator.
        Cloverfield Lane and (in my opinion, the better film) 10 Cloverfield Lane.
        Lifeforce.
        Attack the Block.
        They Live.

        Good non-alien sci-fi horror might include:

        Cube.
        Altered States.
        Hardware.

        Films that I think can be technically described as "sci-fi", but don't have to do with the future, aliens, technology or the like might include:

        Scanners.
        Coherence (which is really low-budget/indie, so be aware).
        +1.
        Night of the Comet.
        The Crazies.

        If you like time travel films (which I personally hate) then there's always the popular "Timecrimes". If you want a great, but depressing post-apocalyptic film there's "The Road" or "Soylent Green". If you're looking for sci-fi horror that is completely weird, surreal or out there there's:

        Videodrome.
        Tetsuo The Iron Man.
        Beyond the Black Rainbow.

        A few of the above films would likely be regarded as straight up "b", but I can probably narrow down the list if you can describe exactly what you're looking for.
        Last edited by Adrift; 04-18-2017, 08:13 AM.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
          Aliens
          Mmm. Yes, but.

          I consider Aliens to be more sci-fi-action than straight up sci-fi horror like Alien.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Sparko View Post
            Really? I though Alien (and sequels) were b-grade schlock. Pretty much formula movies, people trapped in an isolated location, stalked by a monster, everyone dies but one brave girl. Same plot as Halloween, or John Carpenter's "Thing"

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            • #7
              I'd second pretty much everything on Adrift's list. The only other one I can think of is In the Mouth of Madness, though I'm not sure if that would qualify as a b-movie.

              Maybe Prometheus?
              I DENOUNCE DONALD J. TRUMP AND ALL HIS IMMORAL ACTS.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Zymologist View Post
                I'd second pretty much everything on Adrift's list. The only other one I can think of is In the Mouth of Madness, though I'm not sure if that would qualify as a b-movie.

                Maybe Prometheus?
                In the Mouth of Madness is one of my absolutely favorite horror films. Definitely in my top three, but I don't consider it science-fiction at all. Not unless we stretch the term to refer to eldritch alternate dimensions that bleed into our own. In that case I guess it would be comparable to The Mist, but for some reason I consider The Mist more science-fictiony than In the Mouth of Madness. I don't know why I give one a pass, but not the other.

                Yeah, I had thought of adding Prometheus. I figured I'd give Ivo something that wasn't Alien based though. Also, this is where we start running into issues about what's considered horror and what's not. Had it come out 40 years ago, audiences would have definitely considered Prometheus horror. Probably even 25 years ago. But I'm not sure if audiences considered it horror on it's actual release. Strange how our definition of horror has changed over time. I think it's the only film genre that really has.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Adrift View Post
                  In the Mouth of Madness is one of my absolutely favorite horror films. Definitely in my top three, but I don't consider it science-fiction at all. Not unless we stretch the term to refer to eldritch alternate dimensions that bleed into our own. In that case I guess it would be comparable to The Mist, but for some reason I consider The Mist more science-fictiony than In the Mouth of Madness. I don't know why I give one a pass, but not the other.

                  Yeah, I had thought of adding Prometheus. I figured I'd give Ivo something that wasn't Alien based though. Also, this is where we start running into issues about what's considered horror and what's not. Had it come out 40 years ago, audiences would have definitely considered Prometheus horror. Probably even 25 years ago. But I'm not sure if audiences considered it horror on it's actual release. Strange how our definition of horror has changed over time. I think it's the only film genre that really has.
                  Yeah, horror's a weird genre. I've seen plenty of non-horror that I thought was absolutely horrifying (think Black Mirror), and plenty of horror films that were...not.

                  So Ivo, maybe Black Mirror is worth recommending. It's a sci-fi anthology show on Netflix; loosely similar to The Twilight Zone, but more tech-focused. It's not "horror" in any traditional sense, but several of the episodes are quite disturbing, IMO. It's really well done.
                  I DENOUNCE DONALD J. TRUMP AND ALL HIS IMMORAL ACTS.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Adrift View Post


                    In fact MOST sci fi horror movies fall into two patterns: Monster chasing people down in a closed space (underground lab, space ship) killing everyone but one or two survivors, but ending in such a way that a sequel is possible (moving tentacle at the end, etc) or monster running amok through a city while the government sends futile planes and bombs against it (Jurrassic Park, Godzilla, King Kong, Cloverfield) while a few characters try to survive and eventually defeat the monster with some sort of weakness the monster has (e.g. Independence Day)

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Adrift View Post
                      This is really going to come down to what you mean by "science-fiction" and what you mean by "horror". Are you referring to anything to do with aliens? Are you referring to those films that take place primarily in outer space?
                      I suppose that was primarily what I had in mind, although I'm open to any films that blend the two genres.

                      I personally think the difference between a-grade and b-grade sometimes has more to do with execution than premise. As Sparko points out, Alien has a b-movie premise; however, most film critics, and general viewers consider it above b-grade due to the artfulness of its writing, acting, set design, and directing.

                      So, for me, a movie can have a wonky premise and still not be b-grade if it:

                      1.Takes its premise seriously and doesn't play it off as a joke.

