On June 18th, 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman to venture into space. I’m honoring her achievement today the only way I know how, by making a list of movie recommendations. Specifically, since I love horror and I bet you do too, I’m recommending a few of the best horror movies that are set in outer space (or at least travel through space) and feature a woman in a significant role.
Also, before I get to the list, I’m recommending one non-horror movie. A documentary titled Sally launched earlier this week, and it’s all about Sally Ride’s story. I’m planning to watch it myself tonight before I get into the horror movies listed below. Sally can be streamed on Hulu and Disney+. But now, onto the list!
Sigourney Weaver in Alien.
Stream on Hulu
Alien is an easy pick for this list. Sure, you’ve probably seen it before, but it’s the standard by which most outer-space horror movies are measured. Plus, Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley is a character who has inspired countless other strong female leads in science fiction, horror, and beyond. Really, any of the Alien films would work for this list. They’re all all Hulu right now, even the newest one, Alien: Romulus.
Michelle Yeoh plays Corazon who is responsible for maintaining the spaceship’s oxygen garden.
Rent on Amazon
Sunshine has two great female characters, Corazon (Michelle Yeoh) and Cassie (Rose Byrne). They’re two members of a crew voyaging through space on a mission to restart our dying Sun. The film is a personal favorite among both the space-horror subgenre and among Danny Boyle’s directing filmography.
Lexa Doig (on the left) was on the sci-fi TV series Andromeda at the time Jason X was released.
Rent on Amazon
Okay, yes, this entry is kind of a joke, but it fits the parameters of the list. I’ve come to appreciate the silliness of Jason X over the years. Besides, Lexa Doig, as a time-displaced scientist and unintentional astronaut, is memorable in the movie.
Joely Richardson as Lieutenant Starck.
Stream on MGM+
Event Horizon used to be underrated by the general public, but at this point it’s practically considered a classic of the cosmic-horror and space-horror genres. Among the crew of the spaceship christened the “Lewis and Clark” are medical technician Peters (Kathleen Quinlan) and executive officer Lt. Starck (Joely Richardson). Peters is a motherly character whose compassion is turned into horror by whatever the crew of the “Event Horizon” unknowingly brought into the ship, and Starck is a fighter who is among the few who live long enough to confront the unknowable evil.
The special effects are charmingly cheesy in The Angry Red Planet.
Stream on Prime Video
After her spaceship returns from a mission to Mars, Dr. Iris Ryan (Naura Hayden), a biologist and zoologist, is the only surviving and conscious member of the crew. Of the three men she left Earth with, two are dead and one is in critical condition with an alien growth on his arm. Dr. Ryan tells the story of the mission and her crew’s encounters with bizarre and deadly life forms on the red planet.
Also, before I get to the list, I’m recommending one non-horror movie. A documentary titled Sally launched earlier this week, and it’s all about Sally Ride’s story. I’m planning to watch it myself tonight before I get into the horror movies listed below. Sally can be streamed on Hulu and Disney+. But now, onto the list!
Alien (1979)
Sigourney Weaver in Alien.
Stream on Hulu
Alien is an easy pick for this list. Sure, you’ve probably seen it before, but it’s the standard by which most outer-space horror movies are measured. Plus, Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley is a character who has inspired countless other strong female leads in science fiction, horror, and beyond. Really, any of the Alien films would work for this list. They’re all all Hulu right now, even the newest one, Alien: Romulus.
Sunshine (2007)
Michelle Yeoh plays Corazon who is responsible for maintaining the spaceship’s oxygen garden.
Rent on Amazon
Sunshine has two great female characters, Corazon (Michelle Yeoh) and Cassie (Rose Byrne). They’re two members of a crew voyaging through space on a mission to restart our dying Sun. The film is a personal favorite among both the space-horror subgenre and among Danny Boyle’s directing filmography.
Jason X (2001)
Lexa Doig (on the left) was on the sci-fi TV series Andromeda at the time Jason X was released.
Rent on Amazon
Okay, yes, this entry is kind of a joke, but it fits the parameters of the list. I’ve come to appreciate the silliness of Jason X over the years. Besides, Lexa Doig, as a time-displaced scientist and unintentional astronaut, is memorable in the movie.
Event Horizon (1997)
Joely Richardson as Lieutenant Starck.
Stream on MGM+
Event Horizon used to be underrated by the general public, but at this point it’s practically considered a classic of the cosmic-horror and space-horror genres. Among the crew of the spaceship christened the “Lewis and Clark” are medical technician Peters (Kathleen Quinlan) and executive officer Lt. Starck (Joely Richardson). Peters is a motherly character whose compassion is turned into horror by whatever the crew of the “Event Horizon” unknowingly brought into the ship, and Starck is a fighter who is among the few who live long enough to confront the unknowable evil.
The Angry Red Planet (1959)
The special effects are charmingly cheesy in The Angry Red Planet.
Stream on Prime Video
After her spaceship returns from a mission to Mars, Dr. Iris Ryan (Naura Hayden), a biologist and zoologist, is the only surviving and conscious member of the crew. Of the three men she left Earth with, two are dead and one is in critical condition with an alien growth on his arm. Dr. Ryan tells the story of the mission and her crew’s encounters with bizarre and deadly life forms on the red planet.