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The Top 20 Horror Science-Fiction Films of All Time!

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What happens when you combine horror and science-fiction–those two vaunted pillars of genre entertainment? You wind up with some of the most fascinating, challenging, and downright kick-ass pieces of cinematic gold ever created. The key to great horror/sci-fi is maintaining that balance between the horrific and the…well, science-fictiony elements, and we think that the 20 flicks included in this list represent the very best examples of just that. We hope you enjoy, and let’s keep the rowdiness to a minimum–people are trying to sleep around here!

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The Top 20 Horror Science-Fiction Films of All Time

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20. Event Horizon (1997)


Although bashed by some, we find this gory space epic to be an excellent modern-day haunted house story. Combining hard sci-fi and intense horror, it’s an underrated thrill ride in the tradition of Alien. Directed, oddly enough, by the man who would later take a massive squat on that franchise with 2004’s Alien vs. Predator.

19. Species (1995)


With an impressive A-list cast and a Giger-designed monster, this one tells the tale of a sensual killing machine created by splicing human and alien DNA. Natasha Henstridge plays the unforgettable Sil, an alien life form that must mate and kill. Thankfully, in that order.

18. They Live (1987)


“Rowdy” Roddy Piper kicks ass, chews bubblegum, and engages in the longest, most pointless, and most awesome brawl in movie history. All in the name of driving an insidious alien menace from our fair planet. Thank you, Hot Rod!

17. Bad Taste (1987)


Fifteen years before he became a respected auteur with his acclaimed LOTR trilogy, Peter Jackson gave us this inspired, madcap, horror sci-fi comedy about a race of hideous aliens intent on turning humans into fast food.

16. It Came from Outer Space (1953)


A strange spaceship crash-lands near a mine, and while most of the foolish cast takes it for nothing but a meteor, people start disappearing mysteriously. One of the earliest examples of the alien invasion film, thanks mainly to the rise of Cold War paranoia.

15. Invaders from Mars (1953)


Perhaps the definitive McCarthy-era Red Scare inspired alien invasion flick, with Martians literally taking over the minds of Earthlings, with only one young boy knowing the horrible truth. Watch out for the very unusual climax as the army faces off with the invaders in classic fashion.

14. Lifeforce (1985)


A space mission to Halley’s Comet (remember when that was a really big deal?), inadvertently brings back some pesky interstellar vampires that convert the majority of London into the walking dead. Bloody hell!

13. The Blob (1988)


A gelatinous mass engineered by the good ol’ U.S. government (as opposed to the space invader of the nearly-as-good 1958 original) wreaks holy havoc in a small town, eating away at everything in its path. Kind of like Kirstie Alley on a commercial set.

12. The Invisible Man (1933)


Jack Griffin unlocks the key to invisibility. Unfortunately, it also transforms him into a raving, homicidal lunatic. Claude Rains is unforgettable as the titular Universal baddie. One of the classic “scientist tampers with nature and pays the price” stories, based on the seminal H.G. Wells novel.

11. Them! (1954)


The 1950s was rife with cautionary tales of giant irradiated fauna, but none packed as much of a terrifying punch as this one. Massive mutated ants run roughshod over New Mexico in this classic, filled with genuine dread and fine performances from the likes of the late Richard Whitmore.

10. Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1931)


This Robert Louis Stephenson literary favorite has been retold so many times, we tend to forget it is in fact a seminal work of both horror and early science fiction. And of all the versions, nothing tops Fredric March’s Oscar-winning turn as the scientist who tampers unwisely with the dark side of the human psyche, 75 years before Dr. Bruce Banner.

9. Scanners (1981)


David Cronenberg was simply a master of combining horror and sci-fi, and did so brilliantly in this film about powerful psychics and the forces out to stop them. Plus, it has the most famous exploding head scene in the history of cinema, so what more do you really need?

8. Videodrome (1983)


Speaking of Cronenberg, this bizarre mix of sci-fi and surreal was way ahead of its time, exploring how the media can literally warp and control the minds of its viewers. The imagery is strange and disturbing in the extreme, even for Cronenberg. Unless you enjoy seeing men sprouting vagina dentata out of their mid-sections.

