Q: What is the best cosmic horror?

The Thing (1982) might be the best cosmic horror movie ever made. It does play out mostly as a monster movie, but the cosmic horror aspect, that of the unknowable, really starts to sink in more and more as the minutes pass.

Question 1

Who created cosmic horror?

Accepted Answer

H. P. Lovecraft is the author who created the idea of "cosmic horror" in literature. Lovecraft was inspired by authors such as Edgar Allen Poe and Algernon Blackwood, but he twisted the dark and supernatural elements present in their work into something entirely new.

Cosmic horror is also commonly referred to as Lovecraftian horror, and Eldritch horror.

Question 2

What makes cosmic horror scary?

Accepted Answer

Cosmic horror is about the fear of the unknown and the unknowable. It's about finally understanding your place in the universe, and realizing that the universe is an incomprehensibly oppressive and bleak place. In cosmic horror, human concerns are nothing compared to what lies just beyond our sight.

As author China Miéville wrote, "Lovecraft's horror is not one of intrusion but of realization." So, much of cosmic horror deals with the idea that what we understand about our world and the universe we exist within is merely a thin barrier to what is really out there. When we realize that everything we know is wrong, that's where cosmic horror resides. This is why much of cosmic horror deals with sci-fi elements, because science tries to make sense of the unknown, and the unknown can be scary. Even scarier is coming to the realization that, as humans, we aren't equipped to understand all there is to know.

Question 3

Where do I start cosmic horror?

Accepted Answer

The best place to start diving into cosmic horror movies for beginners to the genre will likely depend on your preferences in other types of films.

For outer-space sci-fi fans who like a bit of gore, start with Event Horizon (1997). For a mixture of religion and science in your cosmic horror, watch Prince of Darkness (1987). For stylish modern horror with weird, alien elements, start with either Color Our of Space (2019) or Annihilation (2018).

Question 4

What is the best cosmic horror?

Accepted Answer

The Thing (1982) might be the best cosmic horror movie ever made. It does play out mostly as a monster movie, but the cosmic horror aspect, that of the unknowable, really starts to sink in more and more as the minutes pass.

Gabriella Jones-Monserrate

33+ Cosmic Horror Movies — Lovecraftian Cinema