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History of Horror: Extraterrestrial Horror

A cultural history.

Watch the Skies

"Watch the skies. Everywhere. Keep looking. Keep watching the skies."--Ned "Scotty" Scott, The Thing From Another World.

Invasion from Space

  • 1897. Novel: War of the Words by H.G. Wells
  • 1938. Novella: Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell.
  • 1939. Orson Welles radio broadcast of War of the Worlds.
  • 1951. Film: The Thing From Another World.
  • 1956. Film: Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
  • 1957. The Soviets send the Sputnik satellite into orbit.
  • 1957. Novel: The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wydham.
  • 1958. Film: The Blob.
  • 1959. Film: Ed Wood's Plan 9 From Outer Space.
  • 1960. Film: The Village of the Damned.
  • 1962. Television. The Twilight Zone: To Serve Man (Season 3, Number 24, Episode 89).
  • 1969. Novel: Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton
  • 1987. Novel: The Tommyknockers by Stephen King.
  • 1987. Film: Predator.
  • 1995. Film: Species.
  • 1996. Comedy: Mars Attacks.
  • 1996. Film: Independence Day.
  • 2004. Novel: The Taking by Dean Koontz.
  • 2019. Film: Brightburn.

Discovery in Space

  • 1901. Novel: First Men in the Moon by H.G. Wells.
  • 1956. Film: The Forbidden Planet
  • 1965. Film: Planet of the Vampires.
  • 1968. Film: The Green Slime.
  • 1989. Novel: Hyperion by Dan Simmons.
  • 1991. Novel: The Cipher by Kathe Koja.
  • 1997. Film: Event Horizon.
  • 1997. Film: Starship Troopers.
  • 2001. Novel: Ship of Fools by Richard Paul Russo.
  • 2006. Novels: Blindsight by Peter Watts.
  • 2014. Novel: The Burning Dark by Adam Christopher.
  • 2016. Film: Passengers.
  • 2017. Film: Alien: Covenant.
  • 2019. Novel: Salvation Day by Kali Wallace.
  • 2019. Novel: The Last Astronaut by David Wellington.

Additional References

Cardin, M. (2017). Horror literature through history an encyclopedia of the stories that speak to our deepest fears (Kindle) Greenwood.
Jones, D. (2021). Horror a very short introduction. Oxford University Press.
King, S. (2010). Danse macabre. Gallery. 
Landis, J. (2016). Monsters in the movies: 100 Years of Cinematic nightmares. DK. 
Luckhurst, R. (2018). The Astounding Illustrated History of Fantasy & Horror. Flame Tree Publishing. 
Skal, D. J. (2020). Fright favourites: 31 movies to haunt your Halloween and beyond. Running Press. 
Turitz, N. and Zimmerman, B. (2020). Horror: An illustrated history of vampires, zombies, monsters & more. Centennial Books, an imprint of Centennial Media, LLC.