7. Gojira (1954)


If the thought of Godzilla conjures up “Save the Earth”, little boys in short shorts and guys doing wrestling moves in rubber suits, then you need to see the original Japanese Godzilla flick. A powerful and extremely well-made film, it makes a strong case against the dangers of nuclear weapons, and gives us a city-destroying monster that is a far cry from the goofy character he later became.

6. Altered States (1980)


This adaptation of Paddy Chayefsky’s novel casts a young William Hurt as a scientist who conducts hallucinatory experiments on himself that eventually cause him to genetically regress. Sounds kind of like college.

5. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)


If someone uses the words invasion, body and snatch all in the same sentence, we normally don’t instantly assume OOH! HORROR SCI-FI… But you can’t always judge based on first impressions. Creeping us out with alien invaders that don’t want us to take them to our leader, but rather to make our bodies host to them, this classic is one that mustn’t be missed.

4. The Fly (1986)


There’s absolutely nothing more terrifying than a half-fly half-Russian Jew with a staccato delivery that Shatner WISHES he could pull off. Well, maybe there is, but the Fly would still be pretty damn close. We also get Jeff Goldblum’s greatest performance this side of Jurassic Park, and a reason to actually appreciate Geena Davis. It takes a real woman to birth a worm.

3. Frankenstein (1931)


In many ways, Mary Shelley’s 19th century novel was the very first science fiction novel, so it’s only fitting that the classic Universal adaptation, though vastly different, would be one of the finest sci-fi horror flicks ever made. In fact, the movie stresses the science-fictional elements ever more than the original book.

2. The Thing (1982)


Once again, if someone asks if we want to see “the Thing”, sci-fi doesn’t immediately spring to mind. This shape-shifting alien is a far cry from the Wonder Twins. And who could forget the infamous blood screening scene? Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “you might want to get yourself tested”!

And finally, the number-one horror/sci-fi film of all time…

1. Alien (1979)


In space, no one can hear you scream. But that doesn’t stop the crew of the Nostromo from doing quite a bit of it in this, the mother of all horror sci-fi flicks. Following in the wake of the fairy tale Star Wars, Ridley Scott’s masterpiece took space drama deeper into the realm of the macabre than it had ever before ventured. It’s a perfect blend of both genres, and the H.R. Giger-designed creature remains the stuff of otherwordly nightmares.

For more news and opinions on the world of horror, including an exclusive review of the new Mischa Barton thriller Homecoming, a remembrance of David Carradine, and the Top 10 Horror TV Series of All Time, check out Brian’s daily blog, The Vault of Horror, at thevaultofhorror.net.

And for a unique look at the feminine side of fear, including an impassioned plea against the Scream remake, and the ultimate A-Z of horror movie actresses, check out The Vault’s sister blog, Day of the Woman, at dayofwoman.blogspot.com.

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Editorials

‘Leprechaun Returns’ – The Charm of the Franchise’s Legacy Sequel

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leprechaun returns

The erratic Leprechaun franchise is not known for sticking with a single concept for too long. The namesake (originally played by Warwick Davis) has gone to L.A., Las Vegas, space, and the ‘hood (not once but twice). And after an eleven-year holiday since the Davis era ended, the character received a drastic makeover in a now-unmentionable reboot. The critical failure of said film would have implied it was time to pack away the green top hat and shillelagh, and say goodbye to the nefarious imp. Instead, the Leprechaun series tried its luck again.

The general consensus for the Leprechaun films was never positive, and the darker yet blander Leprechaun: Origins certainly did not sway opinions. Just because the 2014 installment took itself seriously did not mean viewers would. After all, creator Mark Jones conceived a gruesome horror-comedy back in the early nineties, and that format is what was expected of any future ventures. So as horror legacy sequels (“legacyquels”) became more common in the 2010s, Leprechaun Returns followed suit while also going back to what made the ‘93 film work. This eighth entry echoed Halloween (2018) by ignoring all the previous sequels as well as being a direct continuation of the original. Even ardent fans can surely understand the decision to wipe the slate clean, so to speak.