                      2. Gives its characters actual depth and characterization.

                      3. Has smart writing, or at the very least, writing that's not overtly stupid and contrived.

                      4. Is competent in its direction and special effects.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by I am Ivo, hear me roar View Post
                        So, for me, a movie can have a wonky premise and still not be b-grade if it:

                        1.Takes its premise seriously and doesn't play it off as a joke.

                        2. Gives its characters actual depth and characterization.

                        3. Has smart writing, or at the very least, writing that's not overtly stupid and contrived.

                        4. Is competent in its direction and special effects.
                        Event Horizon is comes close but, IMHO, its execution goes off the rails in the last act after the revelation of where the ship has been.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Sparko View Post


                          In fact MOST sci fi horror movies fall into two patterns: Monster chasing people down in a closed space (underground lab, space ship) killing everyone but one or two survivors, but ending in such a way that a sequel is possible (moving tentacle at the end, etc) or monster running amok through a city while the government sends futile planes and bombs against it (Jurrassic Park, Godzilla, King Kong, Cloverfield) while a few characters try to survive and eventually defeat the monster with some sort of weakness the monster has (e.g. Independence Day)
                          If you want to narrow down the plotline to just "people being chased by monsters" then yeah, I guess. But Alien rises above "b-grade schlock" in so many ways. First of all, from just a purely visual perspective, the film is gorgeous and stands the test of time. Most of the artists on the film were working together for years on Jodorowsky's Dune. We get costumes from Moebius, creature and alien spaceship design from Giger, and the work of Chris Foss on the Nostromo. Scott's attention to detail in this film is spectacular, and he's at his absolute prime as far as direction is concerned. The characters are all very well fleshed out, and unlike a lot of b-films we have some top tier actors in the film including Tom Skerritt, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, and of course Sigourney Weaver. There's interesting side plots in the film like the introduction of the Space Jockey, and Weyland-Yutani/Ash's betrayal. And then the sequel comes along on a bigger budget with an equally impressive cast and direction, and with a twist when the prey turns the tables on the predator.

                          And yes, while I can grant that quite a bit of sci-fi horror does fit the mold you've mentioned, arguably films like Event Horizon, 10 Cloverfield Lane, They Live, Cube, Altered States, Scanners, Coherence, +1, Videodrome, Tetsuo, the Road, Timekillers, and Beyond the Black Rainbow don't fit that mold.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by I am Ivo, hear me roar View Post
                            I suppose that was primarily what I had in mind, although I'm open to any films that blend the two genres.

                            I personally think the difference between a-grade and b-grade sometimes has more to do with execution than premise. As Sparko points out, Alien has a b-movie premise; however, most film critics, and general viewers consider it above b-grade due to the artfulness of its writing, acting, set design, and directing.

                            So, for me, a movie can have a wonky premise and still not be b-grade if it:

                            1.Takes its premise seriously and doesn't play it off as a joke.

                            2. Gives its characters actual depth and characterization.

                            3. Has smart writing, or at the very least, writing that's not overtly stupid and contrived.

                            4. Is competent in its direction and special effects.
                            well the "B" stands for "budget" so if you throw enough money at a movie and hire good enough actors and have great special effects, you can turn any B movie plot into a "B"lockbuster.

                            but I stand by the claim that there are not many original plots in sci-fi/horror.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Adrift View Post
                              If you want to narrow down the plotline to just "people being chased by monsters" then yeah, I guess. But Alien rises above "b-grade schlock" in so many ways. First of all, from just a purely visual perspective, the film is gorgeous and stands the test of time. Most of the artists on the film were working together for years on Jodorowsky's Dune. We get costumes from Moebius, creature and alien spaceship design from Giger, and the work of Chris Foss on the Nostromo. Scott's attention to detail in this film is spectacular, and he's at his absolute prime as far as direction is concerned. The characters are all very well fleshed out, and unlike a lot of b-films we have some top tier actors in the film including Tom Skerritt, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, and of course Sigourney Weaver. There's interesting side plots in the film like the introduction of the Space Jockey, and Weyland-Yutani/Ash's betrayal. And then the sequel comes along on a bigger budget with an equally impressive cast and direction, and with a twist when the prey turns the tables on the predator.

                              And yes, while I can grant that quite a bit of sci-fi horror does fit the mold you've mentioned, arguably films like Event Horizon, 10 Cloverfield Lane, They Live, Cube, Altered States, Scanners, Coherence, +1, Videodrome, Tetsuo, the Road, Timekillers, and Beyond the Black Rainbow don't fit that mold.
                              I didnt say all scifi fit that mold. Just most sci-fi/Horror movies. Ones mostly involving monsters.

                              as far as Event Horizon, its been a while since I saw it, but wasn't it basically the same plot as "alien chases and kills people on a space ship, a couple survive but the monster isn't really dead"?

                              They Live was indeed a good movie that didn't fit the mold. 10 cloverfield lane was just an odd movie, more like a twilight zone movie. Cube fit a third plot line: People trapped by evil entity and need to work together to escape (e.g. Saw, nightmare on elm street) - Altered states: Scientist delves where he shouldn't, becomes a god and therefore the monster who tries to kill everyone (Lawnmower man) - Scanners was a good one. Coherence - didn't see that. Neither videodrome or tetsuo, the road, and beyond the black rainbow, or time killers.

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