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Before we begin, it is only fair to warn you there are spoilers ahead. They are, however, nominal and should not detract from your enjoyment of the films. If you prefer, watch the films first, then return to read the remainder of this article. That said, I think the Prologue provided enough of an intro, don’t you agree? Let’s get right into it then, starting with …

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Body horror has its own special place in the genre, meaning it caters to a particular group of cine- and bibliophiles. That’s film (cine-) and book (biblio-) lovers (philes), just FYI. This is where gore and torture porn live, along with all of the slasher films and stories. As such, there is a broad range of what constitutes body horror, from the subtle and implied to the outright brutal and disgusting. Ash lies just to one side of the center, leaning toward the brutal but still watchable for most horror fans. There are bursts of violence and a rather intense—though not gory—surgical scene toward the end, which just about sums up the totality of the physical aspects of the film. Other elements, such as psychological and extraterrestrial, come into play—the story does take place on a distant planet, after all—making this film attractive to a wide audience. These elements are all woven together wonderfully, making for an exceptional science fiction horror story.

The cinematography is muted, driving home the harsh environment of the planet and heightening the tension aboard the crashed ship. As such, this film is best enjoyed late at night, with all of the lights turned off. If you enjoy snacking while watching a film, it is our recommendation that you pick gummy snacks over crispy snacks, as the dialogue can be low at times.

Continued after the break

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The title Pandorum is taken from a fictional term originating in the film, used to define a form of psychosis caused by deep space, triggered by emotional stress and leading to severe paranoia and delirium.² This proves to be foreshadowing, though it isn’t immediately apparent how. This is psychological horror in science fiction at its finest, as it isn’t until we get close to the end that we come to recognize what the horror truly consists of.

Cryostasis, oxygen management, food rations, and a host of other concerns crowd the confined spaces of starships when considering space travel. Pandorum, then, is a whole other level of concern when considering interstellar journeys. Descent into madness is one thing, but what if you’re plagued with madness right from the beginning? Even better, what if you don’t know who’s mad and who isn’t? We explore these themes in Pandorum. And much like the madness that may or may not haunt our protagonists, we are haunted by these themes long after watching the film.

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Paranormal horror in space is nothing new. In 1993, the irreverent paranormal horror game DOOM was released, in which a marine stationed on Mars is transported to Hell and forced to fight his way into the depths of it in order to escape. While Event Horizon isn’t exactly like DOOM, there are certainly parallels. A missing ship, aptly named the Event Horizon, abruptly appears near Neptune. A salvage team is deployed to gather what information they can and rescue any survivors. Everything slowly descends into hell—figuratively and literally—once they arrive.

This raises an interesting point with regard to scientists in horror: never trust them. In The Extraordinary Experiment of Dr. Calgroni and The Electric Chair, we follow the designs of two doctors and scientists who care little for the ethical concerns of their practice and proceed with their experiments without prejudice. Thus do we find a colleague of theirs in Dr. William Weir, the architect for the gravity drive upon which the Event Horizon depended for its travel.

This film is hailed as one of the foremost terrifying science fiction horror films, such that long after its release, it gained notoriety and a cult following. For you brave souls who fly in the face of caution, enjoy this with all the lights off, though you may find yourself turning them back on before lying down to sleep.

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