/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/89/1e/891e92d0-6728-47c3-b935-f279f604f40c/gettyimages-1962575656_web.jpg?#)
All True ‘Alien’ Fans Need To Watch The Influential Cult Classic Sci-Fi Horror That Inspired It
While outdated, Mario Bava's Planet of the Vampires is a chillingly effective sci-fi horror that inspired Ridley Scott's Alien.
Few films have mastered the art of terrifying an audience as expertly as Alien. Directed byRidley Scott, for more than 40 years this story of a space crew fleeing from the titular monster has unnerved viewers; it strikes the perfect balance of visceral bloodshed and creeping dread to make every scene terrifying for all. It's a true marvel in the genre that excels in ways that most horror movies can only dream of — and anyone who enjoys it absolutely has to watch Mario Bava'sPlanet of the Vampires.
