Skip to main content

camusunder's Top 25 Favorite Cosmic Horror Films

Cosmic horror is probably my favorite horror subgenre. It relies heavily on the morbid and terrifying unknown. Often characters descend into madness as the unthinkable horrors of an uncaring universe move about them (and us).

This list is of my favorites in the genre. Let me know if there are any you like that aren't present; it's an underrated genre with relatively scarce examples.


25. The Whisperer in Darkness  ||  Dir. Sean Branney  ||  2011  ||  Science Fiction, Cosmic Horror

24. The Void  ||  Dir. Jeremy Gillespie / Steven Kostanski  ||  2016  ||  Body Horror, Cosmic Horror, Supernatural Horror

23. Glorious  ||  Dir. Rebekah McKendry  ||  2022  ||  Cosmic Horror, Horror Comedy, Chamber Film

22. AM1200  ||  Dir. David Prior  ||  2007  ||  Cosmic Horror

21. Prometheus  ||  Dir. Ridley Scott  ||  2012  ||  Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Extraterrestrial, Body Horror, Cosmic Horror

20. Event Horizon  ||  Dir. Paul W.S. Anderson  ||  1997  ||  Science Fiction, Cosmic Horror, Supernatural Horror, Space Exploration

19. A Cure for Wellness  ||  Dir. Gore Verbinski  ||  2016  ||  Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Psychological Horror, Cosmic Horror

18. Stridulum [The Visitor]  ||  Dir. Giulio Paradisi  ||  1979  ||  Horror, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Supernatural Horror, Cosmic Horror

17. The Haunted Palace  ||  Dir. Roger Corman  ||  1963  ||  Gothic Horror, Haunted House, Cosmic Horror

16. Hellbound: Hellraiser II  ||  Dir. Tony Randel  ||  1988  ||  Body Horror, Supernatural Horror, Cosmic Horror, Portal Fantasy

15. From Beyond  ||  Dir. Stuart Gordon  ||  1986  ||  Body Horror, Science Fiction, Cosmic Horror, Splatter

14. Hellraiser  ||  Dir. Clive Barker  ||  1987  ||  Supernatural Horror, Body Horror, Cosmic Horror

13. Invasion of the Body Snatchers  ||  Dir. Philip Kaufman  ||  1978  ||  Psychological Horror, Science Fiction, New Hollywood, Alien Invasion, Body Horror 

12. The Mist  ||  Dir. Frank Darabont  ||  2007  ||  Cosmic Horror, Psychological Thriller, Horror, Siege Film 

11. Prince of Darkness  ||  Dir. John Carpenter  ||  1987  ||  Cosmic Horror, Science Fiction, Supernatural Horror, Siege Film

10. The Empty Man  ||  Dir. David Prior  ||  2020  ||  Mystery, Cosmic Horror, Psychological Thriller 

9. The Outwaters  ||  Dir. Robbie Banfitch  ||  2022  ||  Found Footage Horror, Surrealism, Cosmic Horror, Experimental 

8. Annihilation  ||  Dir. Alex Garland  ||  2018  ||  Science Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Cosmic Horror 

7. Mad God  ||  Dir. Phil Tippet  ||  2021  ||  Stop-Motion, Body Horror, Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, Surrealism, Cosmic Horror  

6. Under the Skin  ||  Dir. Jonathan Glazer  ||  2013  ||  Cosmic Horror, Psychological Drama, Science Fiction, Extraterrestrial, Psychological Horror, Surrealism 

5. Alien  ||  Dir. Ridley Scott  ||  1979  ||  Cosmic, Horror, Science Fiction, Extraterrestrial

4. The Lighthouse  ||  Dir. Robert Eggers  ||  2019  ||  Psychological Thriller, Psychological Horror, Chamber Film, Gothic Horror, Cosmic Horror

3. アキラ Akira  ||  Dir. 大友克洋 [Katsuhiro Otomo]  ||  1988  ||  Cyberpunk, Anime, Dystopian, Action, Cosmic Horror

2. In the Mouth of Madness  ||  Dir. John Carpenter  ||  1994  ||  Psychological Horror, Cosmic Horror, Supernatural Horror, Postmodernism  

1. The Thing  ||  Dir. John Carpenter  ||  1982  ||  Body Horror, Psychological Horror, Science Fiction, Alien Invasion, Cosmic Horror  

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ranking Chelsea Wolfe's Discography (Worst to Best)

Similar / relevant lists: Gaian Doom Boxset               Chelsea Wolfe Interview Compilation                 Radiohead Song Ranking Björk Ranking                          The Joy Formidable Ranking Chelsea Wolfe is a strong contender for my favorite artist of all time. Her and the eponymous band's style is versatile, and, contrary to the views of some detractors, not chameleonic; all of her work is very dark and often gothic, but there are many different facets and angles of her own unique darkness that she comes at in her work. Genres she has explored include ethereal wave, dark folk, doom metal, and gothic rock. In this ranking, I will list my favorite studio albums in reverse order. Underneath, I will rank my 50 favorite songs of hers. 8. Mistake in Parting  ||  Alternative Rock  ||  2006  ||  5.5/10 7. Birth ...
2 comments
Read more

Favorite Songs of the 1970s (Chronological)

  Decade Rating: 3.92. Ranked  #1 / 7. 5 songs per year, starting from 1970. 1970     1) Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath  ||  Heavy Metal, Hard Rock     2)  Neil Young - Tell Me Why  ||  Country Rock, Folk Rock     3)  Exuma - Mama Loi, Papa Loi  ||  Freak Folk, Caribbean Folk     4)  Miles Davis - Pharaoh's Dance  ||  Jazz Fusion, Avant-Garde Jazz     5)  Santana - Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen  ||  Latin Rock 1971     1) Joni Mitchell - All I Want  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk     2)  The Rolling Stones - Wild Horses  ||  Blues Rock     3)  Funkadelic - Super Stupid  ||  Funk Rock, Psychedelic Rock     4)  Comus - Drip Drip  ||  Freak Folk, Avant-Folk, Progressive Folk     5)  Leonard Cohen - Avalanche  ||  Singer/Songwrit...
Post a Comment
Read more

Cold & Dark Electronic (Genre Playlist)

Electronic music spans a vast and diverse landscape, but the cold and dark subgenres hold a special place for their atmospheric depth and emotive intensity. These tracks are characterized by moody, intricate production, and often explore themes of introspection, dystopia, and the human condition. The artists in this realm push the boundaries of sound, crafting music that is both haunting and mesmerizing. The past few decades have seen a significant evolution in these subgenres, with innovation and experimentation leading to some truly unforgettable tracks. Electronic production is often associated with newer music...I don't necessarily agree with this, but there is a definite tendency towards some more recent tracks here. Nevertheless, there is a good amount of older stuff in this playlist as well. Below is an unranked (but carefully curated) playlist of some of my favorite cold and dark electronic songs from across the years. Hope you enjoy! 1. The Knife - Silent Shout  ||  S...
Post a Comment
Read more