Cosmic Horror

"Regarding body and cosmic horror influences, no piece of media is more prolific than John Carpenter’s 1982 masterpiece, The Thing. Between Carpenter’s multifaceted craftsmanship and special effects wizard Rob Bottin’s grotesquely creative mind, The Thing would leave an indomitable mark on the next 50 years of horror. From a monster design standpoint, what made The Thing remarkable was the creature’s knack for treating the human body like meaty playdough. While assimilating itself with its victim, the creature would contort, mesh, and tear flesh while attempting to replicate its victim’s appearance. Should the monster’s transformation be interrupted, it would often retain a distorted semblance of its victim’s original form to horrifying effects.

As with anything, creatives across all disciplines have attempted to replicate the magic of Carpenter’s film, but sadly, many took the wrong lessons from it. Much in the way that adaptations of H.P. Lovecraft’s work often result in “It’s Lovecraft because there are tentacles,” body and cosmic horror have been misinterpreted to no end over the decades. While emphasizing the horrifying exterior of characters and monsters alike, the best examples of body and cosmic horror examine the inner workings of characters who we come to care for, emphasizing the inherent horror of it all..."