From Beyond is a Lovecraftian body horror film that follows Dr. Katherine McMichaels, a psychiatrist, treating Dr. Crawford Tillinghast after the disappearance and supposed murder of his mentor, Dr. Edward Pretorius. Joined by the detective working on the case, they return to Pretorius's home where the Resonator, a machine created by the scientist, awaits. What follows is utter insanity. From Beyond is a fun, colorful movie that's perfect for this Halloween season.
The film is directed by legendary horror master, Stuart Gordon and was written by him and longtime collaborators, Brian Yuzna and Dennis Paoli. They were also the team behind Gordon's better known, Re-Animator, another Lovecraftian-inspired horror movie from the 80s. Gordon, who sadly passed in 2020, is known for his use of practical effects, body horror, and exploring the strange and bizarre. One of the things I love most about From Beyond is just how weird it is. I'm a big fan of Gordon's work, from the things he's done for the anthology series, Masters of Horror, to his film, Dolls, which was the first Stuart Gordon film I watched. Of all his movies, From Beyond is definitely my favorite.
It also stars frequent Gordon collaborators, Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton as Crawford Tillinghast and Katherine McMichaels, respectively. While they would star individually in projects by Gordon, they also performed together in Re-Animator and Castle Freak. Personally, I've always loved the chemistry between Combs and Crampton, whether they're enemies, budding lovers, or a disgruntled married couple. They've always played off each other so well, in my opinion, but I love them best in From Beyond. The film also stars horror legend, Ken Foree, who played Peter Washington in George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead. He plays Detective Bubba Brownlee, the straight man among the mad scientists, who nicely rounds out their small group.
From Beyond plays like a neon pink colored nightmare, exploring the outlandish creatures that live beyond our perception and reality. The body horror in this film is some of my favorite I've ever seen. The effects are gnarly. Everything is dripping in ooze. The monsters are fleshy and twisted. There are floating pink worms and snake-like third eyes that burst through foreheads. If you liked the body horror in The Thing or The Substance, you'll definitely love what they have goin in From Beyond.
This film is beyond your typical horror movie. It's not afraid to be odd and outlandish. The characters are flawed and obsessive. They want to see beyond the veil desperately, no matter the cost. If you like weird, off-beat horror that just goes off-the-rails immediately and never really stops until the end, you'll love Gordon's From Beyond!