Leprechaun Returns “continued the [franchise’s] trend of not being consistent by deciding to be consistent.” The retconning of Steven Kostanski and Suzanne Keilly’s film was met with little to no pushback from the fandom, who had already become accustomed to seeing something new and different with every chapter. Only now the “new and different” was familiar. With the severe route of Origins a mere speck in the rearview mirror, director Kotanski implemented a “back to basics” approach that garnered better reception than Zach Lipovsky’s own undertaking. The one-two punch of preposterous humor and grisly horror was in full force again.

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Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

With Warwick Davis sitting this film out — his own choice — there was the foremost challenge of finding his replacement. Returns found Davis’ successor in Linden Porco, who admirably filled those blood-stained, buckled shoes. And what would a legacy sequel be without a returning character? Jennifer Aniston obviously did not reprise her final girl role of Tory Redding. So, the film did the next best thing and fetched another of Lubdan’s past victims: Ozzie, the likable oaf played by Mark Holton. Returns also created an extension of Tory’s character by giving her a teenage daughter, Lila (Taylor Spreitler).

It has been twenty-five years since the events of the ‘93 film. The incident is unknown to all but its survivors. Interested in her late mother’s history there in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, Lila transferred to the local university and pledged a sorority — really the only one on campus — whose few members now reside in Tory Redding’s old home. The farmhouse-turned-sorority-house is still a work in progress; Lila’s fellow Alpha Epsilon sisters were in the midst of renovating the place when a ghost of the past found its way into the present.

The Psycho Goreman and The Void director’s penchant for visceral special effects is noted early on as the Leprechaun tears not only into the modern age, but also through poor Ozzie’s abdomen. The portal from 1993 to 2018 is soaked with blood and guts as the Leprechaun forces his way into the story. Davis’ iconic depiction of the wee antagonist is missed, however, Linden Porco is not simply keeping the seat warm in case his predecessor ever resumes the part. His enthusiastic performance is accentuated by a rotten-looking mug that adds to his innate menace.

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Pictured: Taylor Spreitler, Pepi Sonuga, and Sai Bennett as Lila, Katie and Rose in Leprechaun Returns.

The obligatory fodder is mostly young this time around. Apart from one luckless postman and Ozzie — the premature passing of the latter character removed the chance of caring about anyone in the film — the Leprechaun’s potential prey are all college aged. Lila is this story’s token trauma kid with caregiver baggage; her mother thought “monsters were always trying to get her.” Lila’s habit of mentioning Tory’s mental health problem does not make a good first impression with the resident mean girl and apparent alcoholic of the sorority, Meredith (Emily Reid). Then there are the nicer but no less cursorily written of the Alpha Epsilon gals: eco-conscious and ex-obsessive Katie (Pepi Sonuga), and uptight overachiever Rose (Sai Bennett). Rounding out the main cast are a pair of destined-to-die bros (Oliver Llewellyn Jenkins, Ben McGregor). Lila and her peers range from disposable to plain irritating, so rooting for any one of them is next to impossible. Even so, their overstated personalities make their inevitable fates more satisfying.

Where Returns excels is its death sequences. Unlike Jones’ film, this one is not afraid of killing off members of the main cast. Lila, admittedly, wears too much plot armor, yet with her mother’s spirit looming over her and the whole story — comedian Heather McDonald put her bang-on Aniston impersonation to good use as well as provided a surprisingly emotional moment in the film — her immunity can be overlooked. Still, the other characters’ brutal demises make up for Lila’s imperviousness. The Leprechaun’s killer set-pieces also happen to demonstrate the time period, seeing as he uses solar panels and a drone in several supporting characters’ executions. A premortem selfie and the antagonist’s snarky mention of global warming additionally add to this film’s particular timestamp.

Critics were quick to say Leprechaun Returns did not break new ground. Sure, there is no one jetting off to space, or the wacky notion of Lubdan becoming a record producer. This reset, however, is still quite charming and entertaining despite its lack of risk-taking. And with yet another reboot in the works, who knows where the most wicked Leprechaun ever to exist will end up next.


Horror contemplates in great detail how young people handle inordinate situations and all of life’s unexpected challenges. While the genre forces characters of every age to face their fears, it is especially interested in how youths might fare in life-or-death scenarios.

The column Young Blood is dedicated to horror stories for and about teenagers, as well as other young folks on the brink of terror.

Leprechaun Returns movie

Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

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