The Evolution of Sci-Fi Horror: How the Genre Has Changed Over the Decades
A spine-chilling vision where you see humans transforming into mutants, aliens invading spaceship and devouring the crew, killer robots being controlled by artificial intelligence, extraterrestrial species attacking Earth, people wandering aimlessly through nuclear wasteland, and viral infections turning the population into cannibalistic monsters is a prime example of a grand realm of science fiction mixed with horror. Many great sci-fi horror movies use one of those premises to build a storyline, sometimes incorporating it with the conventions of action, drama, slasher, psychological thriller, or a mixture of them. Sci-fi horror, as a genre, has evolved a great deal over the decades, often mirroring contemporary fears about the danger of nuclear apocalypse, unrestrained technological development, and good-old fear of alien invasion. Therefore, changes in societal anxiety have dictated how filmmakers should craft their sci-fi horror movies. It all started with the typical monster trope, followed by the dark cosmos, and finally genetic engineering dread. The evolutionary path so far has been marked by several pretty clear milestones, as follows. In this blog, we will delve into the evolution of sci-fi horror and how the genre has changed over the decades.
Frankenstein
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, a novel published in 1818, is widely regarded as the first literary work to have successfully blurred the lines between the parent genres, science fiction and horror, and mixed them into a single subgenre. The basic premise of a scientific experiment that goes horribly wrong and creates a humanoid monster in the process helped lay groundwork based on which future sci-fi horror movies and novels would be made.
Atomic Age
Following decades of monster movies, the genre then arrived at a point where stories about the danger of nuclear weapons and the far-reaching consequences of the atomic age became a major topic of discussion. At the end of World War II, after the incident in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the world realized that the development of Weapons of Mass Destruction could pose an actual threat to human extinction, should there be another great war between the world’s superpowers. The military doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction during the Cold War also didn’t help with the anxiety surrounding nuclear technology.
Many sci-fi horror movies from the era didn’t actually talk about the war itself, but the risk of exposure to radioactive material and how it might affect humanity at large. Films like Them! (1954), Tarantula (1955), and The Mole People (1956) talked about mutants–although they didn’t always mention anything about nuclear radiation, the message was pretty clear that technology could very well be humanity’s ultimate doom.
Cosmic Horror
Some would say that the 1970s and the 1980s were the golden age of sci-fi horror, and they might have a point indeed. Taking the sci-fi exploration to outer space and delivering the terror as extraterrestrial species were the hallmark of the period. At least two sci-fi horror movies perfectly represent this step in the genre’s evolutionary tree: Alien (1979) and Predator (1987). If Ridley Scott’s Alien is about how humans encounter an incomprehensible monster in space–where no one can hear you scream, John McTiernan’s Predator brings the threat back home where an ancient alien species is hunting humans just for the fun of it. Those two movies remain today as some of the best to have been produced within the realm of sci-fi horror.
Body horror also had its place in the subgenre from the era. Videodrome (1983) and The Fly (1986), both directed by David Cronenberg, were prime examples of how science fiction, with all its technologies and inventions could cause all kinds of horror delivered through the unnatural transformations of human bodies.
Genetic Engineering and Virtual Reality
The contemporary anxiety shifted again as the new millennium approached, from the fear of encounters with extraterrestrial forces to the concern about emerging technologies like genetic engineering and virtual reality. About genetic engineering, no film could frame and reconstruct the unease about the matter better than Gattaca (1997), a fine work of the cinematic industry from the bygone decade to reiterate the potential downfall of messing with human biology on the DNA level.
And then there’s The Matrix (1999). Much of the film leans toward action thriller and sci-fi horror, but there’s no denying that it does paint a seriously horrifying picture of the future of humanity amidst an unbridled growth of digital technology.
We think the sci-fi horror genre will continue to develop as it constantly trails technological development, even if it moves at a breakneck speed recently. There will always be new fertile ground for sci-fi horror movies; you can always rely on Hollywood to discover new ways to bring you fresh nightmares. Sci-fi horror isn’t just about cheap jump scares and slasher thrillers. This is a subgenre that forces you to confront the risk of development and exploration, putting you into a place where you have to face consequences of scientific progress. So long as we have fears of the scientific unknowns, filmmakers will not run out of ideas to entertain your vision of sci-fi horror.
What sci-fi film have you watched recently? Can you name some sci-fi horror movies about pandemic fears? We’d love to hear from you.
Other Things You Might Want to Know
How many films are in The Matrix series?
There are four films (so far), including:
The Matrix (March 1999)
The Matrix Reloaded (May 2003)
The Matrix Revolutions (September 2003)
The Matrix Resurrections (December 2021)
What is the best film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein?
According to The Guardian, the 1935 sci-fi horror film The Bride of Frankenstein is the best adaptation of the novel. A sequel to the 1931 film, the monster is depicted as much more prominent in the sense that it could really push viewers to empathize with it. For instance, the film presents you the ideas of the monster learning to speak and trying to make friends, but it’s only good at wreaking havoc everywhere.
Is there an upcoming movie about Frankenstein?
Yes, there is indeed. Scheduled for release in 2025, the new movie is simply titled Frankenstein, directed by Guillermo del Toro based on Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel. Jacob Elordi, who played as Elvis Presley in Priscilla (2023), is cast as the monster